6.8 Nitrogen Oxides and the Acidification of Los Angeles
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Atmospheric Pollution The formation and effects of acid rain and other pollutants are simulated.
Atmospheric Chemistry |
Gases
Ozone: Absorbance of UV Light Ozone is produced. Exposure to a shortwave ultraviolet source causes the ozone to cast a shadow against a fluorescent yellow background.
Atmospheric Chemistry |
Photochemistry
Atmosphere Topics associated with the atmosphere include atmospheric pressure, pollution and the role of ozone.
Special_Topics : AirPollutants (20 Variations)
Which of the following air pollutants can be described as a photochemically active free radical that contributes to acid rain and respiratory irritation?
Special_Topics : RainFallpH (20 Variations) The rainfall in central Wisconsin has a pH of 4.8 (National Atmospheric Deposition Program). Take a look at the EPA webpage Effects of Acid Rain: Lakes & Streams. This site has a chart of the pH at which several aquatic species begin to suffer. Determine which of the following species will be most affected by rainfall of this acidity if the lakes and streams in central Wisconsin aren't buffered enough to neutralize some of the acid. (There may be more than one correct answer.)
Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Mapping of Environmental Samples across College CampusesKathleen L. Purvis-Roberts, Harriet P. Moeur, and Andrew Zanella In this laboratory experiment, students take environmental samples (concentrations of nitrogen dioxide) and geospatial coordinates with a global position systems unit at various locations around campus, map their data on a geo-referenced map with geographical information systems software, and compare their results to those observed by governmental agencies. Purvis-Roberts, Kathleen L.; Moeur, Harriet P.; Zanella, Andrew. J. Chem. Educ.2007, 84, 1691.
Applications of Chemistry |
Atmospheric Chemistry |
Gases |
Laboratory Computing / Interfacing |
UV-Vis Spectroscopy
What Is Your Mental Picture of Ordinary Air?Richard W. Ramette and Dale K. Haworth Students differ widely in their conceptions about the nature of air. Ramette, Richard W.; Haworth, Dale K. J. Chem. Educ.2006, 83, 834.
Importance of Air Volume 03, issue 08 of a series of leaflets covering subjects of interest to students of elementary chemistry distributed in 1929 - 1932.
Atmospheric Chemistry
The Air Volume 05, issue 09 of a series of leaflets covering subjects of interest to students of elementary chemistry distributed in 1929 - 1932.
Atmospheric Chemistry
Molecular Models of Volatile Organic CompoundsWilliam F. Coleman This month's Featured Molecules come from the Report from Other Journals column, Nature: Our Atmosphere in the Year of Planet Earth, and the summary found there of the paper by Lelieveld et al. (1, 2) Added to the collection are several volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are emitted by a variety of plants. The term VOCs is a common one in environmental chemistry, and is interpreted quite broadly, typically referring to any organic molecule with a vapor pressure sufficiently high to allow for part-per-billion levels in the atmosphere. Common VOCs include methane (the most prevalent VOC), benzene and benzene derivatives, chlorinated hydrocarbons, and many others. The source may be natural, as in the case of the plant emissions, or anthropogenic, as in the case of a molecule such as the gasoline additive methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE).The oxidation of isoprene in the atmosphere has been a source of interest for many years. Several primary oxidation products are included in the molecule collection, although a number of isomeric forms are also possible (3).The area of VOCs provides innumerable topics for students research papers and projects at all levels of the curriculum from high-school chemistry through the undergraduate courses in chemistry and environmental science. Along the way students have the opportunity for exposure to fields such as epidemiology and toxicology, that may be new to them, but are of increasing importance in the environmental sciences. The MTBE story is an interesting one for students to discover, as it once again emphasizes the role that unintended consequences play in life. An exploration of the sources, structures, reactivity, health and environmental effects and ultimate fate of various VOCs reinforces in students minds just how interconnected the chemistry of the environment is, a lesson that bears repeating frequently.
