Biology 2485B Lecture 8: Week 4 - Atmospheric Processes and Pollution
10 Mar 2017
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Document Summary
Layers assigned by differences in temperature density and composition. Lots of weather we encounter is due to movement in air in troposphere, much less movement in stratosphere: problematic when pollution reaches the stratosphere it will not be able to dissipate well there. More sunlight + low energy absorption from path = hotter. Less sunlight + high absorption from path = cooler. Causing very polluted air: what can cause a temperature inversion, mountains: provide shade which prevents solar radiation from reaching earth, so cold air is largely because of this shade from the mountains e. g. mexico city. Air pollution: primary pollutant: an emitted hazardous substance that is directly harmful e. g. soot, co, secondary pollutant: a hazardous substance that is produced when a pollutant reacts with other chemicals found in the atmosphere e. g. ozone, sulphuric acid. It causes many detrimental health effects (respiratory illnesses e. g. asthma) as well as damage to plant tissues as well as interference with photosynthesis.
