Chapter (7)

Air
 The air is industrialization and transportation, polluted with some harmful
gases.
 ‌The growing problems of acid rain, some harmful gases, global warming and
ozone depletion.
 ‌Polluted air cause irritation to serious diseases.
 Cultural heritage sites suffered enormous damage due to acid rain.

(a) The Structure of the Atmosphere

 Air about 8 ~ 10 km thick called the atmosphere.
 Atmosphere is divided into five layers:
1) Troposphere
2) Stratosphere
3) Mesosphere
4) Thermosphere
 The gases are held in an envelope by earth’s gravity.
 Troposphere has about 75% nearest to earth. All living thing and all human
activity occur in it.
 Stratosphere, ozone layer, shields living creatures from deadly ultraviolet
radiation.
 Mesosphere, atmosphere reaches into space becomes extremely thin beyond
ozone layer.
 Thermosphere, in the earth’s atmosphere directly above the mesosphere.

(b) Composition of Air

 Mixture of several gases.

 Main gases are nitrogen and oxygen.
 Carbon dioxide and the noble gases are present in smaller amounts.
 A mixture, composition varies from time to time and from place to place.
 Air contains
a) 78% (nitrogen)
b) 21% (oxygen)
c) 0.03% (carbon dioxide)
d) 0.97% (noble gases)
 Carbon dioxide rise, when we burn more and more fossil fuels (coals, oil and
gas).
 In air, almost 0% in a desert, about 5% in a tropical.
  Gases in air are colorless and odorless.
 We depend on oxygen. Plants depend on carbon dioxide.
 Without nitrogen in air, fuels would burn too fast.
 Oxygen is slightly soluble in water and reacts with many other substances.
 Three important reactions involving oxygen
1. Combustion
2. Respiration
3. Rusting
 Energy respiration keeps us warm, hundreds different reactions to go on in
our bodies.
 Carbon dioxide in the air, important to all living things.
Green plants need carbon dioxide for photosynthesis, produce glucose
(carbohydrate) and oxygen. Plants use carbon dioxide and release oxygen into
the air.

(d) Air Pollution and Common Air Pollution

 Air pollution is caused by soil particles (called particulates) and poisonous

gases in the air. These substances are called air pollutants.

(e) Global Warming and Greenhouse Effect

 Earth’s surface warmed by radiation from the sum.

 Sunlight, earth’s surface warms and surface release heat in the form of infrared
radiation.
 Carbon dioxide and other gases caused global warming. Air trap’s radiation
and prevent escaping into space.
 Amount of carbon dioxide and heat-trapping gases, the larger is amount of heat
trapped and warmer the earth becomes.
 The average temperature of the Earth increases leading to global warming.
 Greenhouse gases, without we would freeze to death at night, the sun is not
shining.
 The level of greenhouse gases, so high, is causing global warming.
 Greenhouse gases (GHGs)
1) Water vapour
2) Carbon dioxide
3) Methane
4) Nitrous oxide
5) Ozone
 Man-made
 1) Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
2) Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
3) Perfluorocarbons (FPFCs)
4) Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)
 Burning fossil fuels and farm-lands, excessive use of fertilizers’ increases the
amount of greenhouse gases.
 Greenhouse gases increasing, flooding, drought, cyclone, forest fire, landslide,
heat wave, etc.
 Melting of glaciers and Artic ice will increase sea levels resulting in many coast
communities being flooded and no longer habitable.

(f) How Acid Rain is Produced

 One major environmental effect of air pollutants cause acid rain.

 Rain water, naturally slightly acidic (pH of about 5.7).
 Carbon dioxide in the air dissolves in rain water, form carbonic acid.
 Oxides of Sulphur and nitrogen released industrial waste into atmosphere.,
dissolve in water, becomes more acidic.
 Coal-burning power plants and engines fueled by oil or petrol release gases,
can form acid rain, falls far from its source.
 Rain water with a pH less than 5 is called acid rain, negative effects.