Name: Rvin Raoul O.

Labrada Date Submitted: December 15, 2023

Course/Year/Section: BSCPE 1 Rating:

Prelab Assignment 5. Air Pollution

1. Define air pollution.

- Air pollution is the contamination of the atmosphere by harmful substances, resulting in
the deterioration of air quality. This includes the release of pollutants such as gases,
particles, and biological materials, often caused by human activities such as industrial
emissions, vehicle combustion, and the burning of fossil fuels. Air pollution is a pressing
global issue that requires immediate attention and effective mitigation strategies to
safeguard human health and the environment.

2. Define combustion.
- Combustion is a quick chemical reaction between a fuel, like gas, and oxygen, which
produces heat, light, and water vapor. It happens when things burn, like when we use
gasoline in cars or cook with a gas stove. Combustion is important for making energy,
and it shows how chemicals can change into heat and light.

3. What are the consequences of increasing CO2 in the atmosphere?

- More CO2 in the air causes global warming, making the Earth hotter. This leads to
extreme weather like stronger storms, heatwaves, and floods. The extra CO2 also makes
oceans more acidic, which harms sea life. Melting ice raises sea levels, threatening
coastal areas. Changes in weather patterns affect plants, animals, and agriculture. It's not
just an environmental issue it can also impact human health and make certain diseases
more common.

4. Give 5 activities that you do that may result to air pollution.

a. Transportation, many students rely on buses, cars, or motorcycles to commute to school.

The combustion of fossil fuels in these vehicles releases pollutants, contributing to air
pollution.
b. Energy Consumption, the use of electricity for lighting, heating, and electronic devices in
houses can contribute to air pollution, especially if the energy comes from fossil fuel-
based power plants.
c. Open burning of garbage waste, open air garbage burning releases toxins such as black
carbon, soot, and carcinogens. It actively contributes to the greenhouse effect, and in turn
to climate change. Black carbon and soot get deposited on the ice peaks, which results in
their meltdown.
d. Burning solid fuels for cooking, in many places, people use solid fuels like wood or coal
for cooking. The burning of these fuels emits pollutants and contributes to indoor and
outdoor air pollution.
e. Waste treatment and disposal, processes such as incineration and landfill gas emissions
from waste disposal sites release pollutants into the air, impacting local air quality.
 Name: Rvin Raoul O. Labrada Date Submitted: December 15, 2023
Course/Year/Section: BSCPE 1 Rating:
_________________________

Laboratory Report Experiment 5. Air Pollution

● Describe the relationship between air pollution and the combustion of various materials.
● See the difference between the air pollutants given off from the combustion of
natural and synthetic materials.
● Better understand how society and industry add potentially harmful pollutants to the air.

Data/Observations

Material Color of Odor of Other Observed Other observations

Smoke Smoke Products

Cotton Odor of
burning paper,
leaves, or
wood

The total outer layer of Besides of blackening of outer

White the cotton is totally layer of the cotton, the inside
blackened. layer of the color didn’t burnt
with the color of white. And also
the cotton is easily combusted
of fire.

Cotton & A mix of the

kerosene natural cotton
smell and the
petroleum-
based
kerosene odor. The outer layer of the
cotton didn’t totally
Gray blackened and just part Because of the added kerosene
of it. in the cotton it create a massive
fire covering the cotton.
 Wool
Odor has a Unlike the others, this is the
distinct burnt most difficult to set on fire.
hair smell. Because it attach to the lighter
that I use and the fire sets off.

Dark Residue resembling

ash, with a rough
texture.

Styrofoam Odor is really a This one really has the bad

typically a smell in all of them, it causes
chemical, acrid my head to have a slight
smell nausea. Cautious with
styrofoam as it may release
toxic fumes.

Dark It appear as melted,

hardened plastic.

Answers to Questions
1. Which of the materials gave off the most air pollutants? On what do you base your
answer?
- The material that likely gave off the most air pollutants is Styrofoam. When
burned, it can release harmful substances, including toxic gases and particulate
matter. The bad smell and the dark, melted leftovers after burning suggest that it
produces hazardous compound when it's on fire. It's important to know that
burning things like Styrofoam is not good for the environment and can be
harmful to health.
2. What substance when burned produce liquid inside the beaker? What was the color
of the liquid?
- It's the cotton with kerosene produced liquid inside the beaker. When burning
cotton with kerosene, the combustion of the kerosene could result in a liquid
residue, and the color of the liquid might be dark or oily, reflecting the
characteristics of kerosene.

3. Did you find any solid pollutants being given off by the combustion of these
materials?
- Yes, solid stuff is made when things burn. For cotton, the ash is light and fluffy.
Cotton with kerosene could have different-textured ash with some oily or greasy
parts. Wool and Styrofoam will also leave solid residues, but they might look
different – wool ash is likely similar to cotton, while Styrofoam will leave melted
and hardened plastic.

4. Which of the material (synthetic or natural) seemed to give off more pollutants in
solid and gaseous form?
- Styrofoam likely made more pollutants in both solid and gas forms. When
Styrofoam burns, it releases hazardous gases that can be harmful, and the
leftover solid stuff is melted plastic, which might stick around for a longer time.
The natural things like cotton and wool also make some pollutants, but they are
usually less harmful and break down more easily.

5. What pollutants do you think you have added to the air so far today? Can you
think of alternative ways of carrying out today’s activity to pollute the air less?
- The combustion of all materials that I do in my experiments would have released
carbon dioxide and toxic gases. To lesser the environmental impact of similar
experiments, consider conducting in well-ventilated areas or using proper fume
extraction systems. Additionally, explore alternative methods or materials that
have lower environmental consequences, such as using natural fibers or
conducting experiments that don't involve combustion.

6. What potentially harmful pollutants are added by autos and coal power plants?
What are some alternatives to these activities to produce fewer air pollutants?
- Autos and coal power plants emit harmful pollutants such as carbon monoxide,
nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, and volatile organic
compounds. These pollutants have adverse effects on air quality and human
health. To reduce these impacts, alternative transportation methods like
 carpooling and electric vehicles, along with transitioning to cleaner energy
sources such as wind or solar power, are viable solutions.

Conclusion:

The experiment involving the combustion of various materials, including cotton,

cotton with kerosene, wool, and Styrofoam. The combustion of various materials such
as cotton, kerosene, leather, and Styrofoam provided insight into the various
combustion byproducts Combustion of natural materials such as cotton and leather
produces relatively benign residues, especially ash. However, the styrofoam, resulted in
more complex and potentially harmful byproducts, including melted plastic residues and
the release of toxic gases. The observations underscore the environmental implications
of burning different materials, with synthetic substances contributing more significantly
to air pollution. The experiment highlights the importance of considering the
environmental impact of material choices and encourages the exploration of alternative,
eco-friendly materials and combustion practices to mitigate pollution and promote
sustainable practices.