What causes air pollution?
Air pollution can be defined as any harmful material that is present in the earth’s atmosphere. The causes of air pollution, therefore, are many and highly varied. Some sources are natural, such as volcanism or forest fires started by lightning, while others are brought about by human activity, such as the burning of fossil fuels. While the earth does have built-in mechanisms for getting rid of air pollution, it is usually better for all living things to reduce the amount of pollutants released into the air to begin with. The most well-known and pervasive causes of air pollution are man-made. The burning of petroleum products is a very common cause of air pollution, especially in metropolitan areas. This pollution comes from chemical factors present when these fuels combust. When hydrocarbons such as gasoline are burned, they produce carbon dioxide and water vapor. Incomplete combustion leads to carbon monoxide also being created as a byproduct. Carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide are b
Air pollution comes from factories, businesses, consumer products, and, most of all, from cars, trucks and buses. Pollution from vehicles cause two of our worst air pollution problems, smog and carbon monoxide. Ozone, or smog, irritates the lungs, eyes and other tissues. It can cause or worsen respiratory problems. Smog can be a serious problem for anyone whose lungs are working hard — children, the elderly, those with lung disease and even healthy adults exercising outdoors during a smog episode. Carbon monoxide interferes with the blood’s ability to carry oxygen to the brain. CO can slow reflexes and affect thinking skills. Pregnant women and people with heart or lung disease are particularly at risk. In high concentrations, carbon monoxide kills.
Page Description: As students complete the sentences in this worksheet, they will review the types and causes of air pollution. They will also identify pollutants contained in smog and automobile exhaust, that result from burning fossil fuels, and other common sources of pollution. Grade Levels: 6 – 12 The full page is available ONLY to subscribers. Sign up today for a free 7-day trial to get access to this page and all of the 17,500 items on TeacherVision.
