Air Pollution
There are many chemicals that pollute the air. In cities, the major source of pollution is carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is caused most of the time by gasoline-powered motor vehicles. You might have felt some of the effects of air pollution in big cities. If you have ever visited a big city, you might have noticed that your eyes burned or that you had trouble breathing. Air pollution is a problem in big cities because cars, homes, and factories give off many kinds of harmful substances, or pollutants, into the air.
Concern about air pollution has recently focused on indoor pollution. Indoor pollutants include tobacco smoke, gases from stoves, car exhaust in attached garages, and chemicals used for cleaning. Of special concern is a radioactive gas called radon. Radon comes from traces of uranium and radium that exist in practically all rocks and soil. Scientists think that every year as many as 30,000 of the 125,000 lung cancer deaths in the U. S. may be caused by radon.
Sulfur dioxide is another kind of air pollutant. It is released into the air when coal is burned. The sulfur dioxide combines with water in the air, forming sulfuric acid. This weak acid becomes part of rainwater, which falls to the earth. The acid rain harms living things and also damages buildings and other structures.
Some factories that burn coal have taken steps to cut down on acid rain. These factories have placed devices called scrubbers on their smokestacks. The scrubbers remove sulfur dioxide as it is released from burning coal.
Place a few drops of hydrochloric acid on a piece of limestone. The reaction will cause a fizzing. This is similar to the results of acid rain. In a few years, acid rain can have a dangerous effect on wildlife and eat away at buildings.
Trees are an important wildlife resource that does more than provide peace and beauty. They add oxygen and water to the air. They act as windbreaks and have a cooling effect on temperatures. Their presence slows the runoff of rainwater, and their root systems hold the soil. Together, both functions prevent harmful soil erosion.
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