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Difficulty: EasyPollution Types, Causes, Effects, and Control

Match each pollutant or human activity listed on the left with its primary environmental effect on the right.

  • Sulfur dioxide (SO2SO_2)Formation of acid rain
  • Crude oil spillSmothering of marine life and coastal organisms
  • Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)Depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer
  • Agricultural fertilizer runoffEutrophication of aquatic bodies

Answer

Sulfur dioxide matches with the formation of acid rain; crude oil spill matches with the smothering of marine life and coastal organisms; chlorofluorocarbons match with the depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer; agricultural fertilizer runoff matches with eutrophication of aquatic bodies.
Sulfur dioxide (SO2SO_2) forms acid rain when dissolved in cloud droplets. Crude oil forms a insoluble floating film that smothers aquatic life and coastal birds. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) degrade ozone molecules in the stratosphere. Fertilizer runoff enriches water with nitrates and phosphates, prompting rapid algal growth (eutrophication).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the atmospheric reaction of sulfur dioxide (SO2SO_2).
Sulfur dioxide combines with water vapor to form acid rain.
Industrial gaseous emissions of SO2SO_2 are the primary cause of acid precipitation.
2
Analyze the physical impact of crude oil on aquatic ecosystems.
Oil forms a thick surface layer blocking light and oxygen, smothering organisms.
Crude oil is less dense than water and insoluble, creating a persistent surface barrier.
3
Recall the chemical action of chlorofluorocarbons in the upper atmosphere.
CFCs decompose under UV light to produce chlorine atoms that destroy ozone.
CFCs are unreactive in the troposphere but break down ozone in the stratosphere.
4
Determine the ecological outcome of nutrient-rich runoff entering water bodies.
Excess nutrients trigger excessive algal blooms leading to eutrophication.
Nitrates and phosphates act as limiting nutrients in aquatic systems.

Key Concept

Pollutant Types, Causes, and Primary Ecological Effects
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Topics

Pollution Types, Causes, Effects, and Control

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