ISU_ GEOL 324 EXAM 3 2025/2026
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 100% PASS
Lecture 22
Point source vs nonpoint source polluters - ANS Point source = localized, stationary source of
pollution
Nonpoint source = widely distributed and mobile source of pollution
Primary vs secondary pollution - ANS Primary pollutants = direct products of combustion
(Carbon monoxide, Nitrogen oxide, and sulfur dioxide)
Secondary pollutants = products of reactions between primary pollutants and environment
Particulate matter categories and cardiovascular disease - ANS PM is described/categorized
by particle size more often than particle composition
Any particle that is suspended in the air and has a diameter:
2.5-10 microns in diameter = PM10
Less than 2.5 microns in diameter = PM2.5
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,Absorbed into lung and cardiovascular tissues:
▪ premature death in people with heart or lung disease,
▪ irregular heartbeat,
▪ aggravated asthma,
▪ decreased lung function
▪ increased respiratory irritation of the airways, coughing or difficulty breathing.
Particulate matter:
1) incompletely burned hydrocarbons (soot)
2) ash component of fuel
3) products of secondary reactions in atmosphere
The role of oxygen in producing carbon monoxide during combustion - ANS Carbon
monoxide is the result of incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, due to insufficient amount of
oxygen or fuel/air ratios
Major emitters of carbon monoxide (pie chart) - ANS 49% Road Vehicles
20% Non-Road Vehicles (Half of this comes from lawn equipment)
11% Fires
Produced primarily by vehicles and small engines
Catalytic converters reduce CO emissions
The role of oxygen in producing NOx compounds during combustion - ANS Atmospheric
nitrogen becomes oxidized at high temperatures during fossil fuel combustion
Major emitters of NOx compounds (pie chart) - ANS 35% Road Vehicles
21% Industrial activities
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, 21% Electric power generation
20% Non-road vehicles (1/2 of non-road emissions = lawn equipment)
Catalytic converters (vehicles) and staged combustion (power plants) reduce NOx emissions
What are catalytic converters? - ANS Honeycomb-like substrate coated in precious metal
catalysts
Platinum and Rhodium (reduction)
Platinum and Palladium (oxidation)
Reduce NOx and CO emissions
***Lecture 23*** - ANS ***Lecture 23***
Photochemical smog - ANS Photochemical smog is produced when several pollutants from
automobiles [NOx and volatile organic compounds (VOC)] exhaust are acted upon by sunlight
Ideal conditions for photochemical smog - ANS (1) lots of cars
(2) lots of sun
(3) favorable Topography (Montains/hills to restrict dispersal of the pollutants)
(4) daily temperature inversions ie.
Topography: valleys with immediately surrounding hill/ mountains → reduced air flow (Think of
Beijing, China and Los Angeles)
Basic photochemical smog reactions (NOx) - ANS 1) Cars emit NO & NO2 (more NO than
NO2)
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 100% PASS
Lecture 22
Point source vs nonpoint source polluters - ANS Point source = localized, stationary source of
pollution
Nonpoint source = widely distributed and mobile source of pollution
Primary vs secondary pollution - ANS Primary pollutants = direct products of combustion
(Carbon monoxide, Nitrogen oxide, and sulfur dioxide)
Secondary pollutants = products of reactions between primary pollutants and environment
Particulate matter categories and cardiovascular disease - ANS PM is described/categorized
by particle size more often than particle composition
Any particle that is suspended in the air and has a diameter:
2.5-10 microns in diameter = PM10
Less than 2.5 microns in diameter = PM2.5
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
,Absorbed into lung and cardiovascular tissues:
▪ premature death in people with heart or lung disease,
▪ irregular heartbeat,
▪ aggravated asthma,
▪ decreased lung function
▪ increased respiratory irritation of the airways, coughing or difficulty breathing.
Particulate matter:
1) incompletely burned hydrocarbons (soot)
2) ash component of fuel
3) products of secondary reactions in atmosphere
The role of oxygen in producing carbon monoxide during combustion - ANS Carbon
monoxide is the result of incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, due to insufficient amount of
oxygen or fuel/air ratios
Major emitters of carbon monoxide (pie chart) - ANS 49% Road Vehicles
20% Non-Road Vehicles (Half of this comes from lawn equipment)
11% Fires
Produced primarily by vehicles and small engines
Catalytic converters reduce CO emissions
The role of oxygen in producing NOx compounds during combustion - ANS Atmospheric
nitrogen becomes oxidized at high temperatures during fossil fuel combustion
Major emitters of NOx compounds (pie chart) - ANS 35% Road Vehicles
21% Industrial activities
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
, 21% Electric power generation
20% Non-road vehicles (1/2 of non-road emissions = lawn equipment)
Catalytic converters (vehicles) and staged combustion (power plants) reduce NOx emissions
What are catalytic converters? - ANS Honeycomb-like substrate coated in precious metal
catalysts
Platinum and Rhodium (reduction)
Platinum and Palladium (oxidation)
Reduce NOx and CO emissions
***Lecture 23*** - ANS ***Lecture 23***
Photochemical smog - ANS Photochemical smog is produced when several pollutants from
automobiles [NOx and volatile organic compounds (VOC)] exhaust are acted upon by sunlight
Ideal conditions for photochemical smog - ANS (1) lots of cars
(2) lots of sun
(3) favorable Topography (Montains/hills to restrict dispersal of the pollutants)
(4) daily temperature inversions ie.
Topography: valleys with immediately surrounding hill/ mountains → reduced air flow (Think of
Beijing, China and Los Angeles)
Basic photochemical smog reactions (NOx) - ANS 1) Cars emit NO & NO2 (more NO than
NO2)
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
