What is air pollution?
Environmental Science
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Answer
Air pollution refers to the presence of harmful substances in the Earth's atmosphere. These substances can be gases, solid particles, or liquid droplets that are detrimental to human health, other living organisms, and the environment.
Common air pollutants include:
- Particulate matter (PM): Tiny solid or liquid particles suspended in the air, such as dust, soot, and smoke.
- Ground-level ozone (): A harmful gas formed when pollutants react in sunlight.
- Carbon monoxide (): A colorless, odorless gas produced by incomplete combustion.
- Sulfur dioxide (): A gas primarily from burning fossil fuels containing sulfur.
- Nitrogen oxides (): Gases produced from burning fossil fuels in vehicles and power plants.
- Lead (): A heavy metal that can be released into the air from industrial processes.
Sources of air pollution can be natural (e.g., volcanic eruptions, wildfires) or anthropogenic (e.g., industrial emissions, vehicle exhaust, agricultural activities).
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