Photochemical smog

\( \newcommand\) • • • • Photochemical smog is a type of air pollution due to the reaction of solar radiation with airborne pollutant mixtures of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (hydrocarbons). Smog is a byproduct of modern industrialization. Due to industry and the number of motor vehicles, this is more of a problem in large cities that have a warm, sunny and dry climate. • Oxidation: Photochemical smog is also referred to as oxidizing smog. Oxidation reactions have been defined several ways. In terms of oxygen transfer, oxidation is a gain of oxygen. Oxidation can also be defined as a loss of hydrogen. The most important use of oxidation is described in terms of electron transfer. Oxidation can be described as an increase in oxidation number or loss of electrons. Oxidation numbers represents a distribution of charge. In other words, oxidation numbers represent the charge of the atom if the compound was composed of ions. (Oxidation Numbers – • Reduction: Reduction can involve the gain of hydrogen or loss of oxygen. Reduction can refer to the gain of electrons, which results in a decrease in oxidation number. Formation of Photochemical Smog Step 1: People begin driving in the morning, nitrogen is burned or oxidized \[N_2 + O_2 \rightarrow 2NO\] • Oxidation number of N 2 is 0. The nitrogen in NO has acquired an oxidation number of +2. Step 2: After a few hours, NO combines with O 2, in another oxidation reaction \[2NO + O_2 \rightarrow 2NO_2\] • The nit...

Instructor: Amanda Robb Amanda has taught high school science for over 10 years. She has a Master's Degree in Cellular and Molecular Physiology from Tufts Medical School and a Master's of Teaching from Simmons College. She is also certified in secondary special education, biology, and physics in Massachusetts. Picture the City of Angels, Los Angeles, California. At first we might think of famous movie stars, palm tree-lined boulevards, and surfing. However, another image might also come to mind, one that isn't as fun, and that's smog. Not so pretty, smog is the thick, brown haze that lies around especially polluted cities like Los Angeles. Photochemical smog is produced when pollutants from the combustion of fossil fuels react with sunlight. The energy in the sunlight converts the pollutants into other toxic chemicals. In order for photochemical smog to form, there must be other pollutants in the air, specifically nitrous oxides and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). When nitrous oxides and VOCs interact with sunlight, secondary pollutants are formed, such as ozone and peroxyacetyl nitrate. These secondary pollutants are what we have been calling photochemical smog. You might think, 'Hey, isn't ozone good for protecting our atmosphere?' Well, it is, but only at levels high above the surface. When ozone is near humans, it can cause serious problems with our lungs and vision. Peroxyacetyl nitrate is one of the chemicals that is responsible for damaging lung tissue, and...

The formation of smog is hazardous to your health especially if you live in a big sunny city. Find out now how smog is formed and how you can protect yourself. The sun gives us life. But it also can cause lung cancer and heart attacks as it is a primary factor in creating smog. Learn more about this hazard. Smog and Your Health According to the American Lung Association, your lungs and heart can be permanently affected by air pollution and smog. While the young and the elderly are particularly susceptible to the effects of pollution, anyone with both short and long-term exposure can suffer ill health effects. Problems include shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, bronchitis, pneumonia, inflammation of pulmonary tissues, heart attacks, lung cancer, increased asthma-related symptoms, fatigue, heart palpitations, and even premature aging of the lungs and death. • 0 to 50: Green. Good air quality. • 51 to 100: Yellow. Moderate air quality. People who are unusually sensitive to ozone may experience respiratory symptoms. • 101 to 150: Orange. Unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups including people with lung disease or heart disease, older adults, and children. • 151 to 200: Red. Unhealthy for everyone, with special concern for sensitive groups. • 201 to 300: Purple. Health alert level indicating very unhealthy conditions, everyone may experience serious health effects. • 301 to 500: Maroon. Hazardous, an emergency condition for the entire population. Air Quality Action Da...