Free Worksheets, Lessons, Quizzes
Free Worksheets, Lessons, Quizzes
No one in this world love to live in an environment surrounded by air pollution. We need to breathe clean air to stay alive. If we breathe dirty air, we are more likely to develop health problems and become ill. Plants and animals need clean air too.
When industrial fumes (poisonous gases let out from industries), smoke and tiny particles of soot and dust are discharged (released) to air, the air can be polluted. This is called air pollution.
Gases and other pollutants | Discharged by |
| Carbon monoxide (CO) | Vehicles |
| Hydrocarbons | Vehicles (This gas is produced when petrol is not fully burnt) |
| Nitrogen oxide | Vehicles, Power stations and factories |
| Sulphur dioxide (SO2) | Power stations and factories |
| Carbon dioxide (CO2) | Humans and other animals, Burning of fossil fuels |
| Chloroflorocarbons (CFC) | Air-conditioners, refrigerators, perfumes and some sprays |
| Tiny particles of soot and dust | Factories |
| Lead | Vehicles (in diesel, petrol), lead batteries, hair dye products |
1) Industrialization (The development of industries and factories) – Industries and factories discharge toxic (poisonous) fumes, smoke, soot and dust to air
2) Urbanization and rapid (quick) growth of population
3) Burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, gas, diesel, petrol, kerosene etc.
4) Increasing of traffic and vehicles – Exhaust gases are released to air from vehicles.
5) Use of air-conditioners and refrigerators
6) Use of some perfumes, sprays (e.g. – air fresheners, Mortien, Bagon etc.) insecticides and pesticides
7) Use of engines and machines
8) Smoking
Vehicles eject (throw out) a lot of poisonous gases. These gases are called ‘exhaust gases’.
E.g.-
Carbon monoxide
Nitrogen oxides
Hydrocarbons
CFC can destroy the ozone layer
1) Ozone layer is the upper layer of the atmosphere which protects the Earth from the Sun’s dangerous rays such as ultraviolet rays (UV rays).
2) Ozone layer reflects UV rays, so they couldn’t enter the Earth.
3) But gases like CFC can destroy the ozone layer, so UV rays can easily enter the Earth.
8) Therefore people and animals on Earth can get several diseases such as skin cancers as well as it damages buildings and statues on Earth.
E.g.-
The Statue of Liberty in U.S.A
Taj – mahal in India
Eiffel Tower in France
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and Ozone are two greenhouse gases which cause greenhouse effect which leads to global warming.
Air pollution inside homes is called indoor air pollution.