Climate change and air quality
Introduced| English | Meaning |
|---|---|
| greenhouse gases/ˈɡriːnhaʊs ˈɡæsɪz/ | Atmospheric gases that absorb and emit infrared radiation and contribute to the greenhouse effect. |
| global warming/ˈɡləʊbl ˈwɔːmɪŋ/ | A long-term rise in Earth's average surface temperature. |
| catalytic converters/ˌkætəˈlɪtɪk kənˈvɜːtəz/ | A device that uses catalysts to convert harmful vehicle exhaust gases into less harmful substances. |
The air and the climate
- The gases we add to the air don't just harm health — they change the climate and create acid rain.
- Two big issues are the greenhouse effect and acid rain.
Climate and air quality route
Trace emissions from combustion to atmospheric effects.
Which are greenhouse gases? (Select all that apply.)
CO₂ and methane trap heat; nitrogen and oxygen do not.
Greenhouse gases cause global warming by:
They trap outgoing heat.
The greenhouse effect
- Greenhouse gases 温室气体 (carbon dioxide, methane) trap heat in the atmosphere.
- Rising levels from burning fossil fuels cause global warming 全球变暖 and climate change.
Burning fossil fuels pollutes the air and changes the climate
Acid rain is caused mainly by:
These gases dissolve to form acids in rain.
Acid rain
- Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides dissolve in rain to form acids.
- Acid rain damages buildings, harms trees, and acidifies lakes.
Using renewable energy reduces greenhouse-gas emissions.
It avoids burning fossil fuels.
Cars use a catalytic ______ to reduce harmful exhaust gases.
Catalytic converters cut pollutants like CO and nitrogen oxides.
Reducing the harm
- Greenhouse gases: use renewable energy, burn less fossil fuel, plant trees.
- Acid rain: remove sulfur from fuels, use catalytic converters 催化转化器 in cars.
Worked example. A power station burning coal releases CO₂ (greenhouse gas) and SO₂ (acid rain). Switching to renewable energy and "scrubbing" the SO₂ from waste gases tackles both problems at once.
Inside a catalytic converter a honeycomb coated with catalyst metals gives a huge surface area to clean the exhaust gases
You've got it
- greenhouse gases (CO₂, methane) trap heat → global warming
- sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides cause acid rain
- reduce harm with renewables, less fossil fuel, catalytic converters and removing sulfur