Questions
1. Ozone at ground level reduces your
(a) waist,
(b) lung capacity and athletic performance,
(c) IQ,
(d) all of the above.
2. Ozone is made up of how many atoms of oxygen?
(a) three, as in O3,
(b) two, as in O2,
(c) three, as in H2O,
(d) four, as in O4?
3. When ground-level ozone is high, you get smog and sometimes
(a) burning eyes,
(b) shortness of breath,
(c) irritation of the nose and throat,
(d) all of the above.
4. Sustained, high levels of ground-level ozone result from human activities such as
(a) burning fuels,
(b) spilling gasoline,
(c) roasting chestnuts and steaks on an open fire,
(d) all of the above.
5. Combustion produces, among other oxides of nitrogen, nitrogen dioxide (NO2). One of the oxygen atoms is freed to form the linked triplet of ozone, O3 when
(a) NO2 absorbs energy from sunlight,
(b) NO2 tires,
(c) NO2 is inhaled,
(d) all of the above.
6. Without a protective ozone layer in the stratosphere, life as we know it could not exist. But in the 1980s,
(a) an ozone hole appeared over the U.S.,
(b) too much ozone accumulated and the sun was dimmed,
(c) an ozone hole was found to be forming every spring over the South Pole,
(d) ozone-polluted plankton was shown to be making penguins sick.
7. Chlorofluorocarbon gases were shown to waft up to the stratosphere, from earthly uses in air conditioners and spray cans, and be broken down by the sun's ultraviolet rays into ozone-destroying
(a) hair gel,
(b) coolants,
(c) free chlorine atoms,
(d) calcium-bound fluorosis.
8. Because of political action to reduce chlorofluorocarbons, the ozone shield
(a) has been reformed,
(b) may be fine by 2010,
(c) may recover over the 21st Century,
(d) can't get better.
9. To reduce ground-level ozone, we can
(a) wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more,
(b) stay indoors in mid-day,
(c) avoid genetically modified foods, drugs and cosmetics,
(d) cap chemicals, limit burning and conserve power.
10. In terms of the stratosphere, you can
(a) keep tires low,
(b) burn trash only in the morning,
(c) properly dispose of old refrigerators, air conditioners and their coolants, as required by law,
(d) watch for air quality alerts.
Answers
1. b
2. a
3. d
4. d but roasting chestnuts and grilling steaks at least smell awfully good.
5. a
6. c, and then, later, a North Pole, or Arctic, hole appeared.
7. c, fluorosis being a darkening of your teeth from excess fluorides.
8. c, at least that's the hope.
9. d, though it is good to wear sunscreen for protection against the sun's UV rays because of the damaged ozone shield.
10. c, you should also watch for air quality alerts, but these apply to ground-level ozone.
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