Name: Tropospheric Pollution
Uploaded: 2019-07-19
Duration: 11 min 12 s
Description: The troposphere is the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere. Tropospheric pollution occurs due to the presence of undesirable solid or gaseous particles in the air. Know more here

Question

Explain tropospheric pollution in 100 words.

Accepted Answer

Tropospheric pollution occurs due to the presence of undesirable solid or gaseous particles in the air.

Major gaseous and particulate pollutants present in the troposphere are:
1) Gaseous air pollutants: Oxides of sulphur, nitrogen and carbon, hydrogen sulphide, hydrocarbons, ozone and other oxidants.
Oxides of Sulphur and nitrogen react with water in the presence of atmospheric oxygen to form nitric acid $({HNO}_{3})$ and sulphuric acid $(H_{2} {SO}_{4})$ , which leads to the formation of 'Acid rain'.

Acid rain causes harm to agriculture, plants, and trees. It also leads to various respiratory ailments.
Carbon monoxide is poisonous as it reacts with the haemoglobin of blood, which can even result in death. Carbon dioxide contributes to global warming.
Hydrocarbons are carbon and hydrogen containing compounds that burn to produce oxides of carbon.

2) Particulate pollutants: These are dust, mist, fumes, smoke, smog etc.
Particulates of smoke, dust, mist, and fume are harmful to human health as they are likely to block the nasal passage of a person, causing respiratory ailments.

Explain tropospheric pollution in 100 words.

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