10/5/2016

CausesandEffectsofSmogConserveEnergyFuture

WhatisSmog?
Smogisbasicallyderivedfromthemergingoftwowordssmokeandfog.Smogisalsousedtodescribe
thetypeoffogwhichhassmokeorsootinit.Smogisayellowishorblackishfogformedmainlybya
mixtureofpollutantsintheatmospherewhichconsistsoffineparticlesandgroundlevelozone.Smog
whichoccursmainlybecauseofairpollution,canalsobedefinedasamixtureofvariousgaseswithdust
andwatervapor.Smogalsoreferstohazyairthatmakesbreathingdifficult.

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HowSmogisFormed?
Theatmosphericpollutantsorgasesthatformsmogarereleasedintheairwhenfuelsareburnt.When
sunlightanditsheatreactwiththesegasesandfineparticlesintheatmosphere,smogisformed.Itis
purelycausedbyairpollution.Groundlevelozoneandfineparticlesarereleasedintheairdueto
complexphotochemicalreactionsbetweenvolatileorganiccompounds(VOC),sulphurdioxide(SO2)
andnitrogenoxides(NOx).TheseVOC,SO2andNOxarecalledprecursors.Themainsourcesofthese

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CausesandEffectsofSmogConserveEnergyFuture

precursorsarepollutantsreleaseddirectlyintotheairbygasolineanddieselrunvehicles,
industrialplantsandactivities,andheatingduetohumanactivities.
Smogisoftencausedbyheavytraffic,hightemperatures,sunshineandcalmwinds.Thesearefewofthe
factorsbehindincreasinglevelofairpollutioninatmosphere.Duringthewintermonthswhenthewind
speedsarelow,ithelpsthesmokeandfogtobecomestagnateataplaceformingsmogandincreasing
pollutionlevelsnearthegroundclosertowherepeoplearerespiring.Ithampersvisibilityanddisturbs
theenvironment.
Thetimethatsmogtakestoformdependsdirectlyonthetemperature.Temperatureinversionsare
situationswhenwarmairdoesnotriseinsteadstaysneartheground.Duringsituationsoftemperature
inversionsifthewindiscalm,smogmaygettrappedandremainoveraplacefordays.
Butitisalsotruethatsmogismoreseverewhenitoccursfartherawayfromthesourcesofreleaseof
pollutants.Thisisbecausethephotochemicalreactionsthatcausesmogtakeplaceintheairwhenthe
releasedpollutantsfromheavytrafficdriftduetothewind.Smogcanthusaffectandprovetobe
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dangerousforsuburbs,ruralareasaswellasurbanareasorlargecities.

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EffectsofSmog

Smogisharmfulanditisevidentfromthecomponentsthatformitandeffectsthatcanhappenfromit.It
isharmfultohumans,animals,plantsandthenatureasawhole.Manypeopledeathswererecorded,
notablythoserelatingtobronchialdiseases.HeavysmogisresponsiblefordecreasingtheUVradiation
greatly.ThusheavysmogresultsinalowproductionofthecrucialnaturalelementvitaminDleadingto
casesofricketsamongpeople.

Whenacityortowngetscoveredinsmog,theeffectsarefeltimmediately.Smogcanberesponsiblefor
anyailmentfromminorpainstodeadlypulmonarydiseasessuchaslungcancer.Smogiswell
knownforcausingirritationintheeye.Itmayalsoresultininflammationinthetissuesoflungsgiving
risetopaininthechest.Otherissuesorillnessessuchascoldandpneumoniaarealsorelatedto
smog.Thehumanbodyfacesgreatdifficultyindefendingitselfagainsttheharmfuleffectsofsmog.

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CausesandEffectsofSmogConserveEnergyFuture

Minorexposuretosmogcanleadtogreaterthreatsofasthmaattackspeoplesufferingfromasthma
problemsmustavoidexposure.Smogalsocausesprematuredeathsandaffectsdenselypopulatedareas
buildingituptodangerouslevels.Thehighlyaffectedpeopleincludeoldpeople,kidsandthosewith
cardiacandrespiratorycomplicationsastheyhaveeasytendencytobeatdisadvantageofasthma.

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Thegroundlevelozonepresentinthesmogalsoinhibitsplantgrowthandcausesimmensedamageto
cropsandforests.Crops,vegetableslikesoybeans,wheat,tomatoes,peanuts,andcottonaresubjectto
infectionwhentheyareexposedtosmog.Thesmogresultsinmortifyingimpactsonenvironmentby
killinginnumerableanimalspeciesandgreenlifeasthesetaketimetoadapttobreathingandsurvivingin
suchtoxicenvironments.

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CausesandEffectsofSmogConserveEnergyFuture

Smogisadevastatingproblemespeciallyduetothefastmodernizationorindustrializationasthe
hazardouschemicalsinvolvedinsmogformationarehighlyreactiveisspreadaroundintheatmosphere.
Smokeandsulphurdioxidepollutioninurbanareasisatmuchlowerlevelsthaninthepast,asaresultof
lawpassedtocontrolemissionsandinfavorofcleaneremissiontechnology.
Sohowshouldyoufightwiththeforcefulimpactofsmog?Itcanbereducedbyimplementing
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modificationsinyourlifestyle,decreasingtheconsumptionoffuelsthatarenonrenewableandby

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replacingthemwithalternatesourcesoffuelwhichwillreducetoxicemissionsfromvehicles.
References:
http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/air/aq4kids/smog.asp

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http://www.arb.ca.gov/knowzone/students/airpollu/airpolpage/whyis.htm

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Rinkesh
Rinkeshispassionateaboutcleanandgreenenergy.Heisrunningthissitesince2009and
writesonvariousenvironmentalandrenewableenergyrelatedtopics.Helivesagreen
lifestyleandisoftenlookingforwaystoimprovetheenvironmentaroundhim.

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