Air Pollution
Air Pollution
Air Pollution (pronunciation: /ɛər pəˈluːʃ(ə)n/) is the introduction of harmful substances, particularly particulates and biological molecules, into the Earth's atmosphere. It may cause diseases, allergies, and death in humans; it may also cause harm to other living organisms such as animals and food crops, and may damage the natural or built environment.
Etymology
The term "Air Pollution" is derived from the English words "air" (Old English 'ǣr', of Germanic origin; related to Swedish 'är' and German 'Ehre') and "pollution" (Middle English: from Latin pollutio(n-), from the verb polluere).
Related Terms
- Particulates: Tiny solid or liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere, which can be either natural (e.g., dust, pollen) or anthropogenic (e.g., smoke, soot).
- Smog: A type of air pollution that forms a visible haze in the atmosphere, often resulting from a mixture of pollutants from car exhaust, factories, and power plants.
- Greenhouse gases: Gases in the Earth's atmosphere that trap heat, contributing to the greenhouse effect. Some of these gases are released by natural processes, while others result from human activities.
- Ozone layer depletion: The thinning of the Earth's ozone layer caused by the release of chemical compounds containing gaseous chlorine or bromine from industry and other human activities.
- Acid rain: Rainfall made acidic by atmospheric pollution that it causes environmental harm, typically to forests and lakes. The main cause is the industrial burning of coal and other fossil fuels, the waste gases from which contain sulfur and nitrogen oxides, which combine with atmospheric water to form acids.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Air Pollution
- Wikipedia's article - Air Pollution
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski