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Energy and Environment 2-79C Energy conversion pollutes the soil, the water, and the air, and the environmental pollution is a serious threat to vegetation, wild life, and human health. The emissions emitted during the combustion of fossil fuels are responsible for smog, acid rain, and global warming and climate change. The primary chemicals that pollute the air are hydrocarbons (HC, alsoreferred to as volatile organic compounds, VOC), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and carbon monoxide (CO). The primary source of these pollutants is the motor vehicles. 2-80C Smog is the brown haze that builds up in a large stagnant air mass, and hangs over populated areas on calm hot summer days. Smog is made up mostly of ground-level ozone (O3), but it also contains numerous other chemicals, includingcarbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter such as soot and dust, volatile organic compounds (VOC) such as benzene, butane, and other hydrocarbons. Ground-level ozone is formed when hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides react in the presence of sunlight in hot calm days. Ozone irritates eyes and damage the air sacs in the lungs where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged, causing eventual hardening ofthis soft and spongy tissue. It also causes shortness of breath, wheezing, fatigue, headaches, nausea, and aggravate respiratory problems such as asthma. 2-81C Fossil fuels include small amounts of sulfur. The sulfur in the fuel reacts with oxygen to form sulfur dioxide (SO2), which is an air pollutant. The sulfur oxides and nitric oxides react with water vapor and other chemicals high in theatmosphere in the presence of sunlight to form sulfuric and nitric acids. The acids formed usually dissolve in the suspended water droplets in clouds or fog. These acid-laden droplets are washed from the air on to the soil by rain or snow. This is known as acid rain. It is called “rain” since it comes down with rain droplets. As a result of acid rain, many lakes and rivers in industrial areas havebecome too acidic for fish to grow. Forests in those areas also experience a slow death due to absorbing the acids through their leaves, needles, and roots. Even marble structures deteriorate due to acid rain. 2-82C Carbon dioxide (CO2), water vapor, and trace amounts of some other gases such as methane and nitrogen oxides act like a blanket and keep the earth warm at night by blocking the heatradiated from the earth. This is known as the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect makes life on earth possible by keeping the earth warm. But excessive amounts of these gases disturb the delicate balance by trapping too much energy, which causes the average temperature of the earth to rise and the climate at some localities to change. These undesirable consequences of the greenhouse effect arereferred to as global warming or global climate change. The greenhouse effect can be reduced by reducing the net production of CO2 by consuming less energy (for example, by buying energy efficient cars and appliances) and planting trees. 2-83C Carbon monoxide, which is a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas that deprives the body's organs from getting enough oxygen by binding with the red blood cellsthat would otherwise carry oxygen. At low levels, carbon monoxide decreases the amount of oxygen supplied to the brain and other organs and muscles, slows body reactions and reflexes, and impairs judgment. It poses a serious threat to people with heart disease because of the fragile condition of the circulatory system and to fetuses because of the oxygen needs of the developing brain. At highlevels, it can be fatal, as evidenced by numerous deaths caused by cars that are warmed up in closed garages or by exhaust gases leaking into the cars.

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2-84E A person trades in his Ford Taurus for a Ford Explorer. The extra amount of CO2 emitted by the Explorer within 5 years is to be determined. Assumptions The Explorer is assumed to use 940 gallons of gasoline a year compared to 715...