Question.
Describe the major source of air pollution.
(NCERT class 12 geography, India People and Economy, Chapter-12: Geographical Perspective on Selected Issues and Problems)
Answer.
When the air is contaminated with unwanted substances and causes harm to both living and non-living things, that air is called polluted air. The substances which pollute the air are called air pollutants.
The following are the sources of air pollution:
- Natural sources
- Human-made sources
Sometimes air pollutants such as smoke and dust produced by forest fires and volcanic eruptions pollute the air. These are natural sources of air pollution.
Human-made sources,
Pollutants arising from the burning of fossil fuels, burning of wood and cow dung, mining, and industrial processing are major sources of air pollution.
Petroleum refineries emit air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.
Vehicles emit pollutants such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and smoke.
Mining of different types of ores releases dust and particulate matter into the atmosphere.
Air pollutants such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are emitted through the use of refrigerators, air conditioners, and aerosol sprays.
Industrial processes and thermal power plants emit air pollutants such as oxides of sulfur and nitrogen, hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, lead, etc.
Smog which is composed of smoke (containing oxides of nitrogen) and fog causes air pollution in cities.
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