Air Quality Assessment MCQs

1. Which of the following is a primary pollutant?
a) Ozone
b) Sulfur dioxide
c) Smog
d) Peroxyacetyl nitrate
Answer: b) Sulfur dioxide

2. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is used to measure:
a) Water quality
b) Soil contamination
c) Air pollution levels
d) Noise pollution
Answer: c) Air pollution levels

3. Which gas is the main contributor to the greenhouse effect?
a) Nitrogen
b) Oxygen
c) Carbon dioxide
d) Methane
Answer: c) Carbon dioxide

4. The Clean Air Act was enacted in which year in the United States?
a) 1970
b) 1965
c) 1980
d) 1990
Answer: a) 1970

5. PM2.5 refers to particulate matter that is less than how many micrometers in diameter?
a) 10 micrometers
b) 5 micrometers
c) 2.5 micrometers
d) 1 micrometer
Answer: c) 2.5 micrometers

6. Which of the following is a secondary pollutant?
a) Carbon monoxide
b) Nitric oxide
c) Ozone
d) Lead
Answer: c) Ozone

7. Ground-level ozone is formed by the reaction of:
a) Nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds
b) Carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide
c) Lead and particulate matter
d) Ozone and nitrogen dioxide
Answer: a) Nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds

8. Which of the following is an indoor air pollutant?
a) Radon
b) Ozone
c) Nitric oxide
d) Sulfur dioxide
Answer: a) Radon

9. The term “smog” is derived from which two words?
a) Smoke and fog
b) Soot and smog
c) Sulfur and fog
d) Smoke and dust
Answer: a) Smoke and fog

10. Which pollutant is primarily responsible for acid rain?
a) Nitrogen dioxide
b) Sulfur dioxide
c) Ozone
d) Carbon monoxide
Answer: b) Sulfur dioxide

11. Which of the following methods is commonly used for measuring particulate matter in the air?
a) Gas chromatography
b) Gravimetric analysis
c) Spectrophotometry
d) Colorimetry
Answer: b) Gravimetric analysis

12. Which of the following pollutants is monitored under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)?
a) Water vapor
b) Radon
c) Lead
d) Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
Answer: c) Lead

13. Which device is commonly used to control particulate emissions from industrial sources?
a) Electrostatic precipitator
b) Catalytic converter
c) Scrubber
d) Baghouse filter
Answer: a) Electrostatic precipitator

14. The “Greenhouse Gas Protocol” is an international accounting tool for:
a) Water pollution
b) Air pollution
c) Greenhouse gas emissions
d) Noise pollution
Answer: c) Greenhouse gas emissions

15. Which of the following is a natural source of air pollution?
a) Volcanic eruptions
b) Automobile exhaust
c) Industrial emissions
d) Power plant emissions
Answer: a) Volcanic eruptions

16. What is the main component of natural gas that contributes to greenhouse gas emissions?
a) Propane
b) Butane
c) Methane
d) Ethane
Answer: c) Methane

17. Which of the following is NOT a major greenhouse gas?
a) Carbon dioxide
b) Methane
c) Water vapor
d) Nitrogen
Answer: d) Nitrogen

18. The “Montreal Protocol” is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of:
a) Carbon dioxide
b) Nitrous oxide
c) Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
d) Sulfur dioxide
Answer: c) Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

19. What is the maximum allowable concentration of carbon monoxide (CO) in the air, according to WHO guidelines, for an 8-hour exposure?
a) 10 ppm
b) 35 ppm
c) 9 ppm
d) 50 ppm
Answer: c) 9 ppm

20. The term “PM10” refers to particulate matter with a diameter less than:
a) 10 micrometers
b) 5 micrometers
c) 2.5 micrometers
d) 1 micrometer
Answer: a) 10 micrometers

21. Which of the following pollutants can cause respiratory problems, particularly in children and the elderly?
a) Ozone
b) Nitrogen
c) Oxygen
d) Argon
Answer: a) Ozone

22. The term “bioaerosols” refers to:
a) Volatile organic compounds
b) Particles of biological origin
c) Industrial emissions
d) Gaseous pollutants
Answer: b) Particles of biological origin

23. Which of the following gases is a major component of photochemical smog?
a) Carbon dioxide
b) Ozone
c) Methane
d) Nitrous oxide
Answer: b) Ozone

24. What is the primary source of sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere?
a) Automobile exhaust
b) Power plants
c) Forest fires
d) Residential heating
Answer: b) Power plants

25. Which of the following methods is used to control nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions from industrial sources?
a) Flue gas desulfurization
b) Selective catalytic reduction
c) Electrostatic precipitation
d) Carbon sequestration
Answer: b) Selective catalytic reduction

26. Which of the following is considered a greenhouse gas?
a) Oxygen
b) Argon
c) Carbon dioxide
d) Nitrogen
Answer: c) Carbon dioxide

27. Which of the following is the main source of indoor air pollution in developing countries?
a) Smoking
b) Volatile organic compounds from paint
c) Combustion of solid fuels
d) Radon
Answer: c) Combustion of solid fuels

28. Which of the following is the major source of carbon monoxide in urban areas?
a) Industrial emissions
b) Automobile exhaust
c) Residential heating
d) Forest fires
Answer: b) Automobile exhaust

29. Which of the following pollutants is mainly responsible for the depletion of the ozone layer?
a) Nitric oxide
b) Carbon monoxide
c) Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
d) Sulfur dioxide
Answer: c) Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

30. What does the acronym “VOC” stand for in the context of air pollution?
a) Volatile Organic Compounds
b) Variable Organic Chemicals
c) Volatile Oxygen Compounds
d) Voluminous Organic Carbon
Answer: a) Volatile Organic Compounds

31. The term “thermal inversion” refers to:
a) A decrease in temperature with altitude
b) An increase in temperature with altitude
c) The mixing of warm and cold air masses
d) The dispersion of pollutants
Answer: b) An increase in temperature with altitude

32. Which of the following pollutants can cause damage to the nervous system when inhaled at high concentrations?
a) Lead
b) Carbon dioxide
c) Oxygen
d) Nitrogen
Answer: a) Lead

33. Which of the following is a major anthropogenic source of methane emissions?
a) Automobile exhaust
b) Livestock digestion
c) Volcanoes
d) Forest fires
Answer: b) Livestock digestion

34. Which of the following technologies is commonly used to monitor air quality in real-time?
a) Gas chromatography
b) Laser scattering
c) Gravimetric analysis
d) Mass spectrometry
Answer: b) Laser scattering

35. What is the primary component of smog that irritates the eyes and throat?
a) Ozone
b) Nitrogen dioxide
c) Carbon monoxide
d) Lead
Answer: a) Ozone

36. The “Kyoto Protocol” is an international agreement aimed at reducing:
a) Ozone depletion
b) Greenhouse gas emissions
c) Airborne particulate matter
d) Acid rain
Answer: b) Greenhouse gas emissions

37. What is the main source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere?
a) Natural gas
b) Paints and solvents
c) Forest fires
d) Automobile exhaust
Answer: b) Paints and solvents

38. The term “acid rain” refers to precipitation with a pH lower than:
a) 7
b) 6.5
c) 5.6
d) 4.5
Answer: c) 5.6

39. Which of the following pollutants is the primary cause of respiratory illnesses in urban areas?
a) Ozone
b) Carbon dioxide
c) Methane
d) Sulfur dioxide
Answer: a) Ozone

40. Which of the following is a consequence of air pollution on human health?
a) Reduced immunity
b) Improved lung function
c) Increased energy levels
d) Enhanced cognitive function
Answer: a) Reduced immunity

Air Quality Assessment MCQs

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