what are the visible indications of air pollution
Answers
1) Breathing Difficulties
The simplest way to tell if air is polluted is to look at how it affects us. Respiratory problems, congestion of the sinuses and sneezing, prolonged coughing or wheezing, or just plain old difficulty when breathing could all be signs of air pollution.
2) Watery Eyes
If your eyes are constantly streaming, it could be because a high level of bacteria or pollutants in the air. Or it could be because you just chopped onions.
3) Worsening Allergy Problems
If you suffer from asthma, hay fever or other respiratory problems, and notice the symptoms becoming more pronounced, it could be due to poor air quality.
4) Nausea/Dizziness/Headaches
Again, breathing in polluted air can manifest itself in all sorts of ailments. Sore heads, nausea or a general feeling of sickness could be attributed to air pollution.
5) Smog
Smog and smoke discolours the air, producing soot, which clings to buildings and plants and is capable of doing damage to them. It can also be a cause of shortness of breath, since it permeates the air and makes it more difficult for you (and other organisms) to breathe.
6) Poor Visibility
Again, smog or smoke or other contaminants can make it difficult to see over long distances.
7) Unpleasant Odour
Pollutants often have unpleasant or unusual odours, especially sulphur dioxide, which has a festering, rotten smell and is a contributing factor to acid rain.
8) Sparseness of Bushy or Leafy Lichens
Lichens are a great natural barometer of air quality, since they need to absorb the nutrients from rainwater. Contaminated water will damage or kill off bushy and leafy lichens, both of which require fairly clean air.
9) Crusty Lichens
Crusty lichens are more adept at surviving in polluted air conditions, so if you spot an abundance of crusty mosses, but few bushy or leafy ones, the air quality is probably poor.
10) Blackspot Fungus
This fungus is killed by sulphur dioxide, so if you see it growing on roses (it’s favourite stomping ground), it’s a good indicator that the air quality in the area is decent.
Answer:
photochemical smog: Appears as a brownish-orange haze often seen in the skies above large cities. Occurs when strong sunlight reacts with air pollution such as the hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides released from vehicles and power plants.