How Safe is the Air We Breathe? 1

What is ozone? Ozone is a naturally forming gas in the upper layer of the atmosphere. Ozone protects us from the sun’s harmful rays, but when ozone is in the troposphere where we breathe, it can be harmful to us. High levels of ozone can cause breathing problems, eye irritation, and can damage vegetation. 2

Major Pollutants Ground-level ozone Chemicals Particle Pollution Image: 3

Ground-Level Ozone According to the EPA or Environmental Protection Agency, ground-level ozone is created by chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen and other compounds in the presence of sunlight. Emissions from cars, factories, and chemicals are some sources of ground-level ozone pollution. How can breathing ground-level ozone be a problem for you? Image: proposed-ozone-naaqs/ 4

Particle Pollution Some particles in the air can be so small that you cannot see them. What are some examples of particle pollution in this image? Image: 5

Chemicals When chemicals such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide cannot mix into the atmosphere because of extreme heat and little to no wind, then concentrations increase and breathing can be difficult. Image: 6

Why are ozone levels higher in warmer temperatures? Image: 7

AQI: Air Quality Index Image: 8

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Image: 1.What do the different colors represent? 10

AQI – Air Quality Index 1.What is the Air Quality Index for Pearlington, Mississippi, where the INFINITY Science Center is located? 2.Hold up your slip of paper that matches the color on the map. 3.If you are holding up a YELLOW slip, then you are correct! 4.We are at a “Moderate Risk” for air pollution on this date. 5.What is the AQI for most of the state of Mississippi? 6.If you are holding up GREEN, then you are correct! 7.GREEN is good, so enjoy the clean air! Image: &tabs=0 11

AQI – Air Quality Index 1.What do you notice about this map and the AQI? 2.Which area of the country is considered Unhealthy according to the AQI for this date? 3.The AQI for Southern California is considered Unhealthy on this date. 12

What is the AQI for San Bernardino, California on this date? Image: What are the recommendations for residents in this area? 13

What could cause the high AQI for San Bernardino, CA? 1.Locate San Bernardino on the map. 2.What other cities are nearby that could contribute to the high AQI for this particular date? 3.Los Angeles is located to the west and strong winds could drive smog and pollution towards the east to San Bernardino. 4.Could other cities be affected? 14

Air Quality Index for Ozone Review Image: 15

Now It’s Your Turn! Log on to Collect data for the states listed on your log for today’s date, the first day of school and 6 months ago. To find “Archived Maps”, click on the More Maps tab above the US map. Next, click on Archived Maps by Region and you will see a calendar for the data collected for the current month. You can find previous data by clicking the month and date. Record data on your data sheet. 16

Air Quality Index Data StateToday’s Date _____________ 1 st Day of School ______________ 6 Months Ago From Today’s Date: _______________ AQI Color 1. Mississippi 2. Louisiana 3. New York 4. Colorado 5. Texas 17

What can you do? What can you do to prevent air pollution? What should you do if your area is in the red or higher? To learn more about air pollution and Your Health, click the following link: ealth ealth 18