Other notable effects of Air Pollution

Several specific, named phenomena result from air pollution. Smog is a type of air pollution caused by tiny suspended particles; the word blends 'smoke' and 'fog'. Today the term usually refers to photochemical smog, formed when sunlight reacts with nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds present in vehicle, factory, and power-plant emissions; these reactions generate ground-level ozone and particulate matter, reducing visibility and making breathing harder, especially for asthmatics. Smog also damages crops, harms pets and farm animals, and causes corrosive damage to buildings and vehicles. Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) is a secondary pollutant found in photochemical smog; it is thermally unstable and decomposes to release peroxyethanol radicals and nitrogen dioxide gas, which causes eye irritation. Global warming results when greenhouse gases -- carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, CFCs, and ozone -- accumulate in the atmosphere and trap heat, raising Earth's temperature and causing sea level rise that submerges islands and coastlines. Ozone depletion is the thinning of the protective stratospheric ozone layer, producing an 'ozone hole' that lets more harmful UV radiation reach the surface and raises the incidence of skin cancer; CFCs are among the common agents responsible. Acid rain is precipitation containing acidic components such as sulfuric or nitric acid, produced from sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions; it damages trees and crops, harms marine life such as coral r …