All About Air Pollution for Middle School Science

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Learning about Earth's atmosphere means learning about air pollution. Some air pollution is natural, like the dust and gases released during a volcanic eruption. Most air pollution comes from humans. Learn about air pollution and the ways scientists are helping to decrease it.

If you would like a copy of the picture book, you can get it along with the reading passage, flashcards, and comprehension activities at Teachers Pay Teachers.

Air Pollution

What is Air Pollution?

Air pollution is anything in the air that harms people or the environment. Air pollution includes solids, liquids, and gases. Solid and liquid particles that float in the air are called aerosols. Most aerosols and gases that contribute to air pollution come from burning fossil fuels.

Aerosols come from both human and natural sources. Human-made aerosols include particles released when we drive cars or operate factories. Natural aerosols can also contribute to air pollution, such as the ash from an erupting volcano or a burning wildfire.

Aerosols change weather patterns on Earth. Aerosols act as the condensation nuclei that help form clouds. Because there are so many aerosols in the atmosphere, the clouds don't form water droplets large enough to fall as rain. However, in some cases, aerosols can form such tall clouds that thunderstorms and torrential rain develop on days of higher air pollution levels.

When aerosols combine with rain, they can form acid rain, such as nitric acid or sulfuric acid. When these acids fall to the ground, they begin to dissolve the rocks, soil, or plants where they land.

Aerosols are also dangerous to humans because they can get into the respiratory tract and irritate the lungs. Aerosols can trigger asthma attacks or make people sick.

Air pollution gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, in the atmosphere trap thermal energy from the Sun. The thermal energy makes the Earth warmer. A warmer Earth is dangerous to humans because it causes the ice at the poles to melt. When the water from this ice joins the world's oceans, the sea level will rise. If the sea level rises high enough, cities and towns along the coast will be flooded.

A warmer Earth also causes more intense weather. Hurricanes are fueled by warm ocean water evaporating, so warmer water means larger hurricanes. The size and frequency of thunderstorms and tornadoes would increase too.

To survive our changing environment, humans need to reduce both the amount of aerosols and gases we release into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels. We also need to come up with inventive solutions to deal with rising sea levels, more massive storms, and prolonged droughts.