Question

Explain the differences between pure air and polluted air.

Answer 1

- Hint: The pure air consists of the right amount of gases that is 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and less than 1% of argon and carbon-dioxide and other gases whereas polluted gases do not requisite proportion of gases and there is presence of unwanted substances.

Complete step-by-step solution -
The constituent gases are present in the balanced quantity in pure air. Pure air has 78% nitrogen, 21% is oxygen and carbon dioxide, argon, methane, ozone and water vapour are also present in very small quantities. It is also free from harmful gases and is fit for breathing.
On the other hand polluted air has undesirable particles and gases and other suspended impurities like dust and smoke. It is unfit for breathing and has a harmful effect on lungs of the humans and also the non-living objects.
Here, the major air pollutant and their sources and effects are mentioned in the table:

Major Pollution of Air	Some of the Sources	Some of the effects
$\text{S}{{\text{O}}_{2}}$	Vehicular combustion, fossil fuel buring	Irritation to the eyes, acid rain Premature falling of leaves
$\text{CO and C}{{\text{O}}_{2}}$	Vehicular combustion and burning of fuels and hydrocarbons	Global warming, green house effect, CO has great affinity for haemoglobin and forms the caboxyhaemoglobin
Smoke, fly ash and soot	Thermal power station	Respiratory diseases
CFCs	Refrigerants and aerosol	Kidney damage and ozone depletion

Note: We should know that increased human activity releases a large amount of pollutants to the environment and poses a threat to human life. Pollutants that are added to the environment through human activities are termed anthropogenic pollutants.