Write down the reactions involved during the formation of photochemical smog.
Write down the reactions involved during the formation of photochemical smog.
Photochemical smog is formed as a result of the reaction of sunlight with hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides. Ozone, nitric oxide, acrolein, formaldehyde and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) are common components of photochemical smog. The formation of photochemical smog can be summarized as follows:
The burning of fossil fuels leads to the emission of hydrocarbons and nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere. High concentrations of these pollutants in air results in their interaction with sunlight as follows:
NO2(g)Nitrogen dioxidehv−→NO(g)Nitric oxide+O(g)O(g)+O2(g)↔O3(g)O3(g)+NO(g)→NO2(g)+O2(g)
Ozone is a toxic gas and both NO2 and O3 are strong oxidising agents and can react with the unburnt hydrocarbons in the polluted air to produce chemicals such as formaldehyde (HCHO), acrolein CH2=CH−CH=O and PeroxyAcetyl Nitrate (PAN).
Photochemical smog is formed as a result of the reaction of sunlight with hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides. Ozone, nitric oxide, acrolein, formaldehyde and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) are common components of photochemical smog. The formation of photochemical smog can be summarized as follows:
The burning of fossil fuels leads to the emission of hydrocarbons and nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere. High concentrations of these pollutants in air results in their interaction with sunlight as follows:
NO2(g)Nitrogen dioxidehv−→NO(g)Nitric oxide+O(g)O(g)+O2(g)↔O3(g)O3(g)+NO(g)→NO2(g)+O2(g)
Ozone is a toxic gas and both NO2 and O3 are strong oxidising agents and can react with the unburnt hydrocarbons in the polluted air to produce chemicals such as formaldehyde (HCHO), acrolein CH2=CH−CH=O and PeroxyAcetyl Nitrate (PAN).
