ENVR 2020 Urban Air Pollution

Fundamental Knowledge of Gases in the

Atmosphere

1
How many elements have been found so far?
What are common elements in air pollutants?

2
We will talk about “stuff” in the air during this
course. Basic units or building blocks for stuff
are…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
03iWCjxjCdA

• Atom: Nucleus containing

positively-charged protons and
zero-charged neutrons
surrounded by negatively
charged electrons in orbit
around it.
• Atomic mass: Average mass
of protons plus neutrons in the
nucleus of an atom.
• Atomic number: Number of
protons in an atomic nucleus.
• Isotope: Atoms of an element
with a different number of
neutrons in the nucleus (but
same number of protons).
3
Periodic Table of Elements

Number of Number of Average

Protons Neutrons Atomic Number of
Element Symbol Mass
(Atomic in Main Electrons
Number) Isotope (g/mole)

Hydrogen H 1 0 1.00794 1
Helium He 2 2 4.00206 2
Carbon C 6 6 12.011 6
Nitrogen N 7 7 14.0067 7
Oxygen O 8 8 15.9994 8

Carbon-13 6 protons, 7 neutrons, 13.0335 , 6 electrons

Carbon-14 6 protons, 8 neutrons, 14.003241, 6 electrons
C14 -> N14 (half-life 5730 years)
by decay .

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Molecule

Definition: Molecule is an electrically neutral group of

two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds.l

H
H

5
Which are molecules?

✓
1) C2H5OH (Ethanol) 2) Fe (Iron)

3) Au (Gold)
✓
4) O3 (ozone)

5) All of the above

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States of Matter

What elements or molecules are normally in the state of solid, liquid, or gas?
- - -

Hgfenormally in liquid )

7
States of Matter We are not
going to
talk about
1. Can the state of matter being changed?
this

2. For example?
☒
3. How to change?
radio wave You can
think
4. Which states of matter are this as
most air pollutants in? energy

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Phase of air pollutants

• Gas: individual atoms or molecules suspended in the

air in the gas phase.

• Particle: aggregate of atoms and/or molecules in the

liquid and/or solid phase.

• Aerosol: ensemble of solid, liquid, or mixed-phase

particles suspended in air.
↳ a lot of
particles together -

9
Which states of air pollutant are in the photo?
A) b)

( gas -1
aerosol particle
particulates cdhst
c) d)

aerosol
gas -
10
Which parameters define the amount
of the air/gas around us?

(1) Pressure

(2) Volume

(3) Temperature

(4) Molecular mass

G
(5) All of above

11
Torricelli's 1643 Experiment With Mercury
Barometer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh3GRlS
H_x8

1 atm = 760 mmHg = 1013 hPa

12
Edgar Fahs Smith Collection, U. Penn. Library
Why we don’t feel atmospheric Pressure?

What is our feeling if we dive into deep water

or on a hot balloon over the clouds?
13
What if Toricelli used water instead of
mercury?
P

Density of mercury is 13593 kg/m3

Density of water is 1000 kg/m3 .

g equals to 9.81 m/s2

P equals to 1000 hpa
1 hpa = 100 pa
1 pa = 1 kg m s

µÑ¥E*EÑ

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You can try to use other liquids

Material Density (g/cm3)

Honey 1.42
Pancake Syrup 1.37
Light Corn Syrup 1.33
Dish Soap 1.06
Milk 1.03
Water 1.00
Ice Cube 0.92
Vegetable Oil 0.92
Baby Oil 0.83

15
Pressure and Density Versus Altitude
P = density height (h) x gravitational acceleration (g)

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Units to Express Atmospheric Pressure

1013.25 hPa = 1013.25 mb = 760 torr = 760 mmHg = 1 atm

“Sea level Pressure”

Exponential Decay of Atmospheric Pressure as a function of Altitude

o_0
Pressure = Sea Level Pressure x exp(-altitude/7.4 km)

Determining atmospheric pressure:

where:
p = atmospheric pressure
(measured in bars)
h = height (altitude)
p0 = is pressure at height h
= 0 (surface pressure)
h0 = scale height

e = 2.7182818284...
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So… Pressure in many different places
Lowest elevation of Hong Kong
Elevation: 0 m

atm
Highest elevation of Hong Kong, Tai Mo Shan
Elevation: 957 m

atm

Top of Mt. Everest

Elevation: 8848 m

atm

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Question

Ice water
(0 degrees C)

Air-filled balloons

When we put the balloon into ice water, will the balloon...

1. Expand
2. Contract
3. Explode
4. Not change at all

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Equation of State Describes relationship among P, V, and T

PLI
Boyle’s Law
p~1/V (at constant T)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYeRA--Xq0E
Charles’ Law
V ~T (at constant P) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWhs5L_gBTI
VLT
Avogadro’s Law
V~n (at constant P and T)
VLN
“in given T and P, the number of gas molecules is the same for any gas
species”

A = 6.02252 x 1023 molecules mole-1

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Ideal Gas Law Under typical atmospheric T and P
conditions, can reasonably approximate
the equation of state

Ideal gas law (Integrating Boyle, Charles, and Avogadro’s laws)

D-
PV = nRT
n number of moles (number of gas molecules)
R ideal gas constant

At 1 atm and 0 ºC
1 mole = 22.4 liters

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Application of Gas Law
Hot Air Balloon Bakery

Deodorant Spray Bottle Automotive Engine

22
Understanding Units of Measurement

“Number” is important but “Unit” defines physical meaning!

23
Number

Mass

Volume

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Unit of the concentration of gases?
• Mixing ratios (ppm, ppb, ppt)
ppm ppb ppt pc (%)
per cent
Parts per million Parts per billion Parts per trillion

• mole fraction or a fraction of the total amount of air

= ratio of the amount (or mass) of one gas in a given
volume to the total amount (or mass) of all gases in
that volume
Example:
Total amount of all gases means:
• all gaseous substances µmol SO2 molecules
• water vapor ppm SO2 =
mol of all “air” molecules
• NOT including particulate matter
• NOT including condensed phase water
(e.g. cloud droplets)

25
 1 ppm 1 ppb
1 part per million 1 part per billion

Equal to 7 people out of the Equal to ~7 person out of the 26

population of Hong Kong population of the World
Gases in the atmosphere
- what is their mixing ratio?

78%
21%
1%
400 ppm

18 ppm
Up to 10 ppm
of Hong Kong’s entire population
5.2 ppm

1.7 ppm

1.1 ppm

500 ppb

320 ppb
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Jacob (1999) Introduction to Atmospheric Chemistry, (modified)
Mass/Volume concentrations
Typically, conversions for chemicals in air are made assuming a pressure of 1
atmosphere and a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius.

Concentration (mg/m3) = 0.0409 x concentration (ppm) x molecular weight

Concentration (ppm) = 24.45 x concentration (mg/m3) ÷ molecular weight

The same equations may be used to convert micrograms per cubic meter
(ug/m3) to parts per billion (ppb) and vice versa:

Concentration (ug/m3) = 0.0409 x concentration (ppb) x molecular weight

Concentration (ppb) = 24.45 x concentration (ug/m3) ÷ molecular weight

Example: the molecular weight of benzene is 78. If the concentration of

benzene in air is 10 mg/m3, convert to the units of ppm.

24.45 x 10 mg/m3 ÷ 78 = 3.13 ppm

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End

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