Pollution

The presence of unusually high concentrations of harmful or poisonous substances in

the environment (air, water, etc.) is called pollution. Pollution contaminates the
air and water with poisonous substances and makes them impure to such an extent
that they become harmful to the human beings, other animals, plants as well as to
the non-living things.

Air Pollution
The contamination of air with harmful gases (like sulphur dioxide nitrogen oxides,
carbon monoxide), smoke and dust, etc. is called air pollution.
The substance whose presence in air makes it impure or contaminated is called an
air pollutant.

A substance becomes an air pollutant when it is present in air in such

concentration which is high enough to have a harmful effect on the living or non-
living things.

The major pollutants which cause air pollution are : Sulphur dioxide, Nitrogen
monoxide, excess of Carbon dioxide, Chlorofluorocarbons, and Suspended particulate
matter (such as Dust, Smoke and Fly ash)

Most of the air pollution is caused by the burning of fuels such as wood, cow-dung
cakes, coal, kerosene, petrol and diesel in homes, motor vehicles (automobiles),
factories and thermal power plants.
(https://classnotes.org.in/class-8/pollution-of-air-and-water/air-pollution/)

The hole in the ozone layer is caused by air pollutants. Chemicals used as
refrigerants, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), contain chlorine atoms. Releasing
chlorine atoms into the atmosphere destroys ozone. A single chlorine atom can
destroy thousands of ozone molecules. (https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/air-
quality/effects-air-pollution#:~:text=The%20hole%20in%20the%20ozone,destroy
%20thousands%20of%20ozone%20molecules.)