Plant a Tree – Make Yourself Air

Vocabulary/new concepts:

Air is a mixture of gases that makes up the atmosphere.

The atmosphere is the gaseous envelope of the Earth.

The ozone layer is part of the Earth’s atmosphere, located in the stratosphere. It is rich in ozone (O₃) and prevents harmful solar radiation from reaching the Earth’s surface by reflecting some of it back into space and absorbing some of it.

Photosynthesis is a process that takes place in green plants. In them, water and carbon dioxide are converted into oxygen and sugars (glucose) under the influence of sunlight on the dye chlorophyll.

• How does air determine the quality of life – for plants, animals, and humans?

The answer to this question will make us think about the responsibility of each of us to contribute to the preservation of the purity of nature, and the health of people and ecosystems.

Composition and importance of air

Air is a mixture of gases that makes up the Earth’s gas envelope – the atmosphere.

The atmosphere consists of several layers. In the layer closest to the Earth, the air has the highest density. The atmosphere is involved in the circulation of water in nature and in maintaining a suitable temperature on Earth. It protects us from the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation.

Dry air contains 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% other substances such as argon or carbon dioxide, and water vapour.

Nitrogen is the most abundant gas in the air. It is one of the building blocks of proteins. Oxygen in the air is essential for the respiration of most living organisms. Carbon dioxide is used by plants in the process of photosynthesis to form organic substances, especially glucose.

All chemical reactions in both living things and inanimate objects are influenced by air. The Earth’s surface is kept at a temperature suitable for life by the air’s heat capacity. As an insulator, it radiates heat from the Sun at night and retains it during the day. The nighttime temperature would be tens of degrees below zero without it. On the other hand, the temperature would rise by more than 100 degrees during the day.

Air is an important and cheap industrial raw material. Its various components are extracted by distillation of liquefied air.

Life on Earth could not exist without air. It is an important natural resource. Through its various functions, air plays a key role in maintaining the Earth’s ecosystems and climate.

How do plants breathe?

Respiration in plants is the process by which they absorb oxygen (O₂) and release carbon dioxide (CO₂). Respiration and photosynthesis are two interrelated but opposite processes.

Photosynthesis is an important process for life on Earth. It can only take place in green plants where, under the influence of sunlight on chlorophyll, carbon dioxide from the air and water absorbed by the plant’s roots combine to release oxygen and sugar (glucose). Plants have cellular respiration. At night, when there is no sunlight, photosynthesis is replaced by respiration. In both processes, gas is exchanged between the plant and the atmospheric air through small openings in the undersurface of the leaves called stomata. Respiration is a vital process for plants, providing them with energy for growth, development and functioning.

Green plants (in which photosynthesis takes place) maintain a constant amount of oxygen in the air that we, along with other living organisms, breathe. That is why we must take care to protect the green plants of our planet to ensure a healthy ecosystem.

Air quality and the effects of air pollution

Among the most serious environmental problems worldwide is air pollution. It has been estimated that over 7 million people die prematurely every year as a result of the highly polluted air we breathe every day in certain regions and localities. Data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) show that almost the entire world population (99%) breathes air that contains high levels of pollutants above the WHO-recommended limits. Low- and middle-income countries suffer from the highest levels of pollution.

Globally, air quality has a major impact on human health, agriculture, forests, and ecosystems. Air pollution is associated with contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by chemical, physical or biological agents that alter the natural properties of the atmosphere. Common sources of air pollution are home combustion appliances, motor vehicles, industrial installations and forest fires. Major air pollutants include fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide and ozone, which are of serious public health concern.

Particulate matter adversely affects human health. The smaller they are, the more dangerous they are. Larger particles only cause upper respiratory tract irritation – coughing, sneezing and eye irritation. Smaller particles enter the lower respiratory tract and reach the bloodstream. They cause allergies and inflammatory processes that lead to permanent health damage and malignant diseases.

Harmful substances enter the air from transport (exhaust gases), energy and industry (combustion products – smoke, soot, ash), from burning fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, oil). Harmful substances are also emitted in agriculture and landfills (especially methane).

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Additionally, about 2.4 billion people use open fires or traditional stoves that burn coal, kerosene, biomass (wood, animal dung and plant waste), or both for cooking, exposing them to hazardous levels of air pollution in their homes. The European Environment Agency estimates that at least 238 000 premature deaths occurred in the EU in 2020 as a result of the combined effects of fine particle air pollution in homes and outdoor settings.

Nitrogen dioxide is a chemical that gets into the air as a result of car engines, especially diesel engines. It is particularly dangerous for people with chronic respiratory diseases, damages the lungs and reduces the body’s resistance to infection.

The ozone layer is made up of ozone gas. Ozone prevents harmful solar radiation from reaching the Earth’s surface by reflecting some of it into space and absorbing some of it. However, the increased concentration of ozone irritates the eyes, respiratory tract and mucous membranes. There has been a significant thinning of the ozone layer in recent years. The place where the layer is thinnest is called the ozone hole. Harmful radiation reaches the Earth through the damaged part of the ozone layer. It causes eye diseases and an increased incidence of skin cancer.

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Smog is another air pollutant. It is a mixture of smoke and haze. It is formed mainly in big cities. It is formed from exhaust fumes, coal combustion smoke, and emissions from industrial plants and thermal power plants. It can cause respiratory problems.

Source: https://depositphotos.com/photo/urban-industrial-landscape-residential-buildings-buried-smoke-smog-chemical-plants-451453348.html

In addition to nitrogen and oxygen, there are greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that also affect air quality. They trap heat radiation in the atmosphere, causing it to overheat. The main greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane and water vapour. Greenhouse gas concentrations rise as a result of human activities that raise the air’s fine particulate matter content. As a result, global warming is happening and the average temperature of the atmosphere is increasing. The melting of glaciers is the primary indicator of the Earth’s warming. As a result, precipitation is rising, sea and ocean levels are rising, and the climate is shifting. By increasing smog and ozone generation, for instance, this might deteriorate the quality of the air. The species composition of plants and animals is negatively impacted by all of these changes.