An Introduction to Air Quality Research
An EPA trailer outfitted for air quality monitoring.
This lesson conveys core information about why air quality is important and how engineers tackle complex environmental problems—providing a foundation for the subsequent five activities. Students learn the basics about the structure of the Earth’s atmosphere, the types of pollutants that are present in the atmosphere (primary, secondary, gas-phase compounds, particulate matter), and the importance of air quality research. They are also introduced to some engineering concepts such as how air quality measurements are made and how control technologies work. A PowerPoint® presentation, teacher slide notes, blank vocabulary list, post-lecture quiz, homework handout, and a pre-unit STEM survey are provided. This lesson and its five associated activities are intended to prepare and guide students to take on their own research projects.
Engineers are problem solvers. Poor air quality poses a problem for human and environmental health and finding good solutions requires a thorough understanding of the problem at hand. During this lesson, students learn what air pollutants are, as well as the scientific principles and technologies that enable engineers to measure and mitigate these pollutants. The background information provides the foundation from which environmental engineers work: pollution types, pollution sources, measurement technologies, and control strategies. Students are also introduced to the technology used in the subsequent activities—a low-cost air quality monitor that was developed and is used by mechanical and environmental engineers at the University of Colorado Boulder.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- List and describe the three primary reasons to study air quality: health effects, aesthetics and climate change.
- Explain the differences between primary and secondary pollutants, and gas-phase and particulate pollutants.