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We often find the sky taking on different colors, gray on foggy days, pink in winter after snow, and blue after rain. The University of Southern California has developed an algorithm to assess the relationship between sky color air quality with the help of the Mobile Sensing Project. The user will take a picture of the sky, and the system will collect the user's location, direction, and time spent and transmit the data to a server. It will calibrate the image and compare it to its sky model. The result is an estimate of air quality.
Usually, a heavily polluted sky turns pink at night. Sunlight on polluted days will turn yellow or orange. Clean sunlight is clear white and almost colorless.
Observe these clouds. Air pollution makes clouds look fuzzy. Tiny particles in the air can scatter sunlight, making things look blurrier and less visible. The Smart Air team used a timer to take pictures of Beijing's air for several weeks to understand how air pollution affects cloud cover. On a pollution-free day in Beijing, see how clear the edges of the clouds are in the sky. However, everything was gray and dull on a day filled with haze.
Chemistry Experiment: Make Smog in a Jar
Create real smoke in a jar. All you need is a glass jar, a piece of paper, aluminum foil, ice cubes, and a match. We will really feel the smell of air pollution which will be spicy to the eyes. Imagine if the Earth one day, people need to live for a long time in an environment full of dust and irritating gases. We may need to wear gas masks every day.
*This experiment needs to be accompanied by an adult.
Reflection Questions
1. Investigate whether long-term exposure to PM 2.5 affects human life expectancy? (Particulate Matter 2.5 refers to particles or compounds which span less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter)
2. To start a debate in support of purchasing new energy electric cars versus gasoline cars from an air pollution perspective.
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