This past lesson felt to me to be mostly fact based, with limited extrapolation of practical uses of this information, up until the end portion of the lesson. A lot of the information I took down in my notebook was definitions or lists. For example, my first definition is of air pollutants, substances not found naturally in air or not naturally in concentrations found. Before coming to class I knew what air pollutants were, yet I was never taught the formal definition, nor the pollutants themselves in great detail. It was beneficial to have the primary pollutants broken down in a simplified and unified way. I found this method of teaching to best reach me as a student. Subdividing pollutants into oxides, toxic gases, and particular matter helped my understanding of the material as well as the organization of my notes. I appreciated the exposition on this information outlining the differences between fuel and incomplete fuel combustion. Beyond learning what air pollutants are, what the main ones are, I also benefited from delving deeper and learning the sources for these primary pollutants. Having the sources of primary pollutants listed out for me, I was able to take this information and apply it to a practical aspect of my thinking. In that I mean understanding that SO2 is a source of pollution does not help me in terms of my every day living as much as knowing that things such as car exhausts, or spray painting are sources of pollutants, as I can reduce my own use of such items. I also found it useful to know the way particles of pollution are measured. Last class was the first time I had ever heard of particulate matter (PMs).
The most interesting point made in class for me had to be the inclusion of dry cleaners on the list of sources of pollutants. As I have always walked near dry cleaners and felt the rush of warm air, I am happy to now know the air emitted is filtered as per a government law to decrease emissions of pollutants. A similar point made in class in terms of relativity to my life, the removal of lead from “leaded” gasoline was news to me. As much as I hate to admit my weaknesses, I had never thought of the reasoning behind the name “leaded” or “unleaded” and I was not surprised, but I was happy to have had that connection made between the name and the implementation of lead in gasoline. The tubes put in the Central Park pond show a practical application of the chemical knowledge it takes to become an environmentalist. Finally, the most interesting and most surprising thing I learned in class last lesson is that the most important date in history is November 22, 1968.
