Air Pollution - Unburnt Hydrocarbons

Unburnt hydrocarbons, also known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), have been found to be carcinogenic. These compounds are released from various sources such as vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions, and household products. When inhaled, they can enter the body and cause damage to DNA, leading to the development of cancer. Numerous studies have linked exposure to VOCs with an increased risk of various types of cancer, including lung, liver, and bladder cancer. Therefore, it is important to minimize exposure to unburnt hydrocarbons to reduce the risk of cancer.

Incomplete combustion of petrol does produce unburnt hydrocarbons. Incomplete combustion occurs when there is a limited supply of oxygen, causing the fuel to not burn completely. This results in the formation of unburnt hydrocarbons, which are released as pollutants into the environment. Therefore, the statement that incomplete combustion of petrol does not produce unburnt hydrocarbons is false.

Unburnt hydrocarbons are indeed a constituent of photochemical smog. Photochemical smog is formed when sunlight reacts with pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including unburnt hydrocarbons, emitted from vehicles, industries, and other sources. These reactions produce a mixture of harmful pollutants, including ozone, which is a major component of photochemical smog. Therefore, the statement that unburnt hydrocarbons are not a constituent of photochemical smog is false.

Petrol is indeed an example of unburnt hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons are compounds made up of hydrogen and carbon atoms, and petrol is a mixture of various hydrocarbons. When petrol is burned, it undergoes combustion and is converted into carbon dioxide and water. However, if petrol is not completely burned, it can release unburnt hydrocarbons into the atmosphere, contributing to air pollution. Therefore, petrol can be considered as an example of unburnt hydrocarbons.

Unburnt hydrocarbons are organic compounds because they consist of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Organic compounds are defined as compounds that contain carbon-hydrogen bonds, and since hydrocarbons are composed solely of carbon and hydrogen, they fall under this category. Therefore, the statement that unburnt hydrocarbons are not organic compounds is false.