When the temperature of water is increased after being used in cooling, it is this form of pollution?
air
atmospheric
cosmic
thermal
Thermal pollution is pollution that raises the temperature of water. This is caused by power plants and factories that use the water to cool their machines. The plants pump cold water from a lake or coastal area through giant cooling towers, like those in Figure below . As it flows through the towers, the cold water absorbs heat. This warmed water is returned to the lake or sea. Thermal pollution can kill fish and other water life. It's not just the warm temperature that kills them. Warm water can’t hold as much oxygen as cool water. If the water gets too warm, there may not be enough oxygen for living things.