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120 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
- 3rd side (hint)
Ionizing radiation
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Enough energy to knock electrons from atoms forming ions, capable of causing cancer (gamma-Xrays-UV)
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High Quality Energy
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Organized & concetrated, can perform useful work (fossil fuel & nuclear)
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Low Quality Energy
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Disorganized, dispersed (heat in ocean or air wind, solar)
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First Law of Thermodynamics
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Energy is neither created nor destroyed, but may be converted from one form to another
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Anything relating to energy?
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Second Law of Thermodynamics
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When energy is changed from one form to another, some useful energy is always degraded into lower quality energy (usually heat)
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Natural radioactive decay
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Unstable readioistoptope decay releasaing gamma rays, alpha & beta particles
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Half life
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The time it takes for 1/2 the mass of a radioisotope to decay
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Estimate of how long a radioactive isoptope must be stored until it decays to a safe level
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Approximately 10 half-lives
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Nuclear Fission
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Nuclei of isotopes split apart when struck by neutrons
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Nuclear Fusion
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2 isotopes of light elements (H) forced together at high temperatures till they fuse to form a heavier nucleus. Expensive, break even point not reached yet
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Ore
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A rock that contains a large enough concentration of a mineral, making it profitable to mine
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Organic fertilizer
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Slow acting & long lasting because the organic remains need time to be decomposed
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Best solution to Energy shortage
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Conservation and increase efficiency
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Surface mining
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Cheaper & can remove more mineral, less hazardous to workers
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Humus
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Organic, dark material remaining after decomposition by microorganisms
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Leaching
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Removal of dissolved materials from soil by water moving downwards
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Illuviation
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Deposit of leached materials from soil by water moving downwards
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Loam
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Perfect agricultural soil with equal portions of sand, silt, clay
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Conservation
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Allows the use of resources in a responsible manner
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Preservation
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Setting aside areas & protecting them from human activities
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Aquifer
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Any water bearing layer in the ground
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Cone of depression
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Lowering of the water table around a pumping well
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Salt water intrusion
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Near the cost, overpumping of groundwater causes saltwater to move into the aquifer
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ENSO
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El Nino Southern Oscillation, see-sawing of air pressure over the South Pacific
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During an El Nino year
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Trade winds weaken & warm water sloshed back to SA
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What happens to the winds? Temperature?
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During a Non El Nino year
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Easterly trade winds and ocean currents pool warm water in the western Pacific, allowing upwelling of nutrient rich water oof the West cost of South America
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Effects of El Nino
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Upwelling decreases disrupting food chains, N US has mild winters, SW US has increased rainfall, less Atlantic Hurricans
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Nitrogen fixing
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Because atmospheric N cannot be used directly by plants, it must first be converted into ammonia by bacteria (rhizobium)
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Ammonification
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Decomposers covert organic waste into ammonia
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Nitrification
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Ammonia is converted to nitrate ions
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Assimilation
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Inorganic N is converted into organic meleacules such as DNA/amino acids & protiens
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Denitrification
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Bacteria convert ammonia back into N
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Phosphorus does not circulate as easily as N because
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It does not exist as a gas, but is released by weathering of phosphate rocks
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Sustainability
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The ability to meet humanties current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs
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Excess phosphorus is added to aquatic ecosystems by
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Runoff of animal weastes, fertilizer, discharge of sewage
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Photosynthesis
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Plants convert atmopsheric C (CO2) into complex carbohydrates (glucose)
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Aerobic respiration
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Oxygen consuming produces, consumers & decomposers break down complex organic compounds & convert C back into CO2
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Largest reservoirs of C
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Carbonate rocks first, oceans second
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Biotic/abiotic
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Living & nonliving components of an ecosystem
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Producer/Autotroph
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Photosynthetic life
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Fecal coliform/Enterococcus
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Indicator of sewage contaminiation
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Energy flow in food webs
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Only 10% of the usable nergy is tranferred because usable energy lost as heat (2nd law), not all biomass is digested & absorbed, predators expand energy to catch prey
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Chlorine
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Good: Disinfection of water
Bad: Forms trihalomethanes |
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Primary succession
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Development if communities in a lifeless area not previously inhabited by life (lava)
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Secondary succession
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Life progresses where soil remains (clear cut forest, fire)
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Cogeneration
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Using waste heat to make electricity
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Mutualism
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Symbiotic relationship where both partners benefit
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Commensalism
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Symbiotic relationship where one partner benefits & the other is unaffected
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Parasitism
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Relationship in which one partner obtains nutrients and the expense of the host
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Biome
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Large distinct terrestrial region having similar climate, soil, plants, & animals
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Carrying capacity
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The number of individuals that can be sustained in an area
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R strategist
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Reproduce early, many small unprotected offspring
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K strategist
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Reproduce late, few, cared for offspring
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Positive feedback
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When a change in some condition tirggers a response that intensifies the changing condition
(EX: wamer earth - snow melts - less sunlight is reflected & more is absorved, therefore warmer earth) |
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Natural selection
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Organisms that possess favorable adaptions pass them onto the next generation
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Malthus
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Said human population cannot continue to increase. Consequences will be war, famine & disease
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Doubling time
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Rule of 70 (70 divided by the percent growth rate)
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Replacement level fertility
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The number of children a couple must have to replace themselves (2.1 developed, 2.7 developing)
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World Population is
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6.5 billion
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US Population
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300 million
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Preindustrial stage
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Birth & death rates high, pupulation grows slowly, infant mortality high
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Industrial stage
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Death rate lower, better health car, population grows fast
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Postindustrial stage
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Low birth & death rates
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Age structure diagrams
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(broad base, rapid growth)
(narrow base, negative growth) (uniform shape, zero growth) |
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1st & 2nd most populated countries
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China & India
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Most important thing affecting population growth
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Low status of women
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Ways to decrease birth
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Family planning, contraception, economic rewards & penalties
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Percent water on earth by type
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97.5% seawater
2.5% freshwater |
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Salinization of soil
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In arid regions, water evaporates leaving salts behind
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Ways to conserve water
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Agriculture: Drip/trickle irrigation
Industry: Recycling Home: Use gray water, repair leaks, low flow fixtures |
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Point VS Nonpoint Resources
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Point: From specific location such as pipe
Nonpoint: |
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BOD
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Biological Oxygen Demand
Amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic decomposers to break down organic materials |
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Eutrophication
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Rapid algal growth caused by an excess of nitrates (NO3)- and phosphates (PO4)3- in water
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Hypoxia
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(1932-1968, Japan) mental impairments caused by methylmercury (CH3Hg)+ poisoning
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Minamata Disease
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produced by humans & nature (CO,CO2,SOx,NOx, hydrocarbons, particulates)
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Primary air pollutants
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organisms that possess favorable adaptations pass them onto the next generation
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Natural selection
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Source: burning fossil fuels and diesel exhaust
Effect: reduces visibility & respiratory irritation Reduction: filtering, electrostatic precipitators, alternative energy) |
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Particulate matter
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source,effect,reduction): (burning fossil fuels & car exhaust) (reduces visibility & respiratory irritation) (filtering, electrostatic precipitators, alternative energy)
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Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)
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Source: auto exhaust
Effects: acidification of lakes, respiratory irritation, leads to smog & ozone Equation for acid formation: NO + O2 = NO2 + H2O = HNO3 Reduction: catalytic converter |
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Sulfur oxides (SOx):
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(Source: coal burning) (Effects: acid deposition, respiratory irritation, damages plants) (Equation for acid formation: SO2 + O2 = SO3 + H2O = H2SO4) (Reduction: scrubbers, burn low sulfur fuel)
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Carbon oxides (CO and CO2):
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Source: auto exhaust, incomplete combustion
Effects: CO binds to hemoglobin, reducing blood’s ability to carry O2; CO2 contributes to global warming Reduction: catalytic converter, emission testing, oxygenated fuel, mass transit |
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Ozone (O3):
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Formation: secondary pollutant,
NO2 + uv = NO + O* O* + O2 = O3, with VOCs (volatile organic compounds) Effects: respiratory irritant, plant damage Reduction: reduce NO and VOC emissions |
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Photochemical smog
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formed by chemical reactions involving sunlight (NO, VOC,O)
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Acid deposition
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caused by sulfuric and nitric acids resulting in lowered pH of surface waters
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Greenhouse gases
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Examples: H2O, CO2, O3, methane (CH4), CFC’s
Effect: they trap outgoing infrared (heat) energy causing earth to warm |
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Effects of global warming
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rising sea level (thermal expansion), extreme weather, droughts (famine),
extinctions |
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Ozone depletion caused by
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CFC’s, methyl chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, halon, methyl bromide all of
which attack stratospheric ozone |
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Effects of ozone depletion
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increased UV, skin cancer, cataracts, decreased plant growth
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Love Canal, NY
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chemicals buried in old canal and school & homes built over it causing birth defects &
cancer |
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Municipal solid waste is mostly
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paper and usually dumped in landfills
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True cost / External costs
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harmful environmental side effects that are not reflected in a products price
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Sanitary landfill problems and solutions
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(leachate, liner with collection system) (methane gas, collect gas
and burn) (volume of garbage, compact & reduce) |
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Incineration advantages
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volume of waste reduced by 90% & waste heat can be used
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Incineration disadvantages
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toxic emissions (polyvinyl chloride—dioxin), scrubbers & electrostatic
precipitators needed, ash disposal (contains heavy metals) |
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Best way to solve waste problem:
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reduce the amounts of waste at the source
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Keystone species
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species whose role in an ecosystem are more important than others, ex sea otter
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Indicator species
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species that serve as early warnings that an ecosystem is being damaged ex trout
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Most endangered species
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have a small range, require large territory or live on an island
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In natural ecosystems, 50-90% of pest species are kept under control by
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predators, diseases, parasites
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Major insecticide groups and examples
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(chlorinated hydrocarbons, DDT) (organophosphates, malathion)
(carbamates, aldicarb) |
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Pesticide pros
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saves lives from insect transmitted disease, increases food supply, increases profits for
farmers |
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Pesticide cons
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genetic resistance, ecosystem imbalance, pesticide treadmill, persistence, bioaccumulation,
biological magnification |
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Natural pest control
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better agricultural practices, genetically resistant plants, natural enemies,
biopesticides, sex attractants |
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Electricity is generated by
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using steam (from water boiled by fossils fuels or nuclear) or falling water to
turn a generator |
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Petroleum forms from
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microscopic aquatic organisms in sediments converted by heat & pressure into a
mixture of hydrocarbons |
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Pros of petroleum
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cheap, easily transported, high quality energy
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Cons of petroleum
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reserves depleted soon, pollution during drilling, transport and refining, burning makes
CO2 |
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Steps in coal formation
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peat, lignite, bituminous, anthracite
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Major parts of a nuclear reactor
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core, control rods, steam generator, turbine, containment building
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Two most serious nuclear accidents
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(Chernobyl, Ukraine) (Three Miles Island, PA)
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Alternate energy sources
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wind, solar, waves, biomass, geothermal, fuel cells
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LD50
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the amount of a chemical that kills 50% of the animals in a test population
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Mutagen, Teratogen, Carcinogen
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causes hereditary changes, fetus deformities, cancer
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Endangered species
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North spotted Owl (loss of old growth forest), Bald Eagle (thinning of eggs caused by
DDT), Piping Plover (nesting areas threatened by development) |
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LI Exotic species
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gypsy moth, Asian Long Horned Beetle
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Garret Hardin & the Tragedy of the Commons
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Freedom to breed is bringing ruin to all. Global commons
such as atmosphere & oceans are used by all and owned by none |
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Volcanoes and Earthquakes occur
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at plate boundaries (divergent, spreading, mid-ocean ridges)
(convergent, trenches) (transform, sliding, San Andreas) |
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Sources of mercury
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burning coal, Compact Fluorescent bulbs
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Major source of sulfur
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burning coal
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Threshold dose
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the maximum dose that has no measurable effect
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