Ap Environmental Set 1

Front 1

Ionizing radiation:

Back 1

enough energy to knock electrons from atoms forming ions, capable of causing cancer (ex gamma-Xrays-UV)

Front 2

High Quality Energy:

Back 2

organized & concentrated, can perform useful work (ex fossil fuel & nuclear)

Front 3

Low Quality Energy

Back 3

disorganized, dispersed (heat in ocean or air wind, solar)

Front 4

. First Law of Thermodynamics

Back 4

energy is neither created nor destroyed, but may be converted from one form to another

Front 5

Second Law of Thermodynamics

Back 5

when energy is changed from one form to another, some useful energy is always degraded into lower quality energy (usually heat)

Front 6

Natural radioactive decay

Back 6

unstable radioisotopes decay releasing gamma rays, alpha & beta particles

Front 7

. Half life:

Back 7

the time it takes for ½ the mass of a radioisotope to decay

Front 8

Estimate of how long a radioactive isotope must be stored until it decays to a safe level:

Back 8

approximately 10 half-lives

Front 9

Nuclear Fission

Back 9

nuclei of isotopes split apart when struck by neutrons

Front 10

Nuclear Fusion

Back 10

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

Front 11

. Ore

Back 11

a rock that contains a large enough concentration of a mineral making it profitable to mine

Front 12

Organic fertilizer

Back 12

slow acting & long lasting because the organic remains need time to be decomposed

Front 13

Best solution to Energy shortage

Back 13

conservation and increase efficiency

Front 14

Surface mining:

Back 14

cheaper & can remove more mineral, less hazardous to workers

Front 15

Humus

Back 15

organic, dark material remaining after decomposition by microorganisms

Front 16

Leaching

Back 16

removal of dissolved materials from soil by water moving downwards

Front 17

Illuviation

Back 17

deposit of leached material in lower soil layers (B)

Front 18

Loam

Back 18

perfect agricultural soil with equal portions of sand, silt, clay

Front 19

Conservation

Back 19

allows the use of resources in a responsible manner

Front 20

Preservation

Back 20

setting aside areas & protecting them from human activities

Front 21

Parts of the hydrologic cycle

Back 21

evaporation, transpiration, runoff, condensation, precipitation, infiltration