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30 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is a combined sewer?
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-Residential, industry, and runoff
-Ex. Atlanta has 7 CSOs (combined sewer outflow) transfers sewage into local waterways to prevent overflow |
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What happens in the treatment of waste water?
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1. Primary treatment= removes solids
2. Secondary treatment= uses bacteria to breakdown organic matter 3. Tertiary treatment= disinfect water with ozone or UV, remove phosphorous and nitrogen and water can return |
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What is the atmospheric composition?
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-Nitrogen: 78
-Oxygen: 21 -Argon: about 1 -Carbon dioxide: .039 -Methane: .00017 |
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What is the trend of altitude and temperature at different levels in the atmosphere?
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-Troposphere= temp decreases with altitude
-Stratosphere= temp rises with altitude -Mesosphere= temp decreases with altitude -Thermosphere= slightly decreases |
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What is the lapse rate?
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Change in temperature with elevation
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What is the tropopause?
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The transition between the troposphere and the stratosphere (where planes normally fly)
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What are the three kinds of UV light?
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-UVa= weaker, violet light
-UVb= sunscreen, ozone limits it, middle -UVc= very damaging, ozone gets rid of, strongest |
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What is happening in Antarctica in regards to the ozone?
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-July/August= freezing, NOx--ice so Cl is free, but no sun
-September/October= sun, Cl free, NOx--ice which causes ozone destruction -July/August= winter vortex -CFC has Cl |
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What was the Montreal Protocol 1987?
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Reduced CFCs and other harmful gases to ozone (UVb)
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What is a Hadley cell?
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Cycle in the 30 degrees
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What are ferrel cells?
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In 60 degrees
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What is the Coriolis Effect?
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-Bodies deflected to left or right due to Earth's rotation (air or water)
-Right in Northern, left in Southern |
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What is the Rain Shadow Effect?
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As a rain cloud moves over a mountain it becomes dry and the valley below it (rain shadow) is also dry
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What was the Clean Air Act of 1970?
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-EPA regulated
-Stricter air quality standards -Set limits for emissions= ozone, particulates, CO, NOx, SOx, and lead |
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How is acid rain formed?
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-NOx+H2O=Nitric acid (HNO3)
-SOx+H2O=Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) |
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How acidic is acid rain and what are it's sources?
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-PH=3.3
-NOx from combustion (cars) -SOx from burning coal |
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What are the effects of acid rain?
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-Building erosion
-Kills plants (acid releases aluminum ions that are toxic to plants) -Leaches out nutrients |
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What are solutions to reducing acid rain?
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-Taller smoke stacks, send acid rain to Canada (lolz)
-Scrubbers= in coal burning plants, removes Sox -Catyltic converters= NOx=N2+O2, forms carbon dioxide |
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What is photochemical smog?
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-NOx+VOCs+O2+sunlight= ozone (O3) +other stuff (smog)
-Effects: scars lungs |
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What are VOCs?
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Volatile organic compounds= hydrocarbons, from dry cleaners, industry/manufacturing, trees
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What is the greenhouse effect?
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Capture of heat by earth's atmosphere
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What changed have we seen in recent years with the warming of the planet?
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-Melting glaciers
-Earlier spring -Warming oceans -Increase in hurricane severity/frequency -Coral bleaching -Geographical change in species ranges (invasive species, human health risks) -Permafrost loss -Increasing sea levels due to warming ocean (expansion) and melting glaciers -Loss of arctic ice |
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What are the Milankovitch Cycles?
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1. Wobble= like a spinning top, changes with seasons, every 20,000 yrs, moves into angle that favors cooling
2. Change in tilt= varies between 22 and 25, more tilt--move extreme seasons, every 40,000 yrs 3. Earth's orbit= effects difference between July and January, every 100,000 yrs, right at minimum of elliptic |
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What is a keeling curve?
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-Shows CO2 concentration
-Currently at 393 ppm |
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What are the greenhouse gases?
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-Water vapor= weak warming effect, most common, traps heat
-Carbon Dioxide= combustion -Methane= agriculture -N2O (Nitrous Oxide)= agriculutre |
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Where do most emissions in general come from?
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Generation of electricity and power
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What is the ocean conveyor belt?
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-Warm surface current, then sinks when becomes cold
-Keeps Europe mild |
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What is the difference between a El Niño and a La Niña year?
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-El Niño= every 2-7 yrs, abnormally warm temps in Eastern Pacific
-La Niña= every 1-4 yrs, abnormally cool surface water temps, warmer and dryer in US |
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What are two other natural events that effect climate change?
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-Aerosols= tiny particles that reflect solar radiation
-Volcanoes |
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What was the Kyoto Protocol?
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-Industrialized nations had to cut GHF emissions to 5% below 1990 levels by 2012
-US never ratified -Some European countries have met goals |
