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196 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Element |
A pure chemical substance made up of one type of atom; there are 92 naturally occurring elements. |
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Mineral |
A naturally occurring chemical compound that exists as a solid with a predictable, three-dimensional, repeating structure. |
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RARE EARTH MINERALS |
A group of chemically similar elements used in a variety of modern products; they are not necessarily rare but do not occur in concentrated deposits. |
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GEOLOGY |
The study of the structure of Earth and the processes that have shaped it in the past and shape it today. |
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TECTONIC PLATES |
The study of the structure of Earth and the processes that have shaped it in the past and shape it today. |
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ROCK |
Conglomerates of one or more minerals that occur in a variety of configurations. |
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ROCK CYCLE
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The process in which rock is constantly made and destroyed.
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ORES |
A rock deposit that contains economically valuable amounts of metal minerals.
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MINING |
The extraction of natural resources from the ground.
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E-WASTE |
Unwanted computers and other electronic devices that are discarded; contains valuable metals that can be recovered but also contains toxic chemicals. |
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GRASSLANDS |
A biome that is predominately grasses, due to low rainfall, grazing animals, and/or fire. |
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HERIBVORES |
An animal that feeds on plants. |
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SOIL EROSION |
The removal of soil by wind and water that exceeds the soil’s natural replacement. |
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PASTORALISTS |
Herders who graze their livestock in tight herds, moving them constantly across vast swaths of rangeland. |
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ROTATION GRAZING |
Moving animals from one pasture to the next in a predetermined sequence to prevent overgrazing. |
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SUSTAINABLE GRAZING |
Practices that allow animals to graze in a way that keeps pastures healthy and allows grasses to recover. |
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BOREAL FORESTS |
Coniferous forests found at high latitudes and altitudes characterized by low temperatures and low annual precipitation. |
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TEMPERATE FORESTS |
Forests found in areas with four seasons and a moderate climate, which receive 30 to 60 inches of precipitation per year, and which may include conifers and/or hardwood deciduous trees (which lose their leaves in the winter). |
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TROPICAL FORESTS |
Forests found in equatorial areas with warm temperatures year-round and high rainfall; some have distinct wet and dry seasons, but none has a winter season. |
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CANOPY |
The upper layer of a forest, formed where the crowns (tops) of the majority of the tallest trees meet. |
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EMERGENT LAYER |
The region where a tree that is taller than the canopy trees rises above the canopy layer. |
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UNDERSTOY |
The smaller trees, shrubs, and saplings that live in the shade of the forest canopy. |
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FOREST FLOOR |
The lowest level of the forest, containing herbaceous plants, fungi, leaf litter, and soil. |
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RUNOFF |
Water that flows across the land surface under the force of gravity, usually after a rainfall. |
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CARBON SINK |
An area such as a forest, ocean sediment, or soil, where accumulated carbon does not readily reenter the carbon cycle. |
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HECTARES (HA) |
A metric unit of measure for area; 1 ha = 2.5 acres (ac). |
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MAXIMUM SUSTAINABLE YIELD (MSY) |
Harvesting as much as is sustainably possible (but no more) for the greatest economic benefit. |
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MULTIPLE-USE SUSTAINABLE-YIELD ACT |
U.S. legislation (1960) mandating that national forests be managed in a way that balances a variety of uses. |
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FOREST ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT |
A system that focuses on managing the forest as a whole rather than for maximizing yields of a specific product. |
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ECOTOURISM |
Low-impact travel to natural areas that contributes to the protection of the environment and respects the local people. |
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COAL |
Fossil fuel formed when plant material is buried in oxygen-poor conditions and subjected to high heat and pressure over a long time. |
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MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL |
Surface mining technique that uses explosives to blast away the top of a mountain to expose the coal seam underneath; the waste rock and rubble is deposited in a nearby valley. |
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ENERGY |
The capacity to do work |
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FOSSIL FUELS |
Nonrenewable resources like coal, oil, and natural gas that were formed over millions of years from the remains of dead organisms. |
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ELECTRICITY |
The flow of electrons (negatively charged subatomic particles) through a conductive material (such as wire). |
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ENERGY RETURN ON ENERGY INVESTMENT (EROEI) |
A measure of the net energy from an energy source (the energy in the source minus the energy required to get it, process it, ship it, and then use it) |
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OVERBURDEN |
The rock and soil removed to uncover a mineral deposit during surface mining. |
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SURFACE MINING |
A form of mining that involves removing soil and rock that overlays a mineral deposit close to the surface in order to access that deposit. |
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SUBSURFACE MINES |
Sites where tunnels are dug underground to access mineral resources. |
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ACID MINE DRAINAGE |
Water flowing past exposed rock in mines, leaching out sulfates. These sulfates react with the water and oxygen to form acids (low-pH solutions). |
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT |
A document that outlines the positive and negative impacts of a proposed federal action (including alternative actions and the option of taking no action); used to help decide whether or not that action will be approved. |
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CARBON CAPTURE AND SEQUESTRATION |
Removing carbon from fuel combustion emissions or other sources and storing it to prevent its release into the atmosphere. |
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RECLAMATION |
Restoring a damaged natural area to a less damaged state. |
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FOSSIL FUELS |
Nonrenewable resources like coal, oil, and natural gas that were formed over millions of years from the remains of dead organisms. |
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OIL NATURAL GAS |
A gaseous fossil fuel composed mainly of simpler hydrocarbons, mostly methane |
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NONRENEWABLE RESOURCE |
A resource that is formed more slowly than it is used, or is present in a finite supply. |
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TIGHT OIL |
Light (low density) oil in shale rock deposits of very low permeability; extracted by fracking. |
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FRACKING |
The extraction of oil or natural gas from dense rock formations by creating factures in the rock and then flushing out the oil/gas with pressurized fluid. |
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CRUDE OIL |
A mix of hydrocarbons that exists as a liquid underground; can be refined to produce fuels or other products. |
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PROVEN RESERVES |
A measure of the amount of a fossil fuel that is economically feasible to extract from a known deposit using current technology. |
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CONVENTIONAL OIL RESERVES |
Light- or medium-density crude oil deposits; extracted by pumping |
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PEAK OIL |
The moment in time when oil will reach its highest production levels and then steadily and terminally decline. |
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UNCONVENTIONAL RESERVES |
Deposits of oil or natural gas that cannot be recovered with traditional oil/gas wells but may be recoverable using alternate techniques. |
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PETROCHEMICALS |
Distillation products from the processing of crude oil such as fuels or industrial raw materials. |
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TAR SANDS |
Sand or clay formations that contain a heavy-density crude oil (crude bitumen); extracted by surface mining. |
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OIL SANDS |
Sand or clay formations that contain a heavy-density crude oil (crude bitumen); extracted by surface mining. |
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KEROGEN SHALE |
Rocks that contain kerogen, a mix of solid organic material that can be converted to a liquid fossil fuel for extraction. |
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OIL SHALE |
Rocks that contain kerogen, a mix of solid organic material that can be converted to a liquid fossil fuel for extraction |
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ENERGY INDEPENDENCE |
Meeting all of one’s energy needs without importing any energy |
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ENERGY SECURITY |
Having access to enough reliable and affordable energy sources to meet one’s needs. |
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NUCLEAR ENERGY |
Energy released when an atom is split (fission) or combines with another to form a new atom (fusion). |
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NUCLEAR FISSION |
A nuclear reaction that occurs when a neutron strikes the nucleus of an atom and breaks it into two or more parts. |
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ISOTOPES |
Atoms that have different numbers of neutrons in their nucleus but the same number of protons |
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RADIOACTIVE |
Atoms that spontaneously emit subatomic particles and/or energy. |
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RADIOACTIVE HALF-LIFE |
The time it takes for half of the radioactive isotopes in a sample to decay to a new form. |
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FUEL RODS |
Hollow metal cylinders filled with uranium fuel pellets for use in fission reactors. |
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CONTROL RODS |
Rods that absorb neutrons and slow the chain reaction in a fission nuclear reactor. |
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LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE (LLRW) |
Material that has a low level of radiation for its volume. |
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HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE |
Spent nuclear reactor fuel or waste from the production of nuclear weapons that is still highly radioactive |
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U.S. NUCLEAR WASTE POLICY ACT |
The federal law which mandated that the federal government build and operate a long-term repository for the disposal of high level radioactive waste. |
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RENEWABLE ENERGY |
Energy from sources that are replenished over short time scales or that are perpetually available. |
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SUSTAINABLE ENERGY |
Energy from sources that are renewable and have a low environmental impact. |
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WIND ENERGY |
Energy contained in the motion of air across Earth’s surface. (Chapter 23) |
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BIOMASS ENERGY |
Energy from biological material such as plants (wood, charcoal, crops) and animal waste |
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SOLAR ENERGY |
Energy harnessed from the Sun in the form of heat or light |
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PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS |
A technology that converts solar energy directly into electricity. |
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ACTIVE SOLAR TECHNOLOGIES |
Mechanical equipment for capturing, converting, and sometimes concentrating solar energy into a more usable form. |
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SOLAR THERMAL SYSTEMS |
An active technology that captures solar energy for heating. |
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PASSIVE SOLAR TECHNOLOGIES |
Technologies that allow for the capture of solar energy (heat or light) without any electronic or mechanical assistance. |
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GEOTHERMAL ENERGY |
The heat stored underground, contained in either rocks or fluids. |
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GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMPS |
A system that transfers the steady 55°F (12.5°C) underground temperature to a building to help heat or cool it. |
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PAYBACK TIME |
The amount of time it would take to save enough money in operation costs to pay for the equipment |
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GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANTS |
Power plants that use the heat of hydrothermal reservoirs to produce steam and turn turbines to generate electricity. |
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HYDROPOWER |
Energy produced from moving water. |
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CONSERVATION |
Efforts that reduce waste and increase efficient use of resources. |
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BIOFUEL |
Solids, liquids, or gases that produce energy from biological material. |
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BIOMASS |
Material from living or recently living organisms or their by-products. |
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FEEDSTOCKS |
Biomass sources used to make biofuels. |
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PERENNIAL |
Plants that live for more than a year, growing and producing seed year after year. |
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ANNUAL |
Plants that live for a year, produce seed, and then die. |
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FUEL CROPS |
Crops specifically grown to be used to produce biofuels. |
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BIOETHANOL |
An alcohol fuel made from crops like corn and sugarcane in a process of fermentation and distillation. |
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BIODIESEL |
A liquid fuel made from vegetable oil, animal fats, or waste oil that can be used directly in a diesel internal combustion engine |
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MONOCULTURE |
Farming method in which a single variety of one crop is planted, typically in rows over huge swaths of land, with large inputs of fertilizer, pesticides, and water. |
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CELLULOSIC ETHANOL |
Bioethanol made by breaking down cellulose in plants |
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CARBON SEQUESTRATION |
The storage of carbon in a form that prevents its release into the atmosphere |
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WASTEWATER |
Used and contaminated water that is released after use by households, industry, or agriculture. |
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FRESHWATER |
Water that has few dissolved ions such as salt. |
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WATER CYCLE |
The movement of water through various water compartments such as surface waters, atmosphere, soil, and living organisms. |
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SURFACE WATER |
Any body of water found above ground, such as oceans, rivers, and lakes. |
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TRANSPIRATION |
The loss of water vapor from plants |
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EVAPORATION |
The conversion of water from a liquid state to a gaseous state. |
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CONDENSATION |
The conversion of water from a gaseous state (water vapor) to a liquid state. |
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PRECIPITATION |
Rain, snow, sleet, or any other form of water falling from the atmosphere |
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GROUNDWATER |
Water found underground in aquifers. |
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WATER SCARCITY |
Not having access to enough clean water. |
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AQUIFER |
An underground, permeable region of soil or rock that is saturated with water. |
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INFILTRATION |
The process of water soaking into the ground |
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WATER TABLE |
The uppermost water level of the saturated zone of an aquifer |
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SALTWATER INTRUSION |
The inflow of ocean (salt) water into a freshwater aquifer that happens when an aquifer has lost some of its freshwater stores. |
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EFFLUENT |
Wastewater discharged into the environment. |
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COLIFORM BACTERIA |
Bacteria often found in the intestinal tract of animals; monitored to look for fecal contamination of water. |
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WASTEWATER TREATMENT |
The process of removing contaminants from wastewater to make it safe enough to release into the environment. |
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POTABLE |
Clean enough for consumption. |
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WETLAND |
An ecosystem that is permanently or seasonally flooded |
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DAMS |
A structure that blocks the flow of water in a river or stream |
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RESERVOIRS |
Abiotic or biotic components of the environment that serve as storage places for cycling nutrients. (Chapter 8); An artificial lake formed when a river is impounded by a dam |
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DESALINATION |
The removal of salt and minerals from seawater to make it suitable for consumption. |
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WATER FOOTPRINT |
The amount of water consumed by a given group (that is, person or population) or for a process (such as raising livestock). |
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WATER POLLUTION |
The addition of any substance to a body of water that might degrade its quality. |
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STORMWATER RUNOFF |
Water from precipitation that flows over the surface of the land |
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POINT SOURCE POLLUTION |
Pollution from discharge pipes (or smoke stacks) such as that from wastewater treatment plants or industrial sites |
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NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION |
Runoff that enters the water from overland flow and can come from any area in the watershed or enters the air from dispersed or mobile sources. |
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DISSOLVED OXYGEN |
The amount of oxygen in the water |
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HYPOXIA |
A situation in which a body of water contains inadequate levels of oxygen, compromising the health of many aquatic organisms. |
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EUTROPHICATION |
A process in which excess nutrients in aquatic ecosystems feed biological productivity, ultimately lowering the oxygen content in the water. |
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WATERSHED |
The land area surrounding a body of water over which water such as rain can flow and potentially enter that body of water. |
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AQUIFER |
An underground, permeable region of soil or rock that is saturated with water |
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BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT |
The process of sampling an area to see what lives there as a tool to determine how healthy the area is. |
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BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES |
Easy-to-see (not microscopic) arthropods such as insects that live on the stream bottom. |
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CLEAR WATER ACT (CWA) |
U.S. federal legislation that regulates the release of point source pollution into surface waters and sets water quality standards for those waters. It also supports best management practices to reduce nonpoint source pollution. |
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POLLUTION STANDARDS |
Allowable levels of a pollutant that can be present in environmental waters or released over a certain time period |
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WATERSHED MANAGEMENT |
Management of what goes on in an area around streams and rivers. |
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RIPARIAN AREAS |
The land areas close enough to a body of water to be affected by the water’s presence (for example, areas where water-tolerant plants grow) and that affect the water itself (for example, provide shade). |
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WATERBORNE DISEASES |
An infectious disease acquired through contact with contaminated water. |
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VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES |
An infectious disease acquired from organisms that transmit a pathogen from one host to another. |
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INFECTIOUS DISEASES |
An illness caused by an invading pathogen such as a bacterium or virus. |
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PATHOGEN |
An infectious agent that causes illness or disease. |
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PUBLIC HEALTH |
The science that deals with the health of human populations. (Chapter 5) |
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EPIDEMIOLOGISTS |
A scientist who studies the causes and patterns of disease in human populations. |
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ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH |
The branch of public health that focuses on factors in the natural world and the human-built environment that impact the health of populations |
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NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES (NCDs) |
Illnesses that are not transmissible between people; not infectious. (Chapter 5) |
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ZOONOTIC |
A disease that is spread to humans from infected animals (not merely a vector that transmits the pathogen but another host that harbors the pathogen through its life cycle) |
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EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES |
Infectious diseases that are new to humans or that have recently increased significantly in incidence, in some cases by spreading to new ranges. |
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WASTE |
Any material that humans discard as unwanted |
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BIODEGRADABLE |
Capable of being broken down by living organisms |
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NONDEGRADABLE |
Incapable of being broken down under normal conditions |
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MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE |
Everyday garbage or trash (solid waste) produced by individuals or small businesses. |
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OPEN DUMPS |
Places where trash, both hazardous and nonhazardous, is simply piled up |
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LEACHATE |
Water that carries dissolved substances (often contaminated) that can percolate through soil. |
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SANITARY LANDFILLS |
Disposal sites that seal in trash at the top and bottom to prevent its release into the atmosphere; the sites are lined on the bottom, and trash is dumped in and covered with soil daily. |
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INCINERATORS |
Facilities that burn trash at high temperatures. |
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HAZARDOUS WASTE |
Waste that is toxic, flammable, corrosive, explosive, or radioactive. |
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E-WASTE |
Unwanted computers and other electronic devices that are discarded; contains valuable metals that can be recovered but also contains toxic chemicals |
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COMPOSTING |
Allowing waste to biologically decompose in the presence of oxygen and water, producing a soil-like mulch. |
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ECO-INDUSTRIAL PARKS |
Industrial parks in which industries are physically positioned near each other for “waste-to-feed” exchanges; the waste of one becomes the raw material for another. |
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REFUSE |
The first of the waste-reduction four Rs: Choose not to use or buy a product if you can do without it. |
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REDUCE |
The second of the waste-reduction four Rs: Make choices that allow you to use less of a resource by, for instance, purchasing durable goods that will last or can be repaired |
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REUSE |
The third of the waste reduction four Rs: Use a product more than once for its original purpose or for another purpose |
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RECYCLING |
The fourth of the waste-reduction four Rs: Return items for reprocessing into new products. |
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ASTHMA |
A chronic inflammatory respiratory disorder characterized by “attacks” during which the airways narrow, making it hard to breathe; can be fatal. |
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AIR POLLUTION |
Any material added to the atmosphere (naturally or by humans) that harms living organisms, affects the climate, or impacts structures |
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PRIMARY AIR POLLUTANTS |
Air pollutants released directly from both mobile sources (such as cars) and stationary sources (such as industrial and power plants). |
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SECONDARY AIR POLLUTANTS |
Air pollutants formed when primary air pollutants react with one another or with other chemicals in the air. |
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GROUND-LEVEL OZONE |
A secondary pollutant that forms when some of the pollutants released during fossil fuel combustion react with atmospheric oxygen in the presence of sunlight. |
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SMOG |
Hazy air pollution that contains a variety of pollutants including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, tropospheric ozone, and particulates. |
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PARTICULATE MATTER |
Particles or droplets small enough to remain aloft in the air for long periods of time. |
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POINT SOURCE POLLUTION |
Pollution from discharge pipes (or smoke stacks) such as that from wastewater treatment plants or industrial sites. |
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NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION |
Runoff that enters the water from overland flow and can come from any area in the watershed or enters the air from dispersed or mobile sources. |
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ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE |
The concept that access to a clean, healthy environment is a basic human right. |
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ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM |
Occurs when minority communities face more exposure to pollution than average for the region. |
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ACID DESPOSITION |
Precipitation that contains sulfuric or nitric acid; dry particles may also fall and become acidified once they mix with water. |
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TRANSBOUNDARY POLLUTION |
A problem that extends across state and national boundaries; pollution that is produced in one area but falls in or reaches other states or nations. |
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COMMAND-AND-CONTROL |
Regulations that set an upper allowable limit of pollution release which is enforced with fines and/or incarceration. |
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CLEAN AIR ACT (CAA) |
First passed in 1963 and amended most recently in 1990, this U.S. law authorizes the EPA to set standards for dangerous air pollutants and enforce those standards. |
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GREEN TAXES |
A tax (a fee paid to the government) assessed on environmentally undesirable activities (e.g., a tax per unit of pollution emitted) |
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TAX CREDITS |
A reduction in the tax one has to pay in exchange for some desirable action |
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SUBSIDIES |
Financial assistance given by the government or other party in support of actions that are expected to benefit the public good. |
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CAP-AND-TRADE |
Regulations that set an upper limit for pollution emissions, issue permits to producers for a portion of that amount, and allow producers that release less than their allotment to sell permits to those who exceeded their allotment |
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CLIMATE CHANGE |
Alteration in the long-term patterns and statistical averages of meteorological events. |
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WEATHER |
The meteorological conditions in a given place on a given day. |
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CLIMATE |
Long-term patterns or trends of meteorological conditions. |
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GLOBAL WARMING |
The observed and ongoing rise in the Earth’s average temperature that is contributing to climate change. |
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INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE |
An international group of scientists that evaluates scientific studies related to climate change to thoroughly and objectively assess the data. |
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GREENHOUSE GASES |
Molecules in the atmosphere that absorb heat and reradiate it back to Earth |
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GREENHOUSE EFFECT |
The warming of the planet that results when heat is trapped by Earth’s atmosphere. |
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RADIATIVE FORCER |
Anything that alters the balance of incoming solar radiation relative to the amount of heat that escapes out into space. |
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ALBEDO |
The ability of a surface to reflect away solar radiation |
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POSITIVE FEEDBACK LOOP |
Changes caused by an initial event that then accentuate that original event (for example, a warming trend gets even warmer) |
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NEGATIVE FEEDBACK LOOP |
Changes caused by an initial event that trigger events that then reverse the response (for example, warming leads to events that eventually result in cooling). |
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MILANKOVITCH CYCLES |
Predictable variations in Earth’s position in space relative to the Sun that affect climate |
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ANTHROPOGENIC |
Caused by or related to human action. |
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MITITGATION |
Efforts intended to minimize the extent or impact of a problem such as climate change. |
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CARBON TAXES |
Governmental fees imposed on activities (such as fossil fuel use) that release CO2 into the atmosphere |
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PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE |
A principle that encourages acting in a way that leaves a margin of safety when there is a potential for serious harm but uncertainty about the form or magnitude of that harm |
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ADAPTATION |
A trait that helps an individual survive or reproduce. (Chapter 11); Efforts intended to help deal with a problem that exists, such as climate change. |
