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30 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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acute toxicity
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a serious effect, such as a burn, illness, or eath, that occurs shortly after exposure to a hazardous substance.
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alpha radiation
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a type of radiation consisting of a particle wiht two neutrons and two protons.
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aquiclude
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an impervious confininglayer of an aquifer.
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aquifer
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a porous layer of earth material that becomes saturated with water.
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aquitard
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a partially permeable layer in an aquifer.
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artesian well
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the result of a pressurized aquifer being penetrated by a pipe or conduit, within which water rises without being pumped.
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auxins
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plant hormones that stimulate growth.
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beta radiation
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a type of radiation consisting of electrons released from the nuclei of many fissionable atoms.
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bioaccumulations
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the buildup of a material in the body of an organism.
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biochemical oxygen demand
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the amount of oxygen required by microbes to degrade organic molecules in aquatic ecosystems.
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biocides
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kinds of chemicals that kill many different types of living things.
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biodegradable
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able to be broken down by natural biological processes.
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biodiversity
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a measure of the variety of kinds of organisms present in an ecosystem.
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biomagnification
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the increses in the amount of material in the bodies of organisms at successively higher trophic levels.
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biomass
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any accumulation of organic material produced by living things.
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biotechnology
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inserting specefic pieces of DNA into the genetic makeup of organisms
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brownfields
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buildings and land that have been abandoned because they are contaminated and the cost of cleaning up the site is high.
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carbamates
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a class of soft pesticides that work by interfering with normal nerve impulses
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carcinogen
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a substance that causes cancer
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chemical weathering
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processes that involve the chemical alteration of rock in such a manner that is more likely to fragment or to be dissolved.
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chronic toxicity
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a serious effect, such as an illness or death, that occurs after prolonged exposure to small doses of a toxic substance
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clear cutting
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a forest harvesting method in which all the trees in a large area are cut and removed
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composting
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the process of harnessing the natural process of decomposition to transform organic materials into compost, a humus-like material with many environmental benefits
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contour farming
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a method of tilling and planting at right angles to the slope which reduces soil erosion by runoff.
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corrosiveness
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ability of a chemical to degrade standard materials.
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crust
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the thin, outer, solid suface of the earth
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desertification
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the conservation of arid and semiarid lands into deserts by inapproriate farming practices or overgrazing
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economic cost
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those monetary costs that are necessary to exploit a natural resource.
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endangered species
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those species that are present in such small numbers that they are in immediate jeopardy of extinction
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energy cost
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the amount of energy required to exploit a resource
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