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35 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Environmental Science |
The science of the interactions between the physical, chemical, and biological components of the environment; the human impact on the environment |
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Ecology |
The political movement that seeks to protect the environment, especially from pollution |
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Natural resource |
materials or substances such as minerals, forests, water, and fertile land that occur in nature and can be used for economic gain. |
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Pollution |
the presence in or introduction into the environment of a substance or thing that has harmful or poisonous effects. |
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Biodiversity |
the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. |
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Scientific Method |
a method of procedure that has characterized natural science since the 17th century, consisting in systematic observation, measurement, and experiment, and the formulation, testing, and modification of hypotheses. |
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Surface water |
water that collects on the surface of the ground. |
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River system |
Every river is part of a larger system— a watershed, which is the land drained by a river and its tributaries. Rivers are large natural streams of water flowing in channels and emptying into larger bodies of water. |
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Watershed |
an area or ridge of land that separates waters flowing to different rivers, basins, or seas. |
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Groundwater |
water held underground in the soil or in pores and crevices in rock. |
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Aquifer |
a body of permeable rock that can contain or transmit groundwater. |
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Porosity |
the quality of being porous, or full of tiny holes. |
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Permeability |
the state or quality of a material or membrane that causes it to allow liquids or gases to pass through it. |
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Recharge zone |
This occurs as a part of the hydrologic cycle when water from rainfall percolates into underlying aquifers. |
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Potable |
safe to drink; drinkable. |
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Pathogen |
a bacterium, virus, or other microorganism that can cause disease. |
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Dam |
a barrier constructed to hold back water and raise its level, the resulting reservoir being used in the generation of electricity or as a water supply. |
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Reservoir |
a large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply. |
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Desalination |
any process that removes the excess salt and other minerals from water in order to obtain fresh water suitable for animal consumption or irrigation. |
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Water pollution |
the contamination of water bodies (e.g. lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers and groundwater). |
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PPoint - Source Pollution |
is water pollution that comes from a single, discrete place, typically a pipe. |
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Nonpoint Pollution |
From Industrial and sewage treatment plants, comes from many diffuse sources |
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Wastewater |
Water that has been adversely affected in quality by anthropogenic influence |
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Artificial Eutrophication |
A process that increases the amount of nutrients in a body if water through human activities (human waste) |
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Thermal pollution |
A rise in temperature of rivers or lakes caused from disposal of heated industrial waste |
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Biomagnification |
The concentration of toxins in an organism as a result of its ingesting other plants or animals in which toxins are more widely dispursed |
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Air Pollution |
When harmful substances build up in the air to unhealthy levels |
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Primary Pollutant |
Pollutants pit directly in the air by human activity |
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Secondary Pollutant |
Formed when a primary pollutant comes into contact with other primary pollutants or with naturally occurring substances and a chemical reaction occurs |
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Smog |
Air pollution that hangs over cities and reduces visibility |
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Temperature Inversion |
Occurs when the air above is warmer than the air below |
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Sick Building Syndrome |
Buildings that have poor air quality |
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Asbestos |
Several minerals formed in long, thin fibers and are valued for Strength and heat |
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Decibel |
Unit for how the intensity of sound is measured |
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Gsh |
Gduydv ghx |
