AP Environmental Flashcards
World Population:
U.S. Population:
6.8 billion
310 million
First and second most populated countries
China and India
Most important thing affecting population growth:
low status of women
Ways to decrease birth rate:
family planning, contraception, economic rewards and penalties
Low Quality Energy
disorganized, dispersed (heat in ocean or air wind, solar)
First Law of Thermodynamics:
energy is neither created nor destroyed, but may be converted from one form to another (Law of Conservation of Energy)
Second Law of Thermodynamics:
when energy is changed from one form to another, some useful energy is always degraded into lower quality energy, usually heat
Best solutions to energy shortage
conservation, increase efficiency, explore alternative energy options
Alternate energy sources
wind, solar, waves, biomass, geothermal, fuel cells
Natural radioactive decay
unstable radioisotopes decay releasing gamma rays, alpha particles, and beta particles
Half-life
time it takes for ½ the mass of a radioisotope to decay
Estimate of how long a radioactive isotope must be stored until it decays to a safe level:
approximately 10 half-lives
Nuclear Fission
nuclei of isotopes split apart when struck by neutrons
Nuclear Fusion
2 isotopes of light elements (H) forced together at high temperatures till they fuse to form a heavier nucleus (He). Expensive process; break-even point not reached yet;
D+ D He or D + T He
Major parts of a nuclear reactor
core, control rods, steam generator, turbine, containment building
Two most serious nuclear accidents
Chernobyl, Ukraine (1986) and Three Mile Island, PA (1979)
Pros of petroleum
relatively cheap, easily transported, high-quality energy
Cons of petroleum
reserves will be depleted soon; pollution during drilling, transport and refining; burning makes CO2
Steps in coal formation
peat, lignite, bituminous, anthracite
Major insecticide groups (and examples)
chlorinated hydrocarbons (DDT); organophosphates (malathion); carbamates (aldicarb)
Pesticide pros
saves lives from insect-transmitted disease, increases food supply, increases profits for farmers
