APES Review Flashcards
Organized and concentrated, can perform useful work
High Quality Energy
Enough energy to knock electrons from atoms forming ions, capable of causing cancer
Ionizing radiation
Disorganized, dispersed (heat in ocean or air wind, solar)
Low Quality Energy
Energy is neither created nor destroyed, but may be converted from one form to another
First law of thermodynamics
When energy is changed from one form to another, some useful energy is always degraded into lower quality energy
Second law of thermodynamics
Unstable radioisotopes decay releasing gamma rays, alpha and beta particles
Natural radioactive decay
The time it takes for half the mass of a radioisotope to decay
Half life
Approximately 10 half-lives
Estimate of how long a radioactive isotope must be stored until it decays to a safe level
Nuclei of isotopes split apart when struck by neutrons
Nuclear fission
2 isotopes of light elements forced together at high temperatures till they fuse to form a heavier nucleus. Expensive, break even point not reached yet
Nuclear fusion
A rock that contains a large enough concentration of a mineral making it profitable to mine
Ore
Slow acting and long lasting because the organic remains need time to be decomposed
Organic fertilizer
Conservation and increase efficiency
Best solution to energy shortage
Cheaper and can remove more mineral, less hazardous to workers
Surface mining
Organic, dark material remaining after decomposition by microorganisms
Humus
Removal of dissolved materials from soil by water moving downwards
Leaching
Deposit or leached material in lower soil layers
Illuviation
Perfect agricultural soil with equal portions of sand, silt, clay
Loam
Allows the use of resources in a responsible manner
Conservation
Setting aside areas and protecting them from human activities
Preservation
Evaporation, transpiration, runoff, condensation, precipitation, infiltration
Parts of the hydrologic cycle
Any water bearing layer in the ground
Aquifer
Lowering of the water table around a pumping well
Cone of depression
Near the coast, over pumping of groundwater causes saltwater to move into the aquifer
Salt water intrusion
El Niño Southern Oscillation, see-sawing of air pressure over the s. pacific
ENSO
Trade winds weaken and warm water sloshed back to SA
During an El Niño year
Easterly trade winds and ocean currents pool warm in the western pacific, allowing upwelling of nutrient rich water off the west coast of South America
During a non El Niño year
Upwelling decreases disrupting food chains, n us has mild winters, sw us has increased rainfall, less Atlantic hurricanes
Effects of El Niño
Because atmospheric nitrogen cannot be used directly by plants it must be first converted into ammonia by bacteria
Nitrogen fixing
Decomposers convert organic waste into ammonia
Ammonification
Ammonia is converted to nitrate ions (NO-3)
Nitrification
Inorganic nitrogen is converted into organic molecules such as DNA/ amino acids and proteins
Assimilation
Bacteria convert ammonia back into nitrogen
Denitrification
It does not exist as a gas, but is released by weathering of phosphate rocks
Phosphorus does not circulate as easily as nitrogen because
The ability to meet humanities current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs
Sustainability
Runoff of animal wastes, fertilizer discharge of sewage
Excess phosphorus is added to aquatic ecosystems by
Plants convert atmospheric C (CO2) into complex carbohydrates (glucose C6H12O6)
Photosynthesis
Oxygen consuming producers, consumers and decomposers break down complex organic compounds and convert carbon back into CO2
Aerobic respiration
Carbonate rocks first, oceans second
Largest reservoirs of Carbon
Living and non living components of an ecosystem
Biotic/abiotic
Photosynthetic life
Producer/autotroph
Indicator of sewage contamination
Fecal coliform
Only 10 percent of the usable energy is transferred because usable energy lost as heat (2nd law), not all biomass is digested and absorbed, predators expend energy to catch prey
Energy flow in food webs
(Good>disinfection of water) (bad>forms trihalomethanes)
Chlorine
Development of communities in a lifeless area not previously inhabited by life (lava)
Primary succession
Life progresses where soil remains (clear cut forest)
Secondary succession
Using waste heat to make electricity
Cogeneration
Symbolic relationship where both partners benefit
Mutualism
Symbiotic relationship where one partner benefits and the other is unaffected
Commensalism
Relationship in which one partner obtains nutrients at the expense of the host
Parasitism
Large distinct terrestrial region having similar climate, soil, plants and animals
Biome
The number of individuals that can be sustained in an area
Carrying capacity
Reproduce early, many small unprotected offspring
R strategist
Reproduce late, few, cared for offspring
K strategist
When a change in some condition triggers a response that intensifies the changing condition (warmer earth- snow melts- less sunlight is reflected and more is absorbed, therefore warmer earth)
Positive feedback
Organisms that possess favorable adaptations pass them onto the next generation
Natural selection
Said human population that cannot continue to increase.. Consequences will be war, famine and disease
Malthus
Rule of 70, 70 divided by the percent growth rate
Doubling time
The number of children a couple must have to replace themselves
Replacement level fertility
Is almost 6.5 billion
World population
290 million
US population
Birth and death rates high, population grows slowly, infant mortality high
Preindustrial stage
Death rate lower, better health care, population grows fast
Transitional stage
Decline in birth rate, population growth slows
Industrial stage
Low birth and death rates
Postindustrial stage
(Broad base, rapid growth) (narrow base, negative growth) (uniform shape, zero growth)
Age structure diagrams
China and India
1st and 2nd most populated countries
Low status of women
Most important thing affecting population growth
Family planning, contraception, economic rewards and penalties
Ways to decrease birth rate
97.5 % seawater, 2.5% freshwater
Percent water on earth by type
In arid regions, water evaporates leaving salts behind
Salinization of soil
(Agriculture, drip/trickle irrigation) (industry, recycling) (home, use gray water, repair leaks, low flow fixtures)
Ways to conserve water
(Point, from specific location such as pipe) (nonpoint, from over an area such as runoff)
Point vs non point sources
Biological oxygen demand, amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic decomposers to break down organic materials
BOD
Rapid algal growth caused by an excess of Nitrogen and Phosphorus
Eutrophication
When aquatic plants die, the BOD rises as an aerobic decomposer breaks down the plants, the DO drops and the water cannot support life
Hypoxia
Mental impairments caused by mercury
Minamata disease
Produced by humans and nature (CO, CO2, SO2, NO, hyrdocarbons, particulates)
Primary air pollutants
When a changing in some condition triggers a response that counteracts the changed condition (warmer earth- more ocean evaporation- more stratus clouds- less sunlight reaches ground-therefore cooler earth)
Negative feedback
(Burning fossil fuels and car exhaust) (reduces visibility and respiratory irritation) (filtering, electrostatic precipitators, alternative energy)
Particulate matter (source, effect, reduction)
(Source: auto exhaust) (effects: acidification of lakes, respiratory irritation, leads to smog and ozone) (equation for acid formation: NO+ O2 = NO2 + H2O = HNO3) (reduction: catalytic converter)
Nitrogen oxides
(Source: coal burning) (effects: acid deposition, respiratory irritation, damages plants) (equation for acid formation: SO2 + O2 = SO3 + H20 = H2SO4) (reduction: scrubbers, burn low sulfur fuel)
Sulfur oxides
(Source: auto exhaust, incomplete combustion,) (effects: CO binds to hemoglobin reducing bloods to carry oxygen, co2 contributes to global warming) (reduction: catalytic converter, emission testing, oxygenated fuel, mass transit)
Carbon oxides
(Formation: secondary pollutant, no2+UV=no+o O+o2=o3, with VOCs) (effects: respiratory irritant, plant damage) (reduction: reduce NO emissions and VOCs)
Ozone
Radioactive gas, formed from the decay of uranium, causes lung cancer and is a problem in the reading prong
Radon
Formed by chemical reactions involving sunlight (NO, VOC, O)
Photochemical smog
Caused by sulfuric and nitric acids resulting in lowered ph of surface waters
Acid deposition
(Examples: h2o, co2, o3, methane (CH4), CFCs) (effect: they trap outgoing infrared (heat) energy causing earth to warm
Greenhouse gases
Rising sealevel (thermal expansion), extreme weather, droughts (famine), extinctions
Effects of global warming
CFCs, methyl chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, halon, methyl bromide all of which attack stratospheric ozone
Ozone depletion caused by
Increased uv, skin cancer, cataracts, decreased plant growth
Effects of ozone depletion
Chemicals buried in old canal and school and homes built over it causing birth defects and cancer
Love canal, NY
Paper and most is landfilled
Municipal solid waste is mostly
Harmful environmental side effects that are not reflected in a products price
True cost/ external costs
(Leachate, liner with collection system) (methane gas, collect gas and burn) (volume of garbage, compact and reduce)
Sanitary landfill problems and solutions
Volume of waste reduced by 90% and waste heat can be used
Incineration advantages
Toxic emissions (polyvinyl chloride-dioxin), scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators needed, ash disposal (contains heavy metals)
Incineration disadvantages
Reduce the amounts of waste at the source
Best way to solve waste problem
Species whose role in an ecosystem are more important than others (ex: sea otter)
Keystone species
Species that serve as early warnings that an ecosystem is being damaged (ex trout)
Indicator species
Have a small range, require large territory or live on an island
Most endangered species
In natural ecosystems, 50-90% of pest species are kept under control by
Predators, diseases, parasites
Major insecticide groups and examples
(Chlorinated hydrocarbons, DDT) (organophosphates, malathion) (carbamates, aldicarb)
Saves lives from insect transmitted disease, increases food supply, increases profits for farmers
Pesticide pros
Genetic resistance, ecosystem imbalance, pesticide treadmill, persistence, bioaccumulation, biological magnification
Pesticide cons
Better agricultural practices, genetically resistant plants, natural enemies, biopesticide, sex attractants
Natural pest control
Using steam (from water boiled by fossil fuels or nuclear) or falling water to turn generator
Electricity is generated by
Microscopic aquatic organisms in sediments converted by heat and pressure into a mixture of hydrocarbons
Petroleum forms from
Cheap, easily transported, high quality energy
Pros of petroleum
Reserves depleted soon, pollution during drilling, transport and refining, burning makes co2
Cons of petroleum
Peat, lignite, bituminous, anthracite
Steps in coal formation
Core, control rods, steam generator, turbine, containment building
Major parts of a nuclear reactor
(Chernobyl, Ukraine) (three mile island, PA)
Two most serious nuclear accidents
Wind, solar, waves, biomass, geothermal, fuel cells
Alternate energy sources
The amount of a chemical that kills 50% of the animals in a test population
LD50
Causes hereditary changes, fetus deformities, cancer
Mutagen, teratogen, carcinogen
North spotted owl (loss of old growth forest) bald eagle (thinning of eggs caused by DDT) piping plover (beating areas threatened by development)
Endangered species
Gypsy moth, Asian long horned beetle
LI exotic species
Freedom to breed is bringing ruin to all. Global commons such as atmosphere and oceans are used by all and owned by none
Garret Hardin and the tragedy of the commons
At plate boundaries(divergent, spreading, mid-ocean ridges) (convergent, trenches) (transform, sliding, San Andreas)
Volcanoes and earthquakes occur
