CH13: Environmental Health

Question 1

ECOLOGY (4)

Answer 1

1. Study of living things in their natural environment
2. Ecologists study interactions in ecosystems & between ecosystems
3. Follow ecological principals
   a. Interactions happen between producers, consumers, decomposers & physical environment
   b. Cyclic flow of nutrients & water happens in biosphere
   c. Nutrients are naturally recycled
   d. Sunlight is used as energy for plants
   i. Plants are used as energy for animals
   ii. Convert nutrients into energy
4. Amount of food created by photosynthesis is finite

Question 2

ECOSYSTEM (4)

Answer 2

Means home system

INPUT
sunlight

INTERNAL STRUCTURE
Plants, animals & decomposers

OUTPUT
Unusable energy & waste

Question 3

EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTANTS (5)

Answer 3

1. Can spread far in air
2. Can contaminate forests & farms -> contaminate resources we need to survive -> effecting health
3. Can create acid rain
4. Breathing in air pollutants can give us diseases
   a. Lung cancer
   b. Emphysema
5. Can worsen allergies, asthma, colds & pneumonia
6. Destroy Ozone layer exposing us to more radiation from sun

Question 4

EFFECTS OF WATER POLLUTANTS (5)

Answer 4

1. Accelerates growth of algae that live off the pollutants
   a. When they die & decompose they consume oxygen
   i. Stealing oxygen from other living organisms such as fish
2. Polluted water can kill plants and animals that live in it
3. Can get diseases from drinking polluted water
   a. Cholera & Worms
4. Swimming in polluted water can also affect health because polluted water can enter body through nose or mouth
5. Some waste in water carries viruses causing hepatitis
6. Some bacteria in water can cause intestinal disorders

Question 5

EFFECTS OF THERMAL POLLUTANTS (5)

Answer 5

1. Comes from water used to cool power plants
2. Water absorbs heat from equipment
3. Released into environment
4. Extreme heat removes a lot of oxygen
5. Deprives animals in water of oxygen
6. They die

Question 6

EFFECTS OF OIL POLLUTANTS (4)

Answer 6

1. Oil spills don’t allow sun-light to go through water
2. Harms birds & sea life
3. Some sea life absorbs oil – when eaten can cause health problems
4. Birds covered in oil can’t fly & will drown

Question 7

EFFECTS OF NOISE POLLUTANTS (4)

Answer 7

1. Can cause discomfort & damage to the ears
2. Can cause hearing loss
3. Causes stress, headaches, sleep disturbances
4. Can cause blood pressure to rise