Chapter 4 Earth's Resources Flashcards
Renewable resources
Those that can be replaced by earth’s natural processes
Soil conservation
Protecting the soils ability to nourish plants
Crop rotation
System of growing different crops on the same land over a period of years
Erosion
Soil that can wash or blow away
Terraces
Horizontal ridges like stairs that slows water which slows erosion
Desertification
The long term process of losing soil fertility and plant life
What are some ways farmland can be lost
From erosion or desertification
Deforestation
The loss of forest
Reforestation
The process of planting trees to replace forest
Semi arid
Regions that receive a small amount of rain
What methods do people in dry regions use to bring water in
The build canals,reservoirs, and aqueducts which are artificial channels for carrying water
Aquifer
Water deep underground
These are water bearing layers of rock sand or gravel
People drill wells to get water from aquifers
Desalination
Machines that take the salt out of seawater
This is very expensive
Mild acid rain
When air pollution combines with moisture
Non renewable resources
Resources that cannot be replaced by natural processes or that are replaced very slow
How many basic properties do minerals have
4
Minerals are
- inorganic
- occur naturally
- solids
- in crystal form
- unlike petroleum which is a liquid
- have a definite chemical composition or combination of elements
What two categories are minerals divided into
Metallic and nonmetallic
Metallic minerals
Are shiny and conduct heat and electricity
Nonmetallic minerals
Lack the characteristics
Have a dull surface and are poor conductors of heat
3 main fossil fuels
Coal
Petroleum
Natural gas
Fossil fuels are formed from
Ancient remain from plants and animals
These remains were gradually converted over time and the combination of heat and pressure change them into fuels
Fossil fuels are non renewable or renewable resources
Non renewable
What is the cleanest burning fossil fuel
Natural gas
What can pollute the air
Burning fuels for heating, transportation, and to power factories that release bad chemicals into the air
