chapter 5 Flashcards
resource that is used faster than it can be replaced by natural processes.
nonrenewable resource
a resource that can be replenished by natural processes at least as quickly as it is used.
renewable resource
energy stored in and released from the nucleus of an atom.
nuclear energy
a process in which mined land must be recovered with soil and replanted with vegetation.
reclamation
energy from the sun.
solar energy
a group of wind turbines that produce electricity.
wind farm
electricity produced by flowing water.
hydroelectric power
thermal energy from earth’s interior.
geothermal energy
energy produced by burning organic matter, such as wood, food scraps, and alcohol.
biomass energy
a deposit of minerals that is large enough to be mined for profit.
ore
the removal of large areas of forests for human purposes.
deforestation
air pollution that forms from the interaction between chemicals in the air and sunlight.
photochemical smog
precipitation that has a lower pH than that of normal rainwater.
acid precipitation
