Chapters 5-8 (Exam 2) Flashcards
What planet is Earth in the solar system
3rd planet from the sun
how is Earth different from other planets
Earth has aspects like CO2 in the atmosphere
What is Earth’s interior like
hot and constantly seething and churning
What do the heated activities within Earth’s interior cause
the heat causes plate tectonics and constant rejuvenation of surface rocks
what brings molten rocks to the surface
thermal convection cells
describe the Earth’s interior
- Earth has many distinct layers: it has the atmosphere, the oceanic and continental curst, the lithosphere, the mantle (upper and lower mantle), then the core which also has 2 parts - the inner and outer core. The outer core mainly consists of nickel and iron in liquid form, and the inner core is made of the same, but in solid form
what is the plate tectonics
the unifying theory that explain most of the geological structures found on the surface of the Earth
what are some things plate tectonics explains
- continental movement
- sea floor creation & destruction
- mountain building
- volcanic eruptions
- earthquakes
how many major plates do we currently have in Earth’s lithosphere
8
T/F: major disasters like major earthquakes and volcanic eruptions happen in random places and have no correlation to plate tectonics
false, there is a direct correlation between the location of the plate boundaries and major earthquakes and volcanic eruptions
what do most scientists believe cause plate tectonics
convention currents in Earth’s molten mantle
what are the 3 types of plate boundaries
- convergent
- divergent
- transform (strike-slip)
what is the lithosphere composed of
rocks or materials once composed of rocks
what are the 3 types of rocks
- igneous
- sedimentary
- metamorphic
igneous rocks are
crystals from hot molten lava/ magma
sedimentary rocks are
rocks that form from sedimentation and weathering (sandstones and shales)
metamorphic rocks
rocks that are subjected to extreme heat and pressure
what are minerals composed of
atoms of elements
what is the smallest unit of an element
atom
what are atoms composed of
protons, neutrons, and electrons
what is an atom’s nucleus composed of
protons and neutrons
what is it called when an atom’s neutrons != # of protons
isotope
what determines an atom’s atomic number
of protons in the nucleus
what region of earth is typically warmer than the others
the equator areas as the sun’s rays fall more directly on that region
T/F: warm air holds more moisture than cold air
true
how do Earth’s atmospheric convention cells work
the warm air rises pushing the air already up there down, then that air heats up and rises and repeats
what kind of cells does the sun create a belt of
convective circulation cells
what are the 3 types of convective circulation cells
- Hadley cells
- Ferrell Cells
- Polar front and flows
which convective circulation cell is responsible for our seasons
the Ferrell Cells
what are the 2 factors that affect Earth’s atmospheric cycles
- The Coriolis Effect
- Earth’s topography
what is the Coriolis Effect
it is produced by Earth’s rotation on its axis and since spins on a tilt, its convection cells cycle in an angle rather than N&S even though it appears that way (throwing a ball off a spinning merry-go-round)
what creates ocean’s currents
moving air masses, which is why directional shifts in wind cause disruptions in circulation patterns
T/F: Oceans are sinks for nitrogen
False, they are sinks for CO2
which part of the oceans usually interact with the atmosphere
the upper part
What is the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO)
a cycle of fluctuation surface temperature patterns that occur over a 20-30 year period
What is El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO)
a periodic weather phenomenon that occurs approximately every 3-7 years. Decrease or reversal of pressure difference occurs
When does the sun shine directly on the equator
at its equinoxes (March and September)
when does the sun shine more on the northern hemisphere
at its solstice (June) - our summer solstice; Australia’s winter solstice
when does the sun shine more on the southern hemisphere
at its solstice (December) - our winter solstice; Australia’s summer solstice
what are earthquakes
massive shock waves that occur when large rock masses in Earth’s crust move relative to one another
What are the 2 ways to measure earthquakes
- Richter scale
- Mercalli scale
Describe the Richter Scale
- a logarithmic scale
- is based on the amplitude of the seismic waves
- is quantitative
Describe the Mercalli Scale
- is more qualitative
- is based on the observations made close to the origin of the quake
where can volcanoes be found
at convergent or divergent plate boundaries
4 types of land instabilities
- landslide
- avalanche
- rockfalls
- mechanical soil failures
what are 2 types of tropical cyclones
- hurricanes
- typhoons
what are tropical cyclone
intense storms that form over warm tropical seas
what are tornadoes
when rapidly rotating vortices of air that form funnels
what do dust storm stem from
exacerbated by desertification
do droughts cause a positive feedback loop?
yes, as they reduce evapotranspiration
T/F: fires are a natural disaster but they are not always caused through natural causes
TRUE! #pplSuckSometimes
what often causes tsunamis
underwater earthquakes
why has resource management not led to sustainable use
because of social, economic, and political pressures emphasize rapid exploitation
what is a resource
a source of raw material used by society
what also has caused increase in consumption of resources
overpopulation
what are reserves
a subset of of resources that have been located and can be profitably extracted at today’s market prices
renewable resources
resources that be replenished within a few human generations
nonrenewable resources
resources that cannot be replenished within a few human generations
what are some examples of nonrenewable resources
coal, oil, natural gases, ore deposits, soil
what are environmental externalities
costs/ benefits of economic activities (like production/ consumption) that are not reflected in market prices & are imposed on 3rd parties who aren’t directly involved in the transaction.
what does a benefit-cost analysis (BCA) do
analyzes the short and long term benefits and cost of resource exploitation
3 ways to manage resources
(PCR)
Preservation
Conservation
Restoration
what does preservation usually refer to
usually refers to non-use (such as National Parks)
what does conservation refer to
input reduction; use resources sustainably so you need to use less of it
what does restoration refer to
restoring a degraded resource to its original state
what are the 5 main values of resources
- Ethical
- Emotional
- Aesthetic
- Economic
- Environmental Services
what are the 2 basic inputs from the environment
- matter
- energy
what does unsustainable use of resources lead to
a bubble pattern of depletion
what are the 2 main causes of bubble pattern of depletion
- Exponential exploitation
- Exponential depletion
when does exponential exploitation occur
as long as the supply of resources exceeds the demand
when does exponential depletion occur
when the demand exceeds the supply of resources
what are the 2 ways society can react to the decline of a resource
- Intensify efforts to extract more of said resource
- Reduce the need for that resource
What are the 2 concepts used to justify extracting more of the diminishing resource
- Net Yield of Nonrenewable Resources
- Maximum Sustainable Yield of Renewable Resources
Net yield of nonrenewable resources
the idea that as long as the resources used to extract the resources does not exceed the resources gained, then it is fine to extract
Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY)
harvest until the harvest rate = the renewable rate
What is Optimum Sustainable Yield (OSY)
Is the same as MSY but takes more costs into consideration (such as its effect on other species/ecosystems)
T/F: OSY is typically larger than MSY
false, since it takes more costs into consideration, it will tell people to harvest less than the MSY would
what are the 3 ways to conserve a resource
- Reduce the need for that resource by finding a substitution
- Efficiency -> improvements occur when same task is completed with less use of resources
- Recycle -> when a resource is reused in the same form
T/F: sustainable jobs produce more jobs than unsustainable ones
true
what are the 3 types of energy
magnetic, radiant, and mechanical
what are the 2 types of mechanical energy
kinetic and potential
what is radiant energy
light from the sun and the electromagnetic spectrum
what is magnetic energy
energy within magnetic fields
what does most of the industrial world now rely on
fossil fuels
what are some other kinds of fuels people rely on for energy
biomass (animals and plant waste) and traditional fuels (charcoal, fuelwood) for things like cooking.
what is a large portion of the electricity sector devoted to
supplying energy to consumer to run their electrical appliances, lighting, heating, etc.
peak load
the amount of energy needed at the time of its highest demand
what can happen if the supply of energy exceeds the demand
brownouts or blackouts
what are the 2 types of technologies
- hard tech.
- soft tech.
what are hard technologies
large-scale plants, which are complex, expensive, and centralized
what are soft technologies
smaller-scale plants and applications, which are local and more environmentally-friendly
what are the 3 fossil fuels
- oil
- coal
- natural gas
how much of the world’s total energy does oil produce
38% of the world’s total energy is produced by oil
how much of that 38% is used for transportation
96% of the use of oil is for transportation purposes
what is the relationship between gas prices and how much gas a country uses
the lower the gas price, the more gas the country uses
what is the most widely used form of commercial energy
oil
T/F: Middle East reserves are estimated to be 2/3
true!
T/F: burning oil releases lots of Co2 into the atmosphere
true, obviously (burning)
T/F: raw materials are often dumped into the environment
true and it happens both naturally and accidentally
what are some sources to oil spills
- oil tankers
- drilling accidents
- careless disposal of used oils
- intentional destruction of pipelines
- a few natural seeps do occurs
compare coal to oil
coal in more abundant than coal and more evenly distributed worldwide
T/F: out of the fossil fuels, coal emits the most into the atmosphere
true, it emits 25% more than oil, and 80% more than natural gas
T/F: coal is produced in a usable form for transportation
false, coal is solid so it cannot be transported unless it is converted to liquid (liquefaction) or to a gas (gasification)
what is natural gas
a gaseous form of fuel that is abundantly available
how do some people use natural gas
fracking
what is a major source for air pollution, acid rain, and greenhouse gases
use of fossil fuels
principals of nuclear power
fission and fusion
fission
the splitting of radioactive isotopes of a heavy element into smaller atoms with the release of energy
fusion
the joining of the isotopes of light elements into a heavier element with the generation of energy
how does fission work
a neutron splits the nucleus of a heavy atom. when the nucleus splits, it releases free neutrons, radioactive smaller atoms, and large amounts of energy.
Can fission cause a chain reaction
yes, it can cause nearby fissionable atoms to split
What kind of thing can slow the speed of neutrons without absorbing them
moderators like beryllium and graphite
what is needed for fusion
extremely high temperatures (magnetic confinement and high-energy laser and particle beams)
T/F: fusion is ready for commercial energy use
false, it is still in the developmental stage
what are some reason why some people want to use fusion as an energy souce
- we are less likely to run out of fuel
- fusion does not produce fissionable materials that could be used in bombs
- the high temperatures needed for fusion can be used to vaporize any waste materials into their component atoms
what type of rocks is most prominent on earth
sedimentary
what is the oldest rock type
metamorphic
5 facts about earth
- Earth has 3 different rocks types: igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic
- Ferrell Cells are responsible of the seasonal changes on Earth
- Earth is 97% saltwater and 3% freshwater
- Earth is around 4.5 billion years old
- Earth’s lithosphere consists of 8 major plates
what is the safest form of large-scale power generation as of now
nuclear power generation
what are radioisotopes or radionuclides
unstable atoms that give off radiation while undergoing spontaneous disintegration
large nuclear reactors have a risk of large-scale catastrophes, so what are some way to minimize these concerns
- smaller scale
- passive safety systems
- modular design
what are the requirements for safe permanent disposal
- perfect containment with no leakage
- guarding to prevent political or terrorist diversion for potential weapon use
- secure transport to a permanent repository
what are the current proposals to dispose of waste
- rocket loads of waste into the sun
- deep sea burial
- burial in antarctic glaciers
- burial in stable geologic zones
which region is best suited for geothermal power
the pacific rim countries (rim of fire)
what are the ring of fire countries
US, Canada, Mexico, Japan, China, Australia
what are alternative energy sources to fossil fuels
- hydroelectric
- biomass
- solar
- wind
- geothermal
- tidal
advantages of nuclear power
- safest for of large-scale power generation
- economic and health impacts of nuclear power are lower than the impacts from coal-fired power plants
disadvantages of nuclear power
- lots of resourced needed: resources needed to extract uranium, build plants, and keep current plans up to code
- disposing radioactive waste is challenging
- plants are only good for 30-40 years and must be decommissioned after which is another energy and resource-intense operation
what is the 4th largest global source of commercial energy production and consumption
hydroelectricity
what are the big 5 energy sources
- oil
- natural gas
- hydropower
- coal
- nuclear power
what was the 1st major hydroelectric power plant in the world
Niagara Falls, NY
adv. to hydropower
- cleaner than fossil fuels
- after construction, it is relatively cheap to operate
- renewable
disadv. to hydropower
- construction is costly
- flooding large tracts of land destroys natural habitats
- displaces people
- erosion rate increases
- evaporation rate increases
- extinction of species (dolphins in China)
- reservoirs often have short life spans due to sedimentation
- reservoirs modify water quality and reduce nutrient cycling (diseases)
- encourage earthquakes
name 7 natural disasters
- floods
- hurricanes
- tsunami
- tornadoes
- earthquakes
- droughts
- dust storms
when can MSY be best achieved
when population is at 1/2 its carrying capacity
biomass energy
uses discarded waste material that is burned as a fuel to produce energy
Major sources of biomass energy are…
- Wastes (wood scraps/paper waste from industry)
– Standing forests (may compete with forest sustainability & building industry needs)
– Energy crops (fast growing/“coppicing” trees or grasses)
what are some different ways biomass fuel can be used
- direct combustion
- thermochemical conversion to methanol or syngas
- biochemical conversion to ethanol or biogas
biomass contributes to how much of the total energy consumed worldwide
15%
what is the most common uses for biomass energy
direct combustion of wood or other organic wastes
T/F: most of the energy we use today is direct solar energy
false, most of it is actually indirect solar energy
what are the 2 types of solar heating
passive solar heating and active solar heating
Photovoltaics
use semiconductor technology to
generate electricity for direct use or to charge hydrogen fuel cells
how is the ocean being used to produce energy
Both wave action and tidal flows have been used to generate electricity.
what are the 4 types of geothermal deposits
- Hydrothermal fluid reservoirs
- Geopressured brines
- Magma
- Hot, dry rock
What is Geothermal energy and how is it being used to produce electricity
The energy from Earth’s hot interior can be used to heat buildings directly or to generate electricity
which of the 4 types of geothermal deposits is used commercially
hydrothermal fluid revivors
Of the “Big 5”, which one(s) can store electricity
hydropower is the only one that stores
energy
The simplest &cheapest way of stretching our energy resources & mitigating energy-related problems is through…
energy conservation and energy efficiency
what is a big component of energy conservation
reducing the use of fossil fuels
Energy intensity
the ratio of energy consumption to
economic output—can be lowered while maintaining
strong economic growth and high standards of living
Energy can be saved by…
- Increasing the efficiency of energy conversions
– Not converting it from one form to another unnecessarily
– Not transporting energy unnecessarily
– Increasing the efficiency with which energy is transported
– Encouraging conservation
minerals
naturally occurring inorganic solids that have a regular crystalline structure
how are matter resources are depleted
by being dispersed
how are energy resources depleted
depleted when they are used as they get transformed into “waste heat”
what do modern nuclear plants use
a nuclear reactor with a controlled fission chain reaction (this generates lots of heat)
what are moderators used for
to slow neutrons and control the fission process
what do control rods do
they absorb enough neutrons to halt the nuclear chain reaction
what are reactor vessels usually made of
think steel-reinforced concrete
what is the principal type of reacted used in the US
light-water reactor (LWR)
what are LWR named after
the moderator (light-water = the moderator)
what can an uncontrolled chain reaction of fissionable material lead to
a meltdown
how are scientists working to make fusion a commercial energy source
- magnetic confinement
- high-energy lasers and particle beams
