concept 3 Flashcards
what is aerobic?
processes or places that contain or require oxygen
what is anaerobic?
processes of place that do not contain or require oxygen
what is biodegradation?
living things break materials down
what is biomagnification?
looking at an element or a compound (pollutant) making its way up the food chain
what is dilution?
mixing a substance with air or water to reduce the concentration of the substance
what is dispersion?
a substance scattering away from its source
what is groundwater?
the water that fills up cracks and spaces in the ground
what is leachate?
a liquid that dissolves into the soil then carries substances as it passes through it
what is MSDS?
Material Safety Data Sheet
what does “permeable” mean?
a substance that liquids can flow through
what is photolysis?
when substances degrade from exposure to sunlight
what is phytoremediation?
a process where plants are used to remove or degrade hazardous materials
what is the water table?
the surface of the groundwater zone
what is WHMIS?
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
what is the main purpose of the ozone layer?
protects the earth from the suns radiation and UV light
what is an ozone molecule made of?
three oxygen atoms blended together
what compound is made culprit behind ozone layer depletion?
CFC’s (chlororfluorocarbons)
where are the thinnest patches in the ozone layer?
near the north and south poles
what is the greenhouse effect?
traps heat on the earth’s surface (we only need a little, not a lot)
why is the temperature on earth more stable than on the moon?
because Earth has an atmosphere protecting us from extreme heat during the day and extreme cold during the night
what are the 4 most common greenhouse gases?
carbon dioxide, dinitrogen monoxide, methane, water vapor
what is carbon monoxide and why is it bad?
it blocks oxygen from entering the bloodstream. it can come from furnaces and cars
what is a carbon footprint?
it is the amount of carbon you’ve used in a certain amount of time
what factors contribute to your carbon footprint? (6)
how much electricity you use, how much they drive, water use, flights are taken, food consumed, how much they spend on clothing and other goods.
