Environmental Chemistry Study guide Flashcards
What is the nitrogen cycle
where the protein in plants and animals go into the soil creating ammonia and nitrogen-consuming bacteria breaks it down. Then turns into N2 and goes into the air
What is hydrocarbon combustion?
chemical reaction where hydrocarbon reacts with oxygen to create heat, water, and carbon dioxide. Can also create carbon monoxide.
pH scales, acids, bases, neutralization.
the pH scale is the measure of how acidic or basic a substance is. A substance with a pH lower than 7, bases are a substance with a pH higher than 7. Both acids and bases are water-soluble. Neutralization is what happens when acids react with a base. Neutralization is generally exothermic.
What are macronutrients
they are things that all living things need in large quantities to survive and prosper. N Nitrogen, H Hydrogen, C Carbon, S Sulpher, P Phosphorus, O Oxygen, Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins, Nucleic acids.
What are micronutrients?
things living things do not need in large quantities to survive. Ex vitamin b12, vitamin d
What are nutrients?
they are elements and compounds that living things need to perform basic functions and reproduce, etc.
What is passive transport?
osmosis, diffusion, does not require energy
What is active transport?
the transportation of ions and nutrients that require energy
What is smosis?
water moves through a semipermeable layer from low concentration to a high concentration
What is diffusion
a substance moves from low concentration to high concentration
What are some biological indicators of water quality?
algae population, the quantity of fish/insects, the colour of the water
What are some chemical indicators of water quality?
dissolved oxygen, total chorine, nitrates, nitrites.
Name the major contaminants of water
Heavy metals (mercury), acid rain, fertilizer, and pesticides
Parts per million
the total mass of contaminants compared to the total mass of the substance (1 unit of an element in 100 000 000)
LD50
lethal dose
measures toxicity, the amount of material that kills 50% of the test subjects
Name the primary air contaminants and how they create smog
O2, S03, Nx, C02
fossil fuels produced by cars, factories, etc, get trapped in the ozone layers because there is too much. reacts with sunlight and creates smog
Dillution and Dispersal of materials
dispersal = the scattering of materials away from their source
dilution: decreasing the concentration of a substance by mixing it with air or water.
What is biodegradation?
the process of material naturally degrading over time.
What is phytoremediation?
using living plants to clean up air, soil, and water
What is photolysis?
the decomposition of materials by light
What is bioaccumulation?
the gradual accumulation of pesticides and other harmful substances in an animal
What is biomagnification?
it is where the toxin is passed down through animals by the predator ingesting the smaller animal that contains the toxin.
