exam 1

Question 1

applied science

Answer 1

take what we learn to solve problems and inform our actions and behaviors

Question 2

empirical science

Answer 2

investigates the natural world through systematic observations and experimentation

Question 3

natural capital

Answer 3

the world’s stocks of natural resources and environmental features which include geology, soil, air, water, and all living things, was created to emphasize the importance of conservation and sustainable management of natural resources in the global economy

Question 4

natural interest

Answer 4

the yearly increase of the world’s stock of natural resources, take from only interest because it’s added annually

Question 5

correlation

Answer 5

shows that two things can occur at the same time but does not exclude all other variables, action A does not necessarily cause outcome B

Question 6

causation

Answer 6

can show that one factor directly causes another, action A causes outcome B

Question 7

carbon dioxide

Answer 7

a major greenhouse gas found in the atmosphere, absorbs and radiates heat, the addition of more CO2 to the atmosphere causes global temperatures to rise, leading to global warming

Question 8

true cost

Answer 8

seeks to determine the true cost of a good or service by including the cost of negative externalities, such as pollution, and the negative effects it has on people and the environment

Question 9

tragedy of the commons

Answer 9

individuals who share a resource generally operate out of self-interest, causing the resource to eventually become depleted

Question 10

wicked problems

Answer 10

every solution involves some kind of trade-off

Question 11

peer review

Answer 11

a process whereby researchers submit a report of their work to outside experts who evaluate the study’s design and results to determine whether it is of a high enough quality to publish

Question 12

scientific theory

Answer 12

a widely accepted explanation that has been extensively and rigorously tested, continual support of evidence

Question 13

credibility

Answer 13

free from bias, backed by evidence that is written by trustworthy authors

Question 14

six steps to the scientific method

Answer 14

1. observe, 2. question, 3. hypothesize, 4. experiment, 5. analyze, 6. conclude

Question 15

positive and negative feedback loops

Answer 15

a positive feedback loop occurs to increase the change or output
A negative feedback loop occurs to reduce the change or output

Question 16

species adaptations to climate change

Answer 16

species with better adaptations to move are going to be able to adapt more easily to the effects of climate change, ex.) birds, deer vs turtles, river fish

Question 17

fracking

Answer 17

injecting water, sand, and chemicals at high pressure breaks up surrounding rock layers and then releases trapped gasses, releases dangerous chemicals into the atmosphere, contaminated waters

Question 18

mountaintop removal

Answer 18

removal of the tops of mountains with dynamite and earth-moving machines, called draglines, to reach coal seams, the waste rock—the remains of the mountains—is piled into neighboring hollows in towering earthen dams called valley fills

Question 19

coal ash

Answer 19

contains contaminants like mercury, cadmium, and arsenic, without proper management, these contaminants can pollute waterways, groundwater, drinking water, and the air

Question 20

EROEI

Answer 20

energy return on energy investment, allows us to compare the amount of energy we get from any individual source to the amount we must expend to obtain, process, and ship it

Question 21

solar energy

Answer 21

energy harvested from the sun in the form of heat or light, most abundant sustainable energy source

Question 22

wind energy

Answer 22

wind turbines, large or small, work by the same principle: spinning blades turn a shaft inside a generator that produces electricity

Question 23

alterative energy

Answer 23

energy other than fossil fuels, no one alternative that will solve our energy needs

Question 24

renewable energy

Answer 24

comes from unlimited, naturally replenished resources, such as the sun, tides, includes wind, solar, hydro, biomass

Question 25

biomass energy

Answer 25

energy from living organisms, renewable organic material that comes from plants and animals, contains stored chemical energy from the sun that is produced by plants through photosynthesis, can be burned directly for heat or converted to liquid and gaseous fuels through various processes

Question 26

adaptation

Answer 26

the act of changing a behavior to make it suitable for a new purpose or situation, what we will have to do to adapt to climate change

Question 27

mitigation

Answer 27

the action of reducing the severity, seriousness, or painfulness of something, what we will have to change to slow down climate change

Question 28

crop growth trade offs

Answer 28

must sequester the carbon burning or it will not be carbon neutral, may require the use of fertilizers of pesticides