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Environmental Science > Exam 3 > Flashcards

Exam 3 Flashcards

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Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Identify the biological impacts resulting from fossil fuel CO2 emissions.

A
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2
Q

What are criticisms of using lab rats to set sage limits to human exposure?

A
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3
Q

Explain how burning wood for heat (wood -> CO2 + heat) does not produce a net increase in the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere.

A
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4
Q

?

A
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5
Q

What does EROI stand for?

A

Energy Return on Investment

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6
Q

EROI =

A

Energy acquired / energy spent

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7
Q

Which energy source has the highest EROI and what is it?

A

Hydro; 100

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8
Q

What are the physical changes of burning fossil fuels?

A
  1. Temperature increasing
  2. Greater frequency of extreme weather events
  3. Sea level rising (glacier melt (50%) + thermal expansion (50%))
  4. Acidification
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9
Q

Acidification

A

CO2 + H2o –> 2H+ + CO2-/3

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10
Q

What are the biological changes of burning fossil fuels?

A

Northward shifts in distribution

“Feed-need” disjunction

Shifts in phenology

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11
Q

What are the fates of trees in the changing climate?

A
  1. Migrate to track “temperature window”
  2. Adapt to altered conditions (in place)
  3. Disappearance (extirpation)
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12
Q

phenology

A

study of environmental conditions that trigger important life events (e.g., loss of leaves in the fall)

timing of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena (usually in relation to climate)

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13
Q

Phenology shifts

A

Herbivores 6 days earlier, upper trophic levels > 3 days earlier
- decoupling between predator and prey
- elevated temps:
- predators don’t concur with prey
- some bit of overlap

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14
Q

Green sea turtle sex is determined by

A

Temperature they are incubated at

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15
Q

What is the “pivotal temperature” for sex determination of green sea turtles?

A

29°C

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16
Q

What are the unexpected consequences of seawalls holding back rising tides?

A

seawalls holding back rising tides + sea level rise = no beach to lay eggs for turtles

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17
Q

How has the climate change discussion has changed direction?

A

From “is it happening?” and “do humans’ actions contribute?” to “what do we have to do to reduce eventual severity and adapt to changes”

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18
Q

What are approaches to dealing with with global change?

A
  1. Reduce energy use
  2. Shift from fossil fuels to alternative energy (electrification)
  3. Carbon capture and storage
  4. Geoengineering
  5. Birth control?
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19
Q

What are ways of reducing energy use?

A
  1. More efficient vehicles —> less vehicle use
  2. More efficient buildings
  3. “Smart growth”: build and renovate in ways that make things accessible
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20
Q

Which law regards efficiency of buildings?

A

Local Law 97

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21
Q

The Local Law 97 states:

A

By 2030, carbon emissions have to be reduced by a certain amount to avoid

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22
Q

How does carbon capture and storage work?

A

Suck CO2 out of atmosphere and make it solid, then bury it somewhere

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23
Q

What are the functions of geoengineering?

A
  1. CO2 removal
    - Pull CO2 out of atmosphere
    - Reforesting/replanting: as trees grow, they remove more CO2 from water
  2. Solar radiation management
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24
Q

What is the difference between carbon capture and geoengineering?

A

Geoengineering uses nature

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25
Q

Hydropower “cons”

A

Climate change risk (drought)
Dams vs. fish (increase temperature)
Methane emissions

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26
Q

How do reservoirs create methane emissions?

A

Plants in reservoir die and settle in bottom
—> creates layer of organic debris
—> bacteria start to work on breaking down material
—> consume oxygen as they do this
—> no oxygen present
—> bacteria generate methane
—> methane diffuses out of water into atmosphere

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27
Q

“…our children will enjoy in their homes electrical energy too cheap to meter” was said by who?

A

Lewis Strauss

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28
Q

Lewis Strauss was the head of…

A

AEC (atomic energy comissions)

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29
Q

Determinants of price for electricity:

A

Capital cost - cost of constructing nuclear power plant (nuclear&raquo_space; fossil fuel)

Operating costs (nuclear < fossil fuel)

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30
Q

What type of emissions is the life cycle analysis comparing and how is it being measured?

A

CO2 g/kW-hr

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31
Q

What do stack emissions represent in the life cycle analysis?

A

CO2 emissions

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32
Q

What does the life cycle analysis show?

A
  • Nuclear generates the least amount of CO2
  • Coal generates 278g/kW-hr of CO2
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33
Q

The life cycle analysis of CO2 compares the CO2 emissions of…

A

fossil fuel, traditional renewables, and new renewables

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34
Q

Describe the inside of a nuclear reactor.

A
  1. Heat —> steam (volume expands)
  2. Steam is used to vaporize water
  3. Generates pressure that pushes through and turns it turbine
  4. Turbine generates electricity
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35
Q

Which film was released 12 days before the Three Mile Island accident?

A

The China Syndrome

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36
Q

Price-Anderson Act (1957)

A
  • liability limit for nuclear industry = $10 billion
  • above that number -> US government pays
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37
Q

What health effects rose from the Chernobyl accident?

A
  • birth defects sky rocketed
  • thyroid cancers rose by a factor of 5 immediately after
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38
Q

Which isotope was used for nuclear waste disposal but was no longer efficient in splitting atoms to produce heat?

A

235U

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39
Q

Yucca mountain site

A

Take all nuclear waste and bury it deep underground far from people

Geologically stable

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40
Q

Examples of new renewables

A

Biomass, wind, solar energy, geothermal energy

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41
Q

New renewables make up ___% of global energy

A

7

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42
Q

List the organic substances produced by recent photosynthesis.

A
  1. methane
  2. ethanol
  3. biodiesel
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43
Q

Methane (gas)

A

anaerobic fermentation of biomass

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44
Q

Ethanol (liquid)

A
  • anaerobic fermentation of biomass
  • reduces net automotive emissions
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45
Q

What is biodiesel (liquid) derived from?

A

Vegetable oils (including used cooking grease, animal fat)

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46
Q

Pros of biomass

A
  • no net carbon release
  • renewable… in theory
  • waste —> energy
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47
Q

Cons of biomass

A
  • monoculture agriculture
  • fossil fuel, fertilizer, pesticides
  • loss of nature and food crop production
  • low EROI (2-3)
  • rate of energy capture < demand
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48
Q

Which type of solar (passive or active) utilizes a building design?

A

Passive solar

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49
Q

What is the purpose of passive solar?

A
  • maximize heat capture in winter
  • maximize heat capture in summer

through
- orientation & window placement
- thermally absorbent materials (absorb, store, release heat)

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50
Q

Which type of solar (passive or active) uses technology to focus & convert solar energy?

A

Active solar

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51
Q

Photovoltaic (PV) cells

A

converts energy DIRECTLY to electrcity

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52
Q

Constraints of solar power

A

Geography
Weather
Efficiency

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53
Q

Wind power converts _____ energy to _______ energy

A

mechanical; electrical

54
Q

How much of the US’s electricity generation comes from wind power?

A

4%

55
Q

How much of South Dakota’s electricity generation comes from wind power?

A

26%

56
Q

How much of Texas’ electricity generation comes from wind power?

A

29%

57
Q

How much of Iowa’s electricity generation comes from wind power?

A

31%

58
Q

Constraints of wind power

A

Geography
Weather

59
Q

What is geothermal energy?

A

Radioactive decay in Earth’s core

60
Q

Geothermal energy uses geothermal heating of what?

A

Subterranean water

61
Q

Describe geothermal reservoir

A

Production well sucks up heat
Re-injection well ejects heat

62
Q

Active volcanoes and quakes emit ______ heat

A

shallow

63
Q

Constraints of geothermal power

A

Geography

64
Q

Ocean energy sources

A

Tidal power and wave power

65
Q

Describe the steps of how wave power produces energy.

A
  1. incoming waves enter chamber
  2. rise and fall of water level within chamber compresses column of air above it
  3. Air flow in both directions drive turbine, generating power
66
Q

T or F: Hydrogen is an energy source

A

F: Hydrogen is not an energy source, it is a fuel

67
Q

What is the simplest and most abundant element in the universe?

A

Hydrogen

68
Q

Electrolysis

A

Split water: 2 H2O + NRG —> 2 H2 + O2

69
Q

Fuel cell

A

Uses hydrogen gas to produce electricity

70
Q

Fuel cell equation

A

2 H2 + O2 -> 2 H2O + energy

71
Q

“Green-ness” of H2 production?

A

Energy for electrolysis

72
Q

Bioelectrolysis is performed by what?

A

Chlamydomonas

73
Q

How would hydrogen be used to serve as basis for clean energy system?

A
  • electricity from (intermittent) renewable sources produce H2 gas
  • fuel cells: H2 -> electricity
74
Q

What are advantages of epidemiological studies?

A

realistic

75
Q

What are disadvantages of epidemiological studies?

A
  • only correlational; establish link, cannot prove mechanism
  • time required
76
Q

Cohort studies

A

Two groups: exposed and unexposed

77
Q

Example of a cohort study

A

Does disease develop? - Inference of cancer based on exposed group vs unexposed group

78
Q

Case-control studies

A

cases have disease, controls do not

79
Q

What is the purpose of case-control studies?

A

Distinguish what could have caused the difference between the groups (e.g., were patients with disorder exposed?)

80
Q

What does threshold mean in reference to the dose-response curve?

A

dose at which response begins

81
Q

What does LD50 mean ins reference to dose-response curve?

A

does lethal to 50% of test animals

82
Q

How does the real world go against the dose-response curve?

A
  • individuals differ in sensitivity to the toxin (e.g., lead)
  • threshold: hard to say
  • three degrees of cognitive impairment
83
Q

What are tough questions regarding the dose-response curve?

A
  1. What is the threshold?
  2. Acute vs. chronic exposure?
  3. How long are exposures?
  4. Rats = humans?
  5. Are all people equal? - No. Individuals differ in susceptibility
  6. What should be the allowable exposure?
84
Q

What is a type I error? What are the consequences in regards to contention that the abundance of migratory birds is declining?

A

Type I error concludes differences exist when really they do not

Consequences:

85
Q

What is a type II error? What are the consequences in regards to contention that the abundance of migratory birds is declining?

A

Type II error concludes differences do not exist when really they do

86
Q

Risk

A

An adverse event that could occur; predictable what might happen

87
Q

Examples of risk

A

Car accident, global warming, bird extinction

88
Q

Uncertainty

A

Probability not exactly known

89
Q

What are sources of uncertainty?

A
  1. Uncertainty from info (theory and data)
  2. Uncertainty from different paradigms
  3. Uncertainty from semantics
90
Q

What is a paradigm and how do different paradigms relate to uncertainty?

A
  • Paradigm - “world view”
    • The way you view the world and interpret that information
  • Not everyone is going to interpret the information the same way
  • People have different world views that affect interpretation
  • Who you work for influences your interpretation
91
Q

Semantics

A

“study of word meaning”

92
Q

Which is statement is true about uncertainty from semantics?

A
  • synonyms do NOT always mean the same thing
  • source of uncertainty
93
Q

The answer to “How acceptable is a risk?” depends on what?

A
  1. Degree of control - less fear of what we feel we have control over
  2. Degree of familiarity/understanding - less fear of what we feel we understand
  3. Degree of “voluntary-ness” - more likely to accept the risk voluntarily; less fear of what we do voluntarily
  4. Whether consequence is catastrophic - less fear of what we feel is not likely to he catastrophic
94
Q

Why did cities originate?

A
  1. Sacred places
  2. Projection of power (=security)
  3. Commerce (& opportunity)
95
Q

Megacity

A

Conglomeration of more than 10,000,000 people

96
Q

Describe the urban development of Los Angeles from 1770-1900.

A

1770: First settlement (Franciscan Mission San Gabriel Arcangel in S.G. valley)

Series of religious missions

Goal: convert native to Christianity

1847: US control
Population in LA:
- Railroads arrived: contributed to tremendous population growth (1880)

97
Q

Sprawl

A

spread of low-density development outward from an urban center

98
Q

What were the consequences of sprawl?

A

Inefficient use of ground
Traffic became a problem

99
Q

What are the characteristics of sprawl?

A
  1. No center community
    - Businesses arrayed in long strip along a roadway
    - requires a car to where you want to go
  2. Low-density single-use development
    - you live there but can’t shop there
    - places were spread out
    - detached homes
    - large lots
    - far from commerce
  3. Scattered (leap-frog) development
100
Q

What were the impacts of sprawl?

A
  1. transportation
    - sprawl led to more driving
  2. Pollution impacts of driving
  3. Land use change drive ecological impacts
  4. Sprawl promotes physical inactivity
  5. Funnel tax $$ into infrastructure, health impacts
101
Q

What is the commonality of the most sprawling American urban areas?

A
  • Most on Southern East Coast
  • All after WWII
102
Q

What is the commonality of the least sprawling American urban areas?

A
  • Most on coast lines
  • Old/original/historic cities (e.g., New York)
103
Q

Who was Frederick Law Olmsted?

A
  • Landscape architect
  • Gave landscape design of: Trinity college, Yale university, UC Berkeley, Prospect park, Niagara park, Central park
104
Q

Who did Frederick Law Olmsted partner with on his projects?

A

Calvert Vaux

105
Q

Central Park (1857-1976)

A
  • City around park is quite warm
  • Park represents a place of relative coolness in the city
106
Q

Why does urban heat island exist? Why are there higher temperatures in the city than outside?

A
  • Dark colors that soak up sun
  • Lots of asphalt and concrete
    • Absorbs a lot of sunlight
    • When sun goes down, asphalt and concrete release absorbed heat
107
Q

When and how intense is the urban effect on temperature? When is the effect of urban temperature strongest?

A
  • 11:00pm-3:00am
  • difference is about rate of cooling
  • during daytime, rural and urban are not that different
  • differences appear during night time
108
Q

(delta T u-r) night =

A

up to 10 C

109
Q

(delta T u-r) day =

A

0-2 C

110
Q

Why is UHI not the same as climate change?

A

UHI: smaller scale; city/regional scale

Climate change: global scale

111
Q

What is UHI magnitude determined by?

A
  1. Time of day (greatest UHI in night/early am)
  2. Degree of conversion
  3. Building height & concentration
  4. Season (–> weather): wind & cloud cover (UHI greatest when calm, clear)
  5. City characteristics
112
Q

How do city characteristics determine UHI magnitude?

A
  • How a city is built will determine how hot it gets
  • Population: larger city = greater population = hotter
113
Q

What is the result of sea levels rising in Tuvalu?

A

Saltwater intrusion (drinking water, agr.)

Erosion —> land area loss (land area shrinks as sea level rises

114
Q

What is causing “feed-need” disjunction?

A

Shifts in phenology

115
Q

Most global warming US skeptics are…

A

Motivated by religion, politics, economics

Facilitated by ignorance of data

Facilitated by misunderstanding of science

116
Q

What word to skeptics like to hold on to?

A

“Uncertain”

117
Q

What behavioral and lifestyle choices increases risk of radiation exposure after Chernobyl accident?

A

Food consumer (forest products, wild game, fish, locally produced milk and meat)

Time outdoors

Use shallow wells (for drinking water)

House heating/cooking with firewood

118
Q

When 235U is longer efficient in splitting atoms to produce heat, is it called?

A

“Spent” nuclear fuel

119
Q

There are how many sites of “temporary” nuclear waste storage in how many states?

A

125 sites in 39 states

120
Q

Epidemiological studies

A

Incidence, distribution, and possible control of diseases

Long-term, large-scale non-experimental comparisons of different groups

121
Q

Why are epidemiological studies more advantageous than experimental studies?

A

Often non feasible because of high costs and ethical issues

122
Q

What is the best way to answer, “which error is worse?” when comparing type I error and type II error?

A

Consequences

123
Q

Apply type I and II error to the question: “bird abundance declining?”

A

Type I error: mistakenly conclude bird abundance is dropping

Type II error: mistakenly conclude that bird abundance is not declining

124
Q

What was the social hierarchy of sacred places?

A

priest class, middle class, entrepreneurs

125
Q

Examples of projection of power/security?

A

System of laws (Babylonian Hammurabi)

Walls

126
Q

What were the commerce and opportunities provided in city origins?

A

Opportunities for economic improvement

Entrepreneurship (—> class (economic) mobility)

127
Q

Western countries urbanized before or after non-Western countries?

A

Before

128
Q

What was the history of urbanization-transportation store: railroad suburbs

A

Late 1800s-early 1900s:
- railroad suburbs in Garden city, bronxville ny, and brookline ma

129
Q

What was the history of auto suburbs prior to WWII?

A

1920-1945:
- e.g., radburn (fairlawn, nj)
- development of automobile suburbs
- streets size determined by traffic load
- cul-de-sac (bottom of the bag)

130
Q

How did auto suburbs advance post-1945/WWII?

A

FHA & VA loan programs
- returning veterans purchases houses

Cheaper autos
Federal interstate highway program + subsidies for road improvements (e.g., Levittoawn (1952))

Mass transit de-emphasized
- tearing out LA streetcar tracks to add other lanes to road

131
Q

What are the pollution impacts of driving as a result of sprawl?

A

Smog
Ultrafine particular matter (PM2.5)
Metals (e.g., zinc)

132
Q

What were the outcomes of land use change driving ecological impacts

A

Edges allow influx of organisms we don’t want

Nonnative species in city (e.g., poison ivy)

Environmental Science (9 decks)

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