exam 3 study guide Flashcards
What is the definition of geology? What are the three different zones of earth?
Study of dynamic processes taking place on the earth’s surface and in its interior
Three major concentric zones of the earth
Core
Hot minerals
Mantle
Less dense region, magma
Crust
Complex mineralogical composition, iron, calcium, aluminum, on the land
Continental crust
Oceanic crust = 71% of crust
Know definitions of mineral and rock.
Mineral
Naturally occurring chemical element or inorganic compound that exists as a crystalline solid
Rocks
brandt, limestone sandstone
We mine for gold and salt
Know the different types of rock
and how related to the rock cycle
Rock cycle
Named by the way in which they form
Sedimentary rock
Made of sediments
Formed thru transportation of water, wind, gravidity, accumulate in layers (sandstone, limestone shale)
Tiny particles of weathered and eroded types of rocks deposited and accumulate in layer
Metamorphic rock
Existing rock subjected to high temperatures, pressures, fluids, or a combination
Igneous rock
Forms under intense heat and pressure then cools
What are examples of geological activity related to tectonic plates?
Convergent
Plates moving toward each other, collide
Volcano, mountain ranges
Divergent
Move away
Transform plate boundary
Move in opposite directions BUT PARALLEL
What is the difference between a high grade and low grade ore?
Ore
Deposit in earth’s crust with one or more valuable minerals
Contrians profitable concentration of a minera
High grade or low grade
High grade ore more sustainable to mine
What are general trends we see with production and reserves for rare earth minerals?
Rare earth minerals
Produce lots of waste
China dominates in processing
What are the different mining techniques we discussed?
Surface and stip mining
Removes shallow deposits
Extracting deposits in horizontal beds close to the earths surface
Open pit mining
Dig large pits to remove ore
Mountaintop removal
Explosives to remove top of mountain to expose underground area for access
Environmental probs of mountaintop removal
U pollute water bodies
More erosion
Risk of flooding
Subsurface mining
Underground shafts elevators tunnels to get to mineral
What are some environmental and human health issues we discussed with mining?
Human health effects - resource extraction - mining
Ore extracted by mining
Ore mineral
Tailings is the waste polluted water slurry
Chemicals in here
Could be leftover sediment
Smelting
Roast ores heat ores
Heat and chemicals
Result
Air pollution
Water pollution
Human health effects
Dangerous for miners- can develop black lung
details on the gold mining case study in the Ivory Coast that we discussed in lecture.
Using toxic mercury to aggregate the gold
And it goes back into the soil via waste
biomining
Using living organisms to mine particular minerals of interest
Microorganisms able to clean salt water
Understand the dynamics of volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, and glaciers discussed in lecture. Know corresponding terms and any specific locations discussed.
Volcanoes
Release molten rock from the earth’s interior
Magma rising to earth’s surface thru a fissure in earth’s surface
Eruption: release of hot ash into the air
Mt vesuvius destroy pompeii
Earthquake
Breakage and shifting of rocks
Occurs at a fault
Seismic waves
Vibrations in the crust
Focus
Origin of where earthquake occurs
Magnitude of earthquake is the severity
Haiti
Experienced a 7.2 magnitude
earthquake
Richter scale
It measures magnitude of the earthquake (amplitude of wave)
Largest recorded: 9.5 in chile, 1960
Earthquakes on the ocean floor
Cause tsunamis
Series of huge waves generated when ocean floor suddenly rised or drops
December 2004-indian ocean tsunami
Magnitude 9.2
230,0000+ lost lives
Japan
Nuclear radiation from it
Glaciers
Sheets of icermed from snow pack
Most occur on land but can extend out to sea
Climate change recedes them
Distinct landforms
Mounded hills: moraines, drumlines
Bodies of water: kettle lakes
Know the defining
features of the troposphere and stratosphere.
Atmosphere
Composition of gases
78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen
Innermost layers of the atmosphere
Troposphere
Stratosphere
What are greenhouse gases
CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor
Can trap heat in the atmosphere - like a blanket
They are natural, we need them to survive
Urban heat island effect
Urban heat island effect- a microclimate
Urbanized areas that experience higher temps than outlying areas
Albedo effect
How much sunlight is reflected from earth’s surface, then held onto. Light surfaces reflect more than darker surfaces
What are the different methods scientists use to understand climate and climate change?
Benefits of tree planting
Stormwater retention
Provide shade
Thermoregulation, evapotranspiration
aesthetic
Not absorbing heat thru black top
What are the effects of climate change?
Climate change effects
Global warming
Sea ice reduction
Dying polar bears
See temps rise
Melting glaciers
How do we know recent change is caused by humans?
IPCC
Intergovernmental panel on climate change
Scientists + gov representatives to review causes effects and data surrounding climate change
Every 6-7 years or so
Aim to limit going 1.5 degrees above the pre industrial temperature
Temperature over time (form pre industrial) to keep it under
What are features of the Paris Agreement?
International climate change agreement each country expected to lower GHG emissions with the overall goal of limiting the earth’s average temp increaser to below 2 degrees celsius - pre industrial level
1.5 degrees → decided it is better not to go above
What are solutions to climate change that we went over in lecture?
Air Pollution
Solutions to climate change
Clean energy tax credits
EPA regulations on power plants
Auto industry regulations-switching to EV vehicles
What are examples of natural sources vs. human sources of air pollution?
Natural sources
Windblown dust, wildfire residue, volcanic eruptions
Human sources
Power Plants
Industrial facilities
Motor vehicles
What does the Clean Air Act do? For are the six major pollutants covered in the Clean Air Act?
Clean air act
Natural ambient air quality stickers
6 criteria pollutants
Transportation powerplants- main emitters of pollutants
PM particulate matter
Sulfur dioxide
Carbon monoxide
Nitrogen dioxide
Ozone in the stratosphere (troposphere its a pollutant
Primary pollutant
Released directly from the source into the air in a harmful form
Carbon, sulfur
What is the difference between primary and secondary pollutants?
Examples?
Primary pollutant
Released directly from the source into the air in a harmful form
Carbon, sulfur
Secondary pollutant
Converted to a hazardous form after they enter the air or are formed by chemical reactions as components of the air mix and interact
Ozone
Needs sunlight to form that reaction
Know some features that we went over in lecture about each of the air pollutants
discussed.
Major outdoor air pollutants
Sulfur dioxide and sulfuric acid
Harmful pollutants
Colorless corrosive gas
Coal and oil
Ore go thru smelting that can release sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere
Water vapor and sulfuric acid → breaking down chlorophyll in leaf acid rain, statues disintegrating
What trends do we see with acid rain across the U.S.?
Nitrogen oxides
Highly reactive gasses that forms with nitrogen heated air to a particular temperature in the presence of oxygen
Can react w water= nitric acid
Nitric acid and sulfuric relate to acid rain
Acid rain
Rainfall in 1986 more acidic bc more sulfur dioxide issues + nitrogen oxide pollution
Seen in forests at high altitudes dying off
What are examples of indoor air pollutants?
Indoor pollution
Wind charcoal fires increase the amount of pollution indoors
Cigarette smoke, chemicals in building materials
Effects of pollution
Asthma
Chronic bronchitis
Muscle spasms constricting airways
Emphysema
When permanently restricted it is emphysema
What are some solutions to air pollution?
What can we do
Dilution is the pollution? No
Converting to more renewable energy
Air filter, remove particulates in smoke stacks (industry)
China had rlly polluted air
Beijing is the smog capital of the world
Required industry to bring down pollution
Clean air legislation
Pollution going down
From emission controls
Cap and trade with sulfur dioxide - went down
Clean air legislation
Pollution going down
From emission controls
Cap and trade with sulfur dioxide - went down
Oceans
97% of all water on planet
Freshwater 3%
Most trapped in ice/glaciers
hydrologic cycle
Evaporations
liquid water to gas
Precipitation
turns liquid water into gas rain, hail, returns to earths surface
Infiltration and surface runoff
Water falling from the sky
Seeping into the ground stored as ground water
If it does not go into the ground it becomes runoff, back to the ocean
Used for irrigation→ we use alot of ground water
More intense storms
Bc the air is warmer and holding more moisture leading to more storms and significant storms
rain shadow effect
Prevailing winds traveling up the mountain picking up moisture from the ocean
Cooling letting moisture go, coming down other side of mountain starts to fall and warm up
Air conditions on leeward side
Windward side is more lush bc more rainfall
Ex. death valley CA
What are wetlands and what are ecosystem services they provide?
Wetlands
The composition of the soil permanently or seasonally saturated and specific plants will determine if area is a wetland
Ecosystem services
Prevent erosion
Storing water
Prevent flooding
Biodiversity
Birding
Canoeing
Kayaking
Re supply groundwater
Vegetation can filter pollutants breakdown toxic waste
zone of aeration, ii) zone of saturation, iii) water table, iv) aquifer
Zone of aeration
Where plants get moisture from
Zone of saturation
Where the ground water is
Water table
Distinguished between the zone of aeration and saturation
Aquifer
Porous layers of sand, gravel, rock below the water table
Wetlands help recharge the aquifer
Reservoirs for ground water
What is the problem with groundwater?
Pulling groundwater causes sinking
Rely on food production happening using too much water
why is the Great Salt Lake drying up?
Ogallala aquifer
Irrigation pumps are pumping out water
Over watering is bad
Using additional resources for over watering is bad
Cant naturally recharge if water is pumped to fast
Ones near the shore can have saltwater infiltrate making it unusable
Utah’s environmental nuclear bomb
Lake is drying from drought,snowcap, population using too much water
Water evaporation
Effects of lake drying
Impact ook with high risk disease, when water exposes sediment of the lake bed which can blow metals in the atmosphere respiratory issues, lung cancers, more pollutants
Water out west
drought
How are we using water?
Agriculture
Uses a lot of water - largest use of water
Chocolate needs a high processing of water
Beef also for water use kg of beef takes abt 15k meters of water
What are some methods of water conservation?
Water conservation efforts
What can you find
Cloud seeding
Planes go up and shoot flares into clouds that have silver iodide particles causes rainfall from these clouds -geoengineering, stop warming of the planet
Desalination plants
Taking out the salt from water in the ocean, converting it into freshwater =, suitable for human consump. Irrigation
Desalination drawbacks
Large capital cost
Use a lot of energy to run
Recycled
Able to recycle waste water and clean it up for different uses
Sponge city
Make greater use of low impact nature based solutions, to help in storing, distributing water in areas, wetland in the middle of the city, more permeable asphalt to help water absorption, green vegetation
What is water pollution? What is the difference between point source and nonpoint
source pollution?
Any physical, biological or chemical change in water quality that adversely affects living organisms or makes water unsuitable for desired uses
Point source pollution
Specific place of discharge, makes it easy to monitor, track and regulate
Drain pipes, sewers, treatment plants, ditches, coal mines, oil wells, locations easy to identify
Non point source
More scattered, harder to identify where it is coming from
Farms - coming from runoff, variety of farms
Runoff from lawns, gardens, golf courses, using herbicide or fertilizer
What are some different types of water pollutants?
Viruses, parasites, typhoid, cholleria→ make ppl sick
From untreated water- human animal waste
Less dev countries do not have treatment plants to treat the water
80% of sickness in low income countries is from waterborne infectious agents
Dead zone
Gulf of mexico, gulf of america
Fertilizer runoff
The mississippi watershed collects the runoff emptied out into the gulf
What did the Clean Water Act do? What is “How’s My Waterway?” from the EPA?
Clean water act
National pollution discharge elimination system (permits)
Upgrade municipal sewage treatment plants
States establish total maximum daily loads (TMDL)
Led to significant improvement in surface water quality
*
qater quality information is displayed on 3 scales in How’s My Waterway; community, state and national.
safe drinking water act
Standards for drinking water
Pfas→ polyfluoroalkyl substance - manufactured chemicals
Drinking water regulation
Non stick pans etc
Don’t break down- linked to health issues like cancer, hormone disruption, reproductive issues, thyroid dev, abnormal dev, liver
Bottled water
v municipal water
City tap is actually tested more
Half the bottled water is repurposed municipal water
Microplastics in there
More plastic in general
Some residences have to rely on bottled water
Upper susquehanna coalition
Prevent pollution in chesapeake bay
Bc the sus river is part of the chesapeake bay
They work w farmers to lessen runoff
Plant trees - establish river buffers, more vegetation to capture excess nutrients running off farmers field
Municipal wastewater treatment
primary and secondary
Primary treatment - physically separate large solid from waste
Screening - remove large solid
Settlement tank- remove remaining solid
Secondary - use microorganisms to decompose it
Bacteria- in beds or tanks purify solids
Water
What are some other methods to water treatment
Large infrastructure to treat water
Low tech solutions
Set up constructive wetlands
Using duppy remove organic nutrients from water - used as animal feed
trends we see in the U.S. with energy usage
Consumption and
production?
Smaller treatment uses UV light to clean up water - for countries without large infrastructure
Safe drinking water to ghana india, philippines siberia
UNITED STATES:
Is a net exporter of energy
Liquified natural gas transported to europe
New york state climate leadership and community protection act
100% zero emission electricity by 2040 (renewables and nuclear)
Nuclear energy is a non renewable but does not emit any direct gas into atmosphere
Nuclear is 26% renewable is 75%
efficient energy
Key thing in importance of not wasting energy
Making sure buildings and homes are energy efficient as they can be
New insolation, heat pumps, multiple pane windows
Passive house- windows are well positioned to daylight so you don’t have to turn on light in your house
solar energy
Photovoltaic PV cells
Convert solar energy to electric energy
Hooked up to battery or connected to the grid
Community solar
Community shares solar rays connected to utility
Solar grazing or agricole triacs
Mutualistic relationship btwn sheep farmers and solar panel companies
Farmers bring sheep to graze these areas bc cant have grass get too high
Solar panels provide shade for the sheep
Then the company does not have to worry abt maintaining the field
wind energy
Kinetic energy captured by wind turbines
Offshore wind farms
Ppl think it is and eyesore
NIMBY
Not in my backyard
I dont want something so close to me that i can hear or see
What about birds
Birds getting killed by turbines
To prevent
Avoid migration terminals
Painting them
Stopping them let birds go
hydropower
Producing electricity form flowing water
Dams controlling the flow of water, spinning the turbine generating electricity
No carbon emissions
The good and the bad
Construction of the dams - destroys habitat that was there before
Controlling the flow of water can impact the fish like salmon need to swim upstream to spawn
So they make fish ladder to help fish move easily
People can be displaced
Expensive to build / construct
Need lots of maintenance and repair
Most dams are not built for electricity generation
Hydraulic fracturing - hydrofracking
Used to acquire natural gas
Hydrofracking
Natural gas resource hard to reach places
Water contamination in groundwater
Destabilizing the earth’s surface- earthquakes
Lots of waste
hydropower
Producing electricity form flowing water
Dams controlling the flow of water, spinning the turbine generating electricity
No carbon emissions
The good and the bad
Construction of the dams - destroys habitat that was there before
Controlling the flow of water can impact the fish like salmon need to swim upstream to spawn
So they make fish ladder to help fish move easily
People can be displaced
Expensive to build / construct
Need lots of maintenance and repair
Most dams are not built for electricity generation
Climate change
Bringing more rainfall could be good
Areas can experience drought like conditions bad for hydropower
biomass energy
Plant materials, agricultural waste, could be burned or used for fuel
See in solid or liquid form
40% of corn produced in the united states used to make ethanol
Advantage /Concern
Using shrubs or other things for biomass production
Put some Co2 into the atmosphere but not as much
Rely less on fossil fuels if using more biomass
Corn concern
Alot of corn thats grown in this country for ethanol production are monoculture require lots of inputs on large pieces of land that corn is planted every year
coal
Solid fossil fuel formed from remains of land plants
Transported by railroad
Conventional coal is plentiful
Low cost Main issue w coal
Its dirty
Contributes to air pollution- mercury, arsenic, lead
Environmental damage to extract it
Dangerous for workers
Black lung disease
top coal producing states
Wyoming
West virginia
Pennsylvania
But we as a country moved away from coal production - more investment with wind, solar, etc
Oil
Refining of crude oil
Offshore drilling - lots of oil comes from here
From marine algae and plankton
2018 BP oil spill in the gulf of mexico
Canadian oil sands - get lots of oil from here
Major pipelines
Water contaminates
Accidents
Methane pollution
Nuclear power
Technically considered a nonrenewable resource
Uranium
Controlled nuclear fission reaction in a reactor
Nuclear fission- the splitting apart of nuclei that release energy each decision releases neutrons which causes more chain reactions
Fuel rods (put in the ore) and control rods (slowing down)
Water used as coolant
Nuclear energy compared to fossil fuel
Advantages
No emissions
Provides ton of energy
Disadvantages
Using too much energy
Major disaster can occur
Really expensive
Proximity
Limited amount - extraction
Radioactive Waste
Energy
Used for tech
Companies interested in nuclear power and invest money to dev it
Majority of americans support nuclear power
“The Promise of Natural Gas”?
podcast
Volatile organic compound mainly methane accumulate on the top of oil / coal deposits
Some say it is more environmentally friendly than coal- bc when burned does not produce as much co2
But still produces greenhouse gas, non renewable resource, is a fossil fuel
Ecosystems being destroyed
Light pollution
Germany invested in clean energy but built all these terminals for natural gas
