Final Flashcards
Air pollution
any material added to the atmosphere that harms living organisms, affects the climate, or impacts structures
Primary air pollution
air pollutants released directly from a mobile or stationary source
Secondary air pollution
formed when primary air pollutants react with one another or with chemicals in the air
Ground-level ozone
secondary pollutant that forms when some of the pollutants released during FF combustion react with atmospheric oxygen in the presence of sunlight (smog)
Particulate Matter
particles or droplets small enough to remain aloft in the air for long periods of time (smoke and soot)
Transboundary Pollution
pollution that is produced in one area but falls in a different region
Environmental Justice
the concept that access to a clean, healthy environment is a basic human right
Acid Deposition
precipitation that contains sulfuric or nitric acid; dry particles may also fall and become acidified once they mix with water (secondary pollutant)
Clean Air Act
main US law that authorizes the EPA to set standards for dangerous air pollutants and enforce those standards
Volatile Organic Compounds
chemical that readily evaporates and is released into the air as a gas; may be hazardous (paints, carpets, cleaner)
Command and Control Regulation
legislative control of an activity or industry via rules that identify acceptable actions/ national limits on how much pollution can be released into environment
Green Taxes
a tax assessed on environmentlaly undesirable activities
Tax Credits
a reduction in the tax one must pay in exchange for some desirable action
subsidies
financial assistance given by the government to promote desired activities
Cap and Trade
regulations that set an upper limit for pollution, issue permits to producers for a portion of that amount, and allow producers that use or release less their their allotment to sell permits to those who exceeded their allotment
smokestack scrubbers
send the emissions through a mist of water and limestone to trap containments and prevent their release
Nuclear energy
energy in an atom; can be released when an atom is split (fission)
atoms
the simplest form of matter that retains the characteristics of that element
Element
a substance composed of all the same type of atoms
Atomic number
number of protons it possesses
Atomic Mass
number of protons plus the number of neutrons
Mass number
number of neutrons
Isotopes
atoms that have different numbers of neutrons in their nucleus but the same number of protons
Radioactive
atoms that spontaneously emit subatomic particles and/or energy
Fuel Rods
hollow metal cylinder filled with uranium fuel pellets for use in fission reactions
Nuclear Fission
reaction that occurs when a neutron strikes the nucleus of an atom and breaks it into two or more parts
Control Rods
cylinder that can be added to a fuel assembly to absorb neutrons and slow the fission chain reaction
Radioactive Decay
spontaneous loss of particle or gamma radiation from an unstable nucleus
Environmental Science
an interdisciplinary field of research that draws on natural and social sciences and the humanities in order to understand the natural world and our relationship to it
Environmental problems are difficult to solve because
there are mulitple causes and consequences, different stakeholders prefer different solutions, potential solutions come with trade-offs
Environmental literacy
can help solve or prevent environmental problems
A triple bottom line is a solution that is:
affordable, good for the environment
Trade-offs
imperfect and sometimes problematic responses that we must at all times choose between when addressing complex problems
Triple Bottom Line
solutions must be good for the environment, society, and affordable
Typical order for the scientific process:
observation, hypothesis, experimentation, results, peer-review
Hypothesis
an inference that proposes a possible explanation for what we have observed and is based on some previous knowledge
Weather
meteorological conditions in a given place on a given day
Climate
long term patterns or trends of meteorological conditions
Climate Change
alteration in the long term patterns and statistical averages of meteorological events
Albedo
the ability of a surface to reflect away solar radiation (positive feedback loop)
light colored surfaces
high albedo
darker surfaces
low albedo
Adaptation
responding to warming that has already or will inevitably occur
Greenhouse gases
molecules in the atmosphere that absorb heat and reradiate it back to earth
Most potent greenhouse gas
carbon dioxide
Climate Mitigation
efforts to minimize the extent or impact of climate change
Climate mitigation
efforts to help deal with existing or impending climate change problems
Population
all the individuals of a species that live in the same geographic area are able to interact and interbreed
Range q
geographic area where a species or one of its populations can be found
Population growth rate
change in population size over time that takes into account the number of deaths and births as well as migration
Growth Factors
resources individuals need to survive and reproduce
Resistance factors
things that directly (predators, disease) or indirectly (competitors) reduce population size
Population momentum
populations that are bound to increase for another generation (young population)
Transitional Population
population rise bound to slow. More males than females
Green city
designated to improve environmental quality and social equity while reducing overall environmental impact
Smart Growth
strategies to help create walkable communities with lower environmental impacts
Infill development
development of empty lots within a city
Niche specialists
very specific habitat or resource requirements that restrict where it can live
Niche generalists
occupies a broad niche because it can utilize a wide variety of resources
Keystone species
provides a unique service that impacts its community more than its mere abundance would predict
What kind of extinction has occured to an animal that can only be found in a small region?
local extinction/extirpation
The red-cockaded woodpecker makes it illegal to destroy forests that have individuals. Based on this, what type of species are they?
umbrella species
endemic species
only found in one part of the world
Debt for nature swaps
a wealthy nation forgives the debt of a developing nation, in return for a pledge to protect natural areas in that nation
On earth, all ecosystems function through two fundamental processes, nutrient cycling and energy flow. Which statement is correct?
Energy flow is considered an open process
Which factor is a way that humans disrupt the nitrogen cycle?
using excessive fertilizers
which legislative act makes the US drinking water so dependable?
the safe drinking water act
What was the dramatic event that helped spur passage of the 1972 clean water act?
the Cuyahoga river catching fire
What is the leading cause of impaired surface water in the US?
oxygen depletion
The end result of eutrophication:
decreased oxygen content of the water
The deepest zone in the ocean is the
hadal
