Final Flashcards
A concentration of minerals that could now be legally mined at a profit is called a
reserve
Hydrothermal mineral deposits would be least expected to form in what type of plate tectonic setting?
transform boundary
Kimberlite pipes are sources of what mineral?
Diamond
Placer deposits are expected in what type of rock?
sedimentary
Most water pollution associated with mining operations has to do with
water passing through mine wastes
If surface mines tend to cause greater environmental impacts, why are they used?
Surface mines are more economical.
Why is cyanide heap leaching used to extract gold from some deposits?
The gold concentration is too low to be extracted using traditional methods.
What is the principal social impact of mining operations?
boom and bust cycles that impact local economies and social structure
Itai-Itai disease resulted from contamination of the Zintzu River basin with what types of mine wastes?
lead, zinc, and cadmium
Weathering processes are primarily responsible for the concentration of what types of ore?
aluminum
How do engineers define soil?
solid Earth material that can be removed without blasting
Weathered material that remains in its place of formation is called
residual soil
Which soil horizon is known as the zone of accumulation?
B horizon
In what way is color an indicator of soil drainage?
Well-drained soils tend to be well aerated and red in color.
How do soils become fertile?
mild weathering of parent material and addition of organic matter
Shrink-swell potential of a soil is dependent upon
the proportion of clay in the soil
Urbanization influences soil erosion processes primarily because of
vegetation removal and soil disturbance at construction sites
In what ways are soil surveys useful for land-use planning?
They provide the basis for rating limitations for specific land uses.
Off-road vehicle use contributes to soil problems by
loosening soil and changing the hydrology of a site
Soil cohesion is enhanced by the presence of
clay and silt particles
Why was Erik the Red able to explore Greenland in the 10th century AD?
His explorations took place during a particularly warm climatic period.
How has glacial ice aided the study of climate change?
Glacial ice contains trapped air bubbles that archive former atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations.
Why are mathematical models important to the study of climate change?
They have predictive capacity.
How does glacial ice form?
Snow is retained for many years and compacted into ice by overlying snow.
What is an interglacial?
a warm period when glacial ice volume is relatively low
Glacial ice covers what percent of the global land area?
10%
What is the main engineering problem associated with permafrost?
melting of permafrost produces subsidence
Most deserts lying around 30 degrees latitude are caused by
descending air
Loess is deposited by
dust storms
In what way can human practices contribute to desertification?
overgrazing by livestock
The greenhouse effect represents
trapping of heat by atmospheric gases
Air bubbles in the Antarctic ice sheet show that
carbon dioxide is relatively low during cold periods
The ocean conveyor belt is responsible for
keeping northern Europe relatively warm
What effect does a large volcanic eruptions typically have on the atmosphere?
cooling for one or two years
The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement concerning
reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
Which of the following is a negative feedback within the climate system?
radiation
The Milankovitch cycles are dependent on Earth’s
orbital eccentricity, precession, and angle of tilt on the rotation axis
In the absence of greenhouse gases Earth would
freeze over
Roughly, what are the periodicities of the Milankovitch cycles in years?
20,000 - 40,000 - 100,000
Solar radiation absorbed by Earth’s ground surface is reemitted mostly as
infrared radiation
Between the mid-1970s and the mid-1990s, energy consumption in the United States
increased, but at a slower rate
The ultimate source of the energy in fossil fuels is
the sun
Coal type is based upon
the carbon percentage and heat value
Why is coal usage likely to increase in the future?
Coal is an abundant resource in relation to oil and gas
Which of the following geologic features is not required for an oil or gas deposit to form?
volcanic rock
Which of the following geologic situations is most likely to contain significant oil concentrations?
300-million-year-old rocks that accumulated in a subsiding sedimentary basin
Methane hydrates may be a viable future energy source because
they are abundant and clean burning
What is the most important aspect of future oil supplies?
when oil production will peak
Why does acid rain result from fossil fuel consumption?
Fossil fuel burning releases nitrogen and sulfur oxides.
Nuclear fission is the process of
splitting of heavy atoms to make light atoms
A breeder reactor differs from a burner reactor in that
a breeder reactor produces more nuclear fuel than it burns
Yucca Mountain, Nevada, is a potentially viable site for nuclear waste disposal because
it features a strong rock in a dry climate
The ultimate source of geothermal energy is
heat generated in the Earth’s interior
The future use of photovoltaics is likely to
increase, because they can be adapted to meet a variety of needs
The main difference between hard path and soft path energy policy is
the reliance on fossil fuels and centralized power generation
Where did the US get most of its energy in the early 1900s?
Coal
Which is the cleanest burning form of coal?
Anthracite
World coal consumption has been ___________________________ since 1990
Increasing
Of the following, which organic compound has the longest carbon chain? Methane Gasoline Motor Oil Diesel
Motor Oil
The remaining oil on Earth will be used up in ____________________years
Never
Why is the atmosphere such a convenient medium for disposal of wastes?
The atmosphere is very dynamic, so it readily dilutes and transports wastes from their sources.
Wind erosion processes are largely responsible for what type of pollution sources?
fugitive sources
The source of radon gas in the home is typically
uranium-bearing rocks and soil underlying the house
Secondary pollutants are created by
reaction of primary pollutants in the atmosphere
The Roman Empire is thought to have fallen in part because of poisoning by
Lead
Radon typically is elevated in certain regions because of certain types of
bedrock
The National Environmental Policy Act mandates what type of process?
environmental impact statements
Why has integrated waste management been criticized?
overemphasis on recycling
What is leachate?
a mineralized liquid generated by water flow through landfills
What is the most important consideration in site selection for a sanitary landfill?
geological and climatic conditions that will limit water flow through the landfill
