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Environmental Science > Final Exam > Flashcards

Final Exam Flashcards

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Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Global climate

A

long-term trends in weather conditions for the planet

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2
Q

instrumental period

A

began in 1860, the first year for recorded surface air temperatures measured by instruments such as thermometers

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3
Q

Geothermal Gradients

A

Surface temperatures stretching back hundreds of years can be measured and analyzed by drilling holes deep into Earth’s crust

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4
Q

Proxies

A

observable and measurable phenomena that indirectly indicate climate change

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5
Q

Paleoclimates

A

ancient climates, proxies are used to help understand paleoclimates

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6
Q

Albedo

A

reflectivity of a surface

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7
Q

Greenhouse Gasses

A

atmospheric gases such as water vapor, carbon
dioxide, and other gases that absorb infrared radiation (a form of heat) that rises from Earth’s surface

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8
Q

Milankovitch Cycles

A

systematic patterns in the shape of Earth’s orbit, and
the tilt and direction of Earth’s rotational axis over 26,000–100,000-year cycles

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9
Q

Droughts

A

increased evaporation from warming, are increasing in
frequency, duration, and intensity

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10
Q

Thermal expansions

A

causes warmer water to expand, contributing 40% to sea- level rise since 1980

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11
Q

Ocean acidifcation

A

happening because the oceans absorb 25% of human- caused CO2 emissions

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12
Q

feedback

A

effects that either amplify or counter a change to a system

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13
Q

tipping point

A

These occur when sudden changes have a rapid and significant effect on global climate

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14
Q

fossil fuels

A

formed from living organisms from earlier geologic eras

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15
Q

Hydrocarbons

A

such as oil and natural gas are made of strands of hydrogen and carbon molecules derived from the photosynthesis of ancient microscopic organisms in oceans and lakes

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16
Q

Oil and Natural Gas

A

Dead organisms were buried by sediments, failed to decompose, and were transformed by intense heat and pressure

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17
Q

Coal

A

a solid hydrocarbon found in large masses called beds or seams, was formed from ancient tropical swamps where dead plant matter was buried and subjected to
intense heat and pressure

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18
Q

Reserves

A

masses of coal, or deposits of oil and natural gas, that can be economically accessed

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19
Q

inferior good

A

which is consumed because
people cannot afford what they prefer

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20
Q

Jevons Paradox

A

affects gains in efficiency. Increased efficiency leads to lower costs, which leads to new applications for the energy, thereby increasing
consumption

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21
Q

mountaintop removal

A

blasts entire mountains, and the waste material is
deposited in adjacent valleys

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22
Q

Hydraulic fracturing (fracking)

A

Horizontal drilling can access more oil and prepares the rock for ______________

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23
Q

Tar sands

A

type of loose-grained rock deposit that contains oil, which is released through the application of steam and direct heat

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24
Q

carbon tax

A

taxes carbon emissions from homes, vehicles, businesses, and industries, and the resulting money goes to reduce income and corporate tax rates

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25
Q

cap and trade

A

government sets an overall maximum allowable emissions standard (cap) that is allotted to firms in polluting industries as “allowances.”

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26
Q

Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels

A

use sunlight to directly produce electricity They can be used at many scales, from phones to hundreds of acres on a solar farm

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27
Q

Concentrated solar thermal (CST) plants

A

use huge mirrors to focus sunlight toward liquid-filled pipes or a power tower that holds liquid. The heated liquid turns water to steam, which turns generators to produce electricity

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28
Q

Fission

A

process that splits the nuclei of atoms (unstable uranium isotopes),
releasing lots of energy (heat) and neutrons, which collide and split other unstable
atoms to continue the chain reaction

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29
Q

Ethanol

A

an alcohol produced by fermenting sugars (those in corn and sugarcane)
which is blended with gasoline

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30
Q

Electric Vehicles

A

powered by an electric motor that generates motion with a magnetic field, wasting less energy as heat, and averaging 40 mpge (miles per gallon equivalent)

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31
Q

Fuel cells

A

like batteries, but they do not need to be recharged

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32
Q

Cogeneration

A

capture waste heat from
power plants and use it as an additional source of heating or cooling

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33
Q

Chemical Hazards

A

chemicals linked to immediate or delayed health effects after exposure

34
Q

Biological Hazards

A

organic substances that pose a threat to the health of living organisms

35
Q

Toxins

A

poisonous materials that can make us sick

36
Q

Environmental Health

A

field of study that assesses and controls the biological,
chemical, and physical factors that affect our well-bring. Its three branches are
epidemiology, toxicology, and environmental justice

37
Q

Epidemiology

A

study of what causes diseases, how they occur and are distributed, and the overall health of specific populations

38
Q

Pathogens

A

cause illness or infections and are considered biological
hazards

39
Q

Respiratory Infections

A

affect the lungs and airways and are the leading cause of sickness and death worldwide

40
Q

Diarrheal Diseases

A

affect the digestive tract and are the second leading cause of death for children under 5

41
Q

Blood borne pathogens

A

include the HIV virus, malaria, West Nile virus, Zika virus,
and Lyme disease

42
Q

Persistent organic compounds (POPs)

A

resist breakdown through chemical reactions, biological processes, or exposure to sunlight

43
Q

physical hazard

A

an event or phenomenon that causes harm to humans through physical damage

44
Q

geologic hazard

A

large-scale event that can cause tremendous damage

45
Q

radiation

A

a form of energy that travels through space and penetrates various materials

46
Q

waste stream

A

the way in which our consumption is linked to the steady flow of materials from “upstream” processes (extraction, production, distribution) and their
disposal, which is “downstream” from us

47
Q

life cycle assesment

A

accounts for all the environmental impacts of all the steps involved in making and disposing of a product in a “cradle-to-grave” approach

48
Q

Basel Convention

A

signed in 1989 by 121 countries to restrict transboundary movement of household and hazardous wastes from developed to developing countries. The United States has not ratified this agreement

49
Q

Combustion

A

involves burning waste, which reduces its volume and provides heat but causes serious fires and air pollution

50
Q

Incineration

A

uses controlled combustion with pollution controls in place. Waste volume is reduced 80-90%

51
Q

Mass burn

A

technologies combust unprocessed waste on a moving grate system

52
Q

sanitary landfills

A

tries to isolate and contain the waste, manage its contents, and treat liquid or gas releases

53
Q

Geologic Disposal

A

injects or places waste in rock and other formations beneath Earth’s surface

54
Q

Containment buildings

A

store hazardous waste in secured concrete structures with air-lock doors, liquid collection drains, and negative air pressure and dust-control systems

55
Q

Waste-to-energy-facilities

A

use incineration to generate heat, which turns water into steam to heat buildings or turn a turbine to produce electricity. Landfills filter out the methane from landfill gases and burn it to produce steam or convert it into vehicle fuel

56
Q

Remediation

A

processes use microorganisms, enzymes, fungi, or plants in controlled conditions to dispose of hazardous waste

57
Q

Primary (closed loop) recycling

A

involves materials being processed into the same
sort of product from which they came

58
Q

Secondary (closed loop) recycling

A

converts materials into different products

59
Q

recycling rate

A

describes the percentage of MSW that is recycled

60
Q

producer responsibility laws

A

for e-waste require that manufacturers of products and
packaging take responsibility for collection, recycling, reuse, or disposal

61
Q

Resignation

A

a feeling of helplessness that leaves a person believing he or she cannot change the situation

62
Q

Delegation

A

absolves the individual of responsibility and puts the blame and responsibility on others

63
Q

prompt

A

a conspicuous reminder that targets behaviors at the moment people are deciding how to act

64
Q

frames

A

mental shortcuts that use words and images to help people apply meaning to new information

65
Q

politics

A

the process by which decisions are made for and applied to a group of people

66
Q

policies

A

decisions adopted by authorities to influence behavior

67
Q

legitamacy

A

a widely shared belief that government authority is appropriately held

68
Q

coercion

A

the use or threat of physical force.

69
Q

institutions

A

formal and enduring organizations, rules, and processes.

70
Q

authoritarian systems

A

the public plays no significant role, and individual liberties such as freedom of speech and assembly are severely limited

71
Q

democratic systems

A

the public plays a significant role in governmental
decision making

72
Q

unitary government system

A

such as China, the central government alone
directs policy

73
Q

Single-member-district plurality (SMDP) system

A

One electoral system in a democracy

74
Q

proportional representation

A

electoral system that elects multiple members from each district

75
Q

power

A

the capacity of individuals and groups to make their concerns or interests count in decision-making processes

76
Q

interest groups

A

formed by people and organizations with shared interests in order to influence government

77
Q

lobbying

A

practice where an interest group will try to persuade decision makers

78
Q

prescriptive regulations

A

mandates about what can and cannot be done

79
Q

payments

A

positive incentives designed to encourage certain actions and come in many forms

80
Q

subsidies

A

are direct payments (cash, tax incentives, grants, low-interest loans) from the government to encourage certain activities

81
Q

permits

A

forms of payment where the government authorizes certain actors to engage in behaviors that would otherwise be illegal, in exchange for compliance with mandated procedures

Environmental Science (2 decks)

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