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Fallacy > Geology and the Environment - Unit 4 > Flashcards

Geology and the Environment - Unit 4 Flashcards

1
Q

Acid Rain

A

Rain that is more acidic (has lower pH) than nromal precipitation

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2
Q

Adsorption Field

A

Also Leaching Field: A network of porous pipes and surrounding soil from which septic tank effluent is slowly released

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3
Q

Aerobic Decomposition

A

Decomposition using or consuming oxygen

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4
Q

Anaerobic Decomposition

A

Decomposition that occurs without using, or in the absence of oxygen

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5
Q

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)

A

Quantity of oxygen required for aerobic decomposition of organic matter in a system

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6
Q

Biofuels

A

Energy derived from living organisms or from organic matter (biomass)

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7
Q

Biomagnification

A

Process through which the concentration of a harmful substance, such as a heavy metal, increases in organisms as it moves up a food chain

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8
Q

Breeder Reactor

A

A reactor in which new fissionable material is produced in quantity at the same time as energy is generated

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9
Q

Carbon Sequestration

A

Isolation of carbon in some reservoirs, from which it does not contribute to atmospheric CO2

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10
Q

Chain Reaction

A

The process during which fission of one nucleus triggers fission of others, which, in turn, induces fission in others, and so on

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11
Q

Contaminant Plume

A

A tongue of containment-rich water extending away from a point source of groundwater pollution in the direction of grounwater flow

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12
Q

Core Meltdown

A

A possible nuclear reactor accident resulting from loss of core coolant and subsequent overheating

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13
Q

Decommissioning

A

The shutdown of a nuclear reactor at the end of its safe, useful life; includes the dosposal of radioactive parts

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14
Q

Dose-Response Curve

A

A graph illustrating the relative benefit or harm from a trace element or other substance as a function of the dosage received or amount consumed by a person or organism

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15
Q

Eutrophication

A

The development of high nutrient levels (especially, high concentrations of nitrates and phosphates) in water; may lead to algaw bloom

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16
Q

Fission

A

The process by which atomic nuclei are split into smaller fragments

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17
Q

Fusion

A

The process by which atomic nuclei combine to produce larger nuclei

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18
Q

Geothermal Energy

A

Energy derived from the internal heat of the earth; its use usually requires a near-surfae heat source, such as young igneous rock, and nearby circulating subsurface water

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19
Q

Geothermal Gradient

A

The rate of increase of temperature with depth in the earth

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20
Q

Half-Life

A

The length of time required for half of an initial quantity of a radioactive isotope to decay

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21
Q

Heavy Metals

A

A group of dense metals including: mercury, lead, cadmium, plutonium, and others that share the characteristic of being accumulative in organisms and tending to become increasingly concentrated in organisms higher up the food chain

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22
Q

High Level Waste

A

Waste sufficiently radioactive to require special handling in disposal

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23
Q

Hot-Dry-Rock

A

Geothermal resource area in which geothermal gradients are high but indigenous ground water is lacking

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24
Q

Leachate

A

Water containing dissolved chemicals; applied particularly to fluids escaping from waste disposal sites

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25
Q

Leaching Field

A

A network of porous pipes and surrounding soil from which septic tank effluent is slowly released

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26
Q

Low Level Waste

A

Wastes that are sufficiently low in radioactivity that they can be released safely into the environment or disposed of with minimal precautions

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27
Q

Multiple Barrier Concept

A

Waste-disposal approach that involves several mechanisms or materials for isolating the waste from the environment; often used in the context of high level radioactive wastes

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28
Q

Nonpoint Source

A

A diffuse source of pollutants such as runoff from farmland or drainage from a strip-mine

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29
Q

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion

A

Power generation making use of the temperature differences between deep, cold seawater and warmer near-surface water

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30
Q

Oxygen Sag Curve

A

A graph depicting oxygen depletion followed bu reoxygenation in a stream system below a source of organic waste matter; caused by aerobic decay of the organic matter

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31
Q

Ozone Hole

A

Area over which the ozone layer is thinnger (containing lower ozone conentration) than over surrounding areas; commonly develops annually over Antartica

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32
Q

Ozone Layer

A

An ozone rich layer within the stratosphere, between about 15-35 km above earth’s surface; absorbs potentially harmgul ultraviolet radiation

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33
Q

Particulates

A

Solid particles suspended in aur; includes soot, ash and dust

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34
Q

pH Scale

A

Scale for reporting acidic or alkaline quality of a liquid

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35
Q

Photovoltaic Cells

A

Devices that convert solar radiation direcyl to electricity

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36
Q

Point Source

A

A single, concentrated, identifiable source of pollutants, such as a sewer outfall or factory smokestack

37
Q

Pump-and-Treat

A

Approahc to grounwater purification whereby the water is extracted prior to treatment

38
Q

Residence Time

A

The average length of time a substance persists in a system; may also be defined as (capacity)/(Rate of influx)

39
Q

Sanitary Landfill

A

A disposal site for solid or contained liquid water; in simplest form a dunp site at which wastes are covered withlayers of earth daily or more often

40
Q

Secure Landfill

A

A sanitary landfill designed to contain toxic chemical wastes; typically includes one or more impermeable liners and often is monitored by nearyby wells

41
Q

Source Separation

A

The sorting of waste material by type prior to collection, usually to facilitate the recycling of individual materials or to ready material for a particular dispsed strategy, such as incinerations

42
Q

Thermal Inversion

A

The condition in which air temperature increases, rather than decreases, with increasing altitude; the overlying layer of warmer air may then trap warm, rising, pollutant laden gasses

43
Q

Transuranic Wastes

A

Describes elements with atomic numbers higher than that or uranium, non of which ovvur naturally on earth, and all of which are radioactive

44
Q

Ultraviolet Radiation

A

Electromagnetic radiation just ot the short-wavelength side of the visible light spectrum; biologically hazardous

45
Q

Acid Rain

A

Rain that is more acidic (has lower pH) than nromal precipitation

46
Q

Adsorption Field

A

Also Leaching Field: A network of porous pipes and surrounding soil from which septic tank effluent is slowly released

47
Q

Aerobic Decomposition

A

Decomposition using or consuming oxygen

48
Q

Anaerobic Decomposition

A

Decomposition that occurs without using, or in the absence of oxygen

49
Q

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)

A

Quantity of oxygen required for aerobic decomposition of organic matter in a system

50
Q

Biofuels

A

Energy derived from living organisms or from organic matter (biomass)

51
Q

Biomagnification

A

Process through which the concentration of a harmful substance, such as a heavy metal, increases in organisms as it moves up a food chain

52
Q

Breeder Reactor

A

A reactor in which new fissionable material is produced in quantity at the same time as energy is generated

53
Q

Carbon Sequestration

A

Isolation of carbon in some reservoirs, from which it does not contribute to atmospheric CO2

54
Q

Chain Reaction

A

The process during which fission of one nucleus triggers fission of others, which, in turn, induces fission in others, and so on

55
Q

Contaminant Plume

A

A tongue of containment-rich water extending away from a point source of groundwater pollution in the direction of grounwater flow

56
Q

Core Meltdown

A

A possible nuclear reactor accident resulting from loss of core coolant and subsequent overheating

57
Q

Decommissioning

A

The shutdown of a nuclear reactor at the end of its safe, useful life; includes the dosposal of radioactive parts

58
Q

Dose-Response Curve

A

A graph illustrating the relative benefit or harm from a trace element or other substance as a function of the dosage received or amount consumed by a person or organism

59
Q

Eutrophication

A

The development of high nutrient levels (especially, high concentrations of nitrates and phosphates) in water; may lead to algaw bloom

60
Q

Fission

A

The process by which atomic nuclei are split into smaller fragments

61
Q

Fusion

A

The process by which atomic nuclei combine to produce larger nuclei

62
Q

Geothermal Energy

A

Energy derived from the internal heat of the earth; its use usually requires a near-surfae heat source, such as young igneous rock, and nearby circulating subsurface water

63
Q

Geothermal Gradient

A

The rate of increase of temperature with depth in the earth

64
Q

Half-Life

A

The length of time required for half of an initial quantity of a radioactive isotope to decay

65
Q

Heavy Metals

A

A group of dense metals including: mercury, lead, cadmium, plutonium, and others that share the characteristic of being accumulative in organisms and tending to become increasingly concentrated in organisms higher up the food chain

66
Q

High Level Waste

A

Waste sufficiently radioactive to require special handling in disposal

67
Q

Hot-Dry-Rock

A

Geothermal resource area in which geothermal gradients are high but indigenous ground water is lacking

68
Q

Leachate

A

Water containing dissolved chemicals; applied particularly to fluids escaping from waste disposal sites

69
Q

Leaching Field

A

A network of porous pipes and surrounding soil from which septic tank effluent is slowly released

70
Q

Low Level Waste

A

Wastes that are sufficiently low in radioactivity that they can be released safely into the environment or disposed of with minimal precautions

71
Q

Multiple Barrier Concept

A

Waste-disposal approach that involves several mechanisms or materials for isolating the waste from the environment; often used in the context of high level radioactive wastes

72
Q

Nonpoint Source

A

A diffuse source of pollutants such as runoff from farmland or drainage from a strip-mine

73
Q

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion

A

Power generation making use of the temperature differences between deep, cold seawater and warmer near-surface water

74
Q

Oxygen Sag Curve

A

A graph depicting oxygen depletion followed bu reoxygenation in a stream system below a source of organic waste matter; caused by aerobic decay of the organic matter

75
Q

Ozone Hole

A

Area over which the ozone layer is thinnger (containing lower ozone conentration) than over surrounding areas; commonly develops annually over Antartica

76
Q

Ozone Layer

A

An ozone rich layer within the stratosphere, between about 15-35 km above earth’s surface; absorbs potentially harmgul ultraviolet radiation

77
Q

Particulates

A

Solid particles suspended in aur; includes soot, ash and dust

78
Q

pH Scale

A

Scale for reporting acidic or alkaline quality of a liquid

79
Q

Photovoltaic Cells

A

Devices that convert solar radiation direcyl to electricity

80
Q

Point Source

A

A single, concentrated, identifiable source of pollutants, such as a sewer outfall or factory smokestack

81
Q

Pump-and-Treat

A

Approahc to grounwater purification whereby the water is extracted prior to treatment

82
Q

Residence Time

A

The average length of time a substance persists in a system; may also be defined as (capacity)/(Rate of influx)

83
Q

Sanitary Landfill

A

A disposal site for solid or contained liquid water; in simplest form a dunp site at which wastes are covered withlayers of earth daily or more often

84
Q

Secure Landfill

A

A sanitary landfill designed to contain toxic chemical wastes; typically includes one or more impermeable liners and often is monitored by nearyby wells

85
Q

Source Separation

A

The sorting of waste material by type prior to collection, usually to facilitate the recycling of individual materials or to ready material for a particular dispsed strategy, such as incinerations

86
Q

Thermal Inversion

A

The condition in which air temperature increases, rather than decreases, with increasing altitude; the overlying layer of warmer air may then trap warm, rising, pollutant laden gasses

87
Q

Transuranic Wastes

A

Describes elements with atomic numbers higher than that or uranium, non of which ovvur naturally on earth, and all of which are radioactive

88
Q

Ultraviolet Radiation

A

Electromagnetic radiation just ot the short-wavelength side of the visible light spectrum; biologically hazardous

Fallacy (4 decks)

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