Geology and the Environment - Unit 4 Flashcards
Acid Rain
Rain that is more acidic (has lower pH) than nromal precipitation
Adsorption Field
Also Leaching Field: A network of porous pipes and surrounding soil from which septic tank effluent is slowly released
Aerobic Decomposition
Decomposition using or consuming oxygen
Anaerobic Decomposition
Decomposition that occurs without using, or in the absence of oxygen
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
Quantity of oxygen required for aerobic decomposition of organic matter in a system
Biofuels
Energy derived from living organisms or from organic matter (biomass)
Biomagnification
Process through which the concentration of a harmful substance, such as a heavy metal, increases in organisms as it moves up a food chain
Breeder Reactor
A reactor in which new fissionable material is produced in quantity at the same time as energy is generated
Carbon Sequestration
Isolation of carbon in some reservoirs, from which it does not contribute to atmospheric CO2
Chain Reaction
The process during which fission of one nucleus triggers fission of others, which, in turn, induces fission in others, and so on
Contaminant Plume
A tongue of containment-rich water extending away from a point source of groundwater pollution in the direction of grounwater flow
Core Meltdown
A possible nuclear reactor accident resulting from loss of core coolant and subsequent overheating
Decommissioning
The shutdown of a nuclear reactor at the end of its safe, useful life; includes the dosposal of radioactive parts
Dose-Response Curve
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
Eutrophication
The development of high nutrient levels (especially, high concentrations of nitrates and phosphates) in water; may lead to algaw bloom
Fission
The process by which atomic nuclei are split into smaller fragments
Fusion
The process by which atomic nuclei combine to produce larger nuclei
Geothermal Energy
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
Geothermal Gradient
The rate of increase of temperature with depth in the earth
Half-Life
The length of time required for half of an initial quantity of a radioactive isotope to decay
Heavy Metals
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
High Level Waste
Waste sufficiently radioactive to require special handling in disposal
Hot-Dry-Rock
Geothermal resource area in which geothermal gradients are high but indigenous ground water is lacking
Leachate
Water containing dissolved chemicals; applied particularly to fluids escaping from waste disposal sites
Leaching Field
A network of porous pipes and surrounding soil from which septic tank effluent is slowly released
Low Level Waste
Wastes that are sufficiently low in radioactivity that they can be released safely into the environment or disposed of with minimal precautions
Multiple Barrier Concept
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
Nonpoint Source
A diffuse source of pollutants such as runoff from farmland or drainage from a strip-mine
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion
Power generation making use of the temperature differences between deep, cold seawater and warmer near-surface water
Oxygen Sag Curve
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
Ozone Hole
Area over which the ozone layer is thinnger (containing lower ozone conentration) than over surrounding areas; commonly develops annually over Antartica
Ozone Layer
An ozone rich layer within the stratosphere, between about 15-35 km above earth’s surface; absorbs potentially harmgul ultraviolet radiation
Particulates
Solid particles suspended in aur; includes soot, ash and dust
pH Scale
Scale for reporting acidic or alkaline quality of a liquid
Photovoltaic Cells
Devices that convert solar radiation direcyl to electricity
Point Source
A single, concentrated, identifiable source of pollutants, such as a sewer outfall or factory smokestack
Pump-and-Treat
Approahc to grounwater purification whereby the water is extracted prior to treatment
Residence Time
The average length of time a substance persists in a system; may also be defined as (capacity)/(Rate of influx)
Sanitary Landfill
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
Secure Landfill
A sanitary landfill designed to contain toxic chemical wastes; typically includes one or more impermeable liners and often is monitored by nearyby wells
Source Separation
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
Thermal Inversion
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
Transuranic Wastes
Describes elements with atomic numbers higher than that or uranium, non of which ovvur naturally on earth, and all of which are radioactive
Ultraviolet Radiation
Electromagnetic radiation just ot the short-wavelength side of the visible light spectrum; biologically hazardous
Acid Rain
Rain that is more acidic (has lower pH) than nromal precipitation
Adsorption Field
Also Leaching Field: A network of porous pipes and surrounding soil from which septic tank effluent is slowly released
Aerobic Decomposition
Decomposition using or consuming oxygen
Anaerobic Decomposition
Decomposition that occurs without using, or in the absence of oxygen
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
Quantity of oxygen required for aerobic decomposition of organic matter in a system
Biofuels
Energy derived from living organisms or from organic matter (biomass)
Biomagnification
Process through which the concentration of a harmful substance, such as a heavy metal, increases in organisms as it moves up a food chain
Breeder Reactor
A reactor in which new fissionable material is produced in quantity at the same time as energy is generated
Carbon Sequestration
Isolation of carbon in some reservoirs, from which it does not contribute to atmospheric CO2
Chain Reaction
The process during which fission of one nucleus triggers fission of others, which, in turn, induces fission in others, and so on
Contaminant Plume
A tongue of containment-rich water extending away from a point source of groundwater pollution in the direction of grounwater flow
Core Meltdown
A possible nuclear reactor accident resulting from loss of core coolant and subsequent overheating
Decommissioning
The shutdown of a nuclear reactor at the end of its safe, useful life; includes the dosposal of radioactive parts
Dose-Response Curve
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
Eutrophication
The development of high nutrient levels (especially, high concentrations of nitrates and phosphates) in water; may lead to algaw bloom
Fission
The process by which atomic nuclei are split into smaller fragments
Fusion
The process by which atomic nuclei combine to produce larger nuclei
Geothermal Energy
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
Geothermal Gradient
The rate of increase of temperature with depth in the earth
Half-Life
The length of time required for half of an initial quantity of a radioactive isotope to decay
Heavy Metals
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
High Level Waste
Waste sufficiently radioactive to require special handling in disposal
Hot-Dry-Rock
Geothermal resource area in which geothermal gradients are high but indigenous ground water is lacking
Leachate
Water containing dissolved chemicals; applied particularly to fluids escaping from waste disposal sites
Leaching Field
A network of porous pipes and surrounding soil from which septic tank effluent is slowly released
Low Level Waste
Wastes that are sufficiently low in radioactivity that they can be released safely into the environment or disposed of with minimal precautions
Multiple Barrier Concept
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
Nonpoint Source
A diffuse source of pollutants such as runoff from farmland or drainage from a strip-mine
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion
Power generation making use of the temperature differences between deep, cold seawater and warmer near-surface water
Oxygen Sag Curve
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
Ozone Hole
Area over which the ozone layer is thinnger (containing lower ozone conentration) than over surrounding areas; commonly develops annually over Antartica
Ozone Layer
An ozone rich layer within the stratosphere, between about 15-35 km above earth’s surface; absorbs potentially harmgul ultraviolet radiation
Particulates
Solid particles suspended in aur; includes soot, ash and dust
pH Scale
Scale for reporting acidic or alkaline quality of a liquid
Photovoltaic Cells
Devices that convert solar radiation direcyl to electricity
Point Source
A single, concentrated, identifiable source of pollutants, such as a sewer outfall or factory smokestack
Pump-and-Treat
Approahc to grounwater purification whereby the water is extracted prior to treatment
Residence Time
The average length of time a substance persists in a system; may also be defined as (capacity)/(Rate of influx)
Sanitary Landfill
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
Secure Landfill
A sanitary landfill designed to contain toxic chemical wastes; typically includes one or more impermeable liners and often is monitored by nearyby wells
Source Separation
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
Thermal Inversion
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
Transuranic Wastes
Describes elements with atomic numbers higher than that or uranium, non of which ovvur naturally on earth, and all of which are radioactive
Ultraviolet Radiation
Electromagnetic radiation just ot the short-wavelength side of the visible light spectrum; biologically hazardous
