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Fallacy > Geology and the Environment - Unit 4 > Flashcards

Geology and the Environment - Unit 4 Flashcards

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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
Leaching Field
A network of porous pipes and surrounding soil from which septic tank effluent is slowly released
26
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
27
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
28
Nonpoint Source
A diffuse source of pollutants such as runoff from farmland or drainage from a strip-mine
29
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion
Power generation making use of the temperature differences between deep, cold seawater and warmer near-surface water
30
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
31
Ozone Hole
Area over which the ozone layer is thinnger (containing lower ozone conentration) than over surrounding areas; commonly develops annually over Antartica
32
Ozone Layer
An ozone rich layer within the stratosphere, between about 15-35 km above earth's surface; absorbs potentially harmgul ultraviolet radiation
33
Particulates
Solid particles suspended in aur; includes soot, ash and dust
34
pH Scale
Scale for reporting acidic or alkaline quality of a liquid
35
Photovoltaic Cells
Devices that convert solar radiation direcyl to electricity
36
Point Source
A single, concentrated, identifiable source of pollutants, such as a sewer outfall or factory smokestack
37
Pump-and-Treat
Approahc to grounwater purification whereby the water is extracted prior to treatment
38
Residence Time
The average length of time a substance persists in a system; may also be defined as (capacity)/(Rate of influx)
39
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
40
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
41
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
42
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
43
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
44
Ultraviolet Radiation
Electromagnetic radiation just ot the short-wavelength side of the visible light spectrum; biologically hazardous
45
Acid Rain
Rain that is more acidic (has lower pH) than nromal precipitation
46
Adsorption Field
Also Leaching Field: A network of porous pipes and surrounding soil from which septic tank effluent is slowly released
47
Aerobic Decomposition
Decomposition using or consuming oxygen
48
Anaerobic Decomposition
Decomposition that occurs without using, or in the absence of oxygen
49
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
Quantity of oxygen required for aerobic decomposition of organic matter in a system
50
Biofuels
Energy derived from living organisms or from organic matter (biomass)
51
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
52
Breeder Reactor
A reactor in which new fissionable material is produced in quantity at the same time as energy is generated
53
Carbon Sequestration
Isolation of carbon in some reservoirs, from which it does not contribute to atmospheric CO2
54
Chain Reaction
The process during which fission of one nucleus triggers fission of others, which, in turn, induces fission in others, and so on
55
Contaminant Plume
A tongue of containment-rich water extending away from a point source of groundwater pollution in the direction of grounwater flow
56
Core Meltdown
A possible nuclear reactor accident resulting from loss of core coolant and subsequent overheating
57
Decommissioning
The shutdown of a nuclear reactor at the end of its safe, useful life; includes the dosposal of radioactive parts
58
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
59
Eutrophication
The development of high nutrient levels (especially, high concentrations of nitrates and phosphates) in water; may lead to algaw bloom
60
Fission
The process by which atomic nuclei are split into smaller fragments
61
Fusion
The process by which atomic nuclei combine to produce larger nuclei
62
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
63
Geothermal Gradient
The rate of increase of temperature with depth in the earth
64
Half-Life
The length of time required for half of an initial quantity of a radioactive isotope to decay
65
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
66
High Level Waste
Waste sufficiently radioactive to require special handling in disposal
67
Hot-Dry-Rock
Geothermal resource area in which geothermal gradients are high but indigenous ground water is lacking
68
Leachate
Water containing dissolved chemicals; applied particularly to fluids escaping from waste disposal sites
69
Leaching Field
A network of porous pipes and surrounding soil from which septic tank effluent is slowly released
70
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
71
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
72
Nonpoint Source
A diffuse source of pollutants such as runoff from farmland or drainage from a strip-mine
73
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion
Power generation making use of the temperature differences between deep, cold seawater and warmer near-surface water
74
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
75
Ozone Hole
Area over which the ozone layer is thinnger (containing lower ozone conentration) than over surrounding areas; commonly develops annually over Antartica
76
Ozone Layer
An ozone rich layer within the stratosphere, between about 15-35 km above earth's surface; absorbs potentially harmgul ultraviolet radiation
77
Particulates
Solid particles suspended in aur; includes soot, ash and dust
78
pH Scale
Scale for reporting acidic or alkaline quality of a liquid
79
Photovoltaic Cells
Devices that convert solar radiation direcyl to electricity
80
Point Source
A single, concentrated, identifiable source of pollutants, such as a sewer outfall or factory smokestack
81
Pump-and-Treat
Approahc to grounwater purification whereby the water is extracted prior to treatment
82
Residence Time
The average length of time a substance persists in a system; may also be defined as (capacity)/(Rate of influx)
83
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
84
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
85
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
86
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
87
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
88
Ultraviolet Radiation
Electromagnetic radiation just ot the short-wavelength side of the visible light spectrum; biologically hazardous

Fallacy (4 decks)

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