Human Impact on the Environment

Question 1

DEFORESTATION

Answer 1

Large-scale cutting and/or burning of forests

Question 2

GLOBAL WARMING

Answer 2

Rise in Earth’s average surface temperature during the past 100 years

Question 3

GREENHOUSE GAS

Answer 3

A gas in the atmosphere that absorbs Earth’s outgoing infrared radiation

Question 4

GREENHOUSE EFFECT

Answer 4

Natural process that occurs when certain gases in the atmosphere absorb and reradiate thermal energy from the Sun

Question 5

BIOINDICATOR

Answer 5

Organism that is sensitive to environmental conditions and one of the first to respond to changes

Question 6

NONPOINT-SOURCE POLLUTION

Answer 6

Cannot be traced to one location

Question 7

POINT-SOURCE POLLUTION

Answer 7

Can be traced to one location

Question 8

WATER QUALITY

Answer 8

Chemical, biological, and physical status of a body of water

Question 9

CARRYING CAPACITY

Answer 9

Largest number of individuals of a given species that Earth’s resources can support and maintain for a long period of time

Question 10

POPULATION

Answer 10

All the members of a species living in a given area

Question 11

RESOURCE

Answer 11

Natural source of supply or support

Question 12

DESERTIFICATION

Answer 12

Development of desertlike conditions due to human activities and/or climate change

Question 13

RECLAMATION

Answer 13

The process of restoring land disturbed by mining

Question 14

REFORESTATION

Answer 14

Planting trees to replace trees that have been cut or burned down

Question 15

RUNOFF

Answer 15

Portion of precipitation that moves over land and eventually reaches streams, rivers, lakes and oceans

Question 16

URBAN SPRAWL

Answer 16

Development of land near a city to build houses and other buildings

Question 17

ACID PRECIPITATION

Answer 17

Rain or snow that has a lower pH than that of normal rainwater

Question 18

AIR QUALITY INDEX (AQI)

Answer 18

Scale that ranks levels of ozone and other air pollutants

Question 19

PARTICULATE MATTER

Answer 19

Mix of solid and liquid particles in the air, including smoke, dust and dirt

Question 20

PHOTOCHEMICAL SMOG

Answer 20

Type of air pollution that occurs when nitrogen and carbon compounds, released by the burning of fossil fuels, react in sunlight