Lecture 8 - technological hazards Flashcards
Technological hazards can vary from a single toxic chemical accident to an entire industry, what are other examples of these hazards?
- exposure to pollutants
- Hazardous waste
Do technologically hazards produce a high death toll
No, they do not, their death tolls are relatively low
What are the categories of technological hazards?
- Widespread
- Rare events
- Common
Explain widespread?
- Long term (nuclear accidents)
- Hazards leading to cumulative effects
Explain Rare events
- airplane crashes
- mine collapses
- shipwrecks
Give examples of common technological hazards
- automobile accidents
- poisons
What are the three forms of calculating risks
- Large scale structures
- transportation
- Industry
What are the three forms of calculating risks
- Large scale structures
- transportation
- Industry
Explain the term large scale structures
- Risk is defined as the probability of failure during the lifetime of the structure
Explain the term transportation
- Risk is the probability of death or injury per km travelled
Explain the calculating risk - industry
- risk is the probability of death or injury per person per number of hours exposed
What is the primary source of Radon gas
the primary source is from the natural decay of uranium in rock and soil
What is Radon gas
a radioactive gas
What happens when radon is inhaled?
When radon is inhaled it then decays to polonium and lodges in the lungs where it damages tissues
- the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer in North America
Radon Gas can move quickly through non - saturated soil but cannot seep into homes. True or false?
False, Radon gas can move quickly through non - saturated soil and it also can seep into homes
List some examples of genetic engineering?
- chickens that lay low - cholesterol eggs
- tomatoes that can prevent some cancers
- bananas and potatoes to treat viral diseases in developing countries
- rice that can produce more Vitamin a
- Bacteria that can quickly clean up oil and toxic spills
Some crops have been genetically engineered to have greater resistance to what factors?
- Changes in temperature and precipitation
- herbicides
- pests
- acidic soil
What are the pathways of radiation?
The pathways of radiation include inhalation and ingestion (food, water)
The impact of radiation can be both direct and indirect. How can it be indirect?
The impact could be indirect in the form of genetic effects
Lists the sources of radiation
- Mining of uranium
- Production of Eletricity
Mines produce a waste called _______ which can be a radioactive hazard?
Tailings
Why is Nuclear considered a clean source of energy
- this is because it does not emit the greenhouse gases that cause climate change
Where are most nuclear plants in North America found
The eastern half of the continent
What is a nuclear meltdown?
A nuclear meltdown is an informal term for an accident that results in damage from overheating
How does a nuclear meltdown occur
it occurs when the heat generated by a nuclear plant exceeds heat removed by cooling systems
What is the worst nuclear disaster in U.S. history
The three-mile island nuclear accident
What caused the three-mile island nuclear accident?
- one of the two power plants experienced a partial meltdown. It was caused by a failure of a valve that controlled cool water entering the plant core
What is the worst nuclear disaster in World history?
Chernobyl nuclear accident
What caused the Chernobyl nuclear accident
- the accident was a result of flawed design, operate error, and disregard of safety regulations
What is groundwater?
Water that is found underground within the cracks and spaces in soil, sand and rocks
How was the solar system formed?
Scientists believe a cloud of gas and dust in space was disturbed by a supernova
Define the term Galaxy?
- A cluster of billions of stars, our solar system makes up a tiny portion of the milky way galaxy
Define the term star?
- A hot growing ball of gas that generates energy by converting hydrogen to helium
What is the outermost part of the sun called and what is the temperature at that point?
The outermost part of the sun is called photosphere and it is 6000
What is the temperature at the core of the sun?
15,000,000 C
What is the solar system composed of?
8 planets, 60 moons and millions of bolides
What are the order of the planets
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
what is the life expectancy of the sun
10 billion years
Define the term Bolides?
Extraterrestrial bodies that originate in outer space
List some examples of bolides?
Asteroid, Meteoroid, Meteor, Meteoroite, Comet
Define the term asteroid?
A rocky metallic material in space 10m to 1000km in diameter originating in the asteroid belt
define the term meteor?
A meteoroid that has entered earths atmosphere
Define the term meteorite?
A meteor that strikes the earths surface
Define the term comet?
- Composed of a rocky core of gas and ice
- These are distinguishable by a glowing tail of gas and dust as it is heated by solar radiation
Where are comets formed?
Comets formed in an area outside the solar system called the Kuiper Belt
Discuss the term airbursts
Bolides travel at velocities of 12 - 72 km/s
- they heat up upon entering the earths atmosphere, producing bright lights
a layer of debris, consisting of rock fragments that were blown out of the crater on impact is referred to as?
Ejecta blanket
Impact craters can be defined as either ____ or ____
Simple or complex
Explain the term simple craters?
simple craters are less than a few km in diameter and do not have an uplifted centre
Explain the term complex crater?
Complex crater consists of a rim that collapses under extreme faulting. They are generally greater than 6km in diameter
What is the manicouagan crater
this is a complex impact crater and is 100km in diameter and one of the 5 largest in the world
Why are craters much more common on the moon than on earth?
- most impacts with earth are over oceans where craters are not produced
- impacts with earths land have been eroded or buried and thus have more subtle features than moon craters
what event was deemed the cause of extinction of dinosaurs and about 70% of all plant and animals at the time
K-T Boundarty mass extinction
(Cretaceous and Tertiary)
(in some countries cretaceous is spelt with a K)
What disasters can be caused due to a bolide impact
Tsunamis
earthquakes
Landslides
Climate change
What is the most efficient way of managing a bolide impact hazard?
- Nuclear explosions in the vicinity of the bolide that aim to shift its orbit is the recommended approach
