Paper 2 Section C - The Challenge of Resource Management Flashcards
Agribusiness
Farms that choose more intensive farming methods or buy modern machinery, to
increase crop yield.
Aquifer
A permeable or porous rock which stores water.
Biofuel
Burning crops and vegetation for electricity and heat.
Biotechnology
Genetically modifying (GM) crops to grow faster or become less vulnerable to
pests & disease. GM crops are controversial, as the side effects to humans and the environment
aren’t fully understood.
Climate Change
The changing characteristics of the climate and seasons in regions across the
world.
Decommission
The process of closing and safely disposing waste from a power station. This can
cost millions of pounds and take over a year to complete.
Desalination
The process of converting saltwater into fresh, clean drinking water.
Drought
The short-term lack of water to meet demand. Droughts can cause dehydration and
fatalities.
Energy Deficit
A country that generates less energy than its population needs (the supply is less
than the demand).
Energy Mix
The composition of a country’s energy sources.
Energy Security
The ownership and full control of a country’s energy source, production and
transportation.
Energy Surplus
A country that generates more energy than its population needs (the supply is
greater than the demand).
Fairtrade
A charity that ensures farmers are paid a fair wage and safe regulations.
Famine
A long or short-term shortage of food, resulting in many people becoming malnourished or
even starving.
Fertilisers
Compounds that increase plant growth and contain nutrients that are important to plant
growth. Fertilisers include compost, manure and peat.
Food Miles
The journey that food takes from farmer to consumer. The higher the food miles, the
further the food has travelled and the greater the emissions produced from the transport vehicles.
Food Poverty
A country that grows, produces and imports less food than it needs to feed its
population.
Fossil Fuels
Non-renewable sources of fuel that take thousands of years to form underground,
from dead vegetation and animals.
Fracking
The process of releasing trapped natural gas from shale rocks. Fracking involves
pushing high-pressure liquids underground to cause the shale rocks to crack.
Geothermal Energy
Water is pumped deep underground to be heated by magma plumes or
radioactive rocks. The hot water creates steam, which turns turbines in generators to produce
electricity.
Greenhouse Emissions
Gases (such as carbon dioxide and methane) that thicken the Earth’s
atmosphere which is causing the planet to warm up and climates to change.
Hydroelectric Energy
Water is trapped in a dam and forced past turbines in the dam to escape
downstream, which turns the turbines to generate electricity. Water can be pumped back uphill to
repeat the process.
Hydroponics
Growing crops in water rather than soil, which can increase crop yield and make
farming more efficient.
Importing
Buying resources from another country, for example food or goods.
Irrigation
Keeping crops well watered regularly using hose pipes, water channels and digging
wells.
Malnourishment
When a person doesn’t eat either enough food or enough of the right food to get
the nutrition they need to be healthy.
Malnutrition
Illnesses & deficiencies caused by eating less food than is needed for a healthy life.
Non-Renewable
A source of energy that can only be used once to generate electricity or takes
thousands of years to replace e.g. Fossil Fuels.
Nuclear Fusion
The process of joining atomic nuclei together to produce energy.
Obesity
When people are very overweight. This is often due to an individual consuming too many
calories.
Organic
Food that hasn’t been grown or manufactured using chemicals or pesticides.
Permaculture
Trying to adapt farming approaches to the natural environment and wildlife
surrounding.
Pesticides
Chemicals that kill pests (e.g. slugs, greenfly) to stop crops becoming damaged and
killed off.
Renewable
Primary energy that can be re-used to produce electricity or has a short lifetime,
therefore any used can be replaced quickly e.g. Hydroelectric, biomass, solar.
Secondary Energy
The product of primary energy, mostly electricity.
Soil Erosion
The soil is stripped of nutrients and becomes more dust-like, which won’t grow plants
or crops in the future.
Solar Energy
Using solar panels to convert sunlight into electricity.
Sustainability
Trying to conserve resources for the future, whilst meeting the demand for goods in
the present.
Tidal Energy
As the tides change, water rushes out to sea or in towards the land. Turbines on the
seabed can be built, so they are powered as the water rushes past them and the tides change.
Water Conservation
Reducing the use of fresh, clean water for non-essential uses (toilet flush,
dishwater, watering the plants).
Water Deficit
The supply of water is less than the demand for water.
Water Security
Having a clean, reliable source of water that meets demand throughout the year.
Water Stress
There could be a large enough volume of water to meet demand, but not enough
clean, good quality water is available or the water is inaccessible.
Water Surplus
The supply of water exceeds the demand for water.
Water Transfer Scheme
Water is taken through pipes from a region of water surplus to a region
of water deficit. If this is across countries, water may be traded for money.
Wave Energy
Electricity is generated by small turbines within floating buoys, which float on the
surface so passing waves flow through the turbines.
Wind Energy
Using wind turbines to drive generators to produce electricity.
