⛏️ Q4 Vocab: Pt. 1 Flashcards
Smelting
Process in which a desired metal is separated from the other elements in an ore mineral
Open Pit Mining
A mining technique that uses a large pit or hole in the ground, visible from the surface of Earth
Overburden
Layer of soil and rock overlying a mineral deposit. Surface mining removes this layer
Subsurface Mining
Extraction of a metal ore or fuel resource such as coal from a deep underground deposit
Mineral
A naturally occurring, inorganic solid that has a crystal structure & a definite chemical composition
Ore
A rock that contains a large enough concentration of a mineral making it profitable to mine
Acid Mine Drainage
Result of rainwater seeping through waste materials called tailings, which creates strong acids & dissolved toxic metals that move into nearby soil & water
•the low pH (acidic) liquid that flows out of coal or metal mines
Quarries
Open pits for clay, gravel, sand, stone (limestone, granite, marble, slate)
Estimated Reserve
Estimated quantities of oil and gas which are not supported by data - determined quantity of a mineral source that is economically feasible to recover
Tailings / Tailings Pond
The materials left over after minerals have been extracted from the ore
Areas of mining tailings where refuse material is pumped into a pond to allow the separation of solids from water
Strip Mining
A process whereby miners strip away at the surface of the earth to lay bare the mineral deposits
Bauxite
Mineral used to make aluminum
Reclamation
A process in which mined land must be recovered with soil and replanted with vegetation - returning land to its original condition
Proven Reserve
The supply of energy remaining in deposits that have been discovered
Slag
The residue or mass of metal left after smelting; worthless matter
1st Law of Thermodynamics
The principle of conservation of energy. Energy can be transferred and transformed, but it cannot be created or destroyed
2nd Law of Thermodynamics
Every energy transfer or transformation increases the entropy of the universe. Ordered forms of energy are at least partly converted to heat, and in spontaneous reactions, the free energy of the system also decreases. -Flows from hot to cold
Chain Reaction
A series of reactions in which the product or by-product of the reaction initiates further reaction
Peat
A brown, soil-like material characteristic of boggy, acid ground, consisting of partly decomposed vegetable matter. Used in gardening and for fuel
Closed System
A system in which matter and energy exchanges do not occur across boundaries
Open System
A system in which exchanges of matter or energy occur across system boundaries
Fractional Distillation
Separating liquids into individual components
Scrubber
A device that removes pollutants or changes them chemically before they leave factory smokestacks
Hydrogen Fuel Cell
A cell that generates electricity from a controlled reaction between hydrogen & oxygen
Nuclear Fission
A nuclear reaction in which a massive nucleus splits into smaller nuclei with the simultaneous release of energy
Three Mile Island
A nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania. Infamous due to a partial meltdown of one of its reactors in 1979, which led to concerns about nuclear safety & environmental impact. Had significant consequences for the nuclear industry & public perception of nuclear power
Anthracite
A type of coal, noted for being hard and clean burning
Bituminous Coal
The most common form of coal; produces a high amount of heat & is used by electric power plants
Lignite Coal
Lowest grade of coal containing only about 30% carbon
Geothermal
Of, relating to, or produced by the internal heat of the earth
Oil Sands
Deposits of moist sand & clay containing bitumen
Natural Gas
Flammable gas, consisting of methane & other hydrocarbons, occurring naturally underground & used as fuel
Energy Efficiency
The ratio of the amount of work done to the total amount of energy introduced to the system
Wind Power
Power derived from the wind (as by windmills)
Ionizing Radiation
Enough energy to dislodge electrons from atoms, forming ions; capable of causing cancer (gamma, X-rays, UV)
Nuclear Fusion
A nuclear reaction in which atomic nuclei of low atomic number fuse to form a heavier nucleus with the release of energy
Background Radiation
The nuclear radiation that comes from cosmic rays & from radioactive isotopes in the soil & air
Biomass
A measure of the total dry mass of organisms within a particular region
Photovoltaic Cell
A solar energy cell, usually made from silicon, that collects solar rays to generate electricity
Chernobyl, Ukraine
April 26, 1986, unauthorized safety test, leads to fire and explosion at nuclear power plant—millions exposed to unsafe levels of radiation
Control Rod
A device inserted between the fuel rods in a nuclear reactor to absorb excess neutrons & slow down / stop the fission reaction
Curie
A unit of measure for radiation; 1 curie = 37 billion decays per second
Hoover Dam
Dam built during Great Depression. Huge public works project on the Colorado River that provided jobs, water for irrigation, and power
Three Gorges Dam
A dam begun in the late 20th century on the Chang Jiang in China, to help control flooding, generate power, & allow ships to sail farther into China
Yucca Mountain
In Nevada as a permanent storage site for high-level radioactive wastes from commercially operated nuclear power plants
Hydroelectric
Relating to the generation of electricity using flowing water to drive a turbine that powers a generator
Point Source Pollution
Pollution that enters a body of water from a specific source
PM10 & PM2.5
Produced by many industrial processes, particles get embedded in the lungs, PM in upper troposphere may reduce global warming
Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)
• Air pollution that includes Nitrogen dioxide, nitric oxide, nitrous acid, & nitric acid
• Nitrogen dioxide holds the greatest interest, & it forms from automobile emissions as well as other forms of transportation.
• It can contribute to ozone development & particulate matter pollution
Thermal Inversion
The temperature inversion in which warm air traps cold air and pollutants near the earth
Asbestos
A long, thin, fibrous silicate mineral with insulating properties, which can cause cancer when inhaled
VOCs (Volatile organic compounds)
Hydrocarbon solvents used in paints, stains and other products that are released into the air during the application of coatings & react with nitrous oxides and sunlight to form ozone
Aerosols
Tiny solid particles or liquid droplets that stay suspended in the atmosphere for a long time
Nonpoint Source Pollution
Pollution that comes from many sources rather than from a single, specific site
