resources Flashcards
sustainability definition
using materials in a way that does not compromise future generations ability to do the same
what is potable water
water that has low enough levels of dissolved salts and microbes that’s safe to drink
most effective way of obtaining potable water
- Take from a freshwater source (river - little salt)
- Then filtered to remove large insoluble particles
- Then sterilised using chlorine
- Then desalination (removal of salt)
what is sludge
- solids
treated by anaerobic digestion
what is effluent
- liquids
aerobic treatment
what is phytomining
plants absorb copper ions into their roots. Burn, then obtain copper from the ash
what is bioleaching
extracting metals from ores or waste by using microorganisms to oxidize the metals
what’s considered when introducing a new products impact on the environment
- Extraction & processing of raw materials
- Manufacturing & packaging
- Use over it’s lifetime
- Disposal
- Transportation
how to reduce new products impact on the environment
- Using products less
- Reducing materials & energy needed to make it
- Recycling
what is galvanising
covering another metal in zinc
what are alloys
stronger than pure metales due to different sized atoms disrupting the lattice, so layers cannot slide over each other as easily
what is soda-lime glass
made by heating sand, sodium carbonate and limestone
what is borosilicate glass
made from sand and boron trioxide
(has a higher MP)
what are composites
a combination of two materials, with in binding to the other, usually resulting in sting and light materials
what are thermosoftening polymers
melt when heated
