Resources and Sustainability Flashcards
Define resources
Material or product that people find useful; any supply that will meet a need
Name the 4 types of resources
- Natural - Soil, water, minerals, vegetation
- Human - Manual labour or skilled labour (lawyer, doctor)
- Manufactured - things people have made that help produce goods and services e.g. factories, roads
- Financial - Money(Capital) needed to open and run businesses
What is economic development
Growth of productive activity that brings growth to towns, increased employment, and personal wealth/brings growth the a area’s/country’s economy
Define infrastructure
The services and amenities for productive activity e.g. transport, public services
What is the relationship between economic development and resources
Towns, factories and infrastructure normally develop where resources are. Towns continue to develop although local resources are used up.
What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources
renewable - Continually being replaced. Must be replaced quicker than it’s used. e.g. Water, air
non-renewable - Won’t be replaced after usage (take long to be restored) e.g minerals
Reasons for depletion and degradation
- Greedy people over-exploit resources to maximise profits.
- Increase population causes pressure on resources.
What’s the difference between conserve and preserve
conserve - protect a species/habitat for future use
preserve - keep in their present condition
what is sustainability (in the context of resources)
The use of resources that meets humanity’s current needs without endangering the needs of future generations
Ways to meet basic needs (where resources are limited) and still be sustainable
(Pg 250)
- Developing technology that can be used and afforded by locals
- Using natural resources w/out damaging the environment
- Educating people in ways to improve the productivity of their farms. eg Storing rainwater in underground tanks to irrigate crops
Name three conventional methods of producing electricity
- Thermal/heat energy (from burning coal)
- Nuclear heat (heat produced by splitting atomic nuclei
- Hydro (turbines spine (due to the push of the water) that generates a generator)
- Others - gas, oil
Briefly explain how coal power stations work
- Coal is made to powder so it can be put into a boiler/ hot furnace (carries water through its pipes
- HEated water turns to steam at high pressures)
- Steam is led to turbines that will spin.
- Turbines that are linked to generators will produce high voltage electricity.
- Electricity is sent to the national grid and is stepped down by transformers making electricity suitable for homes
What is despoliation and why is environmental restoration never complete
Despoliation - Ruin or plundering (stealing) possessions
Although open pit and strip miners restore the land with soil and new vegetation, the natural ecosystem/ habitat of the area is lost and the initial removal threatened the life of wildlife and plant species
List some effects that thermal power waste has on the environment and people
- Dust and ash that blows around can cause lung and heart problems
- Waste that’s produced (bed of ash that can be used in construction) is dumped into landed fills and toxins from the waste can seep into the ground
- CO2 produced is a major contribution to global warming and climate change
- NO causes corrosive acid rain and photochemical smog that causes bronchitis
What is Acid rain
a highly destructive form of pollution (acidic precipitation)
What damage does acid rain do
- Plantlife is either weakened or killed by acid rain
- Some wildlife can die when exposed to dissolved metals ie Al. These animals would be removed from the food web and other animals would lose a food source
- Gases in acid rain (SO2) can cause lung and heart issues like asthma or Dissolved Al (which would be in the soil) is linked to Alzheimer’s disease
Give 3 advantages of nuclear energy
CHOOSE THREE:
- Produces less carbon/gas emissions
- Running cost of stations are low
- Waste products are small and can be stored underground.
- Working in nuclear stations is statistically safer than working in a coal mine
Give 3 disadvantages of nuclear energy
CHOOSE THREE:
- Disposal of waste (remains radioactive for years) is expensive
- Building a nuclear station is expensive
- Natural disasters can cause radioactive spillage
Give 3 reasons why our coal usage (for electricity) must decrease
CHOOSE THREE:
- The Kyoto Protocol: Requires countries to reduce carbon emissions and diversify their energy. COP !& was the UN climate summit where it was signed
- Coal produces large amounts of chemicals
- Coal is used to make synthetic oils and other chemicals therefore it can be used for other purposes
- More coal can go towards our exports, therefore, bringing in a higher income
- Coal is a limited resource (non-renewable)
What are the 3 devices used in solar energy
- Solar geysers: water circulates through the panels and heats up by the sun’s rays. The water is then stored in the tank
- Photovoltaic: Convert the sun’s light into energy. Can only provide energy during the day.
- Concentration solar systems: These are lenses or mirrors that reflect the sun’s heat rays to a beam on a receiver at the top of a tower, The mirrors all move with the angle of the sun. Heat is used as a heat source for conventional energy stations
Give 3 advantages of wind energy
CHOSE THREE:
- No water/ coal (other non-renewables) are consumed
- No gas emissions, therefore, doesn’t contribute to global warming
- Land under the turbines can be used for farming
- No hazardous waste products
- Farmers can be paid rent
Give 3 disadvantages of wind energy
CHOOSE THREE:
- It’s unreliable; days without strong wind= no turning therefore no energy production
- Older models are noisier
- The blades have killed birds
- Expensive to have turbines and to use the electricity from it
How will the increase in the use of non-conventional energy methods affect the economy
- Coal mines will close as demand will no longer be high. Workers will lose their jobs and household their source of income. Mining towns will be forced to change their function
- Wind and solar energy will need machinery which opens a new career field to follow and more jobs
- Th demand for oil will decrease therefore the price will drop as well
How will the increase in the use of non-conventional energy methods affect the environment
- Carbon emissions will decrease thus air quality will be better and it’ll slow down global warming
- The production of solar panels does contribute to carbon emissions but is compensated as it is clean energy
- Generating energy from waste will reduce the pressure on landfill sites
