Test #3 Flashcards
Global climate
the long-term trends in weather conditions for the planet
instrumental period
began in 1860, the first year for recorded surface air
temperatures measured by instruments such as thermometers
Proxies
observable and measurable phenomena that indirectly indicate climate change
paleoclimates
proxies are used to understand them
Greenhouse effect
any system where a barrier causes the inflow of
energy to outpace the outflow of energy, leading to a warming of the
interior. Specifically, this refers to the warming effect on Earth due to
atmospheric greenhouse gases that prevent radiant heat emitted from the
surface from escaping into space
Albedo
a term to describe the reflectivity of a surface
Greenhouse gases
atmospheric gases such as water vapor, carbon
dioxide, and other gases that absorb infrared radiation (a form of heat) that rises
from Earth’s surface
Milankovitch Cycles
systematic patterns in the shape of Earth’s orbit, and
the tilt and direction of Earth’s rotational axis over 26,000–100,000-year cycles
Droughts
caused by increased evaporation from warming, are increasing in
frequency, duration, and intensity
Thermal expansion
causes warmer water to expand, contributing 40% to sealevel rise since 1980.
Ocean acidification
happening because the oceans absorb 25% of human caused CO2 emissions
tipping points
occur when sudden changes have a rapid and significant effect on global climate
Hydrocarbons
such as oil and natural gas are made of strands of hydrogen and carbon
molecules derived from the photosynthesis of ancient microscopic organisms in oceans
and lakes.
Conventional reserves
easily obtained oil or gas deposits
Unconventional reserves
deposits that are more difficult to extract
biofuels
which are derived from living things, for warmth, light, and
cooking
proven reserves
the amount of a
resource that can be profitably accessed with current technology and prices
Jevons paradox
affects gains in efficiency. Increased efficiency leads to lower
costs, which leads to new applications for the energy, thereby increasing
consumption
hydraulic
fracturing (fracking)
Prepared by Horizontal drilling which can access more oil and prepares the rock
Tar sands
type of loose-grained rock deposit that contains oil, which is released
through the application of steam and direct heat.
Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels
use sunlight to directly produce electricity They can
be used at many scales, from phones to hundreds of acres on a solar farm
Concentrated solar thermal (CST) plants
use huge mirrors to focus sunlight toward
liquid-filled pipes or a power tower that holds liquid. The heated liquid turns water to
steam, which turns generators to produce electricity
Ethanol
is an alcohol produced by fermenting sugars (those in corn and sugarcane)
which is blended with gasoline
Cogeneration
systems capture waste heat from
power plants and use it as an additional source of heating or cooling
municipal solid waste (MSW)
waste
from households and businesses
life-cycle assessment
accounts for all the environmental impacts of all the steps
involved in making and disposing of a product in a “cradle-to-grave” approach
Basel Convention
signed in 1989 by 121 countries to restrict transboundary
movement of household and hazardous wastes from developed to developing
countries. The United States has not ratified this agreement
Combustion
involves burning waste, which reduces its volume and provides heat but
causes serious fires and air pollution
Incineration
uses controlled combustion with pollution controls in place. Waste
volume is reduced 80-90%
Geologic disposal
injects or places waste in rock and other formations beneath
Earth’s surface
Containment buildings
store hazardous waste in secured concrete structures with
air-lock doors, liquid collection drains, and negative air pressure and dust-control
systems. They allow constant monitoring and retrieval of waste.
Waste-to-energy facilities
use incineration to generate heat, which turns water into
steam to heat buildings or turn a turbine to produce electricity. Landfills filter out the
methane from landfill gases and burn it to produce steam or convert it into vehicle
fuel
Primary (closed-loop) recycling
involves materials being processed into the same
sort of product from which they came
Secondary (open-loop) recycling
converts materials into different products
recycling rate
describes the percentage of MSW that is recycled
Conspicuous consumption
designed to be seen and to project particular identities
in society
Producer responsibility laws
e-waste require that manufacturers of products and
packaging take responsibility for collection, recycling, reuse, or disposal
