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Environmental Science > Test 5 > Flashcards

Test 5 Flashcards

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1
Q

Water found in pore spaces or fractures of geologic materials

A

Groundwater

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2
Q

Area separating unsaturated zone and saturated zone

A

Water table

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3
Q

Water in unsaturated zone

A

Soil moisture

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4
Q

Any porous geologic material that can yield water in economic quantities

A

Aquifer

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5
Q

Any porous geologic material that can yield water but not in economic quantities

A

Aquiclude

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6
Q

Measure of how much void space (pores) a geologic material has

A

Porosity

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7
Q

Measure of how interconnected pore spaces are for groundwater to flow through them

A

Permeability

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8
Q

Used to measure the flow of groundwater

A

Hydraulic head

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9
Q

Groundwater flows into streams

A

Gaining streams

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10
Q

Surface water flows into subsurface

A

Losing streams

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11
Q

Occurs when groundwater seeps out at the surface

A

Springs

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12
Q

Water that becomes confined to a channel regardless of size

A

Streams

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13
Q

Total area of land that drains into a stream

A

Drainage basin

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14
Q

Water input exceeding capacity of a stream

A

Flooding

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15
Q

Flat area adjacent to channel

A

Floodplain

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16
Q

Natural or artificial slope or wall parallel to the river banks designed to control water levels

A

Levees

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17
Q

The straightening of rivers or streams by means of an artificial channel

A

Channelization

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18
Q

Instream uses of water

A

Hydroelectric and transportation/recreational uses

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19
Q

Offstream water uses

A

Consumptive (irrigation) and non-consumptive

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20
Q

Amount of water that is embedded in production process of an agricultural or industrial product

A

Virtual water

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21
Q

Withdrawing more water from underground aquifers than what can be replenished naturally from the infiltration of rainwater; leads to cone of depression which causes the water table to drop.

A

Groundwater mining

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22
Q

Origin of spill is confined to a limited area or region

A

Point source contamination

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23
Q

Chemicals leak into subsurface over a wide aerial extent

A

Non-point source contamination

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24
Q

Water that is between freshwater (potable or white water) and sewage (black water - has human wastes)

A

Gray water

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25
Q

Removal of dissolved salts from seawater

A

Desalination

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26
Q

Water is passed through filters or membranes that screen out impurities (salt)

A

Filtration

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27
Q

Involves heating water with dissolved components until it reaches boiling point. Water vapor is pure and is collected

A

Distillation

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28
Q

Unwanted or undesired material; either solid or hazardous

A

Waste

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29
Q

The majority (53%) of waste comes from what?

A

Agriculture (animal wastes and crop residues)

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30
Q

Second largest source of waste

A

Mining

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31
Q

Common trash; makes up 5% of waste

A

Municipal solid waste (MSW)

32
Q

Clay-lined pit used to hold waste

A

Sanitary landfill

33
Q

Liquid waste

A

Leachate

34
Q

Problems with sanitary landfills

A
  • potential to contaminate soil, surface water, and ground water
  • production of methane gas
  • filling up faster than they can be constructed
35
Q

Improper disposal of waste at any location other than a permitted landfill or facility

A

Illegal dumping

36
Q

Waste disposal technique that reduces the volume of solid wasted up to 90% and has the potential for energy uses.

A

Incineration

37
Q

Problems with incineration

A
  • adds to air pollution and greenhouse gases

- increased concentration of metals and other hazardous material in ash

38
Q

Aerobic decomposition of biodegradable organic matter

A

Composting

39
Q

Waste that poses substantial or potential threats to public health or the environment

A

Hazardous waste

40
Q

Characteristics exhibited by hazardous waste

A
  • flammable
  • corrosive
  • chemically reactive
  • toxic
  • radioactive
41
Q

Created a “cradle to grave” system of record keeping: hazardous wastes must be tracked from the time they are generated until their final disposal

A

Resources Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

42
Q

Created a “superfund” and provided for the clean-up and remediation of closed and abandoned hazardous waste sites

A

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)

[Superfund act]

43
Q

Ways to dispose of hazardous waste

A
  • special landfills
  • recycling
  • neutralization
  • incineration or pyrolysis
44
Q

Thermal decomposition of organic material without oxygen

A

Pyrolysis

45
Q

Planting trees and other green vegetation to uptake contaminants

A

Phytoremediation

46
Q

Use of bacteria and other microorganisms to break down organic compounds

A

Bioremediation

47
Q

The number and variety of species found within a specified geographic region

A

Biodiversity

48
Q

Threats to biodiversity

A
  • habitat destruction
  • pollution
  • overharvesting/poaching
  • invasive species
49
Q

Group of individuals that belong to a single species and live together in a particular area

A

Population

50
Q

Populations of several species living together in a habitat

A

Ecologic Community

51
Q

The organisms of a community and the physical environment they occupy

A

Ecosystem

52
Q

Large ecosystem

A

Biome

53
Q

Found in the middle latitudes of the world, have four distinct seasons, contain broad-leaf trees

A

Temperate deciduous forests

54
Q

Conifer (evergreen) forests; trees have long, thin, waxy needles; located in colder regions just below tundra regions

A

Boreal forests (Taiga)

55
Q

One of the largest biomes; rainfall is usually between 150 to 300 inches per year; located near equator; highest biodiversity

A

Tropical Rain Forests

56
Q

Large, rolling terrains of grasses, flowers, and herbs; found in the middle latitudes in the interiors of continents

A

Grasslands (prairies)

57
Q

Type of grassland; humid environments which are very wet

A

Tall grass

58
Q

Type of grass land; drier environments with hotter summers and colder winters

A

Short grass

59
Q

Extremely cold climates with little precipitation

A

Tundra

60
Q

Located in northern hemisphere extending from the North Pole to the conifer forests of the Taiga

A

Arctic Tundra

61
Q

Soil at or below the freezing point of water for two or more years

A

Permafrost

62
Q

Occurs on Antarctica and on several Antarctic and subanarctic islands; most of the biome is rocky soil covered by glaciers; colder and drier than Arctic tundra region

A

Antarctic tundra

63
Q

Located within mountain ranges throughout the world at high elevations; lacks permafrost and is generally better drained than Arctic and Antarctic soils

A

Alpine Tundra

64
Q

Regions with limited precipitation (less than 10 inches a year) and vegetation

A

Deserts

65
Q

Cause of natural deserts

A
  • atmospheric circulation patterns: Hadley cells

- rain shadow effect

66
Q

Convection produces cold descending dry air; found at 30 degrees North and South latitudes

A

Hadley cells

67
Q

Moisture-rich air encounter barrier; loses moisture in windward side of mountains; cool, dry air descends on opposite side of mountains creating desert

A

Rain shadow effect

68
Q

Rolling grassland scattered with shrubs and isolated trees; usually found between tropical rainforest and desert biomes

A

Savanna

69
Q

Region where soil is either seasonally or permanently saturated [creates standing water]

A

Wetlands

70
Q

Forested wetlands

A

Swamps

71
Q

Wetlands without trees

A

Marshes

72
Q

Characterized by undecayed plant material called peat

A

Bogs

73
Q

Water is this type of molecule that has oppositely charged poles

A

Polar Molecule

74
Q

What is the least recycled item in the United States?

A

Plastic; only about 9% is recycled

75
Q

What is the biggest use of water in the United States?

A

Power Generation

76
Q

Areas where groundwater can erode soluble rocks; Caves, sinkholes, subsidence, and springs can be found here as well

A

Karst geology

Environmental Science (4 decks)

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