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ESS > Topic 1 - Foundations of ESS > Flashcards

Topic 1 - Foundations of ESS Flashcards

1
Q

What is an EVS?

A

A worldview or paradigm that shapes the way an individual, or group of people, perceives and evaluates environmental issues

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2
Q

What is an ecocentric viewpoint?

A

This viewpoint puts ecology and nature as central to humanity, prioritises biorights, emphasizes the importance of education and encourages self restraint in human behaviour

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3
Q

What is an anthropocentric viewpoint?

A

This viewpoint argues that humans must sustainably manage the global system. Might be through the use of taxes, environmental regulation and legislation

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4
Q

What is a technocentric viewpoint?

A

This viewpoint argues that technological development can provide solutions to environmental problems

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5
Q

What is a systems approach?

A

A way of visualising a complex set of interactions which may be ecological or societal

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6
Q

What is a transfer?

A

Flow involving a change in location

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7
Q

What is a transformation?

A

Flow involving a change in chemical nature, a change in state or a change in energy

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8
Q

What is an open system?

A

A system which exchanges both energy and matter across its boundary

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9
Q

What is a closed system?

A

A system which only exchanges energy across its boundary

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10
Q

What is an isolated system?

A

A system which is a hypothetical concept in which neither energy or matter is exchanged across the boundary

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11
Q

What is a model?

A

A simplified version of reality and can be used to understand how a systems works and predict how it will respond to change

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12
Q

What is a system?

A

A set of inter related parts working together to make a complex whole

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13
Q

What is the 1st law of thermodynamics?

A

This is the principle of conservation of energy, which states that energy in an isolated system can be transformed but neither created or destroyed

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14
Q

What is the 2nd law of thermodynamics?

A

This explains the inefficiency and decrease in available energy along a food chain and energy generation systems. Entropy of a system will increase over time.

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15
Q

What is entropy?

A

A measure of the amount of disorder in a system. An increase in this will arise from energy transformations which reduces available energy to do work

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16
Q

What is a negative feedback loop?

A

This will occur when the output of a process inhibits or reverses the operation of the same process in such a way to reduce change (stabilises / counteracts the change)

17
Q

What is a positive feedback loop?

A

This will amplify the change in a system and drive it towards a tipping point where a new equilibrium is adopted (destabilising)

18
Q

What is the resilience of a system?

A

Refers to the system’s tendency to avoid such tipping points and maintain stability

19
Q

What is efficiency?

A

The useful energy, work or output produced by a process divided by the amount of energy consumed (input)

20
Q

What is sustainability?

A

The use and management of resources that allows full natural replacement of the resources exploited and full recovery of the ecosystems affected by their extraction and use

21
Q

What is natural capital?

A

Natural resources that can produce a sustainable natural income of goods or services

22
Q

What is natural income?

A

The yield obtained from natural resources

23
Q

What is an EIA? (Environmental Impact Assessment)

A

A baseline study of an area before development project takes place

24
Q

What is an ecological footprint?

A

The area of land and water required to sustainably provide all resources at the rate at which they are being consumed by a population

25
Q

What is sustainable development?

A

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

26
Q

What is pollution?

A

The addition of a substance or agent to an environment by human activity, at a rate greater than that at which it can be rendered harmless by the environment

27
Q

What is a primary pollutant?

A

A pollutant which is active on emission

28
Q

What is a secondary pollutant?

A

A pollutant formed by primary pollutants undergoing physical or chemical changes

ESS (6 decks)

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