Unit 10 - Using resources Flashcards
What is a finite resource?
A resource that will run out and are in limited supple
What is a renewable resource?
Resources that will not run out in the foreseeable future.
What do humans use resources for? (4 things)
-Water
-Shelter
-Fuel
-Transport
What is potable water?
Water that is safe to drink
Where does potable water come from in the UK?
Groundwater such as rivers and lakes
How is water made potable?
-Filtration
-Sterilisation
How does filtration work?
Removing solids from liquids
How does sterilisation work?
Using chlorine or UV light to kill bacteria/microbes present in water
What is desalination?
Hot countries use desalination which is the distillation of sea water
What are the disadvantages of distillation?
It is expensive and uses lots of energy
What is a life cycle assessmet?
Assessments carried out to assess the environmental impacts of products over their lifetime
What are the processes evaluated in a life cycle assessment?
-Extracting raw materials
-Manufacturing and packaging
-Use
-Disposal
How can we treat waste water?
-Screening/Grit removal
-Sedimentation to form a sludge treated by anaerobic digestion or liquid effluent which requires aerobic treatment
What are the new methods of extracting metals?
Phytomining - Plants absorb copper into roots and are burned to obtain copper from ash
Bioleaching - bacterial produce leachate solutions that contain copper ions to be extracted
What are the disadvantages of the new methods of extraction?
They have very low yields
