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Environmental Studies AQA A2 > Unit 3 Chapter 11 - Pollution > Flashcards

Unit 3 Chapter 11 - Pollution Flashcards

1
Q

Acoustic fatigue

A

Stress cracking of a material caused by repetitive vibrations induced by sound

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2
Q

Activated sludge sewage treatment

A

A method of treating organic matter in sewage effluent, using digestion by aerobic bacteria

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3
Q

Aerobic

A

A process using oxygen

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4
Q

Albedo

A

The reflectiveness of a surface

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5
Q

Anaerobic

A

A process that does not use oxygen

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6
Q

Bioaccumulation

A

The increase in concentration of a substance in living tissue as it is absorbed and stored faster than it is broken down and excreted

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7
Q

Biodegradability

A

The ease with which a material is broken down by living organisms, usually bacteria

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8
Q

Biodegradation

A

The process of breakdown of a material by living organisms, usually bacteria

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9
Q

Biological or biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)

A

A measure of organic matter in water based on the amount of oxygen used by bacteria as they digest the waste

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10
Q

Biomagnification

A

The progressive bioaccumulation of a material along a food chain eg organochlorine insecticides, PCBs, heavy metals

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11
Q

Biotic index

A

A measure of pollution based on the presence, abundance and state of health of selected living organisms eg lichens for acid rain, aquatic invertebrates for water pollution

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12
Q

BOD

A

Biological or biochemical oxygen demand

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13
Q

Carcinogen

A

A substance or energy form that can cause cancer

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14
Q

Catalytic converter

A

A device fitted to vehicle exhausts to break down or convert pollutants such as carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and unburnt hydrocarbons

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15
Q

CFC

A

Chlorofluorocarbons: gases that cause ozone depletion and are greenhouse gases

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16
Q

Clean Air Act (1956)

A

UK legislation to control smoke pollution by the establishment of Smoke Zones by making Control Orders in large urban areas

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17
Q

Critical Group Monitoring

A

A method of monitoring pollutants, particularly radioactive discharges. If the members of the public that are most at risk are safe, then so is everyone else.

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18
Q

Critical Pathway Analysis (CPA)

A

The prediction of the routes that an effluent will take in the environment, to assess pollution risk

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19
Q

Cyclone separator

A

Equipment used to remove suspended particles from gaseous effluents

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20
Q

dB(A)

A

The decibel scale, modified to weight the frequencies to which the human ear is most sensitive

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21
Q

Decibel (dB)

A

The unit of sound used to monitor noise pollution

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22
Q

Degradation

A

The breakdown of a material

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23
Q

Deoxygenation

A

The process of oxygen removal

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24
Q

Diffuse sources

A

Effluent emissions that come from many sources

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25
Q

Electrostatic precipitator

A

Equipment used to remove suspended particles from gaseous effluents by attracting them to electrically charged wires or plates

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26
Q

Encapsulation

A

The sealing of waste in a solid material such as glass, cement or plastic to prevent its escape

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27
Q

Enzyme inhibitor

A

A material that prevents an enzyme from functioning, usually by blocking the active site or changing its shape

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28
Q

Eutrophic

A

A water body with a high nutrient level

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29
Q

Eutrophication

A

The process by which the nutrient level of a water body increases

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30
Q

FGD

A

Flue gas desulphurisation - the removal of oxides of sulphur from effluent gases eg from power station flue gases

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31
Q

Flue gas desulphurisation

A

Processes that remove oxides of sulphur from gaseous effluents

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32
Q

Half life

A

The time taken for half of a material to be lost or broken down

33
Q

HCFCs

A

Hydrochlorofluorocarbons. A group of chemicals used to replace CFCs

34
Q

HFC

A

hydrofluorocarbon. A group of chemicals used to replace CFCs

35
Q

Incineration

A

The breakdown of a waste by burning it

36
Q

Inorganic nutrients

A

Plant nutrients such as compounds of nitrogen and phosphorus eg nitrates and phosphates

37
Q

Inverse Square Law

A

The mathematical relationship where increasing the distance from the source reduces exposure to 1/distance squared

38
Q

Kyoto Protocol (1997)

A

The international agreement to control greenhouse gas emissions

39
Q

L1o18h

A

A measure of noise pollution used to monitor road traffic noise

40
Q

Landfill tax

A

A tax to discourage the disposal of waste in landfill sites

41
Q

Lapse rate diagram

A

A graph to show how temperature changes with altitude, often used to show temperature inversions

42
Q

Liposolubility

A

A measure of how easily a substance dissolves in fats and oils

43
Q

Mobility

A

A measure of the ease of movement of a material

44
Q

Montreal Protocol (1987)

A

The international agreement which restricts the release of ozone depleting substances

45
Q

Mutagen

A

A material that can cause changes in DNA structure

46
Q

Noise and Number Index (NNI)

A

A measure of noise pollution used to monitor aircraft noise pollution around airports

47
Q

Oligotrophic

A

A water body with a low nutrient level

48
Q

Organic nutrients

A

High-energy nutrients, such as carbohydrates, lipids and proteins from plant or animal material

49
Q

Organochlorides

A

Synthetic organic substances that include chlorine, such as DDT, PCBs and dioxins

50
Q

Organophosphates

A

Insecticide pesticides eg malathion and parathion

51
Q

Persistence

A

A measure of the rate at which a material breaks down and therefore the length of time it remains

52
Q

pH

A

A measure of acidity

53
Q

Photochemical smog

A

An atmospheric pollution event where pollutants from vehicles interact under sunny conditions, especially when there is a temperature inversion

54
Q

Point source

A

Effluent emissions that come from an individual or small number of sources that are usually easily identifiable

55
Q

Primary pollutant

A

A pollutant released by human activities

56
Q

Primary sewage treatment

A

The removal of organic solids from the fluids during sewage treatment

57
Q

Pyrethroids

A

Synthetic insecticide pesticides, based on the natural chemicals originally extracted from chrysanthemum flowers (pyrethrins)

58
Q

Resonant frequency

A

The frequency at which an object naturally vibrates

59
Q

Scrubber

A

Equipment used to remove suspended particles or soluble gases from gaseous effluents using sprays or liquids through which the gases bubble.

60
Q

Secondary pollutant

A

A pollutant produced by chemical reactions involving primary pollutants

61
Q

Secondary sewage treatment

A

The breakdown of the remaining organic matter in the fluids after primary treatment

62
Q

Smog

A

Atmospheric pollution event involving smoke and fog (see also photochemical smog)

63
Q

Smoke Control Order

A

A restriction in large urban areas that reduces smoke emissions

64
Q

Smokeless zone

A

The part of an urban area in which a Smoke Control Order restricts smoke emissions

65
Q

Solubility

A

The ease with which the molecules of a material separate and disperse into a liquid

66
Q

Specificity

A

A measure of the differing toxicities of a substance on different organisms. A specific substance is very toxic to some organisms and much less toxic to others

67
Q

Stratosphere

A

The layer of the atmosphere between about 10 and 50km altitude which contains most ozone and absorbs UV light

68
Q

Synergism

A

The process where the presence of two materials produces a greater effect than the sum of their individual effects

69
Q

Systemic pesticide

A

A pesticide that is absorbed and transported around a plant in the sap

70
Q

Temperature inversion

A

A situation in the troposphere where the temperature is lower than normal so that relatively warm air lies above cold air

71
Q

Teratogen

A

A substance that interferes with gene function in a growing embryo so that a non-inherited birth abnormality is produced

72
Q

Tertiary sewage treatment

A

The final processes in sewage fluid treatment, eg phosphate removal

73
Q

Toxicity

A

A measure of how poisonous a substance is, usually caused by its ability to cause enzyme inhibition

74
Q

Traffic Noise Index (TNI)

A

A measure of noise pollution used to monitor road traffic noise

75
Q

Troposphere

A

The layer of the atmosphere between the Earth’s surface and about 10km which is warmed by infrared radiation emitted by the Earth.

76
Q

Turbidity

A

A measure of the cloudiness of a liquid caused by suspended solid particles

77
Q

Urea spray

A

A method of reducing NOx emissions eg from coal-fired powered power stations

78
Q

Vitrification

A

The process of encapsulating high level radioactive waste in solid glass

Environmental Studies AQA A2 (8 decks)

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