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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
Electrostatic precipitator
Equipment used to remove suspended particles from gaseous effluents by attracting them to electrically charged wires or plates
26
Encapsulation
The sealing of waste in a solid material such as glass, cement or plastic to prevent its escape
27
Enzyme inhibitor
A material that prevents an enzyme from functioning, usually by blocking the active site or changing its shape
28
Eutrophic
A water body with a high nutrient level
29
Eutrophication
The process by which the nutrient level of a water body increases
30
FGD
Flue gas desulphurisation - the removal of oxides of sulphur from effluent gases eg from power station flue gases
31
Flue gas desulphurisation
Processes that remove oxides of sulphur from gaseous effluents
32
Half life
The time taken for half of a material to be lost or broken down
33
HCFCs
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons. A group of chemicals used to replace CFCs
34
HFC
hydrofluorocarbon. A group of chemicals used to replace CFCs
35
Incineration
The breakdown of a waste by burning it
36
Inorganic nutrients
Plant nutrients such as compounds of nitrogen and phosphorus eg nitrates and phosphates
37
Inverse Square Law
The mathematical relationship where increasing the distance from the source reduces exposure to 1/distance squared
38
Kyoto Protocol (1997)
The international agreement to control greenhouse gas emissions
39
L1o18h
A measure of noise pollution used to monitor road traffic noise
40
Landfill tax
A tax to discourage the disposal of waste in landfill sites
41
Lapse rate diagram
A graph to show how temperature changes with altitude, often used to show temperature inversions
42
Liposolubility
A measure of how easily a substance dissolves in fats and oils
43
Mobility
A measure of the ease of movement of a material
44
Montreal Protocol (1987)
The international agreement which restricts the release of ozone depleting substances
45
Mutagen
A material that can cause changes in DNA structure
46
Noise and Number Index (NNI)
A measure of noise pollution used to monitor aircraft noise pollution around airports
47
Oligotrophic
A water body with a low nutrient level
48
Organic nutrients
High-energy nutrients, such as carbohydrates, lipids and proteins from plant or animal material
49
Organochlorides
Synthetic organic substances that include chlorine, such as DDT, PCBs and dioxins
50
Organophosphates
Insecticide pesticides eg malathion and parathion
51
Persistence
A measure of the rate at which a material breaks down and therefore the length of time it remains
52
pH
A measure of acidity
53
Photochemical smog
An atmospheric pollution event where pollutants from vehicles interact under sunny conditions, especially when there is a temperature inversion
54
Point source
Effluent emissions that come from an individual or small number of sources that are usually easily identifiable
55
Primary pollutant
A pollutant released by human activities
56
Primary sewage treatment
The removal of organic solids from the fluids during sewage treatment
57
Pyrethroids
Synthetic insecticide pesticides, based on the natural chemicals originally extracted from chrysanthemum flowers (pyrethrins)
58
Resonant frequency
The frequency at which an object naturally vibrates
59
Scrubber
Equipment used to remove suspended particles or soluble gases from gaseous effluents using sprays or liquids through which the gases bubble.
60
Secondary pollutant
A pollutant produced by chemical reactions involving primary pollutants
61
Secondary sewage treatment
The breakdown of the remaining organic matter in the fluids after primary treatment
62
Smog
Atmospheric pollution event involving smoke and fog (see also photochemical smog)
63
Smoke Control Order
A restriction in large urban areas that reduces smoke emissions
64
Smokeless zone
The part of an urban area in which a Smoke Control Order restricts smoke emissions
65
Solubility
The ease with which the molecules of a material separate and disperse into a liquid
66
Specificity
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
Stratosphere
The layer of the atmosphere between about 10 and 50km altitude which contains most ozone and absorbs UV light
68
Synergism
The process where the presence of two materials produces a greater effect than the sum of their individual effects
69
Systemic pesticide
A pesticide that is absorbed and transported around a plant in the sap
70
Temperature inversion
A situation in the troposphere where the temperature is lower than normal so that relatively warm air lies above cold air
71
Teratogen
A substance that interferes with gene function in a growing embryo so that a non-inherited birth abnormality is produced
72
Tertiary sewage treatment
The final processes in sewage fluid treatment, eg phosphate removal
73
Toxicity
A measure of how poisonous a substance is, usually caused by its ability to cause enzyme inhibition
74
Traffic Noise Index (TNI)
A measure of noise pollution used to monitor road traffic noise
75
Troposphere
The layer of the atmosphere between the Earth's surface and about 10km which is warmed by infrared radiation emitted by the Earth.
76
Turbidity
A measure of the cloudiness of a liquid caused by suspended solid particles
77
Urea spray
A method of reducing NOx emissions eg from coal-fired powered power stations
78
Vitrification
The process of encapsulating high level radioactive waste in solid glass

Environmental Studies AQA A2 (8 decks)

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