UNIT 4 Flashcards
the spheres
list each sphere with its energy sources
- Lithosphere: Fossil fuels, Nuclear,Geothermal
- Hydrosphere: Hydro (water), Ocean currents, Tidal
- Atmosphere: Wind, Solar
list 2 pros and 2 cons for each energy source in the litosphere (fossil fuels, nucelar, geothermal)
- fossil fuels: PRO, very high energy output, reliable/abundant, CON, non renewable, high GHG emissions
- Nuclear: PRO, high energy output, low carbon emissions, reliable, CON, disasters can be catastrophic, produces nuclear waster
- Geothermal: PRO, renewable, reliable, efficient, CON, thier plants can cause earthquakes, can only be built at specific sites
list 2 pros and 2 cons for each energy source in the hydrosphere (Hydro, ocean currents, tidal)
- Hydro: PRO, renewable and clean (no GHG emissions, CON, can cause flooding, geographic dependent
- Ocean currents: PRO, zero GHG emissions, renewable, reliable, CON, can affect marine environment, high costs
- Tidal: PRO, efficient, no waste, renewable, predictable, CON exepensive, can impact animal migration
list 2 pros and 2 cons for each energy source in the atmosphere (wind and solar)
- wind: PRO, renewable, clean (GHG emissions), low operation costs CON, loud, weather dependant, not visually appealing
- solar: PRO, renewbale, provides energy independence, clean, CON, expensive, weather dependent, polluting once used up, uses a lot of space
name at least 2 environmental impacts of mining
- erosion and sinkholes
- loss in biodiversity
- water pollution
- contamination of soil
- greenhouse gas emissions
what does soil depletion mean?
a loss of minerals and nutrients from the soil, which decreases soil fertility
what causes soil depletion?
- heavy machinery used to harvest crops compacts the soil = deprives soil of oxygen and prevent rain from penetrating the earth (so the run off water carries away the nutrients
- the more and more fertilizers and pesticides that are being used = excess fertilizer runs off into lakes, pesticides accumulate in living organisms tissues and kills them (those microorganisms, insects and small animlas helped maintain soil balance)
- acid rain (carrying chemicals from by products of the burning of fossil fuels) = cause poor nutrient retention, kill microorganisms, slow or stop plant growth
4
list exemples of soil contaminants
- fertilizers
- pesticides
- leaked fossil fuels
- heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury)
what is bioremediation?
it is the idea of using microorganisms or other living things to neutralize or remove contamination from waste
give 3 exemples of bioremediation
- enzyme cleaners
- use of plants( to clean up the soil (phytoremediation)
- use of oil degrading microbes (biodegredation)
what is permafrost?
ground that has been 0 degrees celcius or lower for at least 2 years
list 3 effects of global warming on permafrost
- softening of the soil which can cause damage to infrastrucutre by destabilizing the foundation
- landslides
- methane and CO2 trapped underneath permafrost can be released
what is the difference between a carbon sink and a carbon source
a carbon sink absorbs and stores carbon, while a carbon source puts carbon back into the environment
list 5 carbon sources
- plant and animal respiration
2.volcanoes - weather and erosion
- forest fires/clear cut logging
- decomposition of dead organisms
list 5 carbon sinks
- photosynthesis
- limestone formation
- reforestation
- shellfish and coral
- ocean sediments
what does the nitrogen cycle allow?
it allows living organisms to intake nitrogen for primarely making DNA and Proteins since they cannot directly take in N2 gas
5
list the steps of the nitrogen cycle
- nitrogen fixation
- nitrification
- absorption
- decomposition
- denitrification
describe the steps of the nitrogen cycle
- nitrogen fixation: nitrogen fixing bacteria breaks apart N2 molecules from the atmosphere and fixe the nitrogen into other nitrogen-containing molecules, like ammonia and ammonium (NH4)
- nitrification: nitrifying bacteria converts the ammonia and ammonium into nitrates and nitrites (molecule plants can easilly assimilate) (NO3, NO2)
- absorption: plants absorb these molecules through the soil, or animal eat the plants that have them
- decomposition: the plants and or animal decompose putting NO3 and NO2 back into the soil
- denitrification: denitrifying bacteria converts nitrates and nitrites back into the atmospheric N2 gas
3
why is the phosphorus cycle important?
- like carbon and nitrogen, phosphorus is essentiel to life
- phosphate is found in parts of DNA and ATP (a molecule neede for energy storage in the human body)
- animals need phosphorus for their shells, bones and teeth
4
list the steps of the phosphorus cycle
1.erosion
2.absorption
3.decomposition
4.sedimentation
describe the steps of the phosphorus cycle
1.erosion: wind and rain wear away at small amounts of phosphorus in rock, the phosphates gets absorbed into the soil or water supply
2.absorption: plants absorb the phosphates, herbivores in the plants that have them, and carnivores eat the herbivores
3.decomposition: digested phosphates (poo) from animals are returned to the soil as waste, decompsoers (fungi, microorganisms) release phosphates when they break down the dead plants and animals
4.sedimentation: remains sink to the bottom of the ocean as sediment, over time the sediment solidifies into rock and can be uplifted (brought to ground)
what is the coriolis effect
the air asses /wind appear to move diagonally due to the spinning of the earth
the air surrounding the earth is in…
constant motion
air rises above …. of the earth and air descends over …. of the earth
warm regions, cold regions