Term
| First Law of Thermodynamics |
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Definition
| energy is neither created nor destroyed, but may be converted from one form to another |
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Term
| Second Law of Thermodynamics |
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Definition
| when energy is changed from one form to another, some useful energy is always degraded into lower quality energy (usually heat) |
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Term
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Definition
| radiation with enough energy to free electrons from atoms forming ions, may cause cancer (ex. gamma, X-rays, UV) |
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Term
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Definition
| organized and concentrated, can perform useful work (ex. fossil fuels and nuclear) |
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Term
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Definition
| disorganized, dispersed (ex. heat in ocean or air/wind, solar) |
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Term
| Natural radioactive decay |
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Definition
| unstable radioisotopes decay releasing gamma rays, alpha and beta particles (ex. Radon) |
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Term
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Definition
| the time it takes for 1/2 of the mass of a radioisotope to decay. A radioactive isotope must be stored for approximately 10 half-lives until it decays to a safe level |
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Term
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Definition
| nuclei of isotopes split apart when struck by neutrons |
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Term
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Definition
| 2 isotopes of light elements (H) forced together at high temperatures until they fuse to form a heavier nucleus. Happens in the sun; very difficult to accomplish on Earth |
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Term
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Definition
| a rock that contains a large enough concentration of a mineral making it profitable to mine |
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Term
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Definition
| identified deposits currently profitable to extract |
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Term
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Definition
| cheaper, can remove more minerals, less hazardous to workers |
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Term
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Definition
| organic, dark material remaining after decomposition by microorganisms |
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Term
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Definition
| removal of dissolved materials from soil by water moving downwards through soil |
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Term
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Definition
| perfect agricultural soil with equal portions of sand, silt, and clay |
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Term
| Soil Conservation Methods |
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Definition
| conservation tillage, crop rotation, contour plowing, organic fertilizers |
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Term
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Definition
| in arid regions, water evaporates leaving salts behind (ex. Fertile crescent, southwestern US) |
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Term
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Definition
| water completely saturates soil, starves plant roots of oxygen, rots roots |
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Term
| Hydrologic Cycle Components |
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Definition
| evaporation, transpiration, runoff, condensation, precipitation, infiltration |
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Term
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Definition
| all of the land that drains into a body of water |
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Term
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Definition
| underground layers of porous rock allow water to move slowly |
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Term
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Definition
| lowering of the water table around a pumping well |
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Term
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Definition
| near the coast, overpumping of groundwater causes saltwater to move into the aquifer |
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Term
| ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation) |
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Definition
| trade winds weaken and warm surface water moves toward South America. diminished fisheries off South America, drought in western Pacific, increased precipitation in southwestern North America, fewer Atlantic hurricanes |
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Term
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Definition
| "Normal" year, easterly trade winds and ocean currents pool warm water in the western Pacific, allowing upwelling of nutrient rich water off the West coast of South America |
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Term
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Definition
| because atmospheric N cannot be used directly by plants, it must first be converted into ammonia by bacteria |
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Term
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Definition
| decomposers covert organic waste into ammonia |
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Term
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Definition
| ammonia is converted to nitrate ions (NO3-) |
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Term
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Definition
| inorganic N is converted into organic molecules such as DNA/amino acids and proteins |
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Term
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Definition
| bacteria convert ammonia back into N |
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Term
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Definition
| does not exist as a gas; released by weathering of phosphate rocks, it is a major limiting factor for plant growth. Phosphorus cycle is slow and not atmospheric |
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Term
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Definition
| plants convert CO2 (atmospheric carbon) into complex carbohydrates (glucose) |
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Term
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Definition
| oxygen consuming producers, consumers and decomposers break down complex organic compounds and convert C back into CO2 |
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Term
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Definition
| the living components of an ecosystem |
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Term
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Definition
| the nonliving components of an ecosystem |
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Term
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Definition
| organisms that make their own food--photosynthetic life (plants) |
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Term
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Definition
| producers-->primary consumer-->secondary consumer-->tertiary consumer |
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Term
| Energy Flow through Food Webs |
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Definition
| 10% of the usable energy is transferred to the next trophic level. Reason: usable energy lost as heat (2nd law of thermodynamics), not all biomass is digested and absorbed, predators expend energy to catch prey |
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Term
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Definition
| development of communities in a lifeless area not recently inhabited by life (ex. lava flow, retreating glacier) |
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Term
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Definition
| life progresses where soil remains (ex. clear-cut/burned forest, old farm, vacant lot) |
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Term
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Definition
| symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit |
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Term
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Definition
| symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit |
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Term
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Definition
| relationship in which one organism (the parasite) obtains nutrients at the expense of the host |
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Term
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Definition
| the number of individuals that can be sustained in an area |
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Term
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Definition
| reproductive strategy in which organisms reproduce early, bear many small, unprotected offspring (ex. insects, mice) |
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Term
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Definition
| reproductive strategy in which organisms reproduce late, bear few, cared for offspring (ex. humans, elephants) |
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Term
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Definition
| organisms that possess favorable adaptations pass them onto the next generation |
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Term
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Definition
| "human population cannot continue to increase. Consequences will be war, famines, and pestilence (disease)." |
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Term
| Doubling Time (rule of 70) |
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Definition
| doubling time equals 70 divided by percent growth rate (ex. a population growing at 5% annually doubles in 70/5=14 years) |
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Term
| Replacement Level Fertility |
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Definition
| the humber of children a couple must have to replace themselves (averages 2.1 in more developed nations, 2.7 in less developed nations) |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| Demographic Transition Model |
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Definition
| Preindustrial stage, transitional stage, industrial stage, postindustrial stage |
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Term
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Definition
| birth and death rates high, population grows slowly, infant mortality high |
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Term
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Definition
| death rate (infant mortality)lower, birth rates remain high, better health care, population grows fast |
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Term
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Definition
| decline in birth rate, population growth slows |
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Term
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Definition
| low birth and death rates |
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Term
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Definition
| broad base-->rapid growth; narrow base-->negative growth; uniform shape-->zero growth |
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Term
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Definition
| 1)China 2)India 3)USA 4)Indonesia |
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Term
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Definition
| Most important factor keeping population growth rates high |
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Term
| Methods to Decrease Birth Rates |
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Definition
| family planning, contraception, economic rewards and penalties |
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Term
| Composition of Water on Earth |
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Definition
| 97.5% seawater, 2.5% freshwater |
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Term
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Definition
| farming aquatic species, commonly salmon, shrimp, tilapia, oysters |
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Term
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Definition
| source from specific location such as pipe or smokestack |
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Term
| Non-Point Source (Area/Dispersed Source) |
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Definition
| source spread over an area such as agricultural/feedlot runoff, urban runoff, traffic |
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Term
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Definition
| first step of sewage treatment; eliminates most particulate material from raw sewage using grates, screens, and gravity (settling) |
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Term
| Secondary Sewage Treatment |
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Definition
| second step of sewage treatment; bacteria breakdown organic waste, aeration accelerates the process |
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Term
| BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand) |
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Definition
| amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic decomposers to break down organic material |
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Term
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Definition
| rapid algal growth (algal bloom) caused by an excess of nitrogen and phosphorus, blocks sunlight, causing the death/decomposition of aquatic of plants, decreasing dissolved oxygen (DO), suffocating fish |
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Term
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Definition
| water with very low dissolved oxygen levels, the end result of eutrophication for example |
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Term
| CAFE standards (Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards) |
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Definition
| enacted into law in 1975, established fuel efficiency standards for passenger cars and light trucks. fuel economy ratings must average at least 27.5 mpg for entire line of manufacturer's passenger cars |
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Term
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Definition
| produced by humans and nature (CO, CO2, SO2, NO, hydrocarbons, particulates) |
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Term
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Definition
| formed by reaction of primary pollutants |
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Term
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Definition
| sources include burning fossil fuels and car exhaust. Effects include reduced visibility, respiratory irritation. Methods of reductions include filtering, electrostatic precipitators, alternative energy. |
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Term
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Definition
| Major source is auto exhaust. Primary and secondary effects include acidification of lakes. respiratory irritations, leads to smog and ozone. Reduced using catalytic converters |
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Term
| Equation for acid formation |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Secondary pollutant, NO2+UV-->NO+O; O+O2-->O3, with VOCs. Causes respiratory irritation and plant damage. Reduced by reducing NO emissions and VOCs |
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Term
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Definition
| Primary source is coal burning. Primary and secondary effects include acid deposition, respiratory irritation, plant damage. reduction methods include: scrubbers, burn low sulfur fuel |
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Term
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Definition
| sources include combustion of fossil fuels. Effects: greenhouse gas-contributes to global warming. Reduction accomplished by increased fuel efficiency (gas mileage), mass transit (reduction) |
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Term
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Definition
| Sources include incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. Effects:binds to hemoglobin reducing bloods ability to carry O2. Reduction accomplished by catalytic converters, oxygenated fuel, mass transit |
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Term
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Definition
| formed by chemical reactions involving sunlight (NO, VOC, O2) |
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Term
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Definition
| caused by sulfuric and nitric acids resulting in lowered pH of surface waters |
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Term
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Definition
| Most significant: H2O, CO2, methane (CH4), CFCs. Trap outgoing infrared energy (heat) causing earth to warm. |
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Term
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Definition
| vital process, requred for life to exist but if accelerated leads to global warming |
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Term
| Effects of Global Warming |
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Definition
| rising sea level (due to thermal expansion, not melting ice), extreme weather, droughts (famine), and extinctions |
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Term
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Definition
| caused by CFCs, methyl chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, halon, methyl bromide all of which attack stratospheric ozone. Negative effects: increased UV, skin cancer, cataracts, decreased plant growth |
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Term
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Definition
| mostly paper and mostly put into landfills |
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Term
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Definition
| problems include leachate, which is solved using a liner with a collection system; methane gas which may be collected and burned; volume of garbage which may be compacted or reduced |
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Term
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Definition
| advantages: volume of waste reduced by 90% and waste heat can be used. Disadvantages: toxic emissions (polyvinyl chloride, dioxin), scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators needed, ash disposal |
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Term
| Best Solution for Waste Problem |
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Definition
| reduce the amount of waste at the source |
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Term
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Definition
| abandoned industrial sites |
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Term
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Definition
| species whose role in an ecosystem is more important than others |
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Term
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Definition
| species that serve as early warning that an ecosystem is being damaged |
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Term
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Definition
| 50-90% of pest species are kept under control by predators, diseases, parasites |
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Term
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Definition
| chlorinated hydrocarbons (ex. DDT); organophosphates (ex. malathion); carbamates (ex. aldicarb) |
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Term
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Definition
| Pros:saves lives from insect transmitted disease, increases food supply, increases profits for farmers. Cons:genetic resistance, ecosystem imbalance, pesticide treadmill, persistence, bioaccumulation, and biological magnification |
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Term
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Definition
| better agricultural practices, genetically resistant plants, natural enemies, biopesticides |
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Term
| Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) |
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Definition
| new organisms created by altering the genetic material (DNA) of existing organisms; usually in an attempt to remove undesirable or create desirable characteristics in the new organism |
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Term
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Definition
| steam, from water boiled by fossil fuels or nuclear energy, or falling water is used to turn a generator |
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Term
| Petroleum (Crude Oil) Formation |
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Definition
| microscopic aquatic organisms in sediments converted by heat and pressure into a mixture of hydrocarbons |
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Term
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Definition
| Pros: cheap, easily transported, high-quality energy. Cons: reserves depleted soon, pollution during drilling, transport and refining, land subsidence, burning oil produces CO2 |
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Term
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Definition
| prehistoric plants buried un-decomposed in oxygen-depleted water of swamps/bogs converted by heat and pressure |
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Term
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Definition
| peat, lignite, bituminous, anthracite |
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Term
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Definition
| consists of core, control rods, moderator, steam generator, turbine, containment building |
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Term
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Definition
| wind, solar, waves, biomass, geothermal, fuel cells |
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Term
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Definition
| return a contaminated area to its original state |
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Term
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Definition
| amount of a chemical that kills 50% of the animals in a test population |
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Term
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Definition
| first layer of atmosphere 0-10 miles above Earth's surface. contains weather, greenhouse gases (bad ozone) |
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Term
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Definition
| second layer of atmosphere 10-30 miles about Earth's surface. contains protective ozone layer |
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Term
| Inversion Layer (Temperature Inversion) |
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Definition
| warm layer of air above a cooler layer traps pollutants close to Earth's surface |
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Term
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Definition
| substances that cause changes in DNA; may result in hereditary changes |
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Term
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Definition
| substances that cause fetus deformities (birth defects) |
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Term
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Definition
| substances that cause cancer |
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Term
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Definition
| one of the most toxic human-made chemicials; stable, long-lived, by-product of herbicide production enters environment as fallout from the incineration of municipal and medical waste and persists for many years |
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Term
| PCBs (Polychlorinated Biphenyls) |
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Definition
| stable, long-lived, carcinogenic chlorinated hydrocarbons. produced by electronics industry |
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Term
| Multiple Use Public Lands |
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Definition
| National Forest and National Resource lands |
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Term
| Moderately Restricted use Public Lands |
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Definition
| National Wildlife Refuges |
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Term
| Restricted use Public Lands |
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Definition
| National Parks and National Wilderness Preservation System |
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Term
| Divergent Plate Boundaries |
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Definition
| tectonic plate spreading apart, new crust bein formed (ex. mid-ocean ridges, rift valleys) |
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Term
| Convergent Plate Boundaries |
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Definition
| tectonic plates with the oldest crustal material on Earth moving together, one moving under another (ex. mid-ocean trenches). mineral deposits and volcanoes are most abundant here |
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Term
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Definition
| tectonic plates sliding past one another (ex. San Andreas Fault) |
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