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Human Impact Unit 13
Human activities impact the availability of renewable and nonrenewable resources.bm
114
Science
6th Grade
01/18/2018

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Term
Renewable resources can be replenished within a relatively
Definition
short time (months, or years, or tens of years).
Term
Nonrenewable resources form
Definition
very slowly, over millions of years, over time periods of millions of years.
Term
Nonrenewable resources form very slowly
Definition
on or within the Earth.
Term
Nonrenewable resources accumulate slowly according to the
Definition
human time scale.
Term
Earth has a set quantity of the
Definition
resources.
Term
Renewable resources include:
Definition
fresh water
fresh air
plants
plant products (food, natural fibers, lumber, fuel)
animals
animal products (food, leather)
wind
moving water
sun for energy
Term
Nonrenewable resources include:
Definition
fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas)
soil
metallic minerals (iron, copper, gold, silver, lead, mercury, zinc, uranium)
nonmetallic minerals (kaolin, salt, lime, sulfur, diamonds, sand
Term
The future supply of most non-renewable resources is
Definition
uncertain
Term
non-renewable resources running out is less of an issue than
Definition
how much it will cost to extract the resource as the supply diminishes.
Term
Human activity can have a
Definition
positive or a negative impact on the surface of our Earth.
Term
Human activities can
Definition
cause erosion.
Term
Human activities can
Definition
accelerate erosion.
Term
Earth’s resources can be reduced or used up
Definition
if humans don’t use conservation strategies.
Term
When hydrocarbons are burned as fuel, they
Definition
release a greenhouse gas (CO2) that is linked with global warming.
Term
Burning hydrocarbons also releases pollutants such as
Definition
carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and unburned hydrocarbons that contribute to air pollution.
Term
Certain gases in the atmosphere trap heat in the lower atmosphere (troposphere). This phenomenon has been referred to as the
Definition
greenhouse effect.
Term
Greenhouse gases include
Definition
water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), ozone (O2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and chlorofluorocarbons.
Term
Ozone protects life on earth by absorbing most incoming
Definition
solar ultraviolet radiation.
Term
The hole in the ozone layer allows
Definition
Ultraviolet radiation to reach the earth.
Term
Ultraviolet radiation is known to cause
Definition
skin cancer and has damaging effects on plants and wildlife.
Term
Chloroflourocarbons (CFC) released by aerosol cans have
Definition
damaged the ozone layer and this made a large hole in the ozone layer.
Term
Statues are being damaged because of
Definition
air pollution from burning coal.
Term
the process some companies use to obtain fossil fuels where They dig giant holes in the Earth, destroying forests, rivers, & lakes is called
Definition
Strip mining
Term
Strip mining can destroy the
Definition
entire ecosystems.
Term
People lived on Greenland for hundreds of years until they slowly starved to death. Cutting down all their trees led to
Definition
their destruction.
Term
Cutting down trees ruined
Definition
Easter Island.
Term
Electricity is considered a secondary source of energy because
Definition
it takes other sources of energy, such as coal or solar to create electricity.
Term
Currently, most electricity is generated through
Definition
nonrenewable energy sources.
Term
Most electricity in the U.S.A. is generated by coal burning power plants
Definition
because it is the cheapest to use and produces large amounts of energy.
Term
The three types of fossil fuels are
Definition
coal, oil, and natural gas.
Term
Fossil fuels are the most commonly used
Definition
nonrenewable resources
Term
the energy in fossil fuels originally came from
Definition
the sun
Term
The sun provides energy to plants and the plants use
Definition
photosynthesis to help them grow.
Term
The ultimate source of the energy in fossil fuels is from the sun. Photosynthetic plants and marine algae lock this energy into organic matter. When we burn plants, coal, oil, or gas, we
Definition
release the sun's trapped energy.
Term
Burning fossil fuels releases
Definition
their stored energy.
Term
Three problems with burning fossil fuels are
Definition
air pollution, water pollution, and soil pollution.
Term
_____________is released when burning fossil fuels.
Definition
Carbon dioxide
Term
Coal is an organic rock that originally came from
Definition
dead swamp grass that compacted over millions of years.
Term
The fossil fuel coal formed from the remains of plants that lived and died around
Definition
100 to 400 million years ago, when parts of the earth were covered with huge swampy forests.
Term
Coal is considered a nonrenewable energy source because
Definition
it takes millions of years to form.
Term
Of the fossil fuels, natural gas produces the least amount of
Definition
pollution.
Term
Natural gas is a naturally occurring hydrocarbon gas mixture consisting primarily of
Definition
methane, with other hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, nitrogen and hydrogen sulfide.
Term
Natural gas is an energy source often used for
Definition
heating, cooking, and electricity generation.
Term
Petroleum oil is a nonrenewable fossil fuel usually found underground in reservoirs located in
Definition
sandstone or limestone.
Term
petroleum oil is a nonrenewable fossil fuel made
Definition
from sea plants and animals.
Term
The energy source used more than any other in the U.S.A. is
Definition
oil
Term
_________ is made from the fossil fuel oil.
Definition
Gasoline
Term
Oil and gas are formed from the remains of marine plants, animals and microorganisms that lived in
Definition
seas millions of years ago.
Term
Propane is a nonrenewable fossil fuel that is a derivative of
Definition
natural gas and petroleum.
Term
When present supplies of nonrenewable resources used up, there will be
Definition
no more
Term
The sun is the major source of energy for phenomena on the Earth's surface, including
Definition
winds, ocean currents, and waves.
Term
Solar electricity can be produced in
Definition
photovoltaic cells that can be placed on rooftops and other sunny places.
Term
A photovoltaic cell makes energy by
Definition
changing solar radiation into electricity.
Term
The cost of photovoltaics continues to drop dramatically, but they are still several times as
Definition
expensive as the cheapest electricity.
Term
The sun's energy can be used economically without conversion to electricity. Some uses are to heat water for home use, and to heat and light buildings designed to take advantage of the
Definition
sun's path through the sky
Term
____________does not require the use of turbines.
Definition
Solar energy
Term
Solar energy produces less pollution than
Definition
any other method of energy production.
Term
The biggest problem with solar energy is
Definition
the cost
Term
Wind electricity is produced by turbines which can be grouped together on a
Definition
wind farm
Term
________________is cost-competitive with other forms of electricity.
Definition
Wind electricity
Term
Only certain parts of the country such as the Great Plains states have enough
Definition
strong, steady wind for widespread wind power development.
Term
The lack of locations of sufficient winds for wind turbines is
Definition
the biggest problem wind energy.
Term
Hydroelectricity is produced by
Definition
turbines below dams.The turbines are moved by moving water.
Term
______________is inexpensive.
Definition
Hydroelectricity
Term
Hydroelectricity is the most widely used form of
Definition
renewable energy.
Term
The best sites for hydroelectricity in the U.S. have already been dammed, and further dams would have to
Definition
displace valuable urban and farm land.
Term
New hydroelectric power plants in the United States are unlikely to occur because
Definition
there is a lack of locations where the construction of dams is feasible.
Term
Dams can cause damage to the environment by
Definition
ruining ecosystems for plants and animals by flooding
Term
Biomass is the energy production that comes from
Definition
burning organic material that were recently harvested.
Term
_____________is a combustible liquid made from plants that can be burned to make energy.
Definition
Ethanol
Term
Two problems with biomass are
Definition
air pollution and use of too much land
Term
Heating water from magma intrusions to make electricity is called
Definition
Geothermal
Term
Geothermal energy is heat energy that originates from
Definition
within Earth and drives the movement of Earth’s tectonics’ plates.
Term
Nuclear (uranium) energy comes from the
Definition
nucleus of an atom
Term
Nuclear energy is released through either
Definition
fusion or fission
Term
In nuclear fusion, energy is released when the nuclei of
Definition
atoms combine
Term
Fusion is a process in which particles of an element collide and combine to form
Definition
a heavier element, such as the fusion of hydrogen into helium that occurs in the Sun’s core.
Term
Hydrogen fuel cells are an experimental energy source that
Definition
combine hydrogen and oxygen in a chemical reaction to make energy called fusion.
Term
In nuclear fission, (the only process currently in use) energy is released when the nuclei of
Definition
atoms are split apart.
Term
______________ (nonrenewable) is the fuel used by nuclear power plants.
Definition
Uranium
Term
Uranium is the unstable element that nuclear reactors use to
Definition
generate electricity.
Term
Nuclear fission splits atoms to
Definition
produce energy.
Term
Nuclear power is generated from
Definition
the heat released when uranium atoms split.
Term
The heat from nuclear fission boils water to make the steam that turns the turbines to
Definition
generate electricity
Term
The nuclear reactors use water to
Definition
cool down the immense heat that is generated in this nuclear fission reaction.
Term
___________is the location of one of the worst nuclear accident in history.
Definition
Chernobyl
Term
Another one of the worst nuclear accident occurred in
Definition
Japan after a tsunami.
Term
Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania is
Definition
the location of the worst nuclear accident in the U.S.
Term
Through conservation strategies, people can slow down the degradation of the environment and the
Definition
depletion of non-renewable resources.
Term
Properly planned conservation strategies increase
Definition
comfort levels and quality of life while using fewer resources and restoring the environment.
Term
Many strategies for conserving resources
Definition
save money as they protect the environment
Term
Good soil conservation techniques include:
Definition
contour plowing
terraces
crop rotation
strip planting - different crops in strips;
cover crops planting groundcovers - roots hold the soil
windbreaks
tree planting
mulching
Term
Allowing the environment to degrade continuously can result in
Definition
disasters for people that may not have an affordable solution.
Term
Human societies have long caused
Definition
environmental problems whose effects persist for generations, and the scale of these problems is rapidly increasing
Term
Pavement and buildings increase storm water runoff, which
Definition
accelerates stream bank erosion
Term
In general, wetlands and forests protect water quality more effectively and cheaply than
Definition
human technology.
Term
Of the total energy used in the U.S., most comes from
Definition
petroleum, followed by natural gas and coal.
Term
The atmosphere and the oceans have a limited capacity to absorb wastes and
Definition
recycle materials naturally
Term
Cleaning up polluted air, water, and soil can be
Definition
difficult and very costly
Term
Restoring depleted soil, forests, and fishing grounds can be
Definition
very difficult and costly.
Term
Burning coal contributes to air pollution and acid rain. Burning low sulfur coal produces
Definition
less acid rain.
Term
Because we are using some of our resources faster than they are being replaced, we are now
Definition
recycling more of these resources instead of digging them out of the ground.
Term
What are three ways to prevent soil erosion?
Definition
Ground covers, wind breaks, and no till plowing.
Term
conservation
Definition
preservation, protection, or restoration of the natural environment, natural ecosystems, vegetation, and wildlife
Term
energy
Definition
the ability to do work. Energy is how things change and move
nonrenewable resource - any natural resource in limited supply and cannot be replaced if it is used
up; examples - oil and coal
Term
renewable resources
Definition
a natural resource that can be replenished within a relatively short time (months, or years, or tens of years).
Term
thermal power –
Definition
energy in the form of heat
Term
hydroelectrical power –
Definition
energy generated by the pressure of moving water
Term
biomass –
Definition
organic matter that contains stored energy from sunlight and that can be burned as fuel.
Term
carbon dioxide
Definition
(CO2) causes greenhouse gases and in turn causes global warming
Term
chlorofluorocarbons –
Definition
(CFC) released by aerosol cans have damaged the ozone layer and this made a large hole in the ozone layer.
Term
electricity -
Definition
the movement of electrons.
Term
fossil fuels -
Definition
a natural fuel such as coal or gas, formed in the geological past from the remains of living organisms
Term
Photovoltaic Cells –
Definition
A cell that makes energy by changing solar radiation into electricity
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