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Mr. Mechaelsen's Chapter 4 Key Terms
Mr. Mechaelsen's Chapter 4 Key Terms
25
Science
6th Grade
02/20/2012

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Term
Development
Definition
The construction of buildings, roads, bridges, dams and other structures
Term
Litter
Definition
top layer of soil made up of dead leaves and grass
Term
Topsoil
Definition
mix of rock fragments, nutrients, water, air and decaying animal and plant matter.
Term
Subsoil
Definition
soil located beneath topsoil, made up of rock fragments, water and air, but has less animal and plant matter than the topsoil.
Term
Bedrock
Definition
the very bottom layer of rock which makes up the Earth's crust.
Term
Erosion
Definition
the process by which water, wind, or ice moves particles of rocks or soil
Term
Nutrient Depletion
Definition
when soil becomes less fertile
Term
desertification
Definition
the advance of desert-like conditions into areas that previously were fertile
Term
Drought
Definition
a period when less rain than normal falls in an area
Term
Municipal solid waste
Definition
the waste materials produced in homes, business, schools and other places in a community
Term
incineration
Definition
the burning of solid waste
Term
leachate
Definition
a polluted liquid that is formed when rainwater falls on a dump and dissolves chemicals from the solid wastes
Term
sanitary landfill
Definition
holds municipal solid waste, construction debris and some types of agricultural and industrial waste.
Term
recycling
Definition
the process of reclaiming raw materials and reusing them to create new products.
Term
hazardous waste
Definition
any material that can be harmful to human health or the environment if it is not properly disposed of
Term
pollutant
Definition
substances that cause pollution
Term
emissions
Definition
pollutants that are released into the air.
Term
photochemical smog
Definition
a thick, brownish haze formed when certain gases in the air react with sunlight
Term
temperature inversion
Definition
when a layer of warm air prevents the rising air from escaping, which traps the smog, making it more concentrated and dangerous
Term
acid rain
Definition

precipitation that is more acidic than normal because of air pollution.  It can be in the form of snow, sleet, fog, or even rain.  

 

Acid rain is caused by  the emissions from power plants and factories that burn coal and oil.

Term
radon
Definition
a colorless, odorless gas that is radioactive.  It is formed naturally by certain types of rocks underground.
Term
ozone layer
Definition
a layer of the upper atmosphere about 30 kilometers above Earth's surface
Term
global warming
Definition
a theory that predicts that the increase in carbon dioxide levels will cause the average temperature to continue to rise.
Term
greenhouse effect
Definition
the trapping of heat near Earth's surface
Term
chlorofluorocarbon
Definition
human made gases that contain chlorine and fluorine.
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