Unit 5
This type of agriculture involves clearing forests by cutting and burning vegetation, then farming for a few years before moving to a new area.
What is slash-and-burn agriculture
These three fossil fuels are the primary sources of energy worldwide.
Coal Oil and Gas
These six pollutants are regulated under the Clean Air Act as criteria air pollutants. (NAME ANY 3)
What are ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and lead?
The process where excess nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus cause algal blooms and oxygen depletion in water bodies.
What is eutrophication?
This greenhouse gas has the highest concentration in the atmosphere and is primarily produced by burning fossil fuels
CO2
The process where soil becomes increasingly salty due to irrigation practices, making it unsuitable for crop growth.
What is salinization?
This renewable energy source uses the temperature difference between shallow and deep earth to heat and cool buildings.
What is Geothermal Energy?
This atmospheric layer contains the ozone layer that protects Earth from harmful UV radiation
What is the stratosphere?
This type of pollution cannot be traced to a specific source and includes runoff from agricultural fields and urban areas.
What is nonpoint source pollution?
The phenomenon where ocean pH decreases due to absorption of excess atmospheric CO₂
Ocean Acidification
The process of restoring land that has been disturbed by mining activities back to its original condition or beneficial use.
What is reclamation?
The environmental problem caused when hydraulic fracturing chemicals contaminate nearby water supplies.
What is groundwater pollution (or water contamination)?
The air pollution phenomenon that occurs when warm air traps cooler air near the ground, preventing pollutants from dispersing.
What is a temperature inversion?
The process of persistent organic pollutants accumulating in fatty tissues and becoming more concentrated at higher trophic levels.
bioaccumulation
This feedback loop occurs when melting ice reduces Earth's albedo, causing more heat absorption and further warming.
Positive Feedback Loop
This water-efficient irrigation method delivers water directly to plant roots through a network of tubes and emitters, reducing water waste.
What is drip irrigation?
If a solar panel system produces 8 kWh per day and costs $16,000 to install, this is the cost per kWh over 20 years.
What is $0.27 per kWh? (16,000 ÷ (8 × 365 × 20) = $0.27)
The main difference between these two types of particulate matter is that one has particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers while the other has particles smaller than 10 micrometers.
What are PM2.5 and PM10?
This will eventually happen in a eutrophic lake environment
What is a fish kill/ oxygen depleted environment
If atmospheric CO₂ increases from 400 ppm to 450 ppm, this represents this percentage increase.
12.5%
This agricultural movement beginning in the 1940s dramatically increased crop yields through high-yield varieties, fertilizers, and pesticides, but also created environmental concerns.
What is the Green Revolution?
his is the advantage of using nuclear energy instead of coal for electricity generation, despite nuclear waste concerns.
What is no greenhouse gas emissions (or no air pollution during operation)?
This type of chemical depletes the Ozone layer and was banned by the Montreal Protocol (found in aerosol products like hairspray!)
What are CFCs
This type of pollution would be expected in a body of water situated next to a Nuclear Plant
Thermal Pollution
This international climate agreement signed in 2015 aims to limit global temperature increase to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
The Paris Agreement