Oil spills
What makes oil float on water?
Oil is less dense than water
How can we test water?
What is an aquifer?
What are the 4 main ways we dispose of trash?
Recycling, incineration, composting, landfills
Why don't plastics break down naturally?
They are not biodegradable.
Name an oil spill that hurt the environment
BP or Deep Water Horizon
What is something water can be tested for?
pH, Nitrates, phosphates, etc.
What problem does overusing an aquifer cause?
Water gets used faster than it can refill
What is composting?
Turning food waste into soil.
What are plastics made of?
Polymers
What tool acts like a fence to trap oil?
a boom
Why does pH matter?
What is porosity?
Amount of open space in soil/rock for water to fill
How can landfills be harmful?
They can leak chemicals and smell
How does plastic hurt animals?
They can eat it or get stuck in it
Name the four cleanup methods.
dispersant, burning, skimming, absorption
How can groundwater get polluted?
Contaminants seep into the ground (fertilizers, human waste)
What is permeability?
How easily water moves through soil
How did people throw away trash in the past?
Thrown in the streets.
What happened to the whale that we read about?
Died due to plastic in its stomach
How does oil affect birds?
Feathers get heavy and oily, makes it hard for them to fly.
What is water quality?
a measurement of the cleanliness and healthiness of water
Where is the water in the Sahara Desert?
The Nubian Aquifer
What % of plastic actually gets recycled?
9%
What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?
A huge pile of ocean trash