Science Basics
The process by which scientists test their ideas using observations and experimentss
What is the scientific method
The revolution that changed human societies from hunting & gathering to farming
What is the agricultural revolution
Economics is the study of how these are used
What are resources
The branch of government that makes environmental laws
What is the legislative branch
Any natural material that humans use, such as water, soils, or minerals
What is a natural resource
In an experiment, a factor that is changed or manipulated.
What is the independent variable
The historical period when fossil fuel use increased dramatically
A cost or benefit that affects people not directly involved in a transaction
What is externality
A binding agreement between nations
What is a treaty
A resource that can be replaced naturally, like trees or fish
What is a renewable resource
Data that is measured with numbers, such as height or mass.
What is quantitative data
The 1962 book that raised awareness about the dangers of pesticides
What is "Silent Spring"
The balance between the supply of a product and consumer demand
What is supply and demand
This U.S. agency is responsible for enforcing many environmental laws
What is the Environmental Protection Agency
The condition in which humans can survive indefinitely with healthy environments
What is sustainability
A well-tested explanation that unifies a broad range of observations
What is a scientific theory
The law that requires the federal government to assess environmental impact before major projects
What is the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
When making decisions, this analysis compares the pros and cons
What is cost-benefit analysis
An international organization that helps countries work together on environmental issues
What is the United Nations (UN)
Something that is used up faster than it can be replaced, like oil or coal
What is a nonrenewable resource
The type of reasoning that goes from specific observations to general conclusions
What is inductive reasoning
The year of the first Earth Day, which helped launch the modern environmental movement
What is 1970
What is a free-market economy
The type of law dealing with the actions harmful to the environment, such as pollution
What is environmental law
The amount of land and resources needed to support an individual population
What is an ecological footprint