Human Impact on the Environment
Q: What is the term for the gradual process of the Earth’s surface being worn down by human activities?
A: Erosion
Q: What is the term used to describe the number of individuals in a specific area or population?
A: Population Density
Q: What type of resource can be replaced naturally at a sustainable rate, like solar energy or wind?
A: Renewable Resources
Q: What is the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs called?
A: Sustainability
Q: What is the term for harmful substances that enter the air, water, or soil and cause damage to the environment?
A: Pollutants
Q: What is the term for the destruction of natural habitats due to human development, such as deforestation?
A: Habitat Destruction
Q: What can cause a population to grow rapidly in a short amount of time?
A: High birth rates, low death rates, and increased immigration
Q: What non-renewable resource is extracted from the Earth and is used to power vehicles and industries?
A: Fossil Fuels
Q: What is one action individuals can take to promote sustainability?
A: Reducing waste, recycling, conserving energy, using renewable energy
Q: What is the term for the large, oxygen-depleted areas in water bodies that result from excessive nutrients and algae growth?
A: Dead Zones
Q: What type of pollution occurs when waste from a single source, like a factory, enters a water body?
A: Point-source pollution
Q: What happens to the Earth’s resources as the human population continues to grow?
A: Increased demand and potential overuse of resources
Q: What is it called when resources are used faster than they can be replenished naturally?
A: Overconsumption
Q: What is the term for practices that protect and preserve the environment while meeting human needs?
A: Sustainable Development
Q: What is a type of pollution caused by runoff from agriculture, carrying excess fertilizers and pesticides into water systems?
A: Nonpoint-source Pollution
Q: What is the process called when human activities cause species to disappear completely?
A: Extinction
Q: What is the term for a population growing faster than the resources can support, often leading to environmental degradation?
A: Overpopulation
Q: What is a resource that cannot be replaced once it is used up, such as coal or oil?
A: Nonrenewable Resource
Q: What is the name of the global goal to reduce carbon emissions and slow climate change?
A: Paris Agreement
Q: What is the term for pollutants that enter the environment from multiple, widespread sources and are difficult to track?
A: Nonpoint-source pollution
Q: What human activity is primarily responsible for the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?
A: Burning fossil fuels
What is exponential growth
rapid population increase
Q: Which type of resource includes things like fresh water and forest products, which can be replenished if used sustainably?
A: Renewable Resources
Q: What is one way industries can promote sustainability by reducing their carbon footprint?
A: Using energy-efficient technologies and renewable energy sources
What is plastic pollution (or ocean plastic pollution / marine debris)?
often from single-use items like bags and bottles