Easy
What is an oil spill?
An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the marine ecosystem, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution
In which state did the 2021 Orange county oil spill happen?
California
Name any of the 3 methods used to clean an oil spill
Booms and skimmers
In situ burning
Chemical Oil Dispersants
What is petroleum?
A hydrocarbon
What property of oil makes oil spills catastrophic?
Oils are less dense than water and therefore float on top, creating a layer that prevents air from passing through.
Surprise Question
Free 2 points
Which 3 countries contribute the most oil spills to oceans?
USA, Saudi Arabia and Russia
Name any of the 3 most recent oil spills
-2021 New Orleans oil spill
-2021 Orange county oil spill
-2021 Mediterranean Oil spill
What effects do oil spills have on the animals in the ocean?
Oil spills frequently kill marine mammals such as whales, dolphins, seals, and sea otters. 10 Oil can clog blowholes of whales and dolphins, making it impossible for them to breathe properly and disrupting their ability to communicate. Oil coats fur of otters and seals, leaving them vulnerable to hypothermia.
What is the biggest oil spill on record?
Deep Water Horizon
Why do most oil spills happen?
They are most often caused by accidents involving tankers, barges, pipelines, refineries, drilling rigs and storage facilities, but also occur from recreational boats and in marinas.
How many tonnes of oil was spilled in the 2021 New Orleans oil spill?
944.11 tonnes of oil
When is World Ocean Day?
June 5
What are the effects of oil spills on the environment?
When oils rigs or machinery malfunction or break, thousands of tons of oil can seep into the environment. Oil spill effects on environments and habitats can be catastrophic: they can kill plants and animals, disturb salinity/pH levels, pollute air/water and more.
Explain any 2 of the methods used to clean oil spills.
Booms and skimmers: Booms contain the oil so that skimmers can collect it. Booms are floating barriers placed around the oil or whatever is leaking the oil. Skimmers can be boats, vacuum machines, sponges or oil-absorbent ropes that skim spilled oil from the water’s surface within the booms.
In situ burning: Freshly spilled oil is ignited while it’s still floating on the water.
Chemical Oil Dispersants: Oil dispersants work in the same way as dishwashing liquid. Both are made up mainly of surfactant molecules – these are molecules that have a hydrophilic (water-loving) head that is attracted to water molecules and a hydrophobic (water-hating) tail that repels water and simultaneously attaches itself to oil and grease. The result of these opposing forces is that the oil is broken up into tiny droplets suspended in water.