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AP Environmental Science Review Flashcards

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6554832256abioticPertaining to factors or things that are separate and independent from living things; nonliving.0
6554832257acidAny compound that releases hydrogen ions when dissolved in water. Also, a water solution that contains a surplus of hydrogen ions.1
6554832258A layera soil horizon; the layer below the O layer is called the A layer. The A layer is formed of weathered rock, with some organic material; often referred to as topsoil.2
6554832259alkalinea basic substance; chemically, a substance that absorbs hydrogen ions or releases hydroxyl ions; in reference to natural water, a measure of the base content of the water.3
6554832260aquiferan underground layer of porous rock, sand, or other material that allows the movement of water between layers of nonporous rock or clay. Aquifers are frequently tapped for wells.4
6554832261arableland that's fit to be cultivated.5
6554832262asthenospherethe part of the mantle that lies just below the lithosphere.6
6554832263atmospherethe gaseous mass or envelope surrounding a celestial body, especially the one surrounding the Earth, which is retained by the celestial body's gravitational field.7
6554832264barrier islanda long, relatively narrow island running parallel to the mainland-built up by the action of waves and currents and serving to protect the coast from erosion by surf and tidal surges.8
6554832265biological weatheringany weathering that's caused by the activities of living organisms.9
6554832266bioticliving or derived from living things.10
6554832267B layera soil horizon; B receives the minerals and organic materials that are leached out of the A horizon.11
6554832268chemical weatheringthe result of chemical interaction with the bedrock that is typical of the action of both water and atmospheric gases.12
6554832269C layera soil horizon, horizon C is made up of larger pieces of rock that have not undergone much weathering.13
6554832270claythe finest soil, made up of particles that are less than 0.002 mm in diameter.14
6554832271convectionthe vertical movement of a mass of matter due to heating and cooling; this can happen in both the atmosphere and Earth's mantle.15
6554832272convection currentsair currents caused by the vertical movement of air due to atmospheric heating and cooling.16
6554832273convergent boundarya plate boundary where two plates are moving toward each other.17
6554832274coral reefan erosion-resistant marine ridge or mound consisting chiefly of compacted coral together with algal material and biochemically deposited magnesium and calcium carbonates.18
6554832275Coriolis effectThe observed effect of the Coriolis force, especially the deflection of an object moving above the Earth, rightward in the Northern Hemisphere, and leftward in the Southern Hemisphere.19
6554832276crop rotationthe practice of alternating the crops grown on a piece of land - for example, corn one year, legumes for two years, and then back to corn.20
6554832277deltaa usually triangular alluvial deposit at the mouth of a river.21
6554832278divergent boundarya plate boundary at which plates are moving away from each other. This causes an upwelling of magma from the mantle to cool and form new crust.22
6554832279doldrumsa region of the ocean near the equator, characterized by calms, light winds, or squalls.23
6554832280drip irrigationa method of supplying irrigation water through tubes that literally drip water onto the soil at the base of each plant.24
6554832281earthquakethe result of vibrations (often due to plate movements) deep in the Earth that release energy. They often occur as two plates slide past one another at a transform boundary.25
6554832282El Ninoa climate variation that takes place in the tropical Pacific about every three to seven years, for a duration of about one year.26
6554832283erosionthe process of soil particles being carried away by wind or water. Erosion moves the smaller particles first and hence degrades the soil to a coarser, sandier, stonier texture.27
6554832284estuarythe part of the wide lower course of a river where its current is met by the tides.28
6554832285faultthe place where two plates abut each other.29
6554832286Green Revolutionthe development and introduction of new varieties of (mainly) wheat and rice that has increased yields per acre dramatically in countries since the 1960s.30
6554832287greenhouse effectthe phenomenon whereby the Earth's atmosphere traps solar radiation, caused by the presence in the atmosphere of gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and methane that allow incoming sunlight to pass through, but absorb heat radiated back from the Earth's surface.31
6554832288Hadley cella system of vertical and horizontal air circulation predominating in tropical and subtropical regions and creating major weather patterns.32
6554832289Headwatersthe water from which a river rises; a source.33
6554832290Horizona layer of soil.34
6554832291humusthe dark, crumbly, nutrient-rich material that results from the decomposition of organic material.35
6554832292hurricane (typhoon, cyclone)a severe tropical cyclone originating in the equatorial regions of the Atlantic Ocean or Caribbean Sea or eastern regions of the Pacific Ocean, traveling north, northwest, or northeast from its point of origin, and usually involving heavy rains.36
6554832293inner corethe molten core of the Earth.37
6554832294jet streama high-speed, meandering wind current, generally moving from a westerly direction at speeds often exceeding 400 km (250 miles) per hour at altitudes of 15 to 25 km (10 to 15 miles).38
6554832295land degradationwhen soil becomes water-logged and then dries out, and salt forms a layer on its surface.39
6554832296La Ninaa cooling of the ocean surface off the western coast of South America, occurring periodically every 4 to 12 years and affecting Pacific and other weather patterns.40
6554832297lithospherethe outer part of the Earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle, approximately 100 km (62 miles) thick.41
6554832298loamysoil composed of a mixture of sand, clay, silt, and organic matter.42
6554832299mantlethe layer of the Earth between the crust and the core.43
6554832300monoculturethe cultivation of a single crop on a farm or in a region or country; a single, homogeneous culture without diversity or dissension.44
6554832301O layerthe uppermost horizon of soil. It is primarily made up of organic material, including waste from organisms, the bodies of decomposing organisms, and live organisms.45
6554832302physical (mechanical) weatheringany process that breaks rock down into smaller pieces without changing the chemistry of the rock; typically wind and water.46
6554832303plate boundariesthe edges of tectonic plates.47
6554832304prior appropriationwhen water rights are given to those who have historically used the water in a certain area.48
6554832305rain shadowthe low-rainfall region that exists on the leeward (downwind) side of a mountain range. This rain shadow is the result of the mountain range's causing precipitation on the windward side.49
6554832306red tidea bloom of dinoflagellates that causes reddish discoloration of coastal ocean waters. Certain dinoflagellates of the genus Gonyamfox produce toxins that kill fish and contaminate shellfish.50
6554832307R horizonThe bedrock, which lies below all of the other layers of soil, is referred to as the R horizon.51
6554832308riparian rightthe right, as to fishing or to the use of a riverbed, of one who owns riparian land (the land adjacent to a river or stream).52
6554832309salinizationthe process in which soil becomes saltier and saltier until, finally, the salt prevents the growth of plants. Salinization is caused by irrigation because salts brought in with the water remain in the soil as water evaporates.53
6554832310sandthe coarsest soil, with particles 0.05,2.0 mm in diameter.54
6554832311siltsoil with particles 0.002,0.05 mm in diameter.55
6554832312Southern Oscillationthe atmospheric pressure conditions corresponding to the periodic warming of El Nino and cooling of La Nina.56
6554832313subduction zonein tectonic plates, the site at which an oceanic plate is sliding under a continental plate.57
6554832314thermoclinea layer in a large body of water, such as a lake, that sharply separates regions differing in temperature, so that the temperature gradient across the layer is abrupt.58
6554832315thermospherethe outermost shell of the atmosphere, between the mesosphere and outer space, where temperatures increase steadily with altitude.59
6554832316topsoilthe A layer of soil is often referred to as topsoil and is most important for plant growth.60
6554832317trade windsthe more or less constant winds blowing in horizontal directions over the Earth's surface, as part of Hadley cells.61
6554832318transform boundaryalso known as transform faults, boundaries at which plates are moving past each other, sideways.62
6554832319tropical storma cyclonic storm having winds ranging from approximately 48 to 121 km (30 to 75 miles) per hour.63
6554832320upwellinga process in which cold, often nutrient-rich, waters from the ocean depths rise to the surface.64
6554832321volcanoesan opening in the Earth's crust through which molten lava, ash, and gases are ejected.65
6554832322watershedthe region draining into river system or other body of water.66
6554832323water-scarcecountries that have a renewable annual water supply of less than 1,000 m3 per person.67
6554832324water-stressedcountries that have a renewable annual water supply of about 1,000,2,000 m3 per person.68
6554832325weatherthe day-to-day variations in temperature, air pressure, wind, humidity, and precipitation mediated by the atmosphere in a given region.69
6554832326weatheringthe gradual breakdown of rock into smaller and smaller particles, caused by natural chemical, physical, and biological factors.70
6554832327wetlandsa lowland area, such as a marsh or swamp, that is saturated with moisture, especially when regarded as the natural habitat of wildlife.71
6554832328assimilationthe process in which plants absorb ammonium (NH3), ammonia ions (NH4+), and nitrate ions (NO3) through their roots.72
6554832329autotrophan organism that obtains organic food molecules without eating other organisms or substances derived from other organisms. autotrophs use energy from the sun or from the oxidation of inorganic substances to make organic molecules from inorganic ones.73
6554832330bioaccumulationthe accumulation of a substance, such as a toxic chemical, in various tissues of a living organism.74
6554832331biomagnificationsthe process by which the concentration of toxic substances increases in each successive link in the food chain.75
6554832332biospherethe part of the Earth and its atmosphere in which living organisms exist or that is capable of supporting life.76
6554832333carnivorean animal that only consumes other animals.77
6554832334chemotroph (chemoautotroph)an organism such as a bacterium or protozoan, that obtains its nourishment through the oxidation of inorganic chemical compounds, as opposed to photosynthesis.78
6554832335climax communitya stable, mature community in a successive series that has reached equilibrium after having evolved through stages and adapted to its environment.79
6554832336combustionthe process of burning.80
6554832337communityformed from populations of different species occupying the same geographic area.81
6554832338competitive exclusionthe process that occurs when two different species in a region compete and the better adapted species wins.82
6554832339consumeran organism that must obtain food energy from secondary sources, for example, by eating plant or animal matter.83
6554832340decomposerbacteria or fungi that absorb nutrients from nonliving organic matter like plant material, the wastes of living organisms, and corpses. They convert these materials into inorganic forms.84
6554832341denitrificationthe process by which specialized bacteria (mostly anaerobic bacteria) convert ammonia to NOy NO2, and N2 and release it back to the atmosphere.85
6554832342detritivoreorganisms that derive energy from consuming nonliving organic matter.86
6554832343ecological successiontransition in species composition of a biological community, often following ecological disturbance of the community; the establishment of a biological community in any area virtually barren of life.87
6554832344edge effectthe condition in which, at ecosystem boundaries, there is greater species diversity and biological density than there is in the heart of ecological communities.88
6554832345energy pyramidthe structure obtained if we organize the amount of energy contained in producers and consumers in an ecosystem by kilocalories per square meter, from largest to smallest.89
6554832346evaporationto convert or change into a vapor.90
6554832347evolutionchange in the genetic composition of a population during successive generations as a result of natural selection acting on the genetic variation among individuals and resulting in the development of new species.91
6554832348extinctionbeing extinct or the process of becoming extinct.92
6554832349food chaina succession of organisms in an ecological community that constitutes a continuation of food energy from one organism to another as each consumes a lower member and, in turn, is preyed upon by a higher member.93
6554832350food weba complex of interrelated food chains in an ecological community.94
6554832351Gross Primary Productivitythe amount of sugar that the plants produce in photosynthesis and subtracting from it the amount of energy the plants need for growth maintenance, repair, and reproduction.95
6554832352habitatthe area or environment where an organism or ecological community normally lives or occurs.96
6554832353habitat fragmentationwhen the size of an organism's natural habitat is reduced, or when development occurs that isolates a habitat.97
6554832354heterotrophyan organism that cannot synthesize its own food and is dependent on complex organic substances for nutrition.98
6554832355indigenous speciesspecies that originate and live, or occur naturally, in an area or environment.99
6554832356invasive speciesan introduced, normative species.100
6554832357keystone speciesa species whose very presence contributes to an ecosystem's diversity and whose extinction would consequently lead to the extinction of other forms of life.101
6554832358law of conservation of matterstates that matter can neither be created nor destroyed.102
6554832359mutualisma symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit.103
6554832360natural selectionthe process by which, according to Darwin's theory of evolution, only the organisms best adapted to their environment tend to survive and transmit their genetic characteristics in increasing numbers to succeeding generations, while those less adapted tend to be eliminated.104
6554832361net Primary Productivity (NPP)the amount of energy that plants pass on to the community of herbivores in an ecosystem.105
6554832362nichethe total sum of a species' use of the biotic and abiotic resources in its environment.106
6554832363nitrificationthe process in which soil bacteria convert ammonium (NH4+) to a form that can be used by plants; nitrate, or NO3.107
6554832364nitrogen fixationthe conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into compounds, such as ammonia, by natural agencies or various industrial processes.108
6554832365omnivoresorganisms that consume both producers and primary consumers.109
6554832366parasitisma symbiotic relationship in which one member is helped by the association and the other is harmed.110
6554832367photosynthesisthe process in green plants and certain other organisms by which carbohydrates are synthesized from carbon dioxide and water using light as an energy source. Most forms of photosynthesis release oxygen as a byproduct.111
6554832368pioneer speciesorganisms in the first stages of succession.112
6554832369populationa group of organisms of the same species that live in the same area.113
6554832370predationwhen one species feeds on another.114
6554832371primary consumersthis category includes organisms that consume producers (plants and algae).115
6554832372primary successionwhen ecological succession begins in a virtually lifeless area, such as the area behind a moving glacier.116
6554832373produceran organism that is capable of converting radiant energy or chemical energy into carbohydrates.117
6554832374realized nichewhen a species occupies a smaller niche than it would in the absence of competition.118
6554832375reservoira place where a large quantity of a resource sits for a long period of time.119
6554832376respirationthe process in which animals (and plants!) breathe and give off carbon dioxide from cellular metabolism.120
6554832377secondary consumersorganisms that consume primary consumers.121
6554832378speciesorganisms that are capable of interbreeding with one another and incapable of breeding with other species.122
6554832379symbiotic relationshipsclose, prolonged associations between two or more different organisms of different species that may, but do not necessarily benefit the members.123
6554832380tertiary consumersorganisms that consume secondary consumers or other tertiary consumers.124
6554832381transpirationthe act or process of transpiring, or releasing water vapor, especially through the stomata of plant tissue or the pores of the skin.125
6554832382trophic leveleach of the feeding levels in a food chain.126
6554832383age-structure pyramidsgraphical representations of populations' ages.127
6554832384albedothe fraction of solar energy that is reflected back into space.128
6554832385biotic potentialthe amount that the population would grow if there were unlimited resources in its environment.129
6554832386birth rate (crude birth rate)the number of live births per 1,000 members of the population in a year.130
6554832387carrying capacitythe maximum population size that can be supported by the available resources in a region.131
6554832388death rate (crude death rate)is equal to the number of deaths per 1,000 members of the population in a year.132
6554832389demographic transition modela model that's used to predict population trends based on the birth and death rates as well as economic status of a population.133
6554832390ecological footprintthe amount of the Earth's surface that's necessary to supply the needs of, and dispose of the waste from a particular population.134
6554832391emigrationthe movement of individuals out of a population.135
6554832392genetic driftthe random fluctuations in the frequency of the appearance of a gene in a small isolated population, presumably owing to chance, rather than natural selection.136
6554832393Immigrationthe movement of individuals into a population.137
6554832394k-selectedorganisms that reproduce later in life, produce fewer offspring, and devote significant time and energy to the nurturing of their offspring.138
6554832395logistic population growthwhen populations are well below the size dictated by the carrying capacity of the region they live in, they will grow exponentially, but as they approach the carrying capacity, their growth rate will decrease and the size of the population will eventually become stable.139
6554832396population densitythe number of individuals of a population that inhabit a certain unit of land or water area.140
6554832397replacement birth ratethe number of children a couple must have in order to replace themselves in a population.141
6554832398r-selectedorganisms that reproduce early in life and often and have a high capacity for reproductive growth.142
6554832399total fertility ratethe number of children an average woman will bear during her lifetime; this information is based on an analysis of data from preceding years in the population in question.143
6554832400agroforestrywhen trees and crops are planted together, creating a mutualistic symbiotic relationship between them.144
6554832401Aquaculturethe raising of fish and other aquatic species in captivity for harvest.145
6554832402bottom trawlinga fishing technique in which the ocean floor is literally scraped by heavy nets that smash everything in their path.146
6554832403by-catchany other species of fish, mammals, or birds that are caught that are not the target organism.147
6554832404capture fisheriesfish farming in which fish are caught in the wild and not raised in captivity for consumption.148
6554832405clear-cuttingthe removal of all of the trees in an area.149
6554832406conservationthe management or regulation of a resource so that its use does not exceed the capacity of the resource to regenerate itself.150
6554832407consumptionthe day-to-day use of environmental resources as food, clothing, and housing.151
6554832408contour farming a process in which rows of crops are plowed across the hillside; this prevents the erosion that can occur when rows are cut up and down on a slope....152
6554832409deforestationthe removal of trees for agricultural purposes or purposes of exportation.153
6554832410driftnetsnets that are dragged through the water and indiscriminately catch everything in their path.154
6554832411ecosystem capitalthe value of natural resources.155
6554832412fisherythe industry or occupation devoted to the catching, processing, or selling of fish, shellfish, or other aquatic animals.156
6554832413greenbeltopen or forested areas built at the outer edge of a city.157
6554832414intercropping (also called strip cropping)is the practice of planting bands of different crops across a hillside.158
6554832415long liningin fishing, the use of long lines that have baited hooks and will be taken by numerous aquatic organisms.159
6554832416malnutritionpoor nutrition that results from an insufficient or poorly balanced diet.160
6554832417mineral depositan area in which a particular mineral is concentrated, mining,the excavation of the Earth for the purpose of extracting ore or minerals.161
6554832418natural resourcesbiotic and abiotic natural ecosystems.162
6554832419nonrenewable resourcesresources that are often formed by very slow geologic processes, so we consider them incapable of being regenerated within the realm of human existence.163
6554832420no-tillrefers to when farmers plant seeds without using a plow to turn the soil.164
6554832421old growth forestone that has never been cut; these forests have not been seriously disturbed for several hundred years.165
6554832422overgrazedwhen grass is consumed by animals at a faster rate than it can regrow.166
6554832423preservationthe maintenance of a species or ecosystem in order to ensure their perpetuation, with no concern as to their potential monetary value167
6554832424renewable resourcesrefers to resources, such as plants and animals, which can be regenerated if harvested at sustainable yields.168
6554832425second growth forestsareas where cutting has occurred and a new, younger forest has arisen.169
6554832426selective cuttingthe removal of select trees in an area; this leaves the majority of the habitat in place and has less of an impact on the ecosystem.170
6554832427shelter-wood cuttingwhen mature trees are cut over a period of time (usually10,20 years); this leaves mature trees, which can reseed the forest, in place.171
6554832428silviculturethe management of forest plantations for the purpose of harvesting timber.172
6554832429slash-and-burnwhen an area of vegetation is cut down and burned before being planted with crops.173
6554832430surface firesfires that typically burn only the forest's underbrush and do little damage to mature trees. Surface fires actually serve to protect the forest from more harmful fires by removing underbrush and dead materials that would burn quickly and at high temperatures.174
6554832431tailingspiles of gangue, which is the waste material that results from mining.175
6554832432traditional subsistence agriculturewhen each family in a community grows crops for themselves and rely on animal and human labor to plant and harvest crops.176
6554832433terracingcreating flat platforms in the hillside that provide a level planting surface, which reduces soil runoff from the slope.177
6554832434tree farmsalso known as plantations, these are planted and managed tracts of trees of the same age that are harvested for commercial use.178
6554832435Uneven-aged managementthe broad category under which selective cutting and shelter-wood cutting fall; selective deforestation.179
6554832436active collectionthe use of devices, such as solar panels, to collect, focus, transport, or store solar energy.180
6554832437anthracitethe cleanest-burning coal; almost pure carbon.181
6554832438barrelsthe unit used to describe the volume of fossil fuels.182
6554832439bituminousthe second-purest form of coal.183
6554832440crude oilthe form petroleum takes when in the ground.184
6554832441energythe capacity to do work.185
6554832442fissiona nuclear reaction in which an atomic nucleus, especially a heavy nucleus such as an isotope of uranium, splits into fragments, usually two fragments of comparable mass, releasing from 100 million to several hundred million electron volts of energy.186
6554832443fossil fuela hydrocarbon deposit, such as petroleum, coal, or natural gas, derived from living matter of a previous geologic time and used for fuel.187
6554832444First Law of Thermodynamicssays that energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only be transferred and transformed.188
6554832445fly asha waste product produced by the burning of coal.189
6554832446Half-lifethe amount of time it takes for half of a radioactive sample to disappear.190
6554832447Hubbert peak (peak oil)an influential theory that concerns the long-term rate of conventional oil (and other fossil fuel) extraction and depletion. It predicts that future world oil production will soon reach a peak and then rapidly decline.191
6554832448hydroelectric powerpower generated using water.192
6554832449kinetic energythe energy of motion.193
6554832450lignitethe least pure coal.194
6554832451nuclear fusionthe process of fusing two nuclei.195
6554832452overburdenthe rocks and Earth that is removed when mining for a commercially valuable mineral resource.196
6554832453passive solar energy collectionthe use of building materials, building placement, and design to passively collect solar energy that can be used to keep a building warm or cool.197
6554832454peak oil (Hubbert peak)an influential theory that concerns the long, term rate of conventional oil (and other fossil fuel) extraction and depletion. It predicts that future world oil production will soon reach a peak and then rapidly decline.198
6554832455petroleuma hydrocarbon that forms as sediments are buried and pressurized.199
6554832456photovoltaic cell (PV cell)a semiconductor device that converts the energy of sunlight into electric energy.200
6554832457potential energyenergy at rest, or stored energy.201
6554832458proven reservean estimate of the amount of fossil fuel that can be obtained from reserve.202
6554832459radiant energysunlight.203
6554832460scrubbersdevices containing alkaline substances that precipitate out much of the sulfur dioxide from industrial plants.204
6554832461Second Law of Thermodynamicssays that the entropy (disorder) of the universe is increasing. One corollary of the Second Law of thermodynamics is the concept that, in most energy transformations, a significant fraction of energy is lost to the universe as heat.205
6554832462strip mininginvolves the removal of the Earth's surface all the way down to the level of the mineral seam.206
6554832463subbituminousthe third purest form of coal.207
6554832464underground mininginvolves the sinking of shafts to reach underground deposits. In this type of mining, networks of tunnels are dug or blasted and humans enter these tunnels in order to manually retrieve the coal.208
6554832465wind farma group of modern windmills.209
6554832466acid precipitationacid rain, acid hail, acid snow; all of which occur as a result of pollution in the atmosphere.210
6554832467acute effectthe effect caused by a short exposure to a high level of toxin.211
6554832468catalytic convertera platinum, coated device that oxidizes most of the VOCs and some of the CO that would otherwise be emitted in exhaust, converting them to CO2.212
6554832469closed-loop recyclingwhen materials, such as plastic or aluminum, are used to rebuild the same product. An example of this is the use of the aluminum from aluminum cans to produce more aluminum cans.213
6554832470compostinga process that allows the organic material in solid waste to be decomposed and reintroduced into the soil, often as fertilizer.214
6554832471building-related illnesswhen the signs and symptoms of an illness can be attributed to a specific infectious organism that resides in the building.215
6554832472chronic effectan effect that results from long,term exposure to low levels of toxin.216
6554832473deep well injectiondrilling a hole in the ground that's below the water table to hold waste.217
6554832474diseaseoccurs when infection causes a change in the state of health.218
6554832475dose-response analysisa process in which an organism is exposed to a toxin at different concentrations, and the dosage that causes the death of the organism is recorded.219
6554832476dose-response curvethe result of graphing a dose-response analysis.220
6554832477ED50the point at which 50 percent of the test organisms show a negative effect from a toxin.221
6554832478global warmingan intensification of the Greenhouse Effect due to the increased presence of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere.222
6554832479gray smog (industrial smog)smog resulting from emissions from industry and other sources of gases produced by the burning of fossil fuels, especially coal.223
6554832480hazardous wasteany waste that poses a danger to human health; it must be dealt with in a different way from other types of waste.224
6554832481heat islandsurban areas that heat up more quickly and retain heat more than do nonurban areas.225
6554832482high-level radioactive wasteradioactive wastes that produce high levels of ionizing radiation.226
6554832483industrial smog (gray smog)smog resulting from emissions from industry and other sources of gases produced by the burning of fossil fuels.227
6554832484Infectionthe result of a pathogen invading a body.228
6554832485LD50the point at which 50 percent of the test organisms die from a toxin.229
6554832486leachatethe liquid that percolates to the bottom of a landfill.230
6554832487low-level radioactive wasteradioactive wastes that produce low levels of ionizing radiation.231
6554832488noise pollutionany noise that causes stress or has the potential to damage human health.232
6554832489non-point source pollutionpollution that does not have a specific point of release, open,loop recycling,when materials are reused to form new products.233
6554832490ozone holesthe thinning of the ozone layer over Antarctica (and to some extent, over the Arctic).234
6554832491pathogensbacteria, virus, or other microorganisms that can cause disease.235
6554832492photochemical smogwhen photochemical smog, NOx compounds, VOCs, and ozone combine to form smog with a brownish hue.236
6554832493point source pollutiona specific location from which pollution is released; an example of a point source location is a factory where wood is being burned.237
6554832494poisonany substance that has an LD50, of 50 mg or less per kg of body weight.238
6554832495physical treatmentin a sewage treatment plant, the initial filtration that is done to remove debris such as stones, sticks, rags, toys, and other objects that were flushed down the toilet.239
6554832496primary pollutantspollutants that are released directly into the lower atmosphere.240
6554832497primary treatmentwhen physically treated sewage water is passed into a settling tank, where suspended solids settle out as sludge; chemically treated polymers may be added to help the suspended solids separate and settle out.241
6554832498risk assessmentcalculating risk, or the degree of likelihood that a person will become ill upon exposure to a toxin or pathogen.242
6554832499risk managementusing strategies to reduce the amount of risk (the degree of likelihood that a person will become ill upon exposure to a toxin or pathogen).243
6554832500secondary pollutantspollutants that are formed by the combination of primary pollutants in the atmosphere.244
6554832501secondary treatmentthe biological treatment of wastewater in order to continue to remove biodegradable waste.245
6554832502sick building syndromewhen the majority of a building's occupants experience certain symptoms that vary with the amount of time spent in the building.246
6554832503sludgethe solids that remain after the secondary treatment of sewage.247
6554832504sludge processora tank filled with aerobic bacteria that's used to treat sewage.248
6554832505solid wastecan consist of hazardous waste, industrial solid waste, or municipal waste. Many types of solid waste provide a threat to human health and the environment.249
6554832506stationary sourcesnon-moving sources of pollution, such as factories.250
6554832507Superfund Programa program funded by the federal government and a trust that's funded by taxes on chemicals; identifies pollutants and cleans up hazardous waste sites.251
6554832508threshold dosethe dosage level of a toxin at which a negative effect occurs.252
6554832509toxicitythe degree to which a substance is biologically harmful.253
6554832510toxinany substance than is inhaled, ingested, or absorbed at dosages sufficient to damage a living organism.254
6554832511tropospheric ozoneozone that exists in the trophosphere.255
6554832512U.S. Noise Control Actgave the EPA power to set emission standards for major sources of noise, including transportation, machinery, and construction.256
6554832513vectorthe carrier organism through which pathogens can attack.257
6554832514wastewaterany water that has been used by humans. This includes human sewage, water drained from showers, tubs, sinks, dishwashers, washing machines, water from industrial processes, and storm water runoff.258
6554832515Waste-to-Energy (WTE) programwhen the energy released from waste incineration is used to generate electricity.259
6554832516green taxa fiscal policy that lowers taxes on income, including wages and profit, and raises taxes on consumption, particularly the unsustainable consumption of non-renewable resources.260
6554832517market permitswhen companies are allowed to buy permits that allow them a certain amount of discharge of substances into certain environmental outlets. If they can reduce their amount of discharge, they are allowed to sell the remaining portion of their permit to another company.261

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