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| 62042994 | Ionizing Radiation | enough energy to dislodge electrons from atoms, forming ions; capable of causing cancer (gamma, X-rays, UV) | |
| 62042995 | High Quality Energy | organized and concentrated; can perform useful work (fossil fuel and nuclear) | |
| 62042996 | Low Quality Energy | disorganized, dispersed (heat in ocean or air wind, solar) | |
| 62042997 | First Law of Thermodynamics | energy is neither created nor destroyed, but may be converted from one form to another ( Law of Conservation of Energy) | |
| 62042998 | Second law of Thermodynamics | when energy is changed from one form to another, some useful energy is always degraded into lower quality energy, usually heat | |
| 62042999 | Natural radioactive decay | unstable radioisotopes decay releasing gamma rays, alpha particles, and beta particles | |
| 62043000 | Half-life | the time it takes for 1/2 the mass of a radioisotope to decay | |
| 62043001 | Estimate of how long a radioactive isotope must be stored until it decays to a safe level | approximately 10 half-lives | |
| 62043002 | Nuclear Fission | nuclei of isotopes split apart when struck by neutrons | |
| 62043003 | Nuclear Fusion | two isotopes of light elements (H) forced together at high temperatures until they fuse to form a heavier nucleus (He). Process is expensive; break-even point not reached yet | |
| 62043004 | Ore | a rock that contains a large enough concentration of a mineral making it profitable to mine | |
| 62043829 | Organic fertilizer | slow-acting and long-lasting because the organic remains need time to be decomposed | |
| 62043830 | Best solutions to energy shortage | conservation, increase efficiency, explore alternative energy options | |
| 62043831 | Surface mining | cheaper and can remove more minerals; less hazardous to workers | |
| 62043832 | Humus | organic, dark material remaining after decomposition by microorganisms | |
| 62043833 | Leaching | removal of dissolved materials from soil by water moving downwards | |
| 62043834 | Illuviation | deposit of leached material in lower soil layers (B) | |
| 62043835 | Loam | perfect agricultural soil with equal portions of sand, silt, clay (40%, 40%, 20%) | |
| 62043836 | Conservation | allowing the use of resources in a responsible manner | |
| 62043837 | Preservation | setting aside areas and protecting them from human activities | |
| 62043838 | Parts of the hydrologic cycle | evaporation, transpiration, runoff, condensation, precipitation, infiltration | |
| 62043839 | Aquifer | any water-bearing layer in the ground | |
| 62043840 | Cone of depression | lowering of the water table around a pumping well | |
| 62043841 | Salt water intrusion | near the coast, over-pumping of groundwater causes saltwater to move into the aquifer | |
| 62043842 | ENSO | El Nino Southern Oscillation, see-sawing of air pressure over the South Pacific | |
| 62043843 | During an El Nino Year | trade winds weaken and warm water sloshes back to South Atlantic | |
| 62043844 | During a non El Nino year | easterly trade winds and ocean currents pool warm water in the western Pacific, allowing upwelling of nutrient rich water off the west coast of South America | |
| 62043845 | Effects of El Nino | upwelling decreases, disrupting food chains; North U.S. has mild winters, Southwest U.S. has increased rainfall, less Atlantic hurricanes | |
| 62043846 | Nitrogen fixing | because atmospheric nitrogen cannot be used directly by plants it must first be converted into ammonia (NH3) by bacteria (rhizobium) | |
| 62043847 | Ammonification | decomposers convert organic waste into ammonia | |
| 62043848 | Nitrification | ammonia (NH3) is converted to nitrate ions (NO3-) | |
| 62043849 | Assimilation | inorganic nitrogen is converted into organic molecules such as DNA/amino acids and proteins | |
| 62237927 | Phosphorous does not circulate as easily as nitrogen because | it does not exist as a gas, but is released by weathering of phosphate (PO4)3- rocks | |
| 62237928 | Sustainability | the ability to meet the current needs of humanity without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs | |
| 62237929 | How excess phosphorous is added to aquatic ecosystems | runoff of animal wastes, fertilizer, discharge of sewage | |
| 62237930 | Photosynthesis | plants convert atmospheric carbon (CO2) into complex carbohydrates (C6H1206) | |
| 62237931 | Aerobic respiration | O2-consuming producers, consumers and decomposers break down complex organic compounds and convert C back into CO2 | |
| 62254902 | Largest reservoirs of carbon | 1) carbonate rocks. 2) oceans | |
| 62254903 | Biotic and abiotic | living and nonliving components of an ecosystem | |
| 62254904 | Producer/Autotroph | photosynthetic or chemosynthetic life | |
| 62254905 | Fecal coliform/Enterococcus bacteria | indicater of sewage contamination | |
| 62254906 | Energy flow in food webs | only 10% of the usable energy is transferred because usable energy is lost as heat (second law of thermodynamics); not all biomass is digested and absorbed; predators expend energy to catch prey | |
| 62254907 | Good chlorine | disinfects water | |
| 62254908 | Bad chlorine | forms trihalomethanes | |
| 62254909 | Primary succession | development of communities in a lifeless area not previously inhabited by life, or those in which the soil profile is totally destroyed (lava flows); begins with lichen action | |
| 62254910 | Secondary succession | life progresses where soil remains (clear-cut forests, fire) | |
| 62254911 | Cogeneration | using waste heat to make electricity | |
| 62254912 | Mutualism | symbiotic relationship where both partners benefit | |
| 62254913 | Commensalism | symbiotic relationship where one partner benefits and the other is unaffected | |
| 62254914 | Parasitism | relationship in which one partner obtains nutrients at the expense of the host | |
| 62254915 | Biome | large distinct terrestrial region having similar climate, soil, plants and animals | |
| 62254916 | Carrying capacity | the number of individuals that can be sustained in an area | |
| 62254917 | R strategist | reproduce early in life; many small unprotected offspring | |
| 62254918 | K strategist | reproduce late in life; few offspring; care for offspring | |
| 62254919 | Positive feedback | when a change in some condition triggers a response that intensifies the changing condition (warmer Earth - snow melts - less sunlight is reflected and more is absorbed, therefore warmer earth) | |
| 62254920 | Negative feedback | when a change in some condition triggers a response that counteracts the changed condition (warmer earth - more ocean evaporation - more stratus clouds - less sunlight reaches the ground - therefore cooler earth) | |
| 62254921 | Malthus | said human population continue to increase exponentially; consequences will be war, famine, and disease | |
| 62263108 | Doubling time | rule of 70; 70 divided by the percent growth rate | |
| 62263109 | Replacement level fertility | the number of children a couple must have to replace themselves (2.1 in developed countries) | |
| 62263110 | World Population (U.S. Population) | ~6.7 billion (~305 million) | |
| 62263111 | Preindustrial stage | (demographic transition) birth and death rates high, population grows slowly, infant mortality high | |
| 62263112 | Transitional stage | (demographic transition) death rate lower, better health care, population grows quickly | |
| 62263113 | Industrial stage | (demographic transition) decline in birth rate, population growth slows | |
| 62263114 | Post-industrial stage | (demographic transition) low birth and death rates | |
| 62263115 | Age structure diagrams | broad base = rapid growth; narrow base = negative growth; uniform shape = zero growth | |
| 62263116 | First, second, and third most populated countries | China, India, U.S. | |
| 62263117 | Most important thing affecting population growth | low status of women | |
| 62263118 | Ways to decrease birth rate | family planning, contraception, economic rewards and penalties | |
| 62263119 | Percent water on earth by type | 97.5% seawater, 2.5% freshwater | |
| 62263120 | Salinization of soil | in arid regions, water evaporates leaving salts behind | |
| 62263121 | Ways to conserve water | agriculture = drip/trickle irrigation; industry = recycling; home = use gray water, repair leaks, low flow fixtures | |
| 62268717 | Point vs. non-point sources | Point = from specific location, such as a pipe. Non-point = from over an area, such as runoff | |
| 62268718 | BOD | Biological Oxygen Demand; amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic decomposers to break down organic materials | |
| 62268719 | Eutrophication | rapid algal growth caused by an excess of nitrates (NO3)- and phosphates (PO4)3- in the water | |
| 62268720 | Hypoxia | when aquatic plants die, the BOD reises as aerobic decomposers break down the plants, the dissolved oxygen levels drop and the water cannot support life | |
| 62268721 | Minamata disease | 1932-1968, Japan; mental impairments caused by methylmercury poisoning | |
| 62268722 | Primary air pollutants | produced by humans and nature (CO, CO2, SOx, NOx, hydrocarbons, particulates) | |
| 62268723 | Natural selection | organisms that possess favorable adaptations that are passed on to the next generation | |
| 62269912 | Particulate matter | Source: burning fossil fuels and diesel exhaust; Effect: reduces visibility and respiratory irritation; Reduction: filtering, electrostatic precipitators, alternative energy | |
| 62269913 | Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) | Source: auto exhaust; Effects: acidification of lakes, respiratory irritation, smog and ozone; Equation for acid formation: NO+O2 = NO2 + H2O = HNO3; Reduction: catalytic converter | |
| 62430813 | Sulfur oxides (SOx) | Source: coal burning; Effects: acid deposition, respiratory irritation, damages plants; Equation for acid formation: SO2 + O2 = SO3 + H2O = H2SO4; Reduction: scrubbers, burn low sulfur fuel | |
| 62430814 | Carbon oxides (CO and CO2) | Source: auto exhaust, incomplete combustion; Effects: CO binds to hemoglobin, reducing blood's ability to carry O2; CO2 contributes to global warming; Reduction: catalytic converter, emission testing, oxygenated fuel, mass transit | |
| 62459073 | Ozone (O3) | Formation: secondary pollutant, NO2 + UV = NO + O* O* + O2 = O3, with volatile organic compounds; Effects: respiratory damage, plant damage; Reduction reduce NO and VOC emissions | |
| 62459074 | Radon (Rn) | naturally occurring colorless, odorless, radioactive gas, found in some types of soil and rock, can seep into homes and buildings, formed from the decay of uranium (U), causes lung cancer | |
| 62459075 | Photochemical smog | formed by chemical reactions involving sunlight (NO, VOC, O*) | |
| 62459076 | Acid deposition | caused by sulfuric and nitric acids (H2SO4, HNO3), resulting in lowered pH of surface waters | |
| 62459077 | Greenhouse gases | Examples: H2O, CO2, O3, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), methane (CH4); Effect: trap outgoing infrared (heat) energy, causing Earth to warm | |
| 62459078 | Effects of global warming | rising sea levels (thermal expansion), extreme weather, drought, famine, extinctions | |
| 62459079 | Causes of ozone depletion | CFCs, methyl chloroform or trichloromethane (CHCl3), carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), halon (haloalkanes), methyl bromide (CH3Br) - all of which attack stratospheric ozone | |
| 62459080 | Effects of ozone depletion | increased UV, skin cancer, cataracts, decreased plant growth | |
| 62459081 | Love Canal, NY | (1950s+) chemicals buried in old canal; school and homes built over it; caused birth defects and cancer | |
| 62459082 | Main component of municipal solid waste (MSW) | paper; most is landfilled | |
| 62459083 | True cost / External costs | harmful environmental side effects that are not reflected in a product's price | |
| 62459084 | Sanitary landfill problems and solutions (leachate) | solution = liner with collection system | |
| 62459085 | Sanitary landfill problems and solutions (methane gas) | solution = collect gas and burn it | |
| 62459086 | Sanitary landfill problems and solutions (volume of garbage) | solution = compact and reduce | |
| 62459087 | Incineration advantages | volume of waste reduced by 90%, and waste heat can be used | |
| 62459088 | Incineration disadvantages | toxic emissions (polyvinyl chloride, dioxins), scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators needed, ash disposal (contains heavy metals) | |
| 62459089 | Best way to solve waste problem | reduce the amounts of waste at the source | |
| 62459090 | Keystone species | species whose role in an ecosystem in an ecosystem is more important than others, such as a sea otter, sea stars, grizzly bear, prairie dogs | |
| 62459091 | Indicator species | species that serve as early warnings that an ecosystem is being damaged; example: trout | |
| 62459092 | Characteristics of endangered species | small range, large territory, or live on an island | |
| 62459093 | In natural ecosystems, methods which control 50-90% of pests | predators, diseases, parasites | |
| 62459094 | Major insecticide groups (and examples) | chlorinated hydrocarbons (DDT); organophosphates (malathion); carbamates (aldicarb) | |
| 62459095 | Pesticide pros | saves lives from insect-transmitted diseases, increases food supply, increases profits for farmers | |
| 62459096 | Pesticide cons | genetic resistance, ecosystem imbalance, pesticide treadmill, persistence, bioaccumulation, biological magnification | |
| 62459097 | Natural pest control | better agricultural practices, genetically resistant plants, natural enemies, biopesticides, sex attractants | |
| 62459098 | Electricity generation methods | using steam from water boiled by fossil fuels or nuclear reactions; falling water to turn a turbine to power a generator | |
| 62459099 | Petroleum formation | microscopic aquatic organisms in sediments converted by heat and pressure into a mixture of hydrocarbons | |
| 62459100 | Pros of petroleum | relatively cheap, easily transported, high-quality energy | |
| 62459101 | Cons of petroleum | reserves will be depleted soon; pollution during drilling, transport, and refining; burning makes CO2 | |
| 62459102 | Steps in coal formation | peat, lignite, bituminous, anthracite | |
| 62459103 | Major parts of a nuclear reactor | core, control rods, steam generator, turbine, containment building | |
| 62459104 | Two most serious nuclear accidents | Chernobyl, Ukraine (1986) and Three Mile Island, PA (1979) | |
| 62459105 | Alternate energy sources | wind, solar, waves, biomass, geothermal, fuel cells | |
| 62459106 | LD50 (LD-50) | (the amount of a chemical that kills 50% of the animals in a test population | |
| 62459107 | Mutagen | causes hereditary changes through mutations | |
| 62459108 | Teratogen | causes fetus deformities | |
| 62459109 | Carcinogen | causes cancer | |
| 62459110 | Endangered species | a group of organisms in danger of becoming extinct if the situation is not improved; population numbers have dropped below the critical number of organisms; North spotted owl, Arctic polar bear, and many others | |
| 62459111 | Invasive/Alien/Exotic species | non-native species to an area; often thrive and disrupt the ecosystem balance; examples: kudzu vine, purple loosestrife, African honeybee "killer bee", water hyacinth, fire ant, zebra mussel | |
| 62459112 | The Tragedy of the Commons | (1968) paper by ecologist Garret Hardin) global commons such as atmosphere and oceans are used by all and owned by none | |
| 62459113 | Volcano and Earthquake occurrence | at plate boundaries (divergent = spreading, mid-ocean ranges; convergent = trenches; transform = sliding, San Andreas fault) | |
| 62459114 | Sources of mercury | burning coal, compact fluorescent bulbs | |
| 62459115 | Major source of sulfur | burning coal | |
| 62459116 | Threshold dose | the maximum dose that has no measurable effect | |
| 62459117 | Temperature inversion | layer of dense, cool air trapped under a layer of warm dense air, pollution in trapped layer may build to harmful levels; frequent in Los Angeles, CA and Mexico City, Mexico | |
| 62459118 | Transpiration | process where water is absorbed by plant roots, moves up through plants, passes through pores (stomata) in leaves or other parts, evaporates into atmosphere as water vapor | |
| 62459119 | Monoculture | cultivation of a single crop, usually in a large area | |
| 62459120 | Food | wheat, rice, and corn provide more than 1/2 of the calories in the food consumed by the world's people | |
| 62459121 | Surface Forest Fire | usually burn only under growth and leaf litter on forest floor | |
| 62459122 | Crown Forest Fire | hot fires, may start on ground but eventually leap from treetop to treetop | |
| 62459123 | Ground Forest Fire | go underground, may smolder for days or weeks, difficult to detect and extinguish (peat bogs) | |
| 62459124 | Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act | 1977; requires coal strip mines to reclaim the land | |
| 62459125 | Madrid Protocol | 1991; Suspension of mineral exploration (mining) for 50 years in Antarctica | |
| 62459126 | Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) | 1974; set maximum contaminant levels for pollutants in drinking water tha may have adverse effects on human health | |
| 62459127 | Clean Water Act (CWA) | 1972; set maximum permissible amounts of water pollutants that can be discharged into waterways; aims to make surface waters swimmable and fishable | |
| 62459128 | Ocean Dumping Ban Act | 1988; bans ocean dumping of sewage sludge and industrial waste in the ocean | |
| 62459129 | Clean Air Act (CAA) | 1970; set emission standards for cars and limits release of air pollutants | |
| 62459130 | Kyoto Protocol | 2005; controlling global warming by setting greenhouse gas emissions targets for developed countries | |
| 62459131 | Montreal Protocol | 1987; phase-out of ozone depleting substances | |
| 62459132 | Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) | 1976; controls hazardous waste with a cradle to grave system | |
| 62459133 | Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) | 1980; "superfund," designed to identify and clean up abandoned hazardous waste dump sites | |
| 62459134 | Nuclear Waste Policy Act | 1982; U.S. government must develop a high level nuclear waste site (Yucca Mountain) | |
| 62459852 | Endangered Species Act | 1973; identifies threatened and endangered species in the U.S. and puts their protection ahead of economic considerations | |
| 62459853 | Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) | 1973; lists species that cannot be commercially traded as live specimens or wildlife products | |
| 62459854 | Magnuson-Stevens Act | 1976; management of marine fisheries | |
| 62459855 | Food Quality Protection Act | 1996; set pesticide limits in food, and all active and inactive ingredients must be screened for estrogenic/endocrine effects | |
| 62459856 | National Environmental Policy Act | 1969; Environmental Impact Statements must be done before any project affecting federal lands can be started | |
| 62459857 | Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants | 2004; Seeks to protect human health from the 12 most toxic chemicals (includes 8 chlorinated hydrocarbons pesticides / DDT can be used for malaria control) |
