Quizlet 16-20
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Created by:
0optimusprime0 on April 18, 2012
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135 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 LED (light-emitting diode) | consumes 90% less energy & lasts 100x's longer than ordinary lightbulbs |
| energy efficiency | The percentage of energy put into a system that does useful work |
| co-generation | simultaneous production of electricity and steam in the same facility |
| hybrid gasoline-electric engine | battery-powered electric motor with a small gasoline engine to help accelerate and/or recharge battery |
| plug-in hybrid | electric motor that can be recharged, can travel up to 40 miles on 1 overnight charge |
| passive collection | The use of building materials by design to keep a building warm or cool |
| active collection | the use of devices, such as solar panels, to collect, focus, transport, or store solar energy. |
| photovoltaic cells | Cells, usually made of specially-treated silicon, that transfer solar energy from the sun to electrical energy |
| solar cooker | insulated box that can be used for heating and cooking in developing countries, costs a few dollars |
| green pricing | Allowing customers of utilities to voluntarily pay more for electricity that comes from renewable sources |
| amorphous silicon collectors | noncrytalline silicon semiconductors that can be made into lightweight, paper-think sheets that require much less material than conventional photovoltaic cells |
| fuel cell | produces electricity chemically by combining hydrogen fuel with oxygen from air |
| reformer | an apparatus that reforms the molecular structure of hydrocarbons to produce richer fuel |
| biomass | total amount of living tissue within a given trophic level |
| dung | fecal matter of animals |
| biodiesel | A diesel-equivalent, processed fuel derived from biological sources (such as vegetable oils), that can be used in unmodified diesel-engine vehicles. |
| cellulosic | a plastic made from cellulose (or a derivative of cellulose) |
| flex-fuel vehicle | can burn variable mixtures of ethanol and gasoline |
| energy crop | can be grown specifically as an energy source of marginal land, such as switch grass, cattails, and hybrid poplar |
| low-input high-diversity biofuels | mixed polycultures of perennial native species with a lot of biomass |
| low-head hydro power | small-scale headwater dam that causes less damage than larger projects |
| micro-hydro generators | small generator to provide economical power for a single home that is near a perennial stream or river |
| geothermal energy | energy derived from the heat in the interior of the earth |
| ocean thermal electric conversion | heat from sun-warmed upper ocean layers is used to evaporate a working fluid (ammonia or Freon, low boiling points), use the gas to spin turbines |
| turbine | rotary engine in which the kinetic energy of a moving fluid is converted into mechanical energy by causing a bladed rotor to rotate |
| wind farm | Cluster of wind turbines grouped together to produce a large amount of electricity |
| work | force x distance |
| power | rate at which work is done |
| energy | the capacity to do work |
| joule | the SI unit of energy |
| fossil fuel | fuel consisting of the remains of organisms preserved in rocks in the earth's crust with high carbon and hydrogen content |
| proven reserves | An accurate estimate of how much of the resource can be extracted on an economic basis |
| black lung disease | a disease that is caused from years of inhaling coal dust |
| carbon sequestration | storing carbon in a natural sink or a geologic reservoir underground |
| coal-to-liquid | a technology that converts dry coal into a liquid fuel to replace diesel and jet fuels. There are multiple methods, but the process proposed for use in the US would first use heat and pressure to gasify the coal, then cool the gas to form a liquid—an energy-intensive process. |
| ANWR | controversial drilling grounds housing 3-8 billion oil barrels. 6-11 months supply for U.S. only; home to sensitive caribou calving grounds |
| seam | a stratum of ore or coal thick enough to be mined with profit |
| tar sands | Canada & Venezuela have the largest deposits; an underground sand deposit permeated with a thick, asphalt-like oil known as bitumen. The bitumen can be separated from the sand by heating. |
| oil shale | a soft, fine-grained sedimentary rock from which oil and natural gas are obtained by heating; found in CO, UT, WY, and eastern US |
| petroleum | an oily, dark-colored, flammable liquid found in the earth, consisting mainly of a mixture of various hydrocarbons. Gasoline, kerosene, fuel oil, paraffin, and lubricants are made from petroleum |
| crude oil | Unrefined Petroleum |
| natural gas | A mixture of hydrocarbon gases that occur with petroleum deposits |
| half-life | time it takes for half the sample to decay |
| methane hydrate | This solid consisting of molecules of methane within a crystal lattice of water ice molecules occurs underground in some Artic locations and more widely under the seafloor on the contenental shelves. |
| coal-bed methane | methane held in place by pressure from overlying aquifers; pumping water out of the aquifers releases the gas, but creates huge amounts of contaminated effluent |
| nuclear power | Energy that is harnessed from reactions among radioactive isotopes, most commonly used is uranium 235 |
| nuclear fusion | a nuclear reaction in which nuclei combine to form more massive nuclei with the simultaneous release of energy |
| nuclear fission | a nuclear reaction in which a massive nucleus splits into smaller nuclei with the simultaneous release of energy |
| fuel assembly | a bundle of hollow metal rods containing uranium oxide pellets; used to fuel nuclear reactor. |
| critical mass | the minimum mass of a fissionable isotope that provides the number of neutrons needed to sustain a chain reaction |
| chain reaction | a reaction in which the material that starts the reaction is also one of the products and can start another reaction |
| breeder reactor | a fission reactor that is designed to breed more fissionable fuel then is put into it by converting nosfissionable isotopes to fissionable isotops |
| high-level waste repository | an area to store intensely radioactive wastes buried deep in the ground, hopefully unexposed to groundwater and earthquakes for the thousands of years required for radioactive materials to decay to a safe level |
| monitored, retrievable storage | holding nuclear wastes in underground mines or secure surface facilities where they can be watched, and removed for repacking if canisters leak |
| decommissioning | dismantling and disposal of old nuclear reactors |
| NIMBY | Not in my backyard!!! |
| kerogen | Solid, waxy mixture of hydrocarbons found in oil shale rock. Heating the rock to high temperatures causes the kerogen to vaporize. The vapor is condensed, purified, and then sent to a refinery to produce gasoline, heating oil, and other products. See also oil shale, shale oil. |
| Light water reactor | A common type of commercial nuclear reactor that uses ordinary (light) water as the moderator; Cold water from a local source is used to condense the steam, and that warm water is returned to the environment (thermal pollution) |
| low-level wastes | Wastes that give off small amounts of radiation; Must be stored safely for 100-500 yrs; Most in the U.S. are put in steel drums and dumped into the ocean, others are put in landfills |
| high-level wastes | Waste that gives off high amounts of radiation for a short time, or low amounts for a long time; Spent fuel rods and wastes from making bombs |
| point source | A specific source of pollution that can be identified, such as a pipe. |
| nonpoint source | Large or dispersed land areas such as crop fields, streets, and lawns that discharge pollutants into the environment over a large area. |
| atmospheric deposition | contaminants carried by air currents and precipitated into watersheds or directly onto surface waters |
| coliform bacteria | used as a common measure of biological pollution and as a standard measure of microbial pollution. It is usually harmless, part of the normal constituents of human intestines and found in all human waste. |
| BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) | amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic decomposers to break down organic materials |
| DO | measure of dissolved oxygen in the water |
| oxygen sag | oxygen levels decline downstream from a pollution source as decomposers metabolize waste materials |
| oligotrophic | Describes the water which is nutrient poor, deep & cold, little organic matter (little phytoplanktin) |
| eutrophic | lakes that are rich with organic matter and vegetation that are typically murky |
| red tide | a population explosion of certain marine dinoflagellates that causes the water to turn a red or red-brown color and to contain poisonous alkaloids produced by the dinoflagellates |
| cultural eutrophication | Overnourishment of aquatic ecosystems with plant nutrients (mostly nitrates and phosphates) because of human activities such as agriculture, urbanization, and discharges from industrial plants and sewage treatment plants. |
| thermal pollution | harm to lakes and rivers resulting from the release of excessive waste heat into them |
| total maximum daily load (TMDL) | EPA administered program to address non-point-source water pollution that sets pollution limits according to the abilityof a body of water to assimilate different pollutants. |
| MBTE | groundwater contaminant, mainly from leaking underground storage tanks at gas stations |
| primary treatment | After passing through grates and screens, the water is allowed to settle in clarifiers (tanks), which separates the solids from the liquids. Still has a substantial BOD. |
| secondary treatment | Treating wastewater biologically, by using microorganisms to decompose the suspended organic material; occurs after primary treatment |
| tertiary treatment | Highest form of wastewater treatment that includes removal of nutrients, organic and solid material, along with biological & chemical polishing. |
| effluent sewerage | a low-cost alternative sewage treatment for cities in poor countries that combines some features of septic systems and centralized municipal teatment systems |
| transpiration | the emission of water vapor from the leaves of plants |
| evaporation | the process by which water changes from liquid form to an atmospheric gas |
| sublimation | a change directly from the solid to the gaseous state without becoming liquid |
| saturation point | when a volume of air contains as much water vapor as it can hold at a given temperature |
| relative humidity | the ratio of the amount of water in the air at a give temperature to the maximum amount it could hold at that temperature |
| condensation | the process by which molecules of water vapor in the air become liquid water |
| dew point | the temperature at which the water vapor in the air becomes saturated and condensation begins |
| condensation nuclei | solid particles in the atmosphere, such as ice and dust, that provide the surfaces on which water vapor condenses |
| rain shadow | dry area found on the leeward side of a mountain range |
| residence time | The average time a given molecule of water or other substance will stay in a given water source |
| groundwater | water that fills the cracks and spaces in underground soil and rock layers |
| infiltration | This step of the water cycle occurs when the water is pulled into the ground due to the pull of gravity. |
| zone of aeration | Area above the water table where openings in soil, sediment, and rock are not saturated but are filled mainly with air. Above water table |
| zone of saturation | lower region of groundwater where all the pore spaces in a rock or sediment are filled with water |
| water table | the upper surface of underground water; the upper boundary of the zone of saturation |
| aquifer | a body of rock or sediment that stores groundwater and allows the flow of groundwater |
| artesian well | a well in which water rises because of pressure within the aquifer |
| recharge zone | Area of the Earth's surface where water percolates down into the aquifer |
| discharge | The volume of water that flows within a given time |
| renewable water supplies | annual freshwater surface runoff plus annual infiltration into underground freshwater aquifers that are accessible for human use |
| withdrawal | the total amount of water taken from a lake, river, or aquifer for any purpose; much is returned to circulation in a form that can be used again |
| consumption | the fraction of withdrawn water that is lost in transmission, evaporation, absorption, chemical transformation, or otherwise made unavailable for other purposes as a result of human use |
| degraded | deteriorated in water quality due to contamination or pollution; makes water unsuitable for other desirable purposes |
| dam | a structure built across a river or stream that restricts the flow of water traveling downstream |
| sedimentation | the addition of soils to water bodies by natural and human related activities. It decreases water quality and accelerates the aging process of lakes, rivers, and streams. |
| reservoir | an artificial lake where the water that is prevented from gong downstream (by a dam) collects |
| subsidence | collapse of ground due to groundwater removal |
| sinkhole | when the roof of an underground channel or cavern collapses, creating a large surface crater |
| saltwater intrusion | Movement of salt water into freshwater aquifers in coastal and inland areas as groundwater is withdrawn faster than it is recharged by precipitation. |
| desalination | the removal of salt from seawater to make it usable for drinking and farming, very expensive on a large scale |
| primary pollutant | a pollutant that is put directly into the air by human activity |
| secondary pollutant | pollutant formed by the chemical reactions of other primary or secondary pollutants |
| fugitive emissions | Substances that enter the air without going through a smokestack, such as dust from soil erosion, strip mining, rock crushing, construction or building demolition |
| ambient air | the air immediately around us |
| conventional pollutants | aka "criteria pollutants"; sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulates, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, photochemical oxidants, lead, carbon dioxide |
| sulfur dioxide | produced by chemical interacting between sulfur and oxygen. Contributes to acid rain. Harms plant life, irritates respiratory system when it's a secondary pollutant |
| nitrogen oxides | (source: auto exhaust) (effects: acidification of lakes, respiratory irritation, leads to smog & ozone) (Equation for acid formation: NO + O2 = NO2 + H2O = HNO3) (Reduction: catalytic converter) |
| carbon monoxide | Colorless, odorless poisonous gas produced as a by-product of incomplete combustion; can be dangerous if not properly ventilated |
| VOC's (volatile organic compounds) | carbon-containing chemicals used in and emitted by vehicle engines and a wide variety of solvents and industrial processes; creates smog, carcinogen |
| aerosol | a suspension in the atmosphere of a solid such as dust, salt, and pollen. and liquid droplets such as acids |
| particulate | bits of dust, dirt and small matter in the air |
| halogens | (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, and astatine); combine with most metals to form salts. |
| photochemical oxidants | Products of secondary atmospheric reactions driven by solar energy; causes smog. |
| hazardous air pollutants | special category of pollutants monitored by the EPA such as carcinogens, neurotoxins, mutagens, teratogens, endocrine disrupters; aka HAP's |
| TRI (Toxic Release Inventory) | community right-to-know toxin release reports from factories, refineries, hard rock mines, power plants, and chemical manufacturers |
| aesthetic degradation | undesirable changes in the physical characteristics or chemistry of the atmosphere; ex: noise, odors, light pollution |
| climate | the average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time |
| temperature inversion | the atmospheric condition that causes pollution to be trapped at ground level by a layer of warm air above it |
| dust dome | Dome of heated air that surrounds an urban area and contains a lot of air pollution (particulate matter) in high winds pollution plumes downwind in rural areas |
| heat island | Phenomenon describing urban and suburban tempuratures that are 2 to 10 degrees F(1 to 6 degrees C)hotter than nearby rural areas. |
| stratospheric ozone | good ozone that keeps out ultraviolet radiation |
| CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) | from air conditioners and refrigerators that destroy the ozone layer |
| Montreal Protocol | meeting in 1987 where a group of nations met in Canada and agreed to take steps to fight against Ozone Depletion-CFC's banned |
| bronchitis | inflammation of the mucus membrane of the bronchial tubes |
| chronic obstructive lung disease | Irreversible damage to the lining of the lungs caused by irritants |
| synergistic effects | combined effects of two pollutants are greater than the sum of their seperate effects |
| acid rain | rain containing acids that form in the atmosphere when industrial gas emissions (especially sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) combine with water |
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