environmental science- ap exam prep quiz #1

First Law of Thermodynamics

energy is neither created nor destroyed, but may be converted from one form to another

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)

Ionizing radiation

enough energy to knock electrons from atoms forming ions, capable of causing cancer (ex. gamma-X-rays-UV light)

Potential energy

stored energy, related to an object's position (water behind a dam)

Kinetic energy

energy of motion, flowing water in a river, arrow in flight, electromagnetic energy, heat

Energy (BLANK) through ecosystems

flows

Electromagnetic spectrum

from short wavelength, high energy to long wavelength, low energy \= gamma rays, × rays, ultraviolet (UV) rays, visible light, infrared light, microwaves, radio waves. Red light primarily absorbed in upper Im of water, blue light penetrates deeper

Parts of the hydrologic cycle

precipitation, evaporation, transpiration. runoff, infiltration, deep percolation, groundwater movement

Methods to increase infiltration

less paving of roads/sidewalks (unless permeable pavement), plant trees, build up not out

Seep (spring)

area where water table is at the surface and groundwater flows freely

Capillary action

water moving upward in soil by clinging together due to H bonds

Percent water on earth by type

97.5% seawater, 2.5% freshwater (ice caps/glaciers \= 1.59%, groundwater \= 0.59%, lakes \= 0.007%, etc.)

Watershed

area within a drainage basin, area of land that drains into same body of water, characteristics include its area, slope, soil, vegetation types, connections to adjoining watersheds

Means to reduce flooding

levees, dams, channelization of rivers

Aquifer

any water-bearing layer in the ground

Water table

upper limit of groundwater, near surface in wetland, may be deep in other areas

Saturated zone

soil saturated with water (groundwater), upper limit called water table

Cone of depression

lowering of the water table around a pumping well

Vadose zone

dry area of soil above the water table

Artesian well

water flows freely to the surface

Recharge zones

areas where large amounts of water infiltrate/percolate to recharge aquifer

Groundwater overdraft

withdraw groundwater faster than it is replenished, may result in subsidence of buildings, saltwater intrusion (seawater moves into aquifers near the coast), drying up of wells

Groundwater pollution

hard to clean up as groundwater moves slowly (pollution does not "wash out)

Salinization of soil

in arid regions, water evaporates leaving salts behind

Salt water intrusion

salt water enters aquifers and makes groundwater salty

Water Use

instream (use within river, hydroelectric, fishing, recreation) vs. offstream (remove to use, irrigation, human consumption)

Consumptive water use

water is consumed/degraded (drinking, agriculture)

Non-consumptive water use

water still fit for other uses (recreation)

Water problems and use, eastern US

pollution, flooding, primary use \= industry and energy production

Water problems and use, western US

drought, primary use \= agriculture

Means to increase water supply

dams/reservoirs, water transfer projects, desalination (remove salt from water), easiest \= improve efficiency of use (drip irrigation, fix leaks, gray water system with two sets of pipes (toilet to sewer, sink drains to water yard), low flow toilets and shower heads)

Types of irrigation

spray (sprinklers), furrow (furrows between crop rows filled with water), flood (field flooded), drip (drip lines to individual plants, most efficient)

Problems associated with dams

block fish passage, less soil nutrients transported to downstream areas (crop harvests down), large human costs (China and displaced people due to Three Gorges Dam)

Problem with desalination

cost, use reverse osmosis, distillation

Channelization

straightening of river channels to increase water flow (get water through faster to

reduce flood problems)

Aral Sea

shrinking due to water diversions, fish extinctions, human health impacts due to exposure to toxics previously trapped in lake bottom

Plankton

microscopic plants (phytoplankton) and animals (zooplankton)

Lake Zones

littoral, limnetic (photic), profundal (aphotic). benthic

Lentic

standing body of water (pond, lake)

Lotic

flowing body of water (river, stream)

Lake Types

based on nutrient content/age- oligotrophic (few nutrients, low productivity, young lake in terms of lake succession), mesotrophic (middle), eutrophic (lots of nutrients, high productivity, old lake in terms of lake succession)

Eutrophication

rapid algal growth caused by an excess of N & P, a natural process accelerated by humans by adding nutrients when fertilizer is in runoff, sewage, etc. (cultural eutrification refers to nutrients added by humans compared to natural eutrophication which is a slow process)

Algal bloom

explosive growth of algae causing water clarity to decrease, result from addition of nutrients (typically N and P)

Hypoxic

water low in dissolved oxygen

Lake zonation and cycling

epilimnion on top, thermocline divides, hypolimnion on bottom - in summer, lake stratifies, epilimnion is warm but low in nutrient, hypolimnion is high in nutrients but low in DO as it doss not mix with epilimnion due to thermocline - mixes completely in spring and fall, in winter it stratifies again, ice on top

Stream/River migration

streams shift back and forth in their floodplains, sometimes they carve a new course and cut off a section and an oxbow lake forms

Estuaries

where river meets sea (also where stream meets lake), in ocean estuary, salt water on bottom, fresh river water flows on top, tides cause nutrients to get caught up and mix, highly productive, nursery for many fish

Riparian

refers to a river or lake, example - riparian vegetation is vegetation along a river/lake

Wetlands

trap nutrients and sediment from entering lakes, reduce flooding by absorbing water, important breeding grounds for many species, now require 404 Permit from Army Corps to fill

Bedload

sediment moving along a riverbed due to the flow of water

Suspended load

sediment carried in suspension in water column in river

Benthic

pertains to the bottom

Ocean tides

two high and two low daily

Ocean habitats

coastal zones and open ocean (contains most water but only 10% of species), open ocean habitats include euphotic, bathyal, and abyssal

Coral reefs

require warm clear water to form

Barrier islands

protect mainland by acting as a buffer for storms

DO and temperature

cold water can hold more oxygen then warm water

Measure DO in

ppm (mg/l)

Oxygen enters water through

photosynthesis by plants contact with air (riffles, waterfalls)

Aeration

adding oxygen to water or soil

If nitrogen/phosphorus are present in only small amounts, they may be

limiting nutrients

pH

measure of H ion conc., less than 7 acidic, 7 neutral, greater than 7 basic, a log scale (pH of 4 10x as acidic as pH of 5), H ion conc. (molarity) of 10 to the -4 equals a pH of 4 and an associated OH- conc. (molarity) of 10 to the -10, H ion conc. (molarity) of 10 to the -11 equals a pH of 11 and an associated OH- conc. (molarity) of 10 to the -3

Alkalinity

refers to substances dissolved in water, influences pH (alkaline refers to pH above 7)

Hard water

water containing high amounts of minerals (mostly calcium carbonate), leaves deposits on faucets, etc.

Buffering capacity

ability of water to resist changes in pH, if high, usually indicates presence of calcium carbonate

Soft water

contains low amounts of calcium, magnesium, etc.

Water softener

replaces calcium and magnesium ions in water sodium ions. no more ring around the tub

Turbidity

measurement of water clarity (if turbid, looks cloudy, possibly due to plankton/algae or sediment), measure with turbidity meter, get rough estimate using Secci disk

Secci disk

round disk lowered into waterbody to measure water clarity

ppm

parts per million

ppb

parts per billion

Leaching

removal of dissolved materials from soil by water moving downwards

Point source

from a specific, identifiable location

Non-point sources

from over an area such as runoff from farms, hard to control

Oxygen demanding waste

require oxygen for bacteria to decompose, a BOD results from their presence, high BOD leads to fish kills (not enough oxygen)

BOD

biological oxygen demand, amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic decomposers to break down organic materials (high BOD in a lake/river indicates organic pollution/sewage

Oxygen lag curve

plot of oxygen concentration after an oxygen demanding waste enters a stream (zones \= clean zone, polluted zone, active decompositions zone, recovery zone, clean zone)

Hypoxia

condition in aquatic system where DO is so low life can't be supported

Pathogens

disease causing agents (virus, bacteria)

Pathogen/climate change link

as norther/souther latitudes warm, pathogens, diseases, and their associated vectors spread as they can now survive in these areas, especially in poverty stricken areas due to lack of sanitation in waste disposal and drinking water

Common diseases

TB (bacteria attacking lungs, air and body fluid transfer), malaria (mosquito bites in tropical areas), west Nile virus (from mosquito bites), SARS (type of pneumonia from air or body fluid transfer), MERS (respiratory illness transferred from animals to humans), Zika (mosquito bites and sexual contact), Cholera (bacteria, from infected water)

E. coli

bacteria whose presence indicates the presence of feces

Mine drainage

typically low pH, low pH frees toxic metals from rocks and soil

Sediment pollution

buries aquatic organisms and fish spawning areas, discolors water, fills in reservoirs

Thermal pollution (heat)

increased water temperature lowers amount of DO in water, fish suffocate

Septic tank

tank and leach lines (water purified as it leaches through soil, may contaminate groundwater), use for homes in rural areas

Primary treatment

first stage of a wastewater treatment plant, use grates/screens to remove large objects (this part sometimes called "pretreatment") followed by settling tanks to remove sediment (also called grit chamber)

Secondary treatment

second stage of a wastewater treatment plant, use bacteria to remove oxygen demanding wastes via trickling filter or activated sludge (sludge of living bacteria and waste material), however secondary treatment does not remove metals, nutrients such as N and P, or organic chemicals

Biosolids (sludge)

organic material removed from sewage

Treated sludge

sludge (organic material) which has been treated to make nonhazardous

Microbe

microorganism

Tertiary treatment

advanced stage found at some wastewater treatment plants, designed to remove specific pollutants (activated carbon for organic pesticides, reverse osmosis for most things)

Distillation

purify water through boiling/recondensing as water

Potable water

water suitable for drinking

Chlorination

add chlorine to disinfect (kill bacteria) in drinking water or sewage effluent

Alternative methods of wastewater treatment

typically biological, use wetlands as natural sponge to remove nutrients, sediments, etc.

Ecology

study of relationship between organisms and the environment

Abiotic

nonliving components of an ecosystem (water, soil, etc.)

Ecosphere

portion of earth in which living things exist