APES Study Guide: 155 Ways to Go

Ionizing Radiation

Energy capable of dislodging electrons from atoms, leading to ion formation and potential cancer risk (e.g., gamma, X-rays, UV).

High Quality Energy

Concentrated energy suitable for performing work efficiently (e.g., fossil fuels, nuclear energy).

Low Quality Energy

Dispersed and disorganized energy forms (e.g., heat in oceans, wind, solar).

First Law of Thermodynamics

Energy is conserved and can be converted from one form to another (Law of Conservation of Energy).

Second Law of Thermodynamics

Energy conversions result in the degradation of useful energy into lower quality forms, often heat.

Natural Radioactive Decay

Unstable isotopes release gamma rays, alpha and beta particles (e.g., Radon).

Half-Life

Time for half the mass of a radioactive isotope to decay.

Nuclear Fission

Splitting of isotope nuclei by neutrons.

Nuclear Fusion

Fusion of light element isotopes at high temperatures to form heavier nuclei (e.g., H to He).

Ore

Rock with profitable mineral concentrations for mining.

Mineral Reserve

Identified and profitable mineral deposits for extraction.

Best Solution To Energy Shortage

Conservation, efficiency increase, and exploration of alternative energy sources.

Organic Fertilizer

Slow-acting and long-lasting due to organic decomposition time.

Surface Mining

Cost-effective method for mineral extraction with lower worker hazards.

Humus

Dark organic material post-microorganism decomposition.

Leaching

Dissolved material removal from soil by downward water movement.

Illuviation

Leached material deposition in lower soil layers (B Horizons).

Loam

Optimal agricultural soil mix with sand, silt, clay in proportions (40%, 40%, 20%).

Soil Conservation Methods

Techniques like conservation tillage, crop rotation, and organic fertilizers.

Soil Salinization

Salt accumulation in arid regions due to water evaporation.

Conservation

Responsible resource use.

Preservation

Protection of areas from human activities.

Water Logging

Soil saturation leading to plant root oxygen deprivation.

Hydrologic Cycle Components

Evaporation, transpiration, runoff, condensation, precipitation, infiltration.

Watershed

Land draining into a body of water.

Aquifer

Porous underground rock layers allowing slow water movement.

Cone of Depression

Water table lowering around a pumping well.

Salt Water Intrusion

Saltwater intrusion into aquifers due to overpumping.

ENSO

El Nino Southern Oscillation affecting air pressure over the South Pacific.

Reduction

Scrubbers, burn low sulfur fuels:Methods to reduce air pollution by using scrubbers and low sulfur fuels.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

A greenhouse gas produced by the combustion of fossil fuels, contributing to global warming.

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Generated from incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, binds to hemoglobin reducing oxygen transport in blood.

Ozone (O3)

Formed as a secondary pollutant from reactions involving NO2, UV, and VOCs, causing respiratory irritation and plant damage.

Radon (Rn)

Naturally occurring radioactive gas from the decay of uranium, leading to lung cancer.

Greenhouse Gases

Includes H2O, CO2, methane, and CFCs, trapping heat causing global warming.

Effects of Global Warming

Result in rising sea levels, extreme weather, droughts, famines, and extinctions.

Greenhouse Effect

Essential for life but accelerated leads to global warming.

Ozone Depletion

Caused by substances like CFCs, leading to increased UV radiation and harmful effects.

Love Canal, NY

Site where buried chemicals caused health issues like birth defects and cancer.

Main Components of Municipal Solid Waste

Predominantly paper, managed mainly through landfills.

Sanitary Landfill Problem and Solutions

Issues like leachate and methane gas are addressed by linear collection systems and gas collection.

Incineration Advantages

Reduces waste volume by 90% and produces waste heat for energy generation.

Incineration Disadvantages

Generates toxic emissions, requiring scrubbers, and disposal of ash containing heavy metals.

Best Way To Solve Waste Problems

Focus on reducing waste at the source to minimize environmental impact.

Deserts

Cover about one fifth of the Earth’s surface, with rainfall less than 50 cm a year, occurring mostly at low latitudes and supporting specialized vegetation and animals.

Tundra

Treeless plains in the coldest biomes, found in the Arctic and Antarctica, dominated by lichens, mosses, sedges, and dwarfed shrubs.

Wetlands

Areas of standing water supporting aquatic plants, including marshes, swamps, and bogs, with high species diversity and low salt concentration.

Oceans

The largest ecosystem, divided into zones like intertidal, pelagic, abyssal, and benthic, with a great diversity of species.

Chernobyl, Ukraine

Site of the 1986 nuclear disaster due to an unauthorized safety test, exposing millions to unsafe radiation levels.

Rachel Carson

Author of "Silent Spring" in 1962, raising awareness about environmental damage from pesticides like DDT.

Clean Water Act (CWA, 1972)

Legislation setting limits on water pollutants to make surface waters swimmable and fishable.

Endangered Species Act

Enacted in 1973 to protect threatened and endangered species in the U.S. ahead of economic considerations.