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biofuel

recently living matter or by-products of its decomposition used as an energy source

cogeneration

a principle where systems capture waste heat from power plants and use it as an additional source of heating or cooling

concentrated solar thermal (CST) plant

a solar power technology that captures heat using huge mirrors to focus sunlight toward liquid-filled pipes or a centrally located "power tower."

electric vehicle (EV)

a vehicle powered by an electric motor using a magnetic field to generate motion

ethanol

a type of biofuel made of alcohol and produced by fermenting sugars in plants such as corn or sugarcane; it is often blended with gasoline

fission

a process where the nuclei of atoms are split, releasing a very large amount of energy

fuel cell

a device that creates an electric current by stripping electrons from hydrogen molecules

geothermal power

power generated by heat from below earth's surface

hydropower

power generated when water is used to spin turbines and generate electricity

nuclear power

power generated when the nuclei of atoms are split, releasing a large amount of energy

photovoltaic (PV) solar panel

a panel that produces an electric charge when it is exposed to sunlight

variable generation

a power source with generating capacity that changes according to the time of day, weather conditions, or other factors

wind turbine

a machine that uses flowing air to turn large blades that in turn power a generator and creates electricity

asthenosphere

an area of Earth's mantle that is relatively pliable and is situated below the more rigid lithosphere

core

the center of Earth, with a solid inner section and a liquid outer section both made primarily of iron and nickel

crust

Earth's outermost layer

delta

a landform created where the river deposits its sediment load as it flows into the ocean

erosion

a process where natural forces-such as wind, water, ice, and gravity-move weathered rock particles

fault

a fracture in Earth's crust, along with one body of rock slides past another

floodplain

a place where floods frequently send water over the banks of a river or stream channel and deposit sediment

glacier

a mass of ice that flows over land surfaces and lasts all year

humus

in soil, a complex, dark, sticky organic material that can remain relatively stable over time

igneous rock

rock formed by the cooling of molten rock

impervious

something that does not allow water to pass through it

infiltration

in science, a process where water (or other liquid) moves down into the soil

landform

a surface feature of the landscape (mountains, hills, valleys, desert, plains, plateaus)

leaching

a process driven by water where mineral elements move down to deeper soil layers, potentially beneath the reach of plant roots, to be carried away in groundwater or stream flow

lithosphere

the rigid outer portion of Earth, consisting of the crust and the very top of the mantle

magnetosphere

an area of space around Earth that shields the planet from charged particles emitted from the Sun

mantle

the rock section of Earth above the core and below the crust

metamorphic rock

rock produced when one type of rock changes to another because of extreme heat and pressure

mineral

a natural solid from Earth's crust that forms rocks, also provide key materials for many practical human endeavors

rock cycle

the geologic process by which Earth recycles and renews its surface

salinization

when mineral salts build up in the soil

sediment

eroded material that is transported and accumulates in different places

sedimentary rock

rock formed when sediment buried under many layers of material cements together due to high pressures and temperatures

soil

a complex mixture of weathered rock and mineral particles (sediment), dead and decaying plant and animal matter, and the multitude of organisms that live within these materials

soil horizon

a layer in soil created by the action of living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) factors

soil profile

the collection of soil horizons at a location

tectonic plate

a section of Earth's crust that rides on top of denser material below; interactions among these plates shape Earth's surface

tillage

preparing the soil for planting by breaking it up and turning it over with a plow

tilth

the soil's overall structure and conditions that facilitate plant growth

topography

the shape of the land

topsoil

typically the first 2-6 inches of soil, encompassing the top two soil horizons

watershed

an area of land that drains to a particular point along a river or stream

weathering

physical and chemical processes that reduce rocks to smaller particles (such as gravel, sand, or silt) and alter materials

acid deposition

a phenomenon where air pollutants react with water, making an acid the precipitates from the sky, also known as "acid rain"

air mass

a large volume of air typically several kilometers thick and a thousand or more kilometers wide that has relatively uniform temperature and humidity

air pollution

what occurs when the addition of materials into the atmosphere adversely affects the health of humans and/or other organisms

atmosphere

a dynamic envelope of gases extending up from earth's surface that clings to our planet because of gravitational pull

barometric pressure

a measure of the pressure exerted by earth's atmosphere at any given point

clean air act of 1970

a law that established two important policy strategies: air-quality standards and regulations on the source of pollutants

climate

the long-term average of weather conditions for a given region

cold front

a cold air mass replacing a warm air mass

energy policy and conservation act

a 1975 act that set minimum miles per gallon (mpg) fuel-economy standards for cars and light trucks

ferrel cell

an air circulation pattern between latitudes 30° N and 60° N and between latitudes 30° S and 60° S

hadley cell

a looping weather pattern forming circulation systems between the equator and latitude 30 N and between the equator and latitude 30 S

high pressure system

a system of air formed by cooling air that becomes denser and heavier and then sinks to form an area of high pressure. it is usually associated with clear, dry conditions.

humidity

the amount of water in a given volume of air

jet stream

a prevailing wind pattern near the top of the troposphere

low-pressure system

a system of air in which warm, rising air cools as it expands into higher and colder altitudes. the cooling can cause the water vapor in the air mass to condense into clouds that may eventually produce participation

mesosphere

the layer of atmosphere above the stratosphere. it has earth's coldest temperatures and is where most meteors burn up

particulate matter (pm)

tiny particles and droplets less than 10 micrometers in size--about one-seventh the diameter of a strand of human hair--that are suspended in the air we breathe

pressure

the force exerted on or acting against something

primary pollutant

a substance that is harmful in its directly emitted form

relative humidity

the amount of water in the air as a percentage of the maximum amount of water that the air can hold at a given temperature

secondary pollutant

a pollutant that is the product of reactions occuring in the atmosphere

smog

a secondary pollutant that forms when chemicals from the combustion of fossil fuels interact in the presence of sunlight at warm temperatures

stratosphere

the layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere. it holds a layer of ozone that protects and warms earth

temperature

in common terms, a measurement of the hotness or coldness of something; formally, a measure of how vigorously the atoms in a material are moving and colliding with each other

thermosphere

the top layer of the atmosphere. it is very thing and where most man-made satellites orbit

tradable emission allowance

a strategy where the EPA sets the total allowable annual emissions for a pollutant from utilities, then divides this total into tradable units called allowances that are bought and sold

troposphere

the lowest area of the atmosphere from 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 kilometers) above the surface where earth's weather occcrs

volatile organic compounds

a gas released through the evaporation or incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and other organic chemicals

warm front

a warm air mass replacing a cold air mass

weather

short-term variations in conditions such as temperature, moisture, and wind in a specific place

wind

air in motion as it flows from high pressure to low pressure areas

Basel Convention

an international agreement negotiated to restrict movements of hazardous waste from more-developed to less-developed countries

bioreactor landfill

a disposal strategy using injected water and air to accelerate decomposition and reduce the volume of waste

combustion

in waste disposal, the strategy of burning waste

conspicuous consumption

the act of purchasing certain goods to project particular identities or images within society

consumption

the ways we use and dispose of material things

containment building

a structure that isolates the waste from the surrounding area while allowing constant monitoring and retrieval of it

conversion

a disposal strategy where waste is converted to something else useful

culture

the systematic, learned, and shared understandings and behaviors of a particular group

design for recovery

a process where guidelines are established to standardize the manufacture of materials and products in order to facilitate efficient recycling

e-waste

waste created from and by electronic devices

geologic disposal

injecting or placing waste beneath Earth's surface

incineration

in waste disposal, a technology of controlled combustion at high temperatures with pollution controls in place

isolation

the segregation of waste from significant contact with humans or the wider environment, normally below ground but sometimes in buildings above ground

leachate

a foul-smelling, soupy liquid that forms when rainwater or groundwater mixes with the decomposing waste at the dump

life-cycle assessment

an evaluation of the environmental impacts of all the steps involved in making, distributing, using, and ultimately disposing of a product

mass burn

a technology that combusts solid waste first and then performs secondary combustion of the resulting gases

municipal solid waste (MSW)

the waste consumers dispose of from their households and businesses

open dump

unregulated waste disposal in uncovered and openly accessible piles

primary recycling (closed-loop recycling)

a process that converts waste materials into the same sort of product from which they came

producer responsibility law

a law requiring manufacturers of products and packaging also to take responsibility for collection, recycling, reuse, or disposal

recycling

a strategy of redefining waste as resources for new products, thus diverting materials from the waste stream

remediation

the process that converts hazardous waste to less hazardous substances

sanitary landfill

a disposal site that isolates and contains waste, manages its contents, and treats liquid and gas releases