ap hg chapter 14: resource issues

resource

a substance in the environment that is useful to people, is economically and technologically feasible to access, and is socially acceptable to use

animate power

power supplied by people or animals

inanimate power

power supplied by machines

biomass fuel

fuel that derives from plant material and animal waste

fossil fuel

energy source formed from the residue of plants and animals buried millions of years ago

proven reserve

the amount of a resource remaining in discovered deposits

potential reserve

the amount of a resource in deposits not yet identified but thought to exist

fission

the splitting of an atomic nucleus to release energy

radioactive waste

materials from a nuclear reaction that emit radiation; contact with such particles may be harmful or lethal to people; therefore, the materials must be safely stored for thousands of years

breeder reactor

a nuclear power plant that creates its own fuel from plutonium

passive solar energy systems

solar energy systems that collect energy without the use of mechanical devices

active solar energy systems

solar energy systems that collect energy through the use of mechanical devices such as photovoltaic cells or flat-plate collectors

photovoltaic cells

solar energy cells, usually made from silicon, that collect solar rays to generate electricity

hydroelectric power

power generated from moving water

geothermal energy

energy from steam or hot water produced from hot or molten underground rocks

fusion

creation of energy by joining the nuclei of two hydrogen atoms to form helium

pollution

addition of more waste than a resource can accommodate

air pollution

concentration of trace substances, such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, and solid particulates, at a greater level than occurs in average air

greenhouse effect

anticipated increase in Earth's temperature, caused by carbon dioxide (emitted by burning fossil fuels) trapping some of the radiation emitted by the surface

ozone

a gas that absorbs ultraviolet solar radiation and is found in the stratosphere, a zone 15 to 50 kilometers (9 to 30 miles) above Earth's surface

chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)

A gas used as a solvent, a propellant in aerosols, a refrigerant, and in plastic foams and fire extinguishers

acid deposition

sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides, emitted by burning fossil fuels, enter the atmosphere-where they combine with oxygen and water to form sulfuric acid and nitric acid-and return to Earth's surface

acid precipitation

conversion of sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides to acids that return to Earth as rain, snow, or fog

photochemical smog

an atmospheric condition formed through a combination of weather conditions and pollution, especially from motor vehicle emissions

biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)

amount of oxygen required by aquatic bacteria to decompose given load of organic waste; a measure of water pollution

sanitary landfill

a place to deposit solid waste, where a layer of earth is bulldozed over garbage each day to reduce emissions of gases and odors from the decaying trash, to minimize fires, and to discourage vermin

desertification

degradation of land, especially in semiarid areas, primarily because of human actions like excessive crop planting, animal grazing, and tree cutting

green revolution

rapid diffusion of new agricultural technology, especially new high-yield seeds and fertilizers

sustainable development

the level of development that can be maintained in a country without depleting resources to the extent that future generations will be unable to achieve a comparable level of development

sustainable agriculture

farming methods that preserve long-term productivity of land and minimize pollution, typically by rotating soil, restoring crops with cash crops, and reducing in-puts of fertilizer and pesticides