Natural Hazards and Atmospheric Pollution

Vocabulary flashcards based on lecture notes covering natural hazards, atmospheric pollution, and human population dynamics.

Hard engineering projects

These include levees, flood barriers, and dams used for protection against natural hazards.

Soft engineering projects

Techniques such as afforestation and storage basins aimed at managing natural hazards.

Drought preparation methods

Include increasing water supplies through various means such as reservoirs and desalination.

Acid rain

Precipitation with a pH value of less than 7, resulting from the combination of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere.

Smog

Fog that forms around particles from burning fossil fuels, often resulting in poor air quality.

Photochemical smog

Smog formed by chemical reactions in sunlight involving pollutants, leading to harmful compounds like ground-level ozone.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Chemical compounds that easily vaporize and contribute to air pollution, primarily from evaporation.

Temperature inversion

A condition where warmer air traps cooler air at the surface, leading to increased pollution concentration.

Enhanced greenhouse effect

The increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere due to human activities, resulting in global warming.

Ozone layer depletion

The thinning of the ozone layer caused by chemicals like CFCs, allowing more ultraviolet radiation to reach the Earth's surface.

Smog impact

Irritation of eyes, respiratory diseases, and increased risk of lung cancer due to fine particle pollution.

Acid rain impact

Undrinkable groundwater, tree root damage, and reduced crop yields due to soil acidification.

Climate change effects

Includes melting ice sheets, habitat loss, forced migration, and loss of biodiversity.

Carbon footprint

A measure of the impact of human activities on the environment, particularly in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.

Carbon capture and storage

A technology that captures waste carbon dioxide from energy generation and stores it underground.

Reforestation

The process of replanting trees in an area where forests have been cut down.

Afforestation

The establishment of a forest or stand of trees in an area where there was no previous tree cover.

Population density

The number of individuals living per area unit, indicating how crowded an area is.

Carrying capacity

The maximum population size that an environment can sustain without detrimental effects.

Natural increase

The difference between the birth rate and the death rate in a population.

Factors affecting birth rate

Include economic conditions, social factors, and availability of birth control.