Chapter 15-18

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering atmospheric layers, radiation, air and ocean circulation, weather fronts, and climate change concepts from Chapter 15.

Main atmospheric gases

Nitrogen and oxygen

Weather

Short term temp or percipitation patterns

Climate

Long term temp or percipitation patterns

Troposphere

Atmospheric zone characterized by constant motion, redistributing heat and moisture w/ convection currents

Stratosphere

Atmospheric zone that is more dilute, absorbs UV, and lacks water vapor

Mesosphere

The middle layer of the atmosphere that is colder

Thermosphere

The outermost layer of the atmosphere containing many ionized gases due to radiation

Fate of solar radiation

$\frac{1}{4}$ is reflected off clouds + gases, $\frac{1}{4}$ is absorbed by carbon dioxide, water vapor, and ozone, and $\frac{1}{2}$ reaches Earth's surface

Albedo

A measure of how much light and heat a surface reflects rather than absorbs

Greenhouse effect

A process where light passes through but heat is trapped within

Percipitation cause

Cooling of air with lots of water vapor

Arid/dry regions location

Regions occurring where there is a lot of air sinking

Coriolis effect

Friction and drag on air layers near the Earth that deflects air currents to the direction Earth is spinning

Jet stream

Powerful, high altitude winds that circle the Earth

Atmospheric river

Long, narrow bands of humid air carrying lots of water vapor

Ocean current drivers

Surface currents directed by wind and Coriolis effect, deeper currents directed by water rising or sinking, and all influenced by water density

Cold front

A front where a cold air mass pushes under a warm air mass

Warm front

A front where warm air pushes up and over cold air

long term climate variation driven by

Driven by changes in Earths orbit and axis

Anthropogenic / cultural climate change

Long-term shifts in temperature and weather that are caused by human activities

Primary greenhouse gases

Carbon dioxide, Methane and Nitrous Oxide

Black carbon

Particulate carbon from burning organic materials

Potential impacts of climate change

More frequent and severe weather events, reduced water resources, Artic sea ice loss and glacier loss, and sea level rise

Clean Air Act regulated pollutants

Sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, lead, and ozone

Primary pollutant

Released directly from the source in a harmful form

Secondary pollutant

Converted to a hazardous form after release

Fugitive emissions

Unintentional and uncontrolled release of gases, vapors, or particles from industrial equipment

Mercury sources

Primarily from coal burning and accumulation of methylmercury in aquatic food webs

Mercury health effect

Damages the nervous system

Most toxic forms of mercury

Methylmercury and dimethylmercury

Halogenated compounds

Compounds containing fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine

Primary impact of halogenated compounds

Breaks down the ozone layer, allowing excess UV radiation to come through

HAPs

Hazardous air pollutants that are mainly from industrial processes

Indoor vs. outdoor air pollution harm

Indoor air pollution is usually more harmful to humans

Wind's effect on air pollution

Distributes pollutants widely

Thermal inversion

A weather pattern where a layer of warm air sits above a layer of cooler air, reversing the normal atmospheric trend where air gets colder as altitude increases

Thermal inversion effect on pollution

Traps air pollution near the ground

Air pollution control measures

Energy conservation, alternative energy sources, and clean air legislation

Main components of the hydrologic cycle

Evaporation and transpiration move water into the atmosphere, while precipitation returns it to Earth's surface to sustain living organisms.

Where are there generally consistent low vs high precipitation areas?

Areas situated near large bodies of water receive significantly more precipitation than inland regions.

Topographic influence on precipitation

Mountains act as cloud catchers and rain triggers on the windward side, leaving the downwind side dry.

earths water distribution, is there more salt or fresh water?

The vast majority of water on Earth is salt water.

where is most of Earths fresh water?

in Glaciers, ice caps, and snowfields.

where is most of the Earth's liquid freshwater?

Groundwater.

Groundwater

Water that percolates downward through soil into rock fractures

Zone of aeration

The upper soil and rock layer where pore spaces are filled with air rather than completely water.

Zone of saturation

lower layers of soil with no air but completely filled with water

table water

The boundary separating the zone of aeration from the zone of saturation

Surface water

Precipitation that doesn’t evaporate or enter the ground

Primary destinations of surface water

Streams, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.

Ecological importance of wetlands although they are small sized and quantity

They slow down water flow, allowing sediments to settle and naturally filtering out pollutants.

Water withdrawal

The total volume of water taken from a natural source.

Water consumption

The loss of withdrawn water through natural processes, evaporation, contamination, etc

Largest consumer of freshwater

Agriculture.

Major contributors to freshwater scarcity

Dry/hot regions, low rainfall, poor infrastructure, and climate change.

Impacts of groundwater depletion

Drying of wells and springs, severe water shortages, and higher chances of sink holes and flooding

Impacts of water control structures (dams and canals)

Slowing or redirecting flow, water loss, drying reservoirs, and altered water temperatures.

Water conservation measures

Water recycling, domestic reduction, and desalination.

Point source water pollution

Pollution that can be traced to a single, identifiable discharge site, such as a drain pipe.

Nonpoint source water pollution

Scattered or diffuse contamination that does not have a single, direct discharge outlet into a water body.

Eight main categories of water pollutants

Infectious agents, organic chemicals, inorganic chemicals, radioactive materials, sediment, plant nutrients, oxygen-demanding wastes, and thermal pollution.

Infectious agent water pollutants

Pathogens such as bacteria and viruses that originate primarily from human and animal waste.

Organic chemical water pollutants

Carbon-based compounds including pesticides, plastics, oil, and gasoline, mainly from industrial, household, and farm use.

Inorganic chemical water pollutants

Mineral-based substances such as acids, salts, and heavy metals originating from industrial effluents, household cleansers, and surface runoff.

Radioactive water pollutants

Elements such as uranium, thorium, and cesium released through ore mining and processing, power plants, and weapons production.

Sediment water pollution

Suspended soil and silt particles that cloud water, primarily caused by land erosion.

Plant nutrient water pollutants

Compounds such as nitrates, phosphates, and ammonium that enter waterways from agricultural and urban fertilizers, sewage, and manure.

Oxygen-demanding wastes

Organic materials like animal manure and plant residues that consume dissolved oxygen as they decompose, originating from sewage, farm runoff, and food processing.

Thermal water pollution

Heated released into aquatic environments, primarily from power plants and industrial cooling systems.

Categories of water pollution that cause human health problems

Infectious agents, organic chemicals, inorganic chemicals, and radioactive materials.

Categories of water pollution that cause ecosystem disruption

Sediment, plant nutrients, oxygen-demanding wastes, and thermal pollution.

Shared management challenges for groundwater and ocean pollution

Both environments suffer from having very little monitoring and control.

Main control mechanisms for water pollution

Source reduction and recycling, controlling nonpoint source runoff, and establishing or enforcing environmental policies.

Common methods for managing human waste

Septic tanks along with municipal sewer and sewage treatment facilities.

Three main stages of municipal wastewater treatment

Primary treatment, secondary treatment, and tertiary treatment

Primary wastewater treatment

The initial physical stage of wastewater processing separates and removes large solids.

Secondary wastewater treatment

The biological stage of wastewater processing that breaks down dissolved organic matter

Tertiary wastewater treatment

The purification stage of wastewater processing designed to remove dissolved plant nutrients.