AP World Unit 9.2 (Cram)

Petroleum

A fossil fuel used mainly for energy, transportation, and industry—drives the modern global economy but is also a major source of greenhouse gas emissions.

Nuclear Power

Energy produced by splitting atoms (fission) in reactors—generates huge amounts of electricity with low emissions, but comes with risks like radioactive waste and nuclear accidents.

Vaccines

Medical treatments that stimulate the immune system to protect against specific diseases—have drastically reduced global death rates from illnesses like polio and smallpox.

Antibiotics

Drugs that kill or stop the growth of bacteria, revolutionizing medicine and saving millions of lives—but overuse has led to antibiotic resistance.

Tuberculosis (TB)

A contagious bacterial disease that affects the lungs, spread through the air—still a major global health problem, especially in developing countries.

Cholera

A disease caused by contaminated water, leading to severe dehydration and death if untreated—often outbreaks during natural disasters or poor sanitation.

Malaria

A mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite—common in tropical regions; still a leading cause of death in parts of Africa, though treatable and preventable.

Green Revolution

A movement in the mid-20th century to increase agricultural production through new technology, fertilizers, and high-yield crops—helped prevent famines but led to environmental issues.

Birth Control

Methods used to prevent pregnancy, giving women more control over reproduction—played a big role in the women's rights movement and population control.

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)

A virus that weakens the immune system by attacking white blood cells—can lead to AIDS if untreated; transmitted through blood, sex, and childbirth.

AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome)

A life-threatening condition caused by HIV when the immune system becomes severely damaged—global health crisis in the 1980s-2000s, still affects millions.

COVID-19 Pandemic

A global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) starting in 2019, leading to millions of deaths, global lockdowns, economic disruptions, and vaccine rollouts.

Greenhouse Gases

Gases like CO₂, methane, and nitrous oxide that trap heat in Earth's atmosphere—mostly from burning fossil fuels, they drive global warming.

Climate Change

Long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns, mostly due to human activity like deforestation and burning fossil fuels—linked to rising seas, extreme weather, and ecosystem disruption.