Environmental Science Review Flashcards

Flashcards for reviewing key concepts in Environmental Science, covering topics from population dynamics to climate change.

What characterizes the Pre-industrial Stage (Phase 1) of demographic transition?

High CBR & CDR; Population stable

What characterizes the Transitional Stage (Phase 2) of demographic transition?

High CBR, decreasing CDR; Rapid population increase

What characterizes the Industrial Stage (Phase 3) of demographic transition?

Low CDR, decreasing CBR; Population growth slowing

What characterizes the Post-industrial Stage (Phase 4) of demographic transition?

Low CBR & CDR; Population stabilized or declining

Where does indoor air pollution primarily occur, and why is it dangerous?

Occurs more often in rural areas where indoor burning is common and in modern buildings.

What are primary pollutants?

Pollutants discharged directly into the troposphere (e.g., CO₂, NO, SO₂).

What are secondary pollutants?

Pollutants formed from reactions between primary pollutants and other chemicals (e.g., SO3, H2SO4, O3).

What is thermal inversion?

Lack of mixing due to density difference (warm air on top of cool air).

What is the difference between stratospheric and tropospheric ozone?

Stratospheric ozone is beneficial, tropospheric ozone is an irritant.

What are the primary outdoor air pollutants from fossil fuels?

Carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, aerosols, mercury, lead.

Which primary air pollutant is colorless & odorless?

CO2

Which primary air pollutant is HIGHLY TOXIC, colorless & odorless?

CO

Which primary air pollutant is colorless & odorless, and a precursor of tropospheric ozone

NO

Which primary air pollutant is a brown fume?

NO2

Which primary air pollutant is the precursor of sulfuric acid (acid rain)?

SO2

What are the two major classes of particulate matter?

PM2.5 & PM10

What are two technological solutions for reducing air pollution from coal power plants?

Electrostatic Precipitator and Wet Scrubber

Which 6 criteria air pollutants were set by the 1973 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)?

CO, NO2, SO2, particulates, Ozone, Lead

What are the primary indoor air pollutants?

Carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, radon-222, asbestos, particulates, cigarette smoke, volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

What is cultural eutrophication?

Excessive supply of nutrients by humans leading to toxic algal bloom.

What is bioaccumulation?

The accumulation of fat-soluble toxins in an individual's body.

What is biomagnification?

Amplification of toxic concentration from one trophic level to a higher trophic level.

Why is dissolved oxygen (DO) important, and what decreases it?

Important for aquatic species survival; decreased by pollution and toxic blooms.

What are phytoplankton, and what is their role?

Microscopic plant species (producers) at the top of the water surface; major contributor of DO.

What are zooplankton?

Microscopic herbivores or omnivores.

What is an aquifer?

Groundwater storage; confined & unconfined; Largest: Ogallala Aquifer

What are nektons?

Stronger swimmers (whales, sharks, etc.).

What are benthos?

Bottom dwellers (clams).

What are common water pollutants and their sources?

Nitrates, phosphates, mercury, crude oil, mining waste, warm water, drugs, invasive species, dioxins.

Why are dioxins dangerous?

Can cause cancer, immune system diseases, etc.

What is the focus of the Clean Water Act (1972)?

Regulates discharges from point source facilities; does not deal with groundwater or quantity problems.

What does the Safe Drinking Water Act (1974) require?

Requires EPA to regulate pollutants that cause negative health effects; protects drinking water sources.

Name invasive species found in the Great Lakes?

Sea lamprey, Eurasian ruffe, Alewife, Zebra mussels, Asian Carp

What is the distribution of freshwater use?

70% Agriculture; 20% Industrial; 10% Domestic

What are methods to obtain freshwater?

Lakes, reservoirs, aquifer & river; Desalination (Reverse osmosis or distillation)

Which origins of waste makes up the smallest percentage?

Sewage sludge

Which origins of waste makes up the largest percentage?

Mining and oil/gas production

What are the Drawbacks of using LD50?

Data from mice may not be accurate to humans, genetic differences not accounted for, restricted to orally administered toxins.

What comes first in the priority of waste treatment?

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

What comes last in the priority of waste treatment?

Landfill

What is the Toxic Substances Control Act (1976)?

If the EPA finds any of these chemicals threatening to the environment or a human-health hazard, they can ban
the chemicals from being manufactured or imported into
the United States.

What is the Stockholm Convention (2001)?

Countries agreed to reduce or eliminate the production, use, and/or release of 12 key POPS.

What is the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act ('75)?

Empowered the Secretary of Transportation to designate as hazardous material any material that may pose an unreasonable risk to health and safety or property.

What is LD50(Lethal dose-50)?

dosage of a toxin it takes to kill 50% of the population

What are examples of threshold toxin?

e.g. oxygen, water

Define mutagens

chemicals that leads to DNA mutations; e.g. Bromine, benzene

Define teratogens

chemicals that cause birth defects; e.g. Mercury (Hg)

What are different types of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPS)?

DDT, DDE, PCBs, dioxins, furans

What are examples of non-threshold

Lead(Pb), benzene

What is the ultimate source of energy according to the lecture notes?

Except geothermal, the Sun

What are different types of primary pollutants

CO2, NOx, SO2

What are different types of secondary pollutants

SO3, H2SO4, O3

Give examples of Greenhouse gas

CO2, CH4

Which nonrenewable source leads to widespread habitat destruction and pollution in air and water?

Mining of coal

What are the types of oil?

Conventional and unconventional

Where does conventional oil come from?

Middle East/OPEC

Where does unconventional come from?

Canada/USA

Which country has the most dams and the most generation capacity from hydropower?

China

Fuel cell runs mostly on which element

Hydrogen

Primary component of Natural Gas

Methane

Natural Gas uses which Extraction Method

Hydraulic fracturing

What is Uranium-235's half life

700K years

What are two major problems with Active solar power

They require a huge amount of land and manufacturing of the PVC panels requires mining of rare earth metal

What entails Burning biomass?

Burning vegetation

What does Ethanol depends on

It depends on the source crop

What is the cause of Climate Change?

Anthropogenic emission of CO2

Where is the CO2 graph located at in the Keeling Curve?

Mauna Loa, Hawaii

What is CH4's source for Notable GHGs Other than CO2

agriculture, melting permafrost

What is N₂O's source for Notable GHGs Other than CO2

fertilizers, cars, deforestation

What is CFCs' source for Notable GHGs Other than CO2

aerosol, refrigerants

What is the ultimate cause of rising average temperature

CO₂

Which agreement phased out the production of CFCs and HCFCs

Montreal Protocol (1987)