Y9 Science Wordlist - 9.4 Environmental Sustainability

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

A set of 17 global goals developed by the United Nations to be achieved by 2030, aimed at ending poverty, fighting inequalities, and tackling climate change.

Environmental Sustainability

Patterns of activities concerning the environment that meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Weather

The state of the atmosphere at a particular place and time, with respect to wind, precipitation, temperature, cloud cover, humidity, and air pressure.

Climate

The average types of weather, including seasonal variations, experienced by a place or region over a long period of time.

Climate Change

A long-term change in regional or global climate patterns, for example, annual precipitation, and frequency of weather events.

Anthropogenic

Factors or activities that are caused or influenced by human beings.

Anthropogenic Climate Change

Changes in Earth's climate system that are primarily caused by human activities, particularly the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane.

Natural Climate Change

Variations in the global climate as a result of natural processes such as large volcanic eruptions and slow long-term changes to atmospheric gas composition.

Climate Feedback Loop

Interactions and processes within the Earth's climate system that can either amplify (positive feedback loop) or dampen (negative feedback loop) the effects of external forcings.

Chemical Isotope

Variants of a chemical element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei.

Greenhouse Effect

Heating effect due to heat rays from the ground being absorbed by some of the gases in the atmosphere.

Methane (CH4)

A greenhouse gas that is produced by various sources, including ruminant livestock, natural processes, and human activities. Ruminant livestock, such as cattle, produce methane as a byproduct of their digestive process.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

A greenhouse gas that plays a significant role in global warming and climate change. It is released into the atmosphere through various human activities, such as the combustion of fossil fuels and deforestation. It traps heat in the Earth's atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect.

Ecosystem

A system formed by the interaction of all living organisms with each other and with the physical elements of the environment in which they live.

Industrialisation

The process of developing industries and transforming an economy from primarily agricultural to manufacturing based. It involves the establishment of factories, mass production, and the utilization of advanced technology.

Atmosphere

Gases surrounding any celestial body.

Biosphere

The part of the earth that includes all plant and animal life forms.

Lithosphere

Rigid outer layer of the Earth, consisting of the crust and the uppermost part of the mantle. It is divided into tectonic plates that move and interact with each other.

Geosphere

The solid Earth, including the rocks, minerals, and landforms that make up the planet's crust, mantle, and core.

Hydrosphere

All water on the surface of the globe, including underground water and water in lakes, rivers, and oceans.

Cryosphere

The frozen parts of the Earth, including glaciers, ice caps, ice sheets, snow, and permafrost.

Water cycle

The continuous movement of water on, above, and below the Earth's surface, involving processes such as evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff.

Geo-engineering

Large-scale interventions in the Earth's climate system to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Thermohaline

The movement of ocean currents driven by differences in temperature and salinity, playing a crucial role in global climate regulation.

Albedo

The measure of how much light or radiation is reflected by a surface.

Tectonic Plate

Large, rigid pieces of Earth's lithosphere that fit together like a jigsaw puzzle, constantly moving and interacting with each other, leading to geological phenomena.

Plate Tectonic Super-cycle

Periodic assembly and breakup of supercontinents over geological time.

Environmental pollution

The contamination of the natural environment by harmful substances or pollutants.

Recycling

The process of converting waste materials into reusable materials to reduce the consumption of new resources and minimize environmental impact.

Sustainable Agriculture

Aims to meet current food needs without harming the environment or human health, integrating ecosystems into farming, efficiently using resources, and supporting and enhancing natural resources.

Natural Resource

Substances that occur naturally in the environment and are valuable to humans.

Renewable Resource

Resources, such as water, air, and solar energy, that can be replenished naturally and are sustainable.

Non-Renewable Resource

Resources, such as fossil fuels and minerals, that are finite and cannot be replaced once they are depleted.

Satellites

Objects that orbit around a larger celestial body, such as the Earth, used for various purposes including communication, weather monitoring, navigation, and scientific research.