ap environmental science - unit 4: earth systems and resources

adiabatic cooling

the process by which the temperature of an air mass decreases as the air mass rises & expands

a-horizon

topsoil where bacteria, fungi, and small animals thrive
burrowing animals help to circulate air and water and mix materials

aqueducts

a pipe/passage for transporting water
can displace wastewater, but can be expensive and damage habitats

asthenosphere

outer mantle - semi-molten, ductile, flexible rock

basalt

dark-colored, fine-grained, igneous rock

bedrock

parent material from which soil horizons form

b-horizon

subsoil which contains minerals brought by groundwater or leeched from the a-horizon. high in iron, calcium, and aluminum; made of clay

biological soil properties

fungi, bacteria, & protozoan account for 80-90% of soil's productivity and can break down organic material

cation

positively charged ion

cation exchange

the ability of a particular soil to absorb and release cations

chemical soil properties

acidity which can be neutralized by ways of base material (i.e., calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium)

chemical weathering

the chemical process by which rock is broken down

c-horizon

partially weathered bedrock - some is from the parent material and others from forms of past erosion

cinder cone volcano

steep, cone-shaped hill/small mountain made from ash, cinders, and bombs piled up around the opening of a volcano

cold air vs. hot air

cold: falls due to its higher density
hot: rises due to its lower density

composite volcano

tall, cone-shaped mountain in which layers of lava alternate with layers of ash and other volcanic material

confined vs. unconfined aquifers

confined: surrounded by impermeable rock (clay) which impedes water flow
unconfined: made of porous rock covered by soil

continental-continental convergent boundary

two continental plates collide, leading to mountain ranges being created as the colliding crust is compressed and thus pushed upward

continental-oceanic convergent boundary

subduction occurs where the plates collide and the oceanic plate bends and slides into the mantle

convergent plate boundary

tectonic plate boundary where 2 plates collide/crash into each other

coriolis effect

the effect of earth's rotation on the direction of winds and currents

crustal abundance

the average concentration of an element in earth's crust

dams - pros and cons

p: control the flow of water
c: possible overuse of hydroelectric power

deep-ocean trench

indent in the ocean's surface floor - the deepest part of the ocean

desalination

obtaining freshwater by removing salt from saltwater

detritivores

organisms that eat dead/decaying organic matter

dikes

barrier used to prevent ocean water from flooding

divergent plate boundary

boundary between 2 oceanic plates that are moving away from each other to form new ocean crust

drip irrigation

irrigates through a slowly-dripping hose

earthquake

sudden movement/vibration of earth's crust caused by a release of potential energy along a fault

earth's layers

1 - crust
2 - mantle
3 - outer core
4 - inner core

epicenter

the point on earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake

exosphere

uppermost region of earth's atmosphere

flood irrigation

form of irrigation in which the entire field of crops is flodded

focus

location inside earth's crust where an earthquake originates

furrow irrigation

form of irrigation in which trenches are digged between rows of crops

impermeable surfaces

pavement/buildings that don't allow water penetration

levee

wall which blocks overflowing in rivers

lithosphere

contains the crust & mantle

mantle

contains magma (molten rock)

mesosphere

third layer of the atmosphere with little amounts of oxygen

metal

an element with properties that allow it to conduct electricity and heat energy and to perform other important functions

microorganisms

microscopic organisms which may exist in a single-celled form or in a colony of cells

mining legislation

1 - mining law of 1982: promoted the recovery of minerals and fuels from federal land
2 - surface mining control and reclamation act of 1977: promoted minimal disturbance of land during mining

mountaintop removal

type of surface mining in which a mountaintop/ridgeline is destroyed through the use of explosives

oceanic crust

thinner, more dense, younger crust made of basalt from shield volcanoes at the zone of divergence

o-horizon

made mostly of leaves, litter, and humus

open-pit mining

type of surface mining in which minerals are extracted from an open pit in the ground

ore

a concentrated accumulation of minerals from which economically valuable materials can be extracted

parent material

the rock material from which the inorganic components of soil are derived

permeability

the allowing of water and roots to move between particles in soil

pH level

measure of how acidic/basic water is - the potential of hydrogen

physical weathering

the breaking down of rocks through physical processes (e.g., freezing, thawing)

placer mining

a type of surface mining in which water is used to separate ore from surrounding sediment

prevailing winds

winds that blow in specific directions over specific areas of the earth

reserve

the known quantity of a resource that can be economically recovered

richter scale

a logarithmic scale ranging from 1-10 used to express the energy released by an earthquake

ring of fire

a major belt of volcanic activity that rims the pacific ocean caused by oceanic-continental plates at convergent boundaries overlapping

saltwater intrusion

rapid pumping that draws down the water table and leads to lessening pressure and saltwater infiltration

seafloor spreading

the formation of new oceanic crust as a result of magma pushing upward and outward from earth's mantle to the surface

shield volcano

a wide, gently sloping mountain made of layers of lava and formed by quiet eruptions in rift valleys and erupt basalt

soil

a mixture of mineral particles and organic material that covers the land, and in which terrestrial plants grow

soil triangle

a graphic explanation of the proportions of sand, silt, and clay in soil
sizes from biggest to smallest:
1 - sand
2 - silt
3 - clay

spray irrigation

form of irrigation in which a field of crops is sprayed

stratosphere

second layer of earth's atmosphere, also known as the ozone layer

subsurface mining

mining below the surface

surface mining

mining above or on the surface

symbiosis

interactions between different species

types:

* mutualism: both benefit (+, +)
* commensalism: 1 benefits, the other is unaffected (+, o)
* parasitism: 1 benefits, the other is harmed (+, -)

tailings

waste material from mining ore. also known as mining spoils

texture

the amount of rock, sand, silt, and clay in a soil sample

theory of hotspots

some areas with hotspots are randomly more active than others

theory of plate tectonics

earth's lithosphere is broken up into huge, moving slabs of rock driven by motions in the mantle, causing geological events

thermosphere

fourth layer of the earth's atmosphere where the sun's radiation is absorbed and puts on the auroras

transform plate boundary

boundary between 2 plates that are sliding past one another

troposphere

first layer of the earth's atmosphere where weather, climate, and life form, as well as biogeochemical cycles

water table

the uppermost at which groundwater fully saturates rock/soil

weathering

the breakdown of rocks into smaller pieces

can be physical (wind, rain, freezing/thawing of ice), biological (roots of trees cracking rocks), or chemical (acid rain, acids from moss/lichen)