unit 2: pollution and energy - honors earth & environmental science FINAL

municipal solid waste

non-liquid waste generated by homes and businesses

industrial solid waste

waste generated by the production of consumer goods in factories, mining, agriculture, etc.

hazardous waste

solid or liquid waste that is corrosive, toxic, flammable, or highly reactive.

waste water

water that is used from sinks, showers, washing machines, etc.

biodegradable

material that can be broken down by naturally occurring decomposers in the environment

non-biodegradable

synthetic material that is unable to be broken down.

surface water

freshwater above ground in lakes, rivers, etc.

groundwater

freshwater that soaks into soil and is stored in tiny spaces underground

aquifers

underground rock layers where groundwater is stored

water stress

occurs when the demand for water exceeds the supply

freshwater pollution

the introduction of chemical, physical, or biological agents into water that degrades the water and affects the organisms dependent on it.

point pollution

pollution that is discharged from a single source, which makes it easy to trace and, therefore, control.

non-point pollution

pollution that comes from many different sources, which results in it being difficult to trace and control.

biological magnification

an effect of water pollution: pollutant concentration increased in the bodies of living organism along each step of the food chain.

artificial eutrophication

an effect of water pollution: the overabundance of nutrients in a body of water. rapidly accelerates the growth of plants like algae (called an algal bloom)

oxygen depletion

an effect of water pollution: the reduction in the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the water. an algal bloom can cause this, which suffocates other organisms.

thermal pollution

excessive amounts of heat are added to a body of water.

oil pollution

an excessive amount of oil is added to a body of water, like a river or ocean. river flows can add oil to an ocean, as well. caused by human activity, is harmful to aquatic organisms

air pollution

occurs when harmful substances end up in the air at unhealthy levels

primary pollutants

pollutants that are put directly into the air by humans

secondary pollutants

formed when a primary pollutant comes in contact with another primary pollutant or a naturally occurring substance.

macroplastics

plastics larger that 0.5 cm

microplastics

plastics smaller than 0.5 cm. result from the breakdown of waste.

renewable sources

can be replenished at the rate they’re used

non-renewable sources

cannot be replenished at the rate they’re used. take millions of years to form, and are harmful to the environment.

what does the waste stream include?

municipal solid waste, industrial solid waste, hazardous waste, and waste water.

how is waste managed?

• open dumps: waste is left out in the open to contaminate the environment

• sanitary landfills: waste is buried or piled in places engineered to keep the waste from contaminating the environment

• incineration: waste is burned in large furnaces

how is waste reduced?

• recycling: the reprocessing of discarded materials into new products.

• composting: a proces by which organic matter is biologically decomposed, under controlled conditions, into soil conditioner

• biological degradation: the process by which microorganisms break down organic material under anaerobic conditions

• waste reduction: the avoidance of producing waste

what is the water cycle?

the process by which water is circulated, which makes it a renewable resource

• evaporation: water goes from liquid to gas form (water vapor)

• condensation: water vapor condenses back into liquid

• precipitation: water falls to the ground from the atmosphere. ex.: rain, hail, snow

• transpiration: the loss of water vapor through plant stomata, which cools them down in hot weather (plant sweating)

what are the kinds of freshwater pollutants?

• pathogens: disease causing organisms

• organic matter: biodegradable remains of animals and plants

• organic chemicals: pesticides, fertilizers, plastics, detergents, gasoline, and oil

• inorganic chemicals: acids, salts, and toxic metals

• toxic chemicals: chemicals that are poisonous to living things. ex.: heavy metals, household chemicals

• physical agents: heat and suspended oil

• radioactive waste: from power plants and nuclear processing.

what are the kinds of ocean pollution?

• oil pollution

• plastic polluton

what are the effects of water pollution?

• biological magnification

• artificial eutrophication

• oxygen depletion

• thermal pollution

what are the kinds of primary air pollutants?

• carbon monoxide (CO)

• nitrogen oxides (NO_x)

• sulfur dioxide (SO₂)

• volatile organic compounds: organic compounds that evaporate easily at room temperature

• particulate matter

• lead (Pb)

• mercury (Hg)

what are the kinds of secondary pollutants?

• ground-level ozone (O₃)

• smog: air pollution that hands over urban areas and reduces visibility

• acid precipitation: forms when water in the atmosphere comes in contact with SO₂ and NO_x

how is plastic pollution harmful?

• plastics have the potential to move around the world, far from where they were discarded, and quickly, by currents at sea

• animals can be harmed by plastics

  • animals can accidentally eat plastics after mistaking them for real food

  • animals can be physically restricted by plastics

  • animals can by harmed by chemicals plastics leech into the water

  • plastics can degrade and damage animal habitats

what is the law of conservation of energy?

the law of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed

what are common non-renewable energy sources?

• oil

• natural gas

• coal

• nuclear energy

what are common renewable energy sources?

• solar power

• hydroelectric/tidal power

• wind power

• biomass

• geothermal energy