Climate Change, Ozone, Oceans, and Energy Sources Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering climate change mechanisms, the ozone layer, ocean impacts, and renewable and non-renewable energy sources.

Global Change

The broadest term for any large-scale shift in Earth's systems, including land use, biodiversity loss, pollution, and population growth.

Global Climate Change

Long-term shifts in temperature, precipitation, wind patterns, and seasons worldwide, including both warming and cooling trends.

Global Warming

The specific, measurable increase in Earth's average surface temperature, primarily caused by rising greenhouse gas concentrations.

Greenhouse Effect

The process where greenhouse gases absorb outgoing longwave (infrared) radiation and re-emit it in all directions, trapping heat to maintain an average Earth temperature of ~$15\,^\circ\text{C}$, rather than $-18\,^\circ\text{C}$.

Radiative Equilibrium

A state achieved when Earth's incoming solar energy (approximately $342\,W/m^2$) equals the outgoing infrared energy.

Global Warming Potential (GWP)

A measurement of how much heat a gas traps over $100$ years compared to $CO_2$, which has a GWP of $1$.

$SF_6$ (Sulfur Hexafluoride)

The most potent known greenhouse gas, with a GWP of approximately $23,500$.

Stratospheric Ozone

Known as "good ozone," located $15-35\,km$ above Earth; it absorbs $97-99\%$ of harmful UV-B and UV-C radiation.

Tropospheric Ozone

Known as "bad ozone," located in the lowest atmosphere ($0-12\,km$); it is a pollutant formed when NOx and VOCs react in sunlight.

Chapman Cycle

The natural process of ozone formation ($O_2 + UV \rightarrow O + O$ followed by $O + O_2 \rightarrow O_3$) and breakdown that maintains stratospheric equilibrium.

CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons)

Anthropogenic chemicals that release chlorine atoms in the stratosphere; one chlorine atom can destroy up to $100,000$ ozone molecules.

Montreal Protocol (1987)

An international treaty considered the most successful environmental agreement, which phased out the production of CFCs.

Ocean Warming

The rise in ocean temperatures caused by the absorption of over $90\%$ of the extra heat trapped by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Ocean Acidification

The decrease in ocean pH caused by the absorption of atmospheric $CO_2$, which reacts with water to form carbonic acid ($H_2CO_3$).

Zooxanthellae

Photosynthetic algae living in coral tissue that provide up to $90\%$ of the coral's energy and its color in a mutualistic relationship.

Coral Bleaching

A stress response where corals expel their zooxanthellae due to water temperatures rising even $1-2\,^\circ\text{C}$ above normal, leaving them white and vulnerable.

Nuclear Fission

The process where heavy atomic nuclei, usually Uranium-235 ($U-235$), are split by neutrons to release heat energy and more neutrons.

Control Rods

Components in a nuclear reactor made of neutron-absorbing materials like boron or cadmium, used to regulate or stop the chain reaction.

Half-life

The time required for half of a radioactive substance to decay, calculated using the formula $N = N_0 \times (1/2)^{(t / t_{half-life})}$.

Photovoltaic (PV) cells

Devices that convert sunlight directly into DC electricity using the photoelectric effect within semiconductor materials like silicon.

Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)

A solar technology that uses mirrors to focus sunlight onto a receiver to heat a fluid, which then produces steam to spin turbines.

Hydroelectric Penstocks

Large pipes that guide water from a reservoir to spin turbines to generate electricity.

Binary Cycle Geothermal Plant

A geothermal system where hot water heats a secondary fluid with a lower boiling point, which then vaporizes to spin turbines.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Reaction

An electrochemical process where hydrogen is oxidized ($H_2 \rightarrow 2H^+ + 2e^-$) and combined with oxygen to produce electricity, heat, and water ($H_2O$).

Green Hydrogen

Hydrogen produced through the electrolysis of water using renewable electricity, resulting in zero net emissions.

Nacelle

The housing at the top of a wind turbine tower that contains the gearbox, generator, and control systems.

Yaw System

The component of a wind turbine that rotates the nacelle to ensure the blades face directly into the wind.