APES vocab 8
Nuclear Fusion
Definition: A process where two light atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, releasing energy.
Significance: Powers the sun and has the potential to be a future clean energy source, though it's not yet commercially viable.
Renewable Resource
Definition: Resources that can naturally replenish over time, like solar, wind, and water.
Significance: Sustainable and generally have lower environmental impacts than nonrenewable resources.
Watt
Definition: A unit of power that measures the rate of energy transfer or consumption.
Significance: Commonly used to measure electricity use; 1 watt = 1 joule per second.
Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)
Definition: A greenhouse gas produced by burning fossil fuels and respiration.
Significance: Major contributor to global warming and climate change.
Climate
Definition: The long-term patterns of temperature, humidity, wind, and precipitation in an area.
Significance: Influences ecosystems and human activity over large timescales.
Weather
Definition: The short-term atmospheric conditions in a specific place at a specific time.
Significance: Differs from climate; includes daily events like rain, temperature, and wind.
Climate Change
Definition: Long-term changes in global or regional climate patterns, often linked to human activities.
Significance: Causes environmental impacts like rising sea levels, changing ecosystems, and extreme weather events.
Extreme Weather Event
Definition: Severe or unusual weather events like hurricanes, droughts, and wildfires.
Significance: Increasingly frequent due to climate change; affects ecosystems and human communities.
Global Warming
Definition: The rise in average global temperatures, primarily due to increased greenhouse gases.
Significance: A central driver of climate change, affecting ecosystems and human health.
Greenhouse Effect
Definition: The warming of Earth as greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere.
Significance: Essential for life, but human activities are enhancing it, leading to global warming.
Invasive Species
Definition: Non-native species that disrupt local ecosystems by outcompeting native species.
Significance: Can cause biodiversity loss and impact agriculture, fisheries, and other ecosystems.
Methane (CH₄)
Definition: A potent greenhouse gas produced from livestock, agriculture, and fossil fuels.
Significance: Traps more heat than CO₂ over a shorter period; major contributor to climate change.
Monoculture
Definition: Agricultural practice of growing a single crop over a large area.
Significance: Increases vulnerability to pests and disease; reduces biodiversity.
Tragedy of the Commons
Definition: Concept where individuals overuse a shared resource, depleting it for everyone.
Significance: Highlights the need for sustainable management of resources like fisheries and forests.
Delaney Clause of Food, Drug, & Cosmetics Act
Definition: U.S. regulation prohibiting the use of carcinogenic additives in food.
Significance: Ensures food safety but has led to debates over the definition and detection of carcinogens.