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Enviornmental science
Mr. Fennell
55
Environmental Studies
Undergraduate 1
11/13/2011

Additional Environmental Studies Flashcards

 


 

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Term
Consumptive use
Definition
A type of off-stream water use. This water is consumed by plants and animals or in industrial processes or evaporates during use. It is not returned to its source.
Term
Desalination
Definition
The removal of salts from seawater or brackish water so that the water can be used for purposes such as agriculture, industrial processes, or human consumption.
Term
Effluent Stream
Definition
Type of stream where flow is maintained during the dry season by ground water seepage into the channel
Term
Groundwater
Definition
Water found beneath the Earth's surface within the zone of saturation below water table
Term
Influent Stream
Definition
Type of stream that is everywhere above the groundwater table and flows in direct response to percipitation; water from the channel moves down to water table, forming recharge mound.
Term
In-stream use
Definition
A type of water use that includes navigation, generation of hydroelectric power, fish and wildlife habitat, and recreation.
Term
Off-stream use
Definition
Type of water use where water is removed from its source for a particular use.
Term
Sustainable water use
Definition
Use of water resources that does not harm the environment and proviedes for the existence of high-quality water for future generations.
Term
Virtual water
Definition
The amount of water neccessary to produce a product, such as rice or, in industry, an automobile
Term
Water Budget
Definition
Inputs and outputs of water for a particular system (a drainage basin, region, continent, or entire Earth)
Term
Water Conservation
Definition
Pratices designed to reduce the amount of water we use
Term
Wetlands
Definition
A comprehensive term for landforms such as salt marshes, swamps, bogs, prairie potholes, and vernal pools. Their common feature is that they are wet at least part of the year and as a result have a particular type of vegetation and soil.
Term
Alternative energy
Definition
are divided into renewable energy
Term
Nonrenewable alternative energy
Definition
sources include nuclear energy and deep earth geothermal energy
Term
Passive solar energy systems
Definition
do not use mechanical pumps
Term
Active solar energy systems
Definition
require mechanical power
Term
Solar collectors
Definition
to provide space heating or hot water
Term
Photovoltaics
Definition
convert sunlight directly into electricity
Term
Fuel cells
Definition
are highly efficient power generating systems that produce electricity by combining fuel and oxygen
Term
Geothermal energy
Definition
makes use of energy within the earth
Term
Renewable energy
Definition
cyle of recharge
Term
Water power
Definition
is a form of stored solar energy that has been successfully harnessed
Term
Wind power
Definition
like solar power, produce when different heat of earths surface creates air masses.
Term
Commons
Definition
Land that belongs to the public, not to individuals. Any resource owned publicly with public access for private uses
Term
Direct Costs
Definition
Cost borne by the producer in obtaining, processing, and distributing a product.
Term
nvironmental Economics
Definition
Involves persuading people and organizations to act in a way that benefits the enviornment within a democratic framework.
Term
Extranality (indirect costs)
Definition
in economic, an efect not normally accounted for in the cost-revenue analysis. Cost and benefit does not show up in price tag.
Term
Intangible Factor
Definition
One you cannot touch directly, but people value it
Term
Tangible Factor
Definition
one you can touch, buy, and sell
Term
Natural Capital
Definition
Ecological system that provide public service benefits
Term
Public-service functions
Definition
Services ecosystem provide to humans and the environment
Term
Risk-benefit Analysis
Definition
The riskiness of a present action in terms of its possible outcomes is weighed against the benefit, or value of the action
Term
Policy Instruments
Definition
What we do, what we can do, and how we do it
Term
Allowance Trading
Definition
Through which the Environmental Protect Agency utility companies tradable allowances of polluting.
Term
Coal
Definition
Are partially composed vegetation; solid, brittle, carbonaceous rocks that is one of the world's most abundant fossil fuels.
Term
Crude Oil
Definition
Naturally occuring petroleum, normally pumped from wells in oil fields.
Term
Fossil Fuel
Definition
Forms of stored solar energy (plants convert solar energy to chemical energy through photosynthesis.
Term
Methane Hydrate
Definition
A white ice like compound made up of molecules of methane gas trapped in "cages" of frozen water in the sediment of the deep seafloor.
Term
Natural Gas
Definition
Naturally occuring gaseous hydrocarbon (methane) generally associated with crude oil or from gas wells.
Term
Oil Shale
Definition
A fine-grained sedimentary rock containing organic material known as kerosene.
Term
Peak Oil
Definition
Refers to the time in the future when one-half of the earth's oil has been exploited. Expected to occur between 2020 and 2050
Term
Scrubbing
Definition
A process of removing sulfur from gases emitted from power plans burning coal. The gasses are treated with slurry lime and limestone, and the sulfur oxides react with the calcium to form insoluble calcium sulfides and sulfates that are collected and disposed of.
Term
Synfuels
Definition
Synthetic fuels, which may by liquid or gaseous, derived from solid fuels, such as oil from kerosene in oil shale, or oil gas from coal.
Term
Tar Sands
Definition
Sedimentary rocks or sands impregnated with tar oil, asphalt, or bitumen.
Term
Allowance Trading
Definition
Through which the Environmental Protect Agency utility companies tradable allowances of polluting.
Term
Coal
Definition
Are partially composed vegetation; solid, brittle, carbonaceous rocks that is one of the world's most abundant fossil fuels.
Term
Crude Oil
Definition
Naturally occuring petroleum, normally pumped from wells in oil fields.
Term
Fossil Fuel
Definition
Forms of stored solar energy (plants convert solar energy to chemical energy through photosynthesis.
Term
Methane Hydrate
Definition
A white ice like compound made up of molecules of methane gas trapped in "cages" of frozen water in the sediment of the deep seafloor.
Term
Natural Gas
Definition
Naturally occuring gaseous hydrocarbon (methane) generally associated with crude oil or from gas wells.
Term
Oil Shale
Definition
A fine-grained sedimentary rock containing organic material known as kerosene.
Term
Peak Oil
Definition
Refers to the time in the future when one-half of the earth's oil has been exploited. Expected to occur between 2020 and 2050
Term
Scrubbing
Definition
A process of removing sulfur from gases emitted from power plans burning coal. The gasses are treated with slurry lime and limestone, and the sulfur oxides react with the calcium to form insoluble calcium sulfides and sulfates that are collected and disposed of.
Term
Synfuels
Definition
Synthetic fuels, which may by liquid or gaseous, derived from solid fuels, such as oil from kerosene in oil shale, or oil gas from coal.
Term
Tar Sands
Definition
Sedimentary rocks or sands impregnated with tar oil, asphalt, or bitumen.
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