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ENVIROSC 1C03 > Definitions > Flashcards

Definitions Flashcards

1
Q

Atmosphere

A

thin blue region on edge of Earth

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2
Q

Hydrosphere

A

liquid realm

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3
Q

Lithosphere

A

rock and geologic material

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4
Q

Biosphere

A

where life exists

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5
Q

Enviro Lapse Rate (ELR)

A

temp decreases with altitude

-does not involve movement of air parcel

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6
Q

Air Pollutant

A

gas, aerosol, particulate added to atmosphere that have harmful effects/affects climate

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7
Q

Primary Pollutants

A

direct product of combustion/evaporation

-have natural sources-volcanic eruptions, dust storms

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8
Q

Secondary Pollutants

A

products of interactions with primary pollutants

ex: nitric acid

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9
Q

Point Source

A

one controllable sight

ex: smoke stacks

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10
Q

Fugitive Sources

A

open areas exposed to wind action

ex: land clearing

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11
Q

Area Sources

A

well defined areas within which several sources of air pollutants
ex:small urban communities

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12
Q

Mobile Sources

A

move place to place while emitting pollutants

ex: car

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13
Q

Rayleigh Scattering

A

short wavelengths likely to scatter

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14
Q

Transmission

A

solar radiation passing thru air un-interupted

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15
Q

Insolation

A

incoming solar radiation (related to solar angle)

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16
Q

Albedo

A

percent of shortwave radiation returning from given surface compared to amount of radiation striking surface

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17
Q

Conduction

A

transfer of heat from molecule to molecule

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18
Q

Convection

A

transfer of heat occurs as a mass movement of fluid

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19
Q

Industrial Smog

A

fog/humid air and sulphur dioxide/particulates from burning coal

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20
Q

Photochemical Smog

A

sunlight and nitrogen oxides/volatile organic compounds

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21
Q

Humidity

A

amount of water vapour in air

-warm air can hold more liquid than cold

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22
Q

Absolute humidity

A

mass of water vapour per volume of air

  • increase in V=decrease in abs. humidity
  • decrease in V=increase in abs. humidity
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23
Q

Specific humidity

A

given mass of water vapour in given mass of air

  • actual quantity of water vapour in air
  • volume does not affect
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24
Q

Unsaturated Air

A
  • water escapes into overlying air due to evaporation

- some vapour collides and bond thru condensation

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25
Q

Saturated Air

A

equilibrium between evaporation and condensation

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26
Q

Dew Point

A

temp at which saturation occurs in air

-dependant on amount of water vapour present

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27
Q

Relative Humidity

A

amount of water vapour in air relative to max that can exist at given temp/saturation point

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28
Q

Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate (DALR)

A

temp decrease with increase elevation

  • unsaturated
  • cooling/warming constant
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29
Q

Moist Adiabatic Lapse Rate (MALR)

A

lesser rate than DALR

  • saturated
  • not constant, varies w temp
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30
Q

Atmospheric Stability

A

comparing temp of rising parcel to surroundings

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31
Q

Absolutely Stable Air

A

air cooler/heavier (denser) than surrounding

-occurs when ELR less than SALR

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32
Q

Absolutely Unstable Air

A

warm, less dense than surrounding air

-DALR less than ELR

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33
Q

Orographic Uplift

A

occurs when mass of air deflected over/around terrain

-upward movement of air=adiabatic cooling=cloud formation/precipitation

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34
Q

Convergence

A

horizontal movement of air into region

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35
Q

Fog

A

surface cloud formed when air cools to dew pt. as moisture added/when cooler air mixed w moist air

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36
Q

Radiation fog

A

form on clear/calm nights when cool moist air is overlay by dry air and rapid radiation cooling occurs

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37
Q

Advection fog

A

when warm, moist air moves horizontal over cold surface and moist air cools to dew pt.

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38
Q

Upslope fog

A

as moist air rise and cools and condenses over elevated terrain/orographic barrier

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39
Q

Evaporation fog

A

cool air in contact w warmer water structure is warmed by water and became saturated by evaporation

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40
Q

Precipitation

A

any form of water that falls from cloud and reaches ground

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41
Q

Accretion

A

where falling ice crystals may freeze cool waterdrops on contact forming ice particles

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42
Q

Aggregation

A

process of ice crystals colliding and sticking together =snowflake

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43
Q

Cryosphere

A

where natural material (water/soil) occurs in frozen form

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44
Q

Permafrost

A

ground which temp

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45
Q

Acidification

A

increase of conc. in H+ in water/soil

-occurs thru wet deposition, precipitation of acids, dry deposition (acid in dust/smoke)

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46
Q

Buffers

A

non-basic compounds neutralize acids

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47
Q

Residence time

A

amount of time water spends in given compartment of Earth’s system

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48
Q

Capillary water

A

returns to atmosphere by evaporation and transpiration

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49
Q

Gravitational water

A

becomes groundwater

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50
Q

Hygroscopic water

A

water tightly bound to soil molecules

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51
Q

Impermeable surfaces

A

roads, parking lots, etc.

-result in stream exceeding max cap. =flooding

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52
Q

Gaining river

A

located above groundwater, increase discharge

-found in wet climate

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53
Q

Losing river

A

discharge water by percolation

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54
Q

River discharge

A

amount of water carried by river at one time

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55
Q

Watershed

A

total land area that drains water to common pt.

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56
Q

Water balance

A

represents hydrologic cycle at local scale

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57
Q

PE

A

Potential evapotranspiration

58
Q

Deficit

A

occurs when PE cannot be satisfied thru precipitation, soil moisture/irrigation

59
Q

Surplus

A

occurs when PE is satisfied and soil storage full

60
Q

Wind

A

air moving horizontally

-caused by unequal heating of atmosphere

61
Q

Coriolis Force

A
  • In N.Hemisphere, pulled to right
  • In S.Hemisphere, pulled to left
  • object moving in particular direction will deviate from path as Earth rotates
  • increases latitude and wind speed=greater deflection
62
Q

Upper level cyclones and anticyclones

A

rotating air parcels which generated by centripetal force resulting from imbalance b/w pressure gradient force and centripetal force

63
Q

Cyclones

A

centre of decrease pressure
CCW rotation N.Hemisphere, CW S.Hemisphere
- Coriolis force

64
Q

Anticyclones

A

Centre of decrease pressure
CW-N.Hemisphere
CWW-S.Hemipshere
-Coriolis force>PGF

65
Q

Convergence

A

created by air spinning into cyclone

–rise, cools, may form precipitation

66
Q

Divergence

A

Created by air spiralling out of anticyclone

-sinks, warms, decrease formation of clouds

67
Q

Hadley Cell

A
  • dominants latitudes from 0-30 degrees

- used to understand Earth wind patterns

68
Q

ITCZ

A

belt of low pressure which circles the Earth generally near the equator where the trade winds of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres come together

  • June: ITCZ moves pole-ward
  • Dec: ITCZ moves toward equator
69
Q

Ferrell Cell

A

pollard side of subtropical increase pressure belt

70
Q

Polar Cell

A

located over poles

-cold air=high pressure

71
Q

Jet stream

A

swiftly flowing current of air that flows in wavy, WE direction
-pressure gradient strongest

72
Q

Polar front

A

where warm air from Ferrell cell meets cold air from polar cell

73
Q

Gyres

A

large scale circular current bounded by continents and turn under sub-tropical highs

74
Q

Thermal Circulation

A

new pressure gradient at surface moves air from ocean surface towards island while air moving opposite direction at upper levels, completing 2 loops

75
Q

El Nino

A

coincides w time of unusually warm water off coast of Peru

-warm water pools approaches S.American coast, absence of cold upwelling increase warming

76
Q

La Nina

A

pronounced reversal of normal conditions

77
Q

Temp Regime

A

annual cycle of temp of place due to latitude and location

78
Q

Precipitation Regime

A

pattern of precipitation determined by air masses

79
Q

Constant height maps

A

plot variations in air pressure on constant elevation

-isobars connect its of equal pressure

80
Q

Constant Pressure Map

A

shows variations in altitude at constant pressure

  • pressure gradient crosses isobars perpendicular
  • mag. of arrows corresponds to mag. of force
81
Q

Soil

A

natural body containing layers, horizons & organic material
-hold decomposers &detritus feeders

82
Q

Soil profile

A

vertical arrangement of all horizons down to parent material

83
Q

Soil horizon

A

layer of mineral, organic soil parallel to land surface

84
Q

Topsoil

A

made up organic matter, minerals, food web

85
Q

Granular structure

A

1-10mm

A-horizons

86
Q

Blocky structure

A

5-50mm

B-horizons (rich in clay)

87
Q

Prismatic structure

A

10-100mm

B-horizons (rich in clay)

88
Q

Platy structure

A

1-10mm

horizon zones of leeching

89
Q

Leeching

A

materials removed from soil by water

90
Q

Global circulation

A

transfer heat from low to high latitudes

91
Q

Wet equatorial climate

A
  • low latitude climate
  • dominated by ITCZ
  • mE & mT air (very moist, warm)
92
Q

Wet Dry Tropical climate

A

-low latitude climate
-high-sun season ITCZ influence (wet)
>mT & mE air (moist, warm)
-low sun season (dry)
>cT air

93
Q

Moist Subtropical Climate

A
  • mid-latitude climate
  • moist mT air from subtropic high
  • convective rainfall
  • some cP air in winter
94
Q

Marine west coast climate

A
  • mid-latitude climate
  • orographic effect
  • cool, moist winter & mild/dry summer
95
Q

Moist continental climate

A
  • high-latitude climate
  • P & T air masses meet
  • cP & cA air in winter, mT in summer
96
Q

Tundra

A
  • high-latitude climate
  • winter cold & long
  • summer cool & short
97
Q

Hygroscopic water

A

water tightly bound to soil particle and inaccessible to plants

98
Q

Capillary water

A

returns to atmosphere thru evaporation and transpiration

-held in micro-pores

99
Q

Gravitational water

A

excess water drain thru soil

-eventually become groundwater

100
Q

Groundwater

A

water in saturated zone

101
Q

Water table

A

boundary between saturated and unsaturated soil

102
Q

Infiltration rate

A

speed at which water can percolate into ground

103
Q

Aquifer

A

layer of porous rock/sediment that can hold/transfer water

104
Q

Aquiclude

A

layer of non-porous rock that can hinder movement of water

105
Q

Salinization

A

too much salt in plant soil, cannot grow

-salt remains in soil when water evaporate

106
Q

Desertification

A

due to changes in climate/human activity

-deforestation, overgrazing, over-cultivation

107
Q

Splash erosion

A

soil gets compacted as raindrops hit bare soil

108
Q

Sheet erosion

A

even layer of soil lost from Earth’s surface

-occurs when rain/runoff infiltrates soil

109
Q

Rill erosion

A

due to runoff causing linear depressions in surface

110
Q

Gully erosion

A

large volumes of running water cause gullies

111
Q

Nutrient cycling

A

transfer/chemical transformation & recycling of nutrient in ecosystem

112
Q

Fluxes

A

transfers of materials b/w compartments

-acts as reservoir for these materials

113
Q

Nutrient budget

A

rates of nutrients input vs output to, from, within an ecosystem

114
Q

Epilimnion

A

shallow, wind-stirred layer of lake

115
Q

Metalimnion

A

thermocline located in lake (temp decrease rapidly)

116
Q

Hypolimnion

A

deep, cold part of lake

117
Q

Oligotrophic lake

A

nutrient supply low to relative amount of water

  • low algae productivity
  • sunlight can reach
  • well oxygenated
118
Q

Eutrophic lake

A

high nutrient supply relative to volume

  • dense growth of algae in surface water
  • bottom has no/little oxygen due to decomp. of algae
  • aquatic species suffocate and die
119
Q

Point source

A

specific spot where large quantities of pollutants are discharged

120
Q

Non-Point source

A

diffuse source of pollutants

-consists of small point sources distributed over wide area

121
Q

Non-persistant pollutants

A

can be broken down by chem rxn/bacteria into simpler substances
-damage reversible

122
Q

Persistant pollutants

A

substances that degrade slowly/cannot be broken down

-damage irreversible

123
Q

Biochemical oxygen demand

A

measure of amount of oxygen consumed by microbes as they break organic matter in water samples

124
Q

Assimilative capacity

A

ability to breakdown organic matter

125
Q

Solid waste

A

total of all materials thrown away from home/commercial

-excludes hazardous and industrial non-hazardous wastes

126
Q

Sanitary landfils

A

waste put in ground, cover w dirt and decompose

127
Q

Raw sewage

A

mainly water, debris, grit & dissolved particulates

128
Q

Sludge

A

solid organic rich material that settle at bottom of tank

129
Q

Hazardous Chemicals

A

any chem that

  1. Flammable
  2. Corrosive
  3. Raective
  4. Toxic: acute(immediate), chronic (develop over time), carcinogenic (cancer-causing)
130
Q

Lethal dose

A

dose of chem that lethal to 50% of test subjects

131
Q

Effective dose

A

50% of test subjects exhibit specific response based on dose-response relationship

132
Q

Bioaccumulation

A

storage of chem in organism in high conc. than is normal

-occurs when substance ingested but cannot be excreted/broken down

133
Q

Biomagnification

A

multiplying affect of bioaccumulation that occurs thru food chain

134
Q

Hypoxia

A

status of water that have dissolved oxygen conc. lower than 2 mg/L

135
Q

Anoxia

A

dissolved oxygen=0 mg/L

136
Q

Species richness

A

of species in an area

137
Q

Species diversity

A

proportional representation of species in an area

138
Q

Ecological Footprint

A

measure of all areas thats satisfies human need

139
Q

Stewardship

A

ethical framework that should inform public/private actions

140
Q

Environmental Steward

A

cares for natural work even though they do not own it

ENVIROSC 1C03 (2 decks)

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