Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Earth resources, Impacts and Sustainability > Introduction > Flashcards

Introduction Flashcards

(62 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

What does use/ demand of earth resources depend on?

A

Human population

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What supply rpoblem is associated with the trend in population?

A

Net increase at a rate which supply might not be able to meet increasing consumerist demand

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is the trend with life expectancy?

A

net increase

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are some examples of areas with low and high life exectancy?

A

Sub-sahran Africa low ~50yrs
Scandinavia ~80+

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What was average life expectancy in 2020?

A

72.63yrs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is the trend with living standard and why is it the case?

A

Rapidly increasing
Due to: technological advance,

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What happens with the increased surplas of high level tech produced but no longer keep up with consumerism of newest model?

A

Transported to less developed areas

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is the mojority of demand driven by?

A

Urbanisation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

How many worldwide internet users were there in july 2024?

A

5.45 billion (67.1% of population)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is the resource context behind there being so many interent users?

A

Need interet infrastructure
Suitable hardware
Many users have multiple devices
Lifetime before obsolete

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What problem is there with avaliability of resources for tech?

A

HOarding of old devices means recyling is limited driving exploitation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is the highest rising catergory for resource use?

A

Construction materials

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is oil peak?

A

theorised point of maximum oil production

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is the current maximum oil peak with most economic use?

A

2047

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What does the market forces model 2008 show?

A

Buyers market - when oil is cheap to extract and cheap to buy (conventional methods)
Sellers market - oil is expensive to extract and expensive to buy (unconventional methods)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is the genereal consensus about the production of conventional oil?

A

It has reached it peak and that oil prices are being kept stable by increased unconventioanl extraction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What are soe examples of events that have led to fluctuations in oil price?

A

US led invasion of Iraq (people focused on survival instead of working in oil production)
2008 financial crisis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

How did OPEC affect oil prices?

A

To combat unconventional sources driving prices too high they greatly reduced the price of conventional oi

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

How was oil prices affected by covid on a particular day?

A

DUe to their being no production or demand on a one day it actually cost money to store oil (-$37.73)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What are resources?

A

Naturally occuring concentrations of substances from which economic extraction occurs now or in the future (price controlled)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What are reserves?

A

Quantatities of resources that can be extracted proditably and legally under existing conditions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What are renewable resources?

A

those materials replenished on short time scales of months to years

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What are non-renewable resources?

A

Those materials of which earth contains a fixed quantity and which are not replenished by natural processes operating on short timescales

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What is an ore?

A

Resource of metals that can be profitable and legally extracted under existing conditions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
What is a gangue?
Non-useful minerals and rock intermixed with a valuable ore mineral Host rock
26
What is the cut-off grade?
Lowest grade (concentration) of a particular deposit that can be mined for a profit
27
What is the reserve base?
Includes reserves, marginal reserves and a portion of sub-economic resources; this includes those parts of the total resource that have a reasonable potential of becoming economically viable
28
Is there the chnace that Total reserves and conditional reserves can chnage?
Yes depending on price (price fall- total to conditional) or REestriciotns being added or lifted
29
Out of the 118 elements how many have some sort of use?
112
30
What are the 3 main sources from which elements for use can be derived?
Biologically (i.e., hydrogen, helium) Atmospherically (i.e., noble gases) Mineral and brine derived
31
What is an example using aluminium and gold for varying abundance?
Aluminium ppm = 82,300 Gold ppm = 0.004 (per crustal tonne)
32
Becuase some elements are in such low abundance what is need to make it economically viable to extract them?
A way of concentrating them into an ore
33
Is the composition of earth homogenous or heterogenous?
heterogenous
34
How is earths composition heterogenouos?
mineral resource accumulations result from active processes in the crust
35
What controls the location of many mineral resources?
Plate tectonics driven by the convection of earths mantle
36
3537766
37
How are earth materials recycled?
AT destructive plate boundaries when the plate is melted the minerals enter the mantle and can then be rejected via volcanism
38
Why is it difficult to classify concentration process?
As many formed by more than one process
39
How can magmatic/ metamorphic processes be linked to hydrithermal?
Both produce mineral veins
40
How can sedimentary concentrations also include biogenic concentrations?
Coal
41
What are the two main types of magmatic concentrations?
Layered intrusions Pegmatites
42
What are layered intrusions?
Vary vertically Form in previous marine rock like opiolites Fractionation of typically silica poor magmas (magnetite, chrome and platinum)
43
What are pegmatites?
Veins and large intrusions (hot liquid saturated with minerals which precipitate as cooling occurs) Coarse grained (quartz, feldspars, micas) Minor or unusual elements at intrusion margins
44
What are 2 examples of metamorphic concentrations?
contact metamorphism adjacent to igenous intrusion Regional metamorphism (burial >10km)
45
What are the features/ effects of contact metamorphism?
Chnages rock properties and fabric maybe becoming suitable for aggregates and buidling stone (limestone to marble) Potentially skarn mineralisation (calcium silicates)
46
What are the features/ effects of contact metamorphism?
Rocks and minerals recrystalize and are transformed mineralogically and texturally. Formation of metamorphic minerals (e.g. garnet, kyanite) Resistant rocks for aggregates and buildings
47
What are some examples of hydrithermal concentrations?
Minieral veins Submarine black smokers
48
What are mineral veins?
veins emanating from igneous intrusions from circulating hydrothermal fluids
49
How do submarine black smokers produce hydrithermal concentrations?
mid ocean ridge and hotspot volcanism
50
How are sediments formed?
physical and/or chemical break down of existing rocks by weathering or by biogenic accumulation.
51
What are some examples of sedimentary concentrations?
Sand and gravel deposits in river channels (e.g. Thames River Gravels) Placer deposits concentrating and sorting dense, resistant minerals (gold, tin, titanium, diamonds) in river sediment Manganese and iron nodules in marine settings Precambrian aged banded ironstone formations
52
What are some examples of biogenic concentrations of minerals?
Phosphates Coal, Oil and gas Limestone Guano
53
What are phophate deposits usually rich in?
Fossil teeth and bones (North Caroline and Florida unconsolidated marine phosphates)
54
What is guano?
The use fo animal poo like bats for fertiliser historically important regionally not globally
55
What is weatehring?
response of rocks and minerals to physical and chemical processes including rain, wind, frost and biological activity; this can form or destroy resources
56
What are some examples of weathering?
Feldspars and micas weather to form clays Olivines and pyroxenes – weather to release iron and magnesium Tropical weathering of rocks and soils can form bauxite (aluminium) and laterite (iron) Iron sulphide deposits can weather to produce sulphuric acid destroying the resource Weathering may result in mineral rich soils
57
What is erosion?
physical processes moving earth materials downstream or slope in response to gravity; this can remove or concentrate resources, and is a major control on sedimentary deposits (sands/gravels and placer deposits).
58
What are evapouritic concentractions?
evapouration and precipiation from water bodies like lakes and seas
59
What can evaporation form in enclosed seas?
Salt flats
60
Where are the most significant salt accumulations in the uk?
slowly subsiding basins with episodic water influx and continuous evaporation – e.g. Cheshire salt deposits (UK)
61
What are the thickest salt desposits?
>1000 m thick; thickness corresponds approximately to rate of basin subsidence
62
What must be considered when looking at predictions for when resources will run out?
These predictions can be put to bed by discobery of new resocures or alternatives i.e., lead being used less

Earth resources, Impacts and Sustainability (12 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions