Mid-Term Review--Environmental Science 2006€¦ · Web view2016-7 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Cumulative REVIEW1. Cumulative Review--Environmental Science 2015-2016. ... Sustainable:

2016-7 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Cumulative REVIEW 1

Cumulative Review--Environmental Science 2015-2016

WATER

1. What are the rivers in our watershed? There are 6: Susquehanna River, James River, Potomac

River, Patapsco River, York River, and Rappahannock River

2. What’s the name of our large regional watershed? Chesapeake Bay

3. What states are in it? There are 6: VA, MD, DEL, WV, PA, NY

4. How much area (sq. miles) is in our watershed? 64 square miles. How far is it across the widest part of

the Bay? 30 miles

5. Know these terms:

Riparian: Zone The vegetation along a waterway

Aquifer: Underground H2O supply; an underground rock formation that holds H2O

Runoff: Water that runs over the land; doesn’t sink in

Storage/sediment/retention pond: A storage pond is an area of land designed to hold water

near the run-off ultimately refilling the water table. Man-made, help to control flooding,

stores runoff

Renewable resource: Resources that can be replaced usually with in a life time

Non-renewable resource: ex. Fossil fuels. Sources of energy that have an end.

Percolate: Downward dripping of H2O

Potable: H2O that is safe for drinking

Transpiration: the chemical change that occurs in tree leaves—CO2 in and H2O out

Desalination: Removing salt from H2O

Point source pollution can point to the source of pollution Ex: Chimney Stake

Non-point source pollution cannot point to the source of pollution Ex: Fertilizer in H2O

Sustainable: The wise use of resources so that they are available for future generations

Artesian well: Water bubbling to the surface not dug or pumped (without human

interference) is considered an artesian well.


Effluent: Water exiting a pipe (often polluted)

Unsaturated zone: The area underground between the surface and an aquifer

Eutrophication The buildup of algae because of excessive nutrients; Eutrophication is when

there are too many nutrients in the water system which causes an algal bloom. The

scientific term for ’overstimulation of growth of aquatic plants and algae’ caused by an

increase in nutrients resulting in a reduction of oxygen.

Alkalinity: Alkalinity refers to the capability of water to neutralize acid. This is really an

expression of buffering capacity. A buffer is a solution to which an acid can be added

without changing the concentration of available H+ ions (without changing the pH)

appreciably.

Recharge: The water table is replenished by precipitation; the adding of H2O to the

aquifer.

Land Subsidence—what it is & where they’re found in VA: A sinking of land

that occurs when large amounts of ground water have been excessively taken from an

aquifer; Southwest Virginia in the mountain region

Wet deposition—what it is and examples any type of precipitation (like: snow, rain, drizzle,

sleet);

6. Who was Rachel Carson? Environmental Pioneer who started the Environmental Movement. She

wrote Silent Spring which warned about the effects of DDT (insecticide) on animals, especially

birds.

7. What was the “Tragedy of the Commons” about? When a people use a resource that is held in

common thinking that someone else is responsible for it. What was its main message? As humans

we need to pay attention of our individual and corporate impact upon the environment.

8. What are the 2 types of aquifers? Confined and Unconfined

9. How is a regular well different from an artesian well? A regular well is drilled. An artesian well

bubbles to the surface without human intervention.

10. What are the main chemicals responsible for acid rain? SOx & NOx What is the main source for acid

rain in the East? (Where does it come from?) Acid rain primarily comes from Coal burning power

plants in the Mid-West.

11. What are the different ways that nitrogen can enter the environment? Nitrates are found in fertilizers

used in farming, and lawn enhancement. The chemical is transported through runoff into the

water system. Fertilizer, sewage, human waste, lightning add nitrogen into the environment.


12. Why are the oysters in the Chesapeake Bay important? They filter the H20.

SUSTAINABLE STORMWATER TREATMENT

13. Which sustainable storm water treatment elements are always put underground? Cistern and Dry Well

14. Which ones are truly considered landscaping elements? rain garden, vegetative swale, planter boxes,

trees

15. Which would store water for household use? Cistern

16. Which one can be used on a roof, on the ground, and underground? Cistern

AIR

17. When was the Clean Air Act first passed? 1963 It was last amended in 1990.

18. Who monitors compliance of the Clean Air Act? EPA

19. What chemicals combine to make ground level ozone? VOC and NOx What is the chemical compound

for ozone? O3

20. What makes ground level ozone worse? Heat and calm air What’s another name for ground level ozone?

Smog

21. What’s a “temperature inversion”? The warm air is on the bottom and cold air is on the top adding to air

pollution.

22. What are “holes” in the ozone layer and where are they found? Ozone holes are much like the worn-

out places in an old sock or sweater; there are still threads covering the worn out area but the

fabric can be so thin you can see right through it. 5 locations: 1.Ozone hole was found above

Antarctica (South Pole); 2. Above the Northern half of the United States; 3. Canada; 4. Into the Arctic

regions (the area of the North Pole); 5. Over Northern Europe

23. What causes/caused the holes in the ozone layer? CFC’s

24. What does VOC stand for? Volatile Organic Compounds. What does CFC stand for?

chlorofluorocarbons which were in car air conditioners, and aerosol (spray) cans such as hair

spray, deodorants). CFC’s were banned in 1978.

25. What’s the difference between “good” and “bad” ozone? Where is each found? Good ozone is the atmospheric layer that protects us from harmful UV rays. Bad Ozone is smog in the lower part of the atmosphere that we breathe. Is it comprised from many sources, smokestacks, cars, paints and solvents.

26. How does bad ozone affect human health? Causes lung issues: asthma, cancer, general breathing

problems

27. What does the Air Quality Index measure? Measures the amount of smog in the air, and rates the

quality by color. What do the colors represent?


http://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasics.aqi

28. Know several examples of non-renewable resources. Fossil fuels are considered non-renewable. Coal,

natural gas, oil. Nuclear power is considered non-renewable because of the potential environmental

impacts (limited uranium supply, meltdown, and radioactive uranium).

29. How do cars contribute to air pollution? Cars contribute to air pollution primarily by emitting CO2 by

using fossil fuels as their primary energy source. What has been done by manufacturers to improve car

emissions? Emissions have been reduced, and mileage per gallon (of fuel) has been improved. Gasoline

is cleaner.

BIRDS

30. Be able to identify by sight the following birds:

robin Canada goose song sparrow

blue jay grackle nuthatch

crow mourning dove starling

cardinal ring billed gull herring gull

great blue heron house sparrow goldfinch

33. About how many species of birds are there? Over 6,000

34. What is the smallest bird we have? The hummingbird is only 2 inches long and weigh less than 1 ounce.

35. Why are bird skeletons so light? (2 reasons) Hollow bones (criss cross struts), and less bones.

36. Because of their skulls, birds most closely resemble what other group of animals? A bird’s skull most

closely resembles a reptile.

http://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasics.aqi


37. Birds of prey have what kind of vision? Binocular vision is 3 dimensional which is important in judging

distance and is necessary in hunting fast-moving prey. Their eyes are located toward the front of the

head, such as in owls & eagles.

38. Songbirds have what kind of vision? Song birds have monocular vision. Monocular vision allows eyes

to see far to the side to detect predators. Their eyes are located toward the sides of their heads. Which

birds in our list are songbirds? Song Sparrow, mockingbird, cardinal, goldfinch, robin, mourning dove

39. Know some examples of birds of prey that we have here in VA. : red shouldered hawk, bald eagle,

40. What is the “crop”? Crop-an enlargement of the esophagus is a storage chamber for food before

passing to the stomach; hard foods like seeds, and nuts are softened with mucus. It is extended wide not

straight.

41. What is the “gizzard”? The crop, gizzard, and stomach are the three main parts of a bird’s digestive

system. Gizzard-a muscular stomach that contains small stones & grit which grind up and crush food;

these are found in birds of prey like hawk, and owl; the gizzard traps indigestible matter such as bones

and pellets by regurgitation**

42. What is the third part of the digestive system in birds? The crop, gizzard, and stomach are the three

main parts of a bird’s digestive system. Stomach—2 kinds: glandular (which has digestive enzymes** to

break down proteins and partially dissolve bones (owl pellet, fur, bones) that have been swallowed.

These enzymes speed up chemical reactions (in this case they are proteins).

44. What are the 4 types of flight? 1) flapping, 2)hovering, 3) soaring and 4) gliding

45. Which one uses the most energy? Hovering: used to remain stationary over one spot; requires* more

energy than flapping. The least? Gliding: the simplest form of flight, it requires the least energy

46. Be able to list examples of flightless birds.

Penguin, ostrich, emu, kiwi & rheas (potentially the flamingo, cassowaries) have wings, but the wings are

too weak or small to make them airborne.

47. Be able to identify the leaves of the following trees: TREE IDENTIFICATION IS ON THE NEXT

FOUR PAGES.

48. Which of the above trees have/has compound leaves? Hickory leaf


TREES

Oak

Paw Paw


Maple

Tulip Poplar


Beech

HickoryGLOBAL WARMING

46. How is the Earth like a greenhouse? Holds in heat like a blanket, and reflects sunlight which keeps the

Earth cool.


47. What does the natural greenhouse effect do for the Earth? The natural greenhouse effect uses the

atmospheric ozone layer to protect us from harmful UV (ultraviolet) rays, amplifies the sun’s heat, and traps

the heat inside our atmosphere keeping the cold from space out.

48. How could Global Warming effect our water supply? How/why? Because sea ice is melting adding

fresh water to our seas, the sea levels are rising infiltrating our coastal wetlands. Lowering the amount of

fresh water.

49. Be able to name the 5 GHG’s that we studied? CO2, Water Vapor, Methane, NOx, CFC’s

50. Know what the most harmful human activity that causes GW is. Burning fossil fuels

51. What was the date and goal of the original Kyoto Protocol? A gathering of countries trying to agree on

the stabilization of GHG in the atmosphere in 1997 (primarily directed at the US).

52. Be able to name at least 4 things that cause Global Warming or make it worse? Contributing Factors (or Causes) of Global Warming

1. Burning fossil fuels2. Deforestation3. Cows (Methane)4. Air pollution5. Inorganic fertilizers (give off NOx and VOx)6. Cultivation of rice7. Increase of poplation

53. Be able to name 3 things or areas that sequester most of the atmospheric CO2’s.: 1) soil 2) ocean 3) trees

54. What is a carbon footprint? The amount of CO2 a person is responsible for in her or his lifetime.

55. Be able to explain the “3 worrisome scenarios.”

1. Rainforest Collapse—Because there is more CO2 in the atmosphere because of pollution, the trees in

the rainforest do not transpire (take in as much CO2 ) therefore they do not emit as much water vapor

creating less precipitation. Without the same amount of precipitation, the trees will die, and over time, they

will be replaced with grassland (savannah) or desert.

2. Gulf Stream Collapse—As the glaciers on Greenland melt, fresh water is added to the ocean in the North

Atlantic. The additional fresh water changes the salinity of the ocean especially close to Greenland.

Usually because of the cold water the Gulf Stream chills and because of the saltiness of the current, the

current falls to the bottom of the ocean to keep moving around the world. If the salinity of the current is

modified or reduced, the current may not fall leading to England becoming like Alaska.

3. Methane Clathrate Release—Because global temperatures are rising, the temperatures of the ocean are

rising as well. If the ocean temperatures rise enough, and the pressure of the water near the bottom of the

ocean will change, which will release methane deposits from the ocean floor. As the methane deposits

(clathrates) rise and hit the atmosphere they will ignite creating a catastrophic event—or a global BBQ.

Documents

Mid-Term Review--Environmental Science 2006€¦ · Web view2016-7 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Cumulative REVIEW1. Cumulative Review--Environmental Science 2015-2016. ... Sustainable: