Human Influences On The Environment Flashcards

0
Q

What is the greenhouse effect

A

The sun’s heat energy enters the atmosphere and reflects back but hits a layer of greenhouse gases

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1
Q

What’s deforestation

A

The burning of trees

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2
Q

What causes co2 levels to increase

A

Burning of fossil fuels
Cars
Power stations

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3
Q

How does deforestation increase the amount of co2

A

Trees can’t photosynthesis and remove co2

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4
Q

Increased temperature means

A
Polar ice caps melt
Sea levels rise
Change in ocean currents
Warmer water where once it was cooler
Changes in weather patterns (droughts/floods)
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5
Q

Name 3 greenhouse gases

A

Methane
Carbon dioxide
Water vapour

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6
Q

Heat energy from the Earth’s surface is radiated into __________ but some of it is absorbed by _______ in the atmosphere. This ________ the atmosphere

A

Space
Gases
Warms

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7
Q

Holes in the ozone layer are thought to have been caused by chlorine from long-lived _______

A

CFCs

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8
Q

Name 3 things that CFCs are used in

A

Aerosols
Refrigerator coolants
Expanded plastics

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9
Q

CO2
Comes from:
Effect:

A

Comes from combustion of fossil fuels

Effect: Traps heat in the atmosphere (greenhouse effect)

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11
Q

Carbon monoxide
Comes from:
Effect:

A

Comes from: Burning fossil fuels in limited oxygen (cars)

Effect: Poisonous. Cells don’t get enough O2. CO binds with haemoglobin instead of O2

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12
Q

Sulfur dioxide So2
Comes from:
Effect:

A

Comes from: Burning fossil fuels (factories)

Effect: Acid rain

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13
Q

Nitrogen oxides
Comes from:
Effect:

A

Comes from: Petrol and diesel burned in engines

Effect: Acid rain

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14
Q

Methane
Comes from:
Effect:

A

Comes from: Cow flatulance, paddy fields, decomposing waste in landfill
Effect: Greenhouse effect

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15
Q

Ph of normal rain:

A

5.5 (slightly acidic because co2 is dissolved in it (carbonic acid))

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16
Q

How is acid rain formed

A

Nitrogen oxides released from burning fossil fuels + rainwater —-> nitric acid which is very acidic

17
Q

What 3 effects does acid rain have

A

Soil becomes acidic which damages root hairs
Damage to leaves + trees
Death of fish in rivers + lakes

18
Q

5 things that pollute water

A
Sewage
Industrial waste
Oil
Pesticides
Fertilizers
19
Q

Explain the process of eutrophication

A

Rain washes fertilizers out of the soil and washes nitrates into rivers/ponds
The nitrates make the algae in the water grow really fast
The algae grows quickest forming an algal bloom
This covers the surface meaning that the plants at the in the water can’t receive light or photosynthesise leading to death.
Then decomposers break down the dead plants carrying out respiration and using up oxygen up in the water. Fish die due to lack of oxygen.
Eventually the pond runs out of oxygen and the only organisms that can survive are anaerobic bacteria

20
Q

Rain washes fertilizers out of the soil and washes ___________ inter rivers/ponds
The nitrates make the ________ in the water grow really fast
The algae grows quickest forming an _______ ________
This covers the surface meaning that the plants at the in the water can’t receive _________ so they can’t __________________ leading to death.
Then decomposers break down the dead plants carrying out ____________ and using up _________up in the water. Fish die due to lack of oxygen.
Eventually the pond runs out of oxygen and the only organisms that can survive are ___________ bacteria
This process is called ____________________

A
Nitrates
Algae
Algal bloom
Light
Photosynthesise
Decomposers
Respiration
Oxygen
Anaerobic
Eutrophication
21
Q

Most organic waste matter is biodegradable. It is broken down by ________________ in the water

A

Micro-organisms

22
Q

If there is too much organic waste then the number of micro-organisms ______________

A

Increases

23
Q

As micro-organisms break down organic waste they also ___________ using up __________. The water becomes _________ causing fish to die due to a lack of oxygen

A

Respire
Oxygen
Anoxic

24
Q

One of the most accurate ways of testing for pollution is to look at animal life present in a _______ sample. Certain creatures particularly insects die at different levels of pollution. The presence of these indicator species can be used to show how badly a waterway is polluted

A

Water sample

25
Q

Where could large amounts of nitrates and phosphates in a pond/river come from

A

Fertilizers via leaching

26
Q

What is the term for ‘cutting down large areas of trees’

A

Deforestation

27
Q

What is overgrazing

A

Allowing cattle to spend too long on an enclosed portion of land

28
Q

What does anoxic mean

A

Without oxygen

29
Q

What is overfishing

A

Fishing too much, killing too many fish

30
Q

What is trawling

A

Dragging a net along a sea bed killing all sorts of species

31
Q

What is desertification

A

The process in which fertile land becomes desert

32
Q

3 causes of desertification

A

Overgrazing
Deforestation
Poor irrigation (watering) not enough water

33
Q

How to prevent desertification by overgrazing

A

Fertilise the land so that plants can continue to grow

34
Q

How to prevent desertification by deforestation

A

Plant trees (reforestation)

35
Q

2 ways of preventing desertification

A

Fertilise the land so that plants can grow
Plant trees (reforestation)
Reduce the effect of the wind by making barriers and stabilising sand dunes with plants