Final Exam Review

Final Exam Review

Nuclear fusion vs. fission

FUSION• is the combining of nuclei• Occurs in stars and in hydrogen

fuel cells

FISSION• is the splitting of atoms• Nuclear power

Coal vs Uranium

Coal• Creates air pollution by releasing

gases during the burning of it• Relatively inexpensive• Efficient: produces a lot of

energy

Uranium• Creates thermal pollution but no air

pollution• After the steam is condensed, the

water is usually placed in a lake which can disrupt the aquatic organisms because they thrive in a specific temperature range

• Relatively abundant although it is nonrenewable• Not as efficient as coal

Hydroelectric Energy• Energy from moving water• Harnessed by building a dam to change

elevation in river; as water flows over the dam, it turns turbines, which generates electricity

• Advantages: renewable energy, creates recreational areas (e.g. Lakes), helps control flooding, very efficient• Disadvantages: expensive to build and

maintain, disrupts ecosystems (e.g. blocks fish from spawning)

Fossil Fuels• Include coal, oil (petroleum), and natural gas• Made from ancient living things and took millions of years to form• Obtained through mining (coal) or drilling (oil and natural gas)• Advantages: relatively inexpensive, efficient• Disadvantages: pollute the air by releasing CARBON DIOXIDE into the

atmosphere, obtaining them can be damaging to the environment (e.g. mining tears up the land and drilling can cause oil spills)

Shallow vs. Deep Earthquakes• Shallow focus earthquakes are

closer to the surface • Deep focus earthquakes are

deeper in the ground• If a shallow earthquake and a

deep earthquake occurred at the same magnitude, the shallow earthquake is most likely to cause the most damage because its energy is closer to the surface.

DEEP FOCUS SHALLOW FOCUS

Springs (Water)• A flow of

groundwater that emerges naturally at the ground surface• Forms whenever

the water table intersects the ground surface

Composition of the Atmosphere• Elements: NITROGEN (N2)

OXYGEN (O2) ARGON (Ar)• Compounds: CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2) WATER (H2O) OZONE (O3)

• absorbs harmful UV RAYS (ultraviolet)

Atmospheric Layers• Atmospheric Layering is caused by TEMPERATURE differences.

Atmospheric Layers• (1) TROPOSPHERE • Closest to earth• Holds the most CO2 and H2O vapor• All WEATHER changes happen here• Temperature ↓ as altitude increases.• Why? FARTHER FROM THE HEAT ABSORBED BY EARTH

• 2) STRATOSPHERE• From tropopause to 50km in altitude• Includes the OZONE LAYER (O3)• Temperature ↑ as altitude increases.• Why? CLOSER TO O3 LAYER WHICH ABSORBS UV LIGHT & HEAT

• 3) MESOSPHERE• From stratopause to 80km in altitude• Coldest layer• Temperature ↓ as altitude increases.• Why? FARTHER FROM O3 LAYER

• (4) THERMOSPHERE• From mesopause to outer space• Temperature ↑as altitude increases.• Why? OXYGEN AND NITROGEN ABSORB SHORT-WAVE, HIGH-

ENERGY SOLAR RADIATION

OZONE• Layer of ozone molecules (O3 = 3 oxygen atoms)• Protects us by absorbing harmful ultraviolet radiation• Hole in the ozone layer is caused by CFCs, Halons, and Methyl

Bromides• found in aerosols, refrigerators/coolants, fire extinguishers, and certain

pesticides

• CLIMATE CHANGE IS NOT THE SAME THING AS THE OZONE HOLE• GREENHOUSE GASES AND/OR CARBON DIOXIDE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH

THE HOLE IN THE OZONE LAYER!!!

Beach Nourishment• Def: the addition of large quantities of sand to the beach system

– Pros: improved beach quality and storm protections– Cons: very expensive, can have detrimental effects on local marine life, and is

a short term solution

Ocean Surface Currents• Ocean currents have an

effect on climate– Red Arrows- Movement

from lower latitudes to higher latitudes (brings warmer waters to usually colder climates (Great Britain)

– Blue Arrows- Movement from higher latitudes to lower latitudes (brings colder waters to usually warmer climates)

Fronts• Front: narrow region separating 2 air masses of

different densities____•Air masses collide forming _fronts_.• Fronts can cause dramatic __changes__ in weather.•4 Types: _cold , __warm__, ___stationary__, and

__occluded___

Cold Front•Cold, dense air displaces ___warm___ air,

forcing the warm air _up__ along a steep front.•Warm air _rises _, cools, and _condenses_• Forms __clouds__, __showers__, and

sometimes __thunderstorms_____• Fast temperature change: air gets colder.•Advance more ___rapidly___ than a warm

front.

• SYMBOL: Color? Direction of movement?

• DIAGRAM:

WARM FRONT•Advancing _warm___ air displaces __cold___ air, and the warm air rises above the cold air.•Extensive _cloudiness__ and ___precipitation____•Slow temperature change: air gets warmer.

• SYMBOL: Color? Direction of movement?

• DIAGRAM:

Stationary Front•Warm and Cold air meet, but neither moves into the other’s territory, which __stalls__ the front.

•They stall because the ___temperature__ and __pressure___ gradients are small.

• SYMBOL: Color? Direction of movement?

• DIAGRAM:

Occluded Front• A cold air mass moves so rapidly that it __overtakes a warm

front____.• The cold air masses collide, pushing the warm air ___upward____.• Causes precipitation on both sides of the front_______.

• SYMBOL: Color? Direction of movement?

• DIAGRAM:

Clear Cutting vs. Selective Cutting

• Clear Cutting• Definition: Cutting all the trees in one area.• Positive Aspects:• This method provides more light for the new trees. Another positive aspect is, burning helps the natural

reforestation of some species. Lastly it is the cheapest method.• Negative aspects:• After all the trees are cut, a plantation is created. It is NOT a forest because all the trees are the same type and

they are all the same age. Herbicides are used to make sure that no other species of tree grows. This is harmful because if some thing harmful, that only attacks one specific type of tree,(i.e. tent caterpillars, spruce bud worms) attacks the whole plantation, then the whole plantation dies.

• Some species of animal may die during the process of clear cutting because their habitat has been destroyed.• The soil in and around the area of the clear cut is hardened and eroded because of the machines that are used.• Flooding occurs much more easily because tree roots are no longer able to hold back rain water.• Because of the loss of protection (trees that have been clear cut) other trees may be come damaged by the

wind.• There are less jobs in the forest because of all the machines. However, there are more jobs in the pulp and

paper industry (You can take that either way).

Clear Cutting vs. Selective Cutting• Selective Cuttting• Definition: Cutting only the mature trees in one area.• Positive aspects: Reforestation occurs naturally, which means that the trees near

by grow better and the diversity of the species is continued. Because the forest doesn't change much, it survives genetically. While the animals are disturbed for a short period of time, by the noise and human activity, they go back to their normal way of life quite quickly after the people leave. The soil is only damaged a little bit, if at all. There are fewer floods because the soil and trees help to retain water. The trees are left to grow better. This type of cutting allows more jobs to be created in small businesses, however there are fewer jobs available in big industries. You can take that either way.• Negative Aspects: This type of cut is the more expensive of the two.

Heat Islands• The term "heat island" describes built up areas that are hotter than nearby rural areas.

• The annual mean air temperature of a city with 1 million people or more can be 1.8–5.4°F (1–3°C) warmer than its surroundings.

• In the evening, the difference can be as high as 22°F (12°C).

• Heat islands can affect communities by increasing summertime peak energy demand, air conditioning costs, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, heat-related illness and mortality, and water quality.