Environmental Science Quiz

Harmful substances or energy released into the environment by human activities, causing negative effects on health, ecosystems, and resources.

Processes and methods used to observe, measure, and assess environmental conditions, often to understand pollution impacts and inform policy decisions.

Pollution is a leading cause of illnesses and premature deaths worldwide, stemming from various sources like industry, agriculture, and vehicles.

Poverty often leads to limited access to clean water, sanitation, and healthcare, making vulnerable populations more susceptible to pollution-related diseases.

The true economic costs of pollution are often underestimated, as they include direct medical costs, lost productivity, and diminished lifespan.

Pollution can contaminate air, water, and soil, affecting ecosystems and human health.

Pollution can disrupt natural processes, disturb ecosystems, and alter the balance of life on Earth.

Reducing pollution requires collective action from individuals, communities, industries, and governments.

Soil quality is a measure of how well soil can perform its functions, like supporting plant growth and filtering water. It's influenced by factors like rainfall, temperature, vegetation, and the soil's physical and chemical properties.

Environmental testing is the analysis of environmental samples (like soil, water, or air) to measure the levels of contaminants, chemical properties, and biological activity. The results tell us about the overall quality of the environment.

Soil testing is a scientific analysis of soil samples to determine the levels of essential nutrients, potentially harmful elements, and organic compounds. This information helps us understand the soil's health and make informed decisions about its management.

A minimum data set (MDS) is the essential information needed to assess and monitor soil quality. It includes measurements of key soil properties, which can be used to develop a soil quality index.

Pedottransfer functions (PTFs) are mathematical models used to predict specific soil properties (like water holding capacity) from readily available data. They help us understand how different soil properties relate to each other and how they affect soil function.

The process of assessing soil quality involves identifying symptoms of soil degradation, making a preliminary diagnosis, and prescribing a treatment to restore soil health. This process includes collecting and analyzing soil samples, interpreting the results, and recommending appropriate management practices.

Soil sampling is the process of collecting soil samples from different locations to represent the overall soil quality. The sampling method depends on the type of test and the potential risks to soil health.

Interpreting and recommending soil test results involves understanding the levels of essential nutrients, potentially harmful elements, and organic compounds in the soil. Based on this information, recommendations can be made for improving soil management practices.

A method of sampling air pollutants that involves physically separating the pollutants from the air using a filter.

A type of air pollution control system that uses a small, vibrating filter to continuously monitor the amount of particulate matter in the air.

Techniques used to remove pollutants from air or water, often requiring significant energy input.

A process that involves burning pollutants to control their emissions.

A type of combustion process that involves using high temperatures to destroy pollutants.

A type of combustion process that uses a catalyst to speed up the burning of pollutants.

A method of controlling VOC emissions that involves capturing the pollutants and using them for a beneficial purpose.

A type of recovery process that involves using a solid material to trap pollutants.

PM10 refers to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 micrometers or less. It can be composed of primary pollutants (direct emissions) and secondary pollutants (formed in the atmosphere).

The process of forming atmospheric aerosol particles involves three primary stages: nucleation, coagulation, and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activation.

Acid deposition refers to the deposition of acidic substances from the atmosphere onto the earth's surface. It can occur as wet deposition (rain, snow, fog), dry deposition (gases and particles), or occult precipitation (fog droplets on trees).

Acid deposition is primarily caused by the release of sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides from burning fossil fuels. These gases react with water in the atmosphere to form sulfuric and nitric acids, which then fall to the ground.

Manual monitoring involves collecting samples using bags, tubes, or sorbents. Continuous monitoring uses instruments to measure pollutants in real-time. Long-path monitoring uses light beams to measure pollutants over a distance, providing a more representative view of air quality.

Particulate matter is monitored by measuring its size and shape.

Long-path monitoring is a technique that uses light to measure pollutants over a long distance. It provides a more representative view of air quality compared to point sampling.

Biomonitoring uses living organisms to assess air quality. It provides information about the biological effects of pollutants.

A technique for measuring the intensity of light emitted by excited ions of a sample using a plasma source.

A technique for analyzing organic compounds where a sample is vaporized and separated based on volatility, then detected using a mass spectrometer.

A type of bacteria found in feces that indicates potential fecal contamination in water. They are not pathogenic themselves, but their presence suggests that harmful pathogens could also be present.

A type of pathogenic bacteria that is more sensitive to disinfection methods, often grows in water, and generally doesn't survive for a long time.

Tiny pathogens that are smaller than bacteria and more difficult to remove from water during disinfection.

These are protozoa and helminths, larger than bacteria and viruses, that are more resistant to chemical disinfection but more sensitive to UV radiation.

A type of water pollution caused by the introduction of human or animal waste, carrying harmful pathogens that can cause disease.

A type of contaminant that multiplies in its host (human or animal) and can be found in food, beverages, or water systems.

A type of polyethylene manufactured using high-pressure radical polymerization, resulting in a branched polymer structure.

A type of polyethylene produced using an organometallic catalyst, leading to a linear and less branched polymer structure.

Plastic particles smaller than 5 millimeters.

Microplastics produced directly in their small size during industrial processes, often for cosmetics, abrasives, and biomedical applications.

Microplastics formed from the degradation of larger plastic objects due to weathering, physical actions, or breakdown in the environment.

A type of secondary microplastic that originates from the abrasion of tires on asphalt surfaces, carried by wind and impacting water bodies.

Secondary microplastics that are released during the washing of textile products, entering the water system and eventually finding their way to larger water bodies.

The ratio of a fiber's length to its width, used to define microplastics fibers, which must have an aspect ratio of at least 3.