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Questions and Answers
What was the cause of the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident?
What was the cause of the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident?
The radiation leak from Fukushima was greater than that of Chernobyl.
The radiation leak from Fukushima was greater than that of Chernobyl.
False
How many workers died as a result of radiation sickness in the incident mentioned?
How many workers died as a result of radiation sickness in the incident mentioned?
31
After the Fukushima disaster, ______________ proposed to phase out nuclear power generation.
After the Fukushima disaster, ______________ proposed to phase out nuclear power generation.
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What was one of the long-term effects anticipated from the radiation exposure?
What was one of the long-term effects anticipated from the radiation exposure?
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Match the following effects to their corresponding nuclear disaster:
Match the following effects to their corresponding nuclear disaster:
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The concrete shell encasing the Chernobyl reactor has a lifetime of 50 years.
The concrete shell encasing the Chernobyl reactor has a lifetime of 50 years.
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What does the first law of thermodynamics state?
What does the first law of thermodynamics state?
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What type of system is described as an organized collection of interdependent parts?
What type of system is described as an organized collection of interdependent parts?
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Entropy refers to the amount of order present in a system.
Entropy refers to the amount of order present in a system.
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What is the principle that states energy cannot be created or destroyed?
What is the principle that states energy cannot be created or destroyed?
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The tendency of a system to return to its original state following a disturbance is known as _____ .
The tendency of a system to return to its original state following a disturbance is known as _____ .
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Match the types of equilibria with their characteristics:
Match the types of equilibria with their characteristics:
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Which system characteristic is true for unstable equilibria?
Which system characteristic is true for unstable equilibria?
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Models can yield different results even with identical inputs.
Models can yield different results even with identical inputs.
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What is the effect of increasing entropy in a system?
What is the effect of increasing entropy in a system?
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What is the correct definition of sustainability?
What is the correct definition of sustainability?
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Renewable natural capital refers to non-living resources that are continuously replaced by natural processes.
Renewable natural capital refers to non-living resources that are continuously replaced by natural processes.
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What term refers to natural resources that can produce a sustainable natural income of goods and/or services?
What term refers to natural resources that can produce a sustainable natural income of goods and/or services?
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_____ value is assigned to resources regardless of their potential use to humans.
_____ value is assigned to resources regardless of their potential use to humans.
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Match the types of natural capital with their definitions:
Match the types of natural capital with their definitions:
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Which of the following best describes economic value?
Which of the following best describes economic value?
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Ecological value has a defined market price assigned to it.
Ecological value has a defined market price assigned to it.
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What does the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment aim to evaluate?
What does the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment aim to evaluate?
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What is the primary purpose of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs)?
What is the primary purpose of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs)?
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The evaluation of significance in an EIA determines whether the impacts of a project are acceptable.
The evaluation of significance in an EIA determines whether the impacts of a project are acceptable.
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What is the final step in the EIA process?
What is the final step in the EIA process?
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The process undertaken to determine if an EIA is required is called __________.
The process undertaken to determine if an EIA is required is called __________.
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Match the following EIA processes with their descriptions:
Match the following EIA processes with their descriptions:
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Which of the following is an example of a primary pollutant?
Which of the following is an example of a primary pollutant?
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Non-point source pollution originates from a single identifiable source.
Non-point source pollution originates from a single identifiable source.
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What are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) known for?
What are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) known for?
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Degradable pollutants break down quickly due to the action of __________.
Degradable pollutants break down quickly due to the action of __________.
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Which type of pollution is characterized by large amounts of a pollutant released at once?
Which type of pollution is characterized by large amounts of a pollutant released at once?
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Match the type of pollution with its definition:
Match the type of pollution with its definition:
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Biodegradable pollutants remain active in the environment for a long time.
Biodegradable pollutants remain active in the environment for a long time.
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List one property of persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
List one property of persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
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What type of measurements typically provide direct evidence of pollution levels?
What type of measurements typically provide direct evidence of pollution levels?
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Indirect measurements provide direct evidence of the concentration of pollutants in the environment.
Indirect measurements provide direct evidence of the concentration of pollutants in the environment.
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Name one strategy used to manage pollution by altering human activity.
Name one strategy used to manage pollution by altering human activity.
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The process of _______ and restoration of damaged systems involves extracting and removing pollutants from an ecosystem.
The process of _______ and restoration of damaged systems involves extracting and removing pollutants from an ecosystem.
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Match the following pollution management strategies with their examples:
Match the following pollution management strategies with their examples:
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Study Notes
Environmental Value Systems (EVS)
- An EVS is a worldview or paradigm shaping how individuals or groups perceive and evaluate environmental issues.
- Influenced by cultural, religious, economic, and socio-political contexts.
- EVS can be considered a system with inputs (family, peers, media, religion, education, politics, and science) and outputs (course of action, perspectives, and decisions).
The EVS Spectrum
-
Ecocentric: Integrates social, spiritual, and environmental dimensions into a holistic ideal.
- Places ecology and nature as central to humanity.
- Emphasizes less materialistic approach to life and greater self-sufficiency.
- Beliefs include: environmental conservation as central to decision-making, humans are part of nature, individual responsibility/accountability, inherent value of all life, protection of habitats/ecosystems, and against extinction of other species.
-
Anthropocentric: Humans are the managers of the Earth.
- Humans must sustainably manage the global system through taxes, environmental regulation, and legislation.
- Encourages debate for a consensual and pragmatic approach to solving environmental problems.
- Beliefs include: the environment as a human resource, human health/well-being as central to decision-making, people are environmental managers, population control important as resource use, and humans are the most important species.
-
Technocentric: Technology can solve environmental problems.
- Optimistic view of humans' role in improving humanity.
- Encourages scientific research for policy-formation and understanding resource depletion/system control.
- Beliefs include: nature as a model that can be replaced by technology when needed, human health/well-being are central to decision-making, technology can keep pace with and provide solutions to environmental problems, and humans need to manage and control resources.
Important Environmental Events
-
Silent Spring (Rachel Carson): Catalyzed the modern environmental movement.
- Warned of pesticide effects on insects, other animals, and humans.
- Highlighted pesticide accumulation in food chains and potential health risks.
-
An Inconvenient Truth (Al Gore): Increased awareness of climate change.
- Highlighted the effects of greenhouse gases on the global climate.
- Stressed human activity's role in climate change.
-
Bhopal Disaster: Worst industrial disaster.
- Release of methyl isocyanate gas in Bhopal, India, 1984.
- Resulted in thousands of deaths and long-term health problems.
-
Chernobyl Disaster: Worst nuclear disaster.
- 1986 explosion and fire at the Chernobyl nuclear facility, Ukraine.
- Released significant radioactive material into the environment.
-
Minamata Disaster: Mercury poisoning in Minamata, Japan.
- Chisso Corporation's release of methylmercury into the environment.
- Caused widespread health problems in the local community.
- Led to legal battles and compensation.
-
Fukushima Daiichi Disaster: Nuclear accident.
- Earthquake and tsunami triggered meltdown at the Fukushima plant in Japan, 2011.
- Radioactive material release; significant evacuations.
Systems and Models
- A system is a collection of interdependent parts that perform a function and interact through energy/matter transfer.
- Systems are made of storages and flows.
- Models are simplified versions of reality used to understand how systems work and predict responses to change.
- Types of systems include:
- Open systems: exchange energy and matter with surroundings (e.g., ecosystem).
- Closed systems: exchange energy but not matter (e.g., nutrient cycles).
- Isolated systems: exchange neither energy nor matter.
Energy and Equilibria
- Energy is subject to the laws of thermodynamics.
- First Law: Energy is neither created nor destroyed.
- Second Law: Entropy (disorder) in an isolated system increases over time.
- Equilibrium is a state of balance among system components, often returning to an original state after disturbance.
- Types of equilibria:
- Steady-state: continuous input/output of energy and matter, constant state.
- Static: no change over time.
- Stable: return to same equilibrium after disturbance.
- Unstable: attains a new equilibrium after disturbance.
Resilience
- Resilience is a system's ability to return to its initial state after a disturbance.
- Factors affecting ecosystem resilience: diversity, complexity, genetic diversity, size, and rate of reproduction.
- Tipping points: thresholds where systems shift to new states.
Sustainability
- Sustainability is the use and management of resources that allows for full natural replacement and ecosystem recovery.
- Natural capital refers to natural resources and their services.
- Types of natural capital:
- Renewable: living things;
- Replenishable: non-living resources replenished naturally;
- Non-renewable: resources take long to replenish.
- Natural income is the yield obtained from natural resources.
- Values of natural capital: intrinsic, economic, and ecological.
Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA)
- EIA assess the environmental, social, and economic effects of a project on the environment.
- Purpose: guide decision-making, promote sustainable development, and provide documented evidence for decision-making.
- Steps:
- Screening: determine if an EIA is needed.
- Scoping: identify project impacts and stakeholders.
- Impact analysis: assess project effects.
- Mitigation and impact management: strategies for limiting negative impacts.
- Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): detailed report on potential impacts and mitigation.
- Public review and decision-making.
Ecological Footprint (EF)
- An EF is the area of land/water needed to sustainably support a given population at the rate resources are consumed.
- If EF is larger than available land/water, it indicates unsustainability.
- Factors increasing EF include reliance on fossil fuels, high technology/energy use, imported resources/goods, high per capita consumption, and meat-rich diets.
- Factors reducing EF include resource use reductions, recycling, renewable energy use, and technological improvements.
Pollution
- Pollution is the addition of an agent to an environment above its absorption rate, with negative effects on organisms.
- Types of pollutants: primary (released directly) and secondary (formed from chemical changes).
- Pollution effects may be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term).
- Types of pollution - point source and non-point source.
- Important pollution management strategies:
- Altering human activity:
- Regulating pollutant release:
- Clean-up and restoration:
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Description
Test your knowledge about the causes and consequences of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident alongside the Chernobyl disaster. This quiz covers key facts about radiation, effects on workers, and concepts of thermodynamics related to these incidents. Evaluate your understanding of nuclear safety and energy principles.
