Environmental Problems In the late 1700’s, the Industrial Revolution began. People started to rely more and more on machines. As a result, harmful substances entered the air, water, and soil.

Machines today don’t produce as much pollution as they once did. Unfortunately, there are more forms of pollution today than there once were. Radioactive wastes Carbon dioxide gas build-up in the ozone layer Garbage (including hazardous wastes) Chemicals (CFC’s, BPA) Noise

Pollution : An unwanted change in the environment caused by substances or forms of energy. -There are 3 kinds of pollution: land, water & air Can be caused by natural events (volcanoes) Most pollution is caused by humans, though, and can harm plants, animal, and people (examples of pollution: garbage, chemicals, gases, high-powered wastes, noise)

Point-Source Pollution = pollution that comes from one source (example: oil spills) Nonpoint-Source Pollution = pollution that comes from many different sources (example: chemicals on land wash into rivers, lakes, and oceans and harm or kill many of the organisms that live there)

Natural Resource: any material removed from the Earth and used by organisms to meet their needs. Renewable Resource: one that can be replaced at the same rate at which it is used (wood, water) Some resources once thought to be renewable are becoming nonrenewable

Nonrenewable Resource: one that cannot be replaced or that can be replaced over thousands/millions of years (coal, iron) These resources don’t last forever and will become more expensive as they become harder to find. Removing these materials comes with a price tag… Oil spills, loss of habitat, damage from mining

Environmental Solutions Conservation = the preservation and wise use of natural resources so that they will not be used up too quickly Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Habitat Destruction People need homes, building materials, and food. Land gets cleared for construction, lumber, and crops, and in the process organisms that lived in these areas are left without food and shelter. Some may die.

An organism’s habitat is where it lives. Biodiversity: The number and variety of organisms in a given area during a specific period of time. Every habitat has it’s own biodiversity. If a habitat is damaged or destroyed, biodiversity is lost.

Effects on the Environment… Overpopulation: the presence of too many individuals in an area for the available resources. -Advances in medicine & immunizations have made human population growth possible.

Fossil Fuels A nonrenewable energy resource formed from the remains of plants and animals that lived long ago. Remains are buried by sediments and rocks and are exposed to heat and pressure causing a chemical change to occur. As a result, coal, petroleum (oil), and natural gas are created. Energy is released from fossil fuels when they are burned.

Petroleum (a.k.a. crude oil, “black gold”)= main fuel for forms of transportation. Can be separated into gasoline, jet fuel, kerosene, and diesel fuel. Natural Gas = creates less air pollution than petroleum does. It is flammable and is used for heating homes. Coal= fossil fuel that forms underground from partially decomposed plant material

Problems With Fossil Fuels…. Acid Precipitation (acid rain) = rain, sleet, or snow with a high concentration of sulfuric acid. This negatively affects wildlife, plants, buildings, and statues. 2. Smog = a photochemical haze that forms when sunlight acts on industrial pollutants and burning fuels. This is a combination of smoke and fog.

3. Oil Spills 4. Coal Mining

Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. This gas traps thermal energy and increases the temperature of Earth’s atmosphere. Scientists have determined that both CO2 levels and global temperatures are increasing.

World Clock http://www.science-class.net/

Atom = the basic building block of matter Nucleus = the center of an atom. Made of protons and neutrons.

Alternative Energy Resources 1. Nuclear Energy Fission: the process in which the nucleus of a radioactive atom is split into 2 smaller nuclei, releasing large amounts of energy (example: energy generated at power plants)

“Unite during Fusion” Fusion= The process where 2 or more nuclei are joined to form a larger nucleus. Large amounts of energy are released as a result. This happens naturally in the sun.

Chemical Energy= energy released when a chemical compound reacts to produce new compounds. Solar Energy= energy received by the Earth from the sun in the form of radiation. 4. Wind Energy = the use of a windmill to drive an electric generator.

Hydroelectric energy = electrical energy produced by falling water. Power from plants (Biomass) = organic matter that can be used as a source of energy 7. Geothermal energy = energy produced by heat within the Earth.