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Environmental: explore STEM content (page 27 of 27) · openstem
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Environmental
Geology, climate and the environment on openstem — flashcards, notes, quizzes, plots and sketches shared by the community. Study free, or clone anything into your library.
What is environmental justice, in one sentence?1 / 8
Environmental justice is the idea that all people — regardless of race, income, or background — deserve equal protection from environmental hazards and equal access to a healthy environment.
Isotope Ratios as Climate Recorders Stable isotope ratios are reported as δ values, in per mil (‰) deviation from a reference standard: Because lighter isotopes (¹⁶O, ¹²C, ¹H) react and evaporate/condense slightly faster than heavier ones (
Environmental
Environmental · L5 · Paleoclimate Proxies and Isotope Geochemistry
What are the three types of tectonic plate boundaries?1 / 11
Divergent boundaries: plates move apart; new oceanic crust forms at mid-ocean ridges (e.g. Mid-Atlantic Ridge). Convergent boundaries: plates collide; one may subduct beneath the other (ocean-ocean or ocean-continent) or form mountain ranges (continent-continent, e.g. Himalayas). Transform boundaries: plates slide horizontally past each other; produces earthquakes (e.g. San Andreas Fault).
The urban heat island effect is the tendency for cities to be noticeably warmer than the rural areas surrounding them — sometimes several degrees warmer, especially at night — because of how built-up areas absorb and retain heat differently than natural landscapes.
Why Every Drop Counts Earth looks like a water-covered planet, but almost all of that water is salty ocean water we cannot drink. Only a small slice is fresh water available in rivers, lakes, and underground — so using it wisely at home rea
Why is topsoil worth protecting in the first place?1 / 8
Topsoil holds the organic matter and nutrients that crops need, and it can take hundreds to thousands of years to form naturally. Once it erodes away, replacing it isn't realistic on a human timescale — so protecting the topsoil that's already there matters far more than trying to rebuild it.
Environmental
Environmental · L2 · Soil Conservation & Erosion Control
What unit is used to measure both ecological footprint and biocapacity, and why?
AOrdinary hectares, because all land is equally productiveBGlobal hectares (gha), a standardised world-average-productivity unit that lets different land types be compared fairlyCSquare kilometres, based purely on land areaDLitres, based on water use only
Integrated Water Resources Management Water is simultaneously a drinking-water source, an agricultural input, an industrial resource, a habitat, and (across borders) a geopolitical issue. IWRM is the management philosophy that tries to hold
Environmental
Environmental · L4 · Integrated Water Resources Management