13.6: Key Terms Defined
Biofuels – energy sources from living matter.
Conservation – using natural resources in a sustainable way so that they are preserved for future generations.
Eutrophication – the process by which nutrient-rich waters promote the growth of algae, and when the abundant algal blooms die, the decomposition of the dead plant material consumes large amounts of oxygen.
Fossil Fuels – energy sources such as coal, oil, and natural gas, derived from ancient plant and animal matter.
Greenhouse effect - the trapping of longwave radiation (heat) by certain greenhouse gases in the lower atmosphere; greenhouse gases absorb and reradiate the heat radiated from the Earth, increasing global temperatures by 35 o C compared to an atmosphere with no greenhouse effect.
Landfill – An area where solid waste is deposited and buried to reduce odor, vermin proliferation, and unsightly trash.
Nonrenewable resource – a resource that is in finite supply and is depleted by humans.
Potential reserves – estimates on available energy in deposits that are thought to exist but have not been completely verified.
Production – the extraction of fossil fuels from the ground.
Preservation – setting aside areas so that resources are essentially untouched with as little human impact as feasible.
Renewable resource – a resource that is in infinite supply such as solar and wind energy.