Thermal Pollution (College Board AP® Environmental Science): Flashcards
0Still learning
Know0
- FrontThermal Pollution
Define thermal pollution.
Was this flashcard helpful?
Cards in this collection (16)
Define thermal pollution.
Thermal pollution is a sudden change in the temperature of a body of water, usually a rise caused by human activity.
What does the sudden addition of hot or cold water do to a body of water?
It causes thermal stratification, changes the water's chemistry, and stresses plants and animals, causing disease and death.
True or False?
Thermal pollution only has human causes.
False.
Natural causes include volcanic activity and geothermal processes, which release heated water and gases into water.
What is the most common human cause of thermal pollution?
The most common human cause is using water as a coolant for power plants and industrial manufacturing, then releasing the heated water into rivers.
Road and concrete surfaces absorb , which is transferred to waterways during rainfall.
Road and concrete surfaces absorb heat, which is transferred to waterways during rainfall.
True or False?
Deforestation along a river can raise the temperature of its water.
True.
Deforestation reduces the shade that trees provide, exposing the water to direct sunshine and organisms to temperatures they are not adapted to.
How can riverbank erosion or modification raise water temperature?
It can make the river bed wider and shallower, so more sunlight hits the water and heats it.
How do boats and jet skis contribute to thermal pollution?
Boats, jet skis, and wave runners release warm exhaust from their engines into the water.
How has thermal pollution from power stations and industry affected the Great Lakes?
Thermal pollution has reduced fish populations in the Great Lakes.
How has center-pivot irrigation in California's Central Valley affected the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta?
Farmers pump water from the delta and return it at a higher temperature, which has harmed delta aquatic species and lowered dissolved oxygen levels.
True or False?
The ability of water to hold dissolved oxygen increases as its temperature rises.
False.
The ability of water to hold dissolved oxygen decreases as temperatures rise, so oxygen is lower in warmer months and near high thermal discharge.
Why do aquatic organisms need more oxygen in warmer water?
Higher temperatures increase metabolic rates, so organisms must respire faster, consuming more oxygen.
How do higher water temperatures affect fish reproduction?
Higher temperatures delay fish spawning and reduce egg fertilization, larvae survival, and fish numbers.
What happens to coral polyps when water temperature rises beyond their optimal range?
Beyond their optimal range of 73° to 84° F (23° to 29° C), coral polyps become stressed, bleach, and die.
How can thermal pollution reduce aquatic biodiversity?
Temperature changes that exceed species' tolerance limits can cause their decline or local extinction.
The severity of thermal pollution depends on the duration, speed, and of heat released into the water.
The severity of thermal pollution depends on the duration, speed, and amount of heat released into the water.
Sign up to unlock flashcards
or