All Flashcards
Cause: Increased water temperature. Effect?
Decreased oxygen solubility, stressing aquatic life and promoting algal blooms.
Cause: Power plant discharge. Effect?
Thermal pollution, reduced oxygen levels, potential fish kills, ecosystem imbalance.
Cause: Urbanization. Effect?
Heat island effect, increased water runoff temperature, thermal pollution.
Cause: Agricultural irrigation. Effect?
Increased water temperatures in nearby waterways, harming aquatic life.
Cause: Recreational watercraft use. Effect?
Localized increases in water temperature, affecting aquatic organisms.
What is thermal pollution?
Increase in water temperature due to human activities, harming aquatic life.
Define oxygen solubility.
The amount of oxygen that can dissolve in a given volume of water.
What is the heat island effect?
Urban areas experience higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas due to paved surfaces.
Relationship between water temperature and dissolved oxygen?
As water temperature increases, dissolved oxygen decreases.
Why is reduced oxygen solubility harmful?
Stresses aquatic life, leads to fish kills, and promotes harmful algal blooms.
How do power plants cause thermal pollution?
Use water for cooling and release it back at a higher temperature.
How do cooling towers work?
Use evaporative cooling to reject waste heat to the atmosphere.
How does urbanization contribute to thermal pollution?
Paved surfaces absorb and retain heat, raising air and water temperatures.
How does agriculture contribute to thermal pollution?
Irrigation systems return water to sources at higher temperatures.
How do recreational activities contribute to thermal pollution?
Personal watercraft release warm exhaust into the water.