All Flashcards
Cause: Increased water temperature. Effect?
Decreased oxygen solubility, harming aquatic life.
Cause: Thermal pollution. Effect?
Fish kills and ecosystem imbalances due to reduced oxygen levels.
Cause: Urban heat island effect. Effect?
Higher air and water temperatures in urban areas.
Cause: Heated water discharge from power plants. Effect?
Disruption of reproductive cycles and increased susceptibility to disease in aquatic organisms.
Cause: Warmer water. Effect?
Increased growth of harmful algal blooms, depleting oxygen and blocking sunlight.
Relationship between water temperature and dissolved oxygen.
As water temperature increases, dissolved oxygen levels decrease. Inverse relationship.
Impact of thermal pollution on aquatic life.
Stresses aquatic life, reduces oxygen, disrupts reproduction, increases disease susceptibility.
How do power plants contribute to thermal pollution?
Use water for cooling and release it back at a higher temperature, decreasing oxygen solubility.
Role of urbanization in thermal pollution.
Paved surfaces absorb and retain heat, raising the temperature of air and water runoff.
How does agriculture cause thermal pollution?
Irrigation systems pump water and return it at a higher temperature, harming aquatic life.
Impact of recreational activities on thermal pollution.
Watercraft exhaust raises water temperatures, especially in small areas, affecting aquatic life.
How cooling towers reduce water temperature.
Cooling towers use evaporative cooling to reject waste heat to the atmosphere.
How cooling towers still contribute to thermal pollution.
They can release warm water as a byproduct of their cooling systems, contributing to thermal pollution.
Define thermal pollution.
Increase in water temperature due to human activities, impacting aquatic ecosystems.
Define oxygen solubility.
The ability of oxygen to dissolve in water; decreases as temperature increases.
What is a cooling tower?
A structure that uses evaporative cooling to reject waste heat to the atmosphere.
Define heat island effect.
Urban areas experience higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas due to paved surfaces.
What are harmful algal blooms?
Rapid growth of algae that can deplete oxygen and block sunlight, harming aquatic life.