Natural Resources and the Environment - Middle School and High School

Fuel your vocabulary by reviewing these words related to natural resources and the environment. Learn about sources of energy, renewable and nonrenewable resources, pollution, and much more. This list is a great resource!
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. acid rain
    precipitation with toxic gas emissions combined with water
  2. agriculture
    the practice of cultivating the land or raising stock
  3. air pollution
    pollution of the atmosphere
  4. alternative energy
    energy derived from sources that do not use up natural resources or harm the environment
  5. aquaculture
    raising fish or shellfish or growing water plants for food
  6. aquifer
    underground layer of rock or sand that yields groundwater
  7. atmosphere
    the mass of air surrounding the Earth
  8. biodegradable
    capable of being decomposed
  9. biodiversity
    the variety of plant and animal life in a habitat
  10. biomass
    the total amount of living matter in a given unit area
  11. biosphere
    the regions of the Earth where living organisms exist
  12. carbon cycle
    the organic circulation of carbon from the atmosphere into organisms and back again
  13. carbon dioxide
    a colorless, odorless greenhouse gas essential for photosynthesis
  14. coal
    fossil fuel consisting of carbonized vegetable matter
  15. conservation
    careful management of the environment and natural resources
  16. consumption
    the act of using something up
  17. crude oil
    a dark oil consisting mainly of hydrocarbons
  18. deforestation
    the removal of trees
  19. depletion
    the state of being used up
  20. distribution
    the property of being scattered about over a range or area
  21. ecosystem
    organisms interacting with their physical environment
  22. energy
    any source of usable power
  23. environment
    the area in which something exists or lives
  24. extraction
    taking out something
  25. fertilizer
    any substance used to improve the quality of soil
  26. fossil fuel
    energy-producing substance derived from preserved organisms
  27. fresh water
    water that is not salty
  28. geopolitical
    relating to the influence of geography on politics and global affairs
  29. geothermal energy
    energy derived from the heat in the interior of the earth
  30. greenhouse effect
    warming due to solar radiation trapped by the atmosphere
  31. habitat
    the type of environment in which an organism normally lives
  32. hydroelectricity
    electricity produced by water power
  33. landfill
    an area where waste is disposed of by burying it underground
  34. metal
    a chemical element or alloy that is usually a shiny solid
  35. mine
    get from the earth by excavation
  36. mineral
    a solid inorganic substance occurring in nature
  37. mining
    the act of extracting ores or coal from the earth
  38. natural resource
    material in the environment that can be used by people
  39. nuclear energy
    the energy released by a nuclear reaction
  40. nuclear fission
    a nuclear reaction in which a massive nucleus splits into smaller nuclei with the simultaneous release of energy
  41. nuclear fusion
    a nuclear reaction in which nuclei combine to form more massive nuclei with the simultaneous release of energy
  42. oil shale
    shale from which oil can be obtained by heating
  43. ore
    a mineral that contains metal valuable enough to be mined
  44. ozone layer
    a region of the stratosphere that blocks UV radiation from the sun
  45. petrochemical
    any compound obtained from petroleum or natural gas
  46. petroleum
    a dark oil consisting mainly of hydrocarbons
  47. photosynthesis
    formation of compounds in plants aided by radiant energy
  48. photovoltaic cell
    a cell that converts solar energy into electrical energy
  49. pollution
    contamination of the natural environment
  50. population
    a group of organisms of the same species inhabiting an area
  51. preserve
    keep in safety and protect from harm, loss, or destruction
  52. reclamation
    the conversion of wasteland into land suitable for use
  53. recycle
    use again after processing
  54. reservoir
    a large or extra supply of something
  55. resource
    a new or reserve supply that can be drawn upon when needed
  56. smelt
    extract by heating, as a metal
  57. soil
    the part of the earth's surface in which plants grow
  58. solar power
    energy from the sun that is converted into thermal or electrical energy
  59. surface mine
    extract (ore) from a strip-mine
  60. sustainability
    the capacity of being prolonged
  61. topsoil
    the layer of soil on the surface
  62. turbine
    an engine that causes a bladed rotor to rotate
  63. uranium
    a heavy, silvery-white, radioactive, metallic element
  64. urban planning
    the design and organization of towns and cities
  65. vein
    a layer of ore between layers of rock
  66. waste
    any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted
  67. water pollution
    pollution of the water in rivers and lakes
  68. wind farm
    a power plant that uses wind turbines to generate electricity
  69. wind power
    power derived from the wind (as by windmills)
  70. wind turbine
    a turbine that is driven by the wind
Created on Sat Feb 11 08:28:24 EST 2017 (updated Wed Apr 12 14:45:54 EDT 2017)

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