terminology ch.10

• energy form

  noise , heat , ionising radiation
• denisty

  affects the dispersal of a material
• persistence

  measures the length of time it takes for a pollutant to chemically break down

  high p = CFC's

  low p = sewage
• toxicity

  measures how poisonous a substance is to living organisms
• specificity

  used to describe variations in toxicity to different groups of organisms
• features affecting degradation

  > temperature

  > light levels

  > PH

  > oxygen

  > pollutant interactions
• factors affecting dispersal

  > wind

  > water currents

  > temperature inversions
• carcinogenicity

  carcinogens are mutagens which can cause cancer with uncontrollable dividing of cells
• adsorption

  a pollutant that attaches to the surface of a material
• solubility

  measuring how easily molecules disperse in a liquid