social studies vocabulary #141-160
Terms
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- hydroelectric power
- is electric energy produced by moving water. The water can be from a fast-flowing river or from behind a dam or reservoir.
- technology
- refers to all the ways people use inventions and discoveries to do work and to improve their lives.
- ranching
- is the raising of livestock (particularly cattle).
- natural resources
- are materials that occur in nature and are essential or useful to humans, such as water, air, land, forests, fish, wildlife, topsoil, and minerals.
- contour plowing/farming
- refers to the planting of crops to the changing layout of the land, rather than in straight lines. This form of farming helps to retain water and reduce soil erosion.
- renewable
- refer to resources that have the capacity to replenish themselves within a human's lifespan. Trees, wind, solar power, and hydroelectric power are examples of renewable resources. So long as we manage these renewable resources correctly, we will always be able to use them.
- substance farming
- results in the growing of crops to feed one self and ones family, with a little left over for sale
- fossil fuel
- is fuel that formed eons ago from decayed plants and animals. Oil, coal and natural gas are fossil fuels.
- fuel
- is any material, like wood, coal, oil, or gas that is burned to supply heat or energy.
- global warming
- refers to the increase in the average temperature of the earth, thought to be caused by the build up of greenhouse gases. Most scientists believe that a rise in carbon dioxide levels (caused by automobile, power plant, and other emissions) will lead to further global warming.
- slash and burn farming
- is a method of land clearing for cultivation in which the forest is first cut down and then burned to add nutrients to the soil.
- energy
- refers to the ability to do work or transfer heat.
- synthetic fuel
- is man-made, rather than occurring naturally. Example: methanol is a fuel that is produced from wood or other organic materials
- terracing
- is technique used to plant crops on sloping land. It shapes the land to create level shelves of earth to hold water and soil, enabling farmers to farm very steep hillsides.
- pollute
- refers to human activities that place harmful substances in the environment, leading to a dirty, impure, unhealthy, or deadly place.
- irrigation
- is the method of supplying water to dry land through canals, ditches, or pipes
- nonrenewable
- refer to natural materials that, for one reason or another (scarcity, length of time required for formation, rapid depletion rate, etc.) cannot be replaced.
- nomadic herding
- is a way of life where families move along with their herds according to the seasons and rely on their animals for food, shelter and clothing. They can tend to cattle, camels, goats, horses, reindeer, or sheep.