Pollution Vocabulary

Agricultural pollution- pollution from rural areas where few people live

Algae- a general term for small, chlorophyll-containing plants such as seaweed

or pond scum

Aquatic – living or growing in water

Atmospheric Pollution- pollution from small particles that are carried in the air

Chemical Pollution- pollution that is usually caused by improper disposing of

poisonous materials

Condensation – when water vapor (gaseous water) forms droplets of water in

the atmosphere, making clouds. The change in water from gas to liquid form.

Ecology - the study of how living things relate to the environment

Ecosystem – a natural unit of living and non-living parts that interact to produce

a stable system

Evaporation – the change in water from liquid to gas

Exotic Plant – A plant that is transported from its place of origin and introduced

into a new environment

Groundwater – water that percolates through the surface and is retained in

underlying rock and soil.

Groundwater model- a representation of the underground water system

Herbicides- chemicals used to kill weeds

Impermeable- something that does not allow liquid to run through it

Native Plant – A plant that lives and thrives in its place of origin

Natural Pollution- pollution that occurs when water flows over rocks and soil,

washing off amounts of harmful elements and depositing them into rivers and

lakes.

Nitrogen- A colorless, odorless gas that is a non-metallic element which makes

up almost four fifths of the air

Organic Pollution- pollution that occurs when living things decompose

Permeable- ability of something to allow liquids to run through it

Pesticides- chemical substances applied to plants to keep insects away

Photosynthesis - the process by which plants convert energy from the sun into

food

Pollution- harmful or foreign substances that enter the environment

Pond – freshwater ecosystem that forms in low-lying areas and supports the

surrounding wildlife

Spring – water returning to the surface after being absorbed by the ground

water in rivers, lakes, streams, creeks, ponds, and wetlands

Transpiration – the process by which water is released from plans leaves

Urban pollution- pollution from cities where many people live together in a small

area

Water pollution- when foreign substances enter the water cycle and harm living

organisms

Well- a hole that is drilled into the aquifer

Zooplankton – very small aquatic animals