Terminology |
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W... |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Warhead | The part of a missile which contains the nuclear explosive. NRDC |
| Waste | Waste, rubbish, trash, garbage, or junk is unwanted or undesired material. planetpals |
| Waste | Garbage, trash. NRDC |
| Waste Site | Dumping ground. NRDC |
| Waste Stream | Overall waste disposal cycle for a given population. NRDC |
| Wastewater | Water that has been used and contains dissolved or suspended waste materials planetpals |
| Water Budget | Which refers to the annual cycle of surplus and deficit soil moisture as a result of precipitation and evapotranspiration |
| Water Cycle | In which water moves between the atmosphere and the earth's surface |
| Water Cycle | The recycling of water between the earth and the atmosphere planetpals |
| Water Energy | Energy from moving water planetpals |
| Water Filters | Substances (such as charcoal) or fine membrane structures used to remove impurities from water. NRDC |
| Water Quality | The level of purity of water; the safety or purity of drinking water. NRDC |
| Water Quality Testing | Monitoring water for various contaminants to make sure it is safe for fish protection, drinking, and swimming. NRDC |
| Water Table | Which delineates the upper surface of ground water |
| Water Vapor | The most abundant greenhouse gas, it is the water present in the atmosphere in gaseous form. Water vapor is an important part of the natural greenhouse effect. planetpals |
| Waterborne Contaminants | Unhealthy chemicals, microorganisms (like bacteria) or radiation, found in tap water. NRDC |
| Watershed | A region or area over which water flows into a particular lake, reservoir, stream, or river. NRDC |
| Weather | Atmospheric condition at any given time or place. learn about weather planetpals |
| Weed | Any plant that grows where it is not wanted planetpals |
| Well | A dug or drilled hole used to get water from the earth. NRDC |
| Wet Deposits | Air pollutants that mix with moisture in the air before falling to the ground planetpals |
| Wetland | Land (marshes or swamps) saturated with water constantly or recurrently; conducive to wide biodiversity. NRDC |
| Wild Flower | A flowering plant that grows in woods, deserts, or other natural areas planetpals |
| Wilderness | Land remaining in basically wild (i.e., undisturbed) condition, with few if any traces of human activities. NRDC |
| Wilderness Area | A wild area that Congress has preserved by including it in the National Wilderness Preservation System. NRDC |
| Wildlife | Animals living in the wilderness without human intervention. NRDC |
| Wildlife Refuges | Land set aside to protect certain species of fish or wildlife (administered at the federal level in the U.S. by the Fish and Wildlife Service). NRDC |
| Wind Breaks | The practice of planting trees and shrubs to protect fields from soil erosion by wind planetpals |
| Wind Energy | Energy from moving air planetpals |
| Windpower | Power or energy derived from the wind (via windmills, sails, etc.). NRDC |
| Wise Use Movement | A loosely-affiliated network of people and organizations throughout the U.S. in favor of widespread privatization and opposed to environmental regulation, often funded by corporate dollars. NRDC |
| Woods Hole | A town on Cape Cod where several important ocean research institutes are located. NRDC |