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| Languages Directory>English>for Specific Purposes>Environmental English Terms,ESL Definitions |
English for Science & Nature Glossary of Terms
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radioactive - of
or characterized by
radioactivity.
radioactive waste -
the by-product of
nuclear reactions that
gives off (usually
harmful) radiation.
radioactivity
- the spontaneous
emission of matter or
energy from the nucleus
of an unstable atom (the
emitted matter or energy
is usually in the form
of alpha or beta
particles, gamma rays,
or neutrons).
radon - a
cancer-causing
radioactive gas
found in many
communities' ground
water.
rainforest - a
large, dense forest in a
hot, humid region
(tropical or
subtropical).
Rainforests have an
abundance of diverse
plant and animal life,
much of which is still
not catalogued by the
scientific community.
recess -
ending a legislative
session with a set time
to reconvene.
recycling -
system of collecting,
sorting, and
reprocessing old
material into usable raw
materials.
reduce - act
of purchasing or
consuming less to begin
with, so as not to have
to
reuse or recycle
later.
refrigerants -
cooling substances, many
of which contain
CFCs and are harmful
to the earth's ozone
layer.
renewable energy
- energy resources such
as
windpower or
solar energy that
can keep producing
indefinitely without
being depleted.
reservoir - an
artificial lake created
and used for the storage
of water.
risk assessment
- methods used to
quantify risks to human
health and the
environment.
run-off -
precipitation that the
ground does not absorb
and that ultimately
reaches rivers, lakes or
oceans.
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