SUPPLEMENT 2 S9
different areas with regard to any number of
factors or conditions. This is the basis for the
fi eld of geographical information systems (GIS,
see Figure 3-23, p. 73). Using powerful GIS tools,
scientists can create detailed maps that show
where natural resources are concentrated, for
example, within a given region or in the world.
In environmental science, such maps can be
very helpful. For example, maps can be used to
compare how people or different areas are affect-
ed by environmental problems such as air pollu-
tion and acid deposition (a form of air pollution).
Figure 13 is a map of the United States showing
the relative numbers of premature deaths due to
Natural gas
21%Nuclear power
6%Oil
33%Biomass
11%(^)
(^) R
EN
EW
A
B
LE
(^1)
(^8) %
(^)
(^)
(^)
(^) N
O
N
RE
NE
W
AB
LE
(^82) %
(^)
Coal
22%
Hydropower
4.5%
Geothermal,
solar, wind
2.5%
Figure 12 World energy use by source in 2006.
(Data from U.S. Department of Energy, British
Petroleum, Worldwatch Institute, and Inernational
Energy Institute)
Lab pH
5.2
5.2
5.2
5.2
5.3
5.3
5.3
5.3
5.3
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.2
5.2
5.3
5.3
5.3
5.3
5.3
5.2
5.2
5.2
5.2
5.2
5.2
5.0
5.0
5.0
4.8
4.9
4.9
4.9
4.9
4.9
4.8
4.8
4.8
4.8
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.64.64.6
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.9
4.7 4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.6 4.6
4.7
4.7 4.4
4.5
4.5
4.5
4.4
4.4
4.4
4.4
4.4
4.4
4.5
4.54.5
4.5
4.5
4.5
4.54.5
4.54.64.64.6 4.5
4.6
4.8
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7 4.7
4.7
4.8
4.8 4.8
4.8
4.8
4.8
4.5
4.54.5
4.5
4.8
4.3
4.8
4.8
4.8 4.8
4.7
4.7
4.9
4.9
4.9
5.1
4.8
4.8
4.8
4.9
4.94.8
4.9
4.9
4.9
4.8
5.2
5.2
5.2
5.4
5.1 5.1
5.1
5.1
5.1
5.1
5.1
5.1
5.1
5.3
5.3
5.3
5.3
5.5
5.5
5.5
5.5
5.5
5.8
5.8
5.5
5.4 5.4
5.4
5.4
5.4
5.4
5.4
5.4
5.4
5.4
5.5
5.9
5.4
5.4
5.4
6.2
6.4
6.1
5.4
5.4
5.4
5.4
5.6
5.6
5.6
5.0 5.6
5.6
5.7
5.7
5.8
5.8
5.8
5.8
5.6
5.6
5.6
≥ 5.3
5.2–5.3
5.1–5.2
5.0–5.1
4.9–5.0
4.8–4.9
4.7–4.8
4.6–4.7
4.5–4.6
4.4–4.5
4.3–4.4
< 4.3
Figure 14 Measure-
ments of the pH of pre-
cipitation at various sites
in the lower 48 states
in 2005 as a result of
acid deposition, mostly
from a combination of
motor vehicles and coal
burning power plants
(red dots). The pH is a
measure of acidity; the
lower the pH, the higher
the acidity. For more
details see Figure 5,
p. S41, in Supplement 6.
(Data from National
Atmospheric Deposition
Program/National Trends
Network, 2006)
Deaths per 100,000 adults per year
<1 1–5 5–10 10–20 20–30 30+
Figure 13 Prema-
ture deaths from
air pollution in
the United States,
mostly from very
small particles
added to the at-
mosphere by coal-
burning power
plants. (Data from
U.S. Environmen-
tal Protection
Agency)
air pollution in the various regions of the coun-
try. Figure 14 compares various regions of the
country in terms of levels of acidity in precipita-
tion. Study these fi gures and their captions.
Questions
- Generally, what part of the country has
the lowest level of premature deaths due
to air pollution? What part of the country
has the highest level? What is the level
in the area where you live or go to school? - Generally, what part of the country has the
highest levels of acidity in its precipitation?
What area has the lowest? Do you see any
similarities between the maps in Figures 13
and 14? If so, what are they?
The Active Graphing exercises available for
various chapters on the website for this textbook
will help you to apply this information. Register
and log on to CengageNOW™ using the access
code card in the front of your book. Choose a
chapter with an Active Graphing exercise, click
on the exercise, and begin learning more about
graphing. There is also a data analysis exercise
at the end of each chapter in this book. Some of
these exercises involve analysis of various types
of graphs and maps.