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Interim remedial measure (IRM) An action taken at a contaminated site to
decrease the chances of environmental/human exposure to contaminants
Inviscid fluid Fluid which is not viscous
Ions Any atom that gains or lose electrons will become electrically charged. Any
charged atom or group of atoms is called ions
Irrotational fluid flow Flow in which streamlines do not loop on themselves
Isohyet A line on a map joining locations that receive the same quantity of rainfall
Isotopes Variants of chemical elements which have the same atomic number but
different mass number
Kinetics Relates the action of forces on objects to their resulting motions
Laminar flow Flow in which fluid moves with small Reynolds number of velocity
Land pollution Presence of substances in land at concentrations greater than
their usual levels that affects biotic and abiotic components of environment
significantly
Landfill Engineered solid-waste disposal place where waste is deposited in pits/
trenches taking all safety measure to control leachate as well as gases emitted
Landfill gases Gases generated from the degradation of the waste in landfill
Landslide Rapid movement of a mass of soil, rock or debris down a slope
Land-use Various types of uses for which land is utilized
Latency period The period between exposure to disease causative agent and the
onset of the health effect
Latent heat E nergy released or absorbed by a substance during a transformation
in its physical state that occurs without change in temperature
Latent heat of fusion Quantity of heat required to convert unit mass of solid into
its liquid state without change in its temperature
Latent heat of vaporization The amount of heat required to convert unit mass of
liquid into its vapour state without change in its temperature
Leachate collection system An engineered system for collecting leachate
Leachate treatment Treatment of leachate
Leachate Wastewater generated in land fill or waste dumps
Leaching Process in which chemicals in the waste dissolve the water generating
contaminated fluid
Leapfrogging Ability of developing countries to bypass intermediate technologies
to adopt advanced clean technologies
Leukaemia Cancer of the blood or bone marrow
Levee Bund or wall to regulate water levels
Liability Forms of obligation imposed by law
Light pollution (photo pollution) Excessive and inappropriate artificial light
Lightening Atmospheric discharge of electricity
Litter Windblown solid wastes
Littoral zone Zone between high and low watermarks in a coastal region
Local windstorm Strong winds caused due to regional atmospheric phenomena
that are typical for a certain area
Localized disease Ailment that affects one part of the body
Longitudinal strain Ratio of alteration in length to initial length
Glossary
Interim remedial measure (IRM) An action taken at a contaminated site to
decrease the chances of environmental/human exposure to contaminants
Inviscid fluid Fluid which is not viscous
Ions Any atom that gains or lose electrons will become electrically charged. Any
charged atom or group of atoms is called ions
Irrotational fluid flow Flow in which streamlines do not loop on themselves
Isohyet A line on a map joining locations that receive the same quantity of rainfall
Isotopes Variants of chemical elements which have the same atomic number but
different mass number
Kinetics Relates the action of forces on objects to their resulting motions
Laminar flow Flow in which fluid moves with small Reynolds number of velocity
Land pollution Presence of substances in land at concentrations greater than
their usual levels that affects biotic and abiotic components of environment
significantly
Landfill Engineered solid-waste disposal place where waste is deposited in pits/
trenches taking all safety measure to control leachate as well as gases emitted
Landfill gases Gases generated from the degradation of the waste in landfill
Landslide Rapid movement of a mass of soil, rock or debris down a slope
Land-use Various types of uses for which land is utilized
Latency period The period between exposure to disease causative agent and the
onset of the health effect
Latent heat E nergy released or absorbed by a substance during a transformation
in its physical state that occurs without change in temperature
Latent heat of fusion Quantity of heat required to convert unit mass of solid into
its liquid state without change in its temperature
Latent heat of vaporization The amount of heat required to convert unit mass of
liquid into its vapour state without change in its temperature
Leachate collection system An engineered system for collecting leachate
Leachate treatment Treatment of leachate
Leachate Wastewater generated in land fill or waste dumps
Leaching Process in which chemicals in the waste dissolve the water generating
contaminated fluid
Leapfrogging Ability of developing countries to bypass intermediate technologies
to adopt advanced clean technologies
Leukaemia Cancer of the blood or bone marrow
Levee Bund or wall to regulate water levels
Liability Forms of obligation imposed by law
Light pollution (photo pollution) Excessive and inappropriate artificial light
Lightening Atmospheric discharge of electricity
Litter Windblown solid wastes
Littoral zone Zone between high and low watermarks in a coastal region
Local windstorm Strong winds caused due to regional atmospheric phenomena
that are typical for a certain area
Localized disease Ailment that affects one part of the body
Longitudinal strain Ratio of alteration in length to initial length
Glossary