Biology

Question 1

Ecology

Answer 1

the branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings.

Question 2

Atmosphere

Answer 2

a dynamic collection of gases that constantly move and change.

Question 3

Lithosphere

Answer 3

The solid, outer part of Earth.

Question 4

Hydrosphere

Answer 4

The total amount of water on a planet.

Question 5

Biosphere

Answer 5

a global ecosystem made up of living organisms (biotic) and the nonliving (abiotic) factors that provide them with energy and nutrients.

Question 6

photosynthesis

Answer 6

the process by which plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create oxygen and energy in the form of sugar.

Question 7

cellular respiration

Answer 7

the process by which organisms use oxygen to break down food molecules to get chemical energy for cell functions.

Question 8

ecosystem

Answer 8

a community or group of living organisms that live in and interact with each other in a specific environment.

Question 9

community

Answer 9

a group of species that are commonly found together

Question 10

population

Answer 10

a group of individuals of the same species living and interbreeding within a given area.

Question 11

species

Answer 11

a group of organisms that can reproduce naturally with one another and create fertile offspring.

Question 12

biotic factors

Answer 12

a living organism that shapes its environment. Example: Fish in the sea

Question 13

abiotic factors

Answer 13

a non-living part of an ecosystem that shapes its environment. Example: temperature

Question 14

ecological niche

Answer 14

a term for the position of a species within an ecosystem, describing both the range of conditions necessary for persistence of the species, and its ecological role in the ecosystem.

Question 15

food web

Answer 15

consists of all the food chains in a single ecosystem

Question 16

food chain

Answer 16

the order of events in an ecosystem, where one living organism eats another organism

Question 17

trophic level

Answer 17

the position of an organism in the food chain and ranges from a value of 1 for primary producers to 5 for marine mammals and humans.

Question 18

biodiversity

Answer 18

the variety of life on Earth, in all its forms, from genes and bacteria to entire ecosystems such as forests or coral reefs.

Question 19

primary succession

Answer 19

happens when a new patch of land is created or exposed for the first time.

Question 20

secondary succession

Answer 20

happens when a climax community or intermediate community is impacted by a disturbance.

Question 21

equilibrium

Answer 21

a relatively stable state that keeps population sizes within a sustainable range (not too many of a certain species alive or dead).

Question 22

sustainability

Answer 22

Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Question 23

ecological footprint

Answer 23

the impact of a person or community on the environment, expressed as the amount of land required to sustain their use of natural resources.

Question 24

bioaccumulation

Answer 24

an increase in the concentration of a chemical in a biological organism over time, compared to the chemical’s concentration in the environment.

Question 25

Bioamplification

Answer 25

the process of accumulation of certain chemicals in living organisms to a concentration higher than that occurring in the inorganic, non-living environment.”

Question 26

resistance

Answer 26

the capacity of bacteria to withstand the effects of a harmful chemical agent.