Chapter 2 - Earth's Physical Systems Flashcards
Natural capital
Earths accumulating wealth of resources.
Environment
The sum total of our surroundings, including all of living things and non-living things with witch we interact.
enviromentalsim
a social movement dedicated to protecting the natural world, and by extension, people.
science
(1) a systematic process for learning about the world and testing our understanding of it. (2) the accumulating body of knowledge that arises from dynamic process.
descriptive science/observable science
research in which scientists gather basic information about organisms, materials, systems, or processes that are not yet well known.
hypothesis driven science
research in which scientists prose questions that seek to explain how and why things are the way they are. generally proceeds in a somewhat structural manner, using experiments to test the hypothesis.
scientific method
a formalized method for testing ideas and observations that involves series of interrelated steps.
experiment
an activity designed to test the validity of a hypothesis by manipulating certain variables.
variable
in an experiment, a condition that can change.
independent variable
the variable that scientists manipulate in an experiment.
dependent variable
the variable that is affected by manipulation of the independent variable in an experiment.
controlled experiment
an experiment in which a treatment is compared against a control in order to test the effect of the variable.
control
the portion of an experiment in which a variable has been left un-manipulated, to serve as a point of comparison with the treatment.
treatment
the portion of an experiment in which a variable has been changed/manipulated in order to test its effects.
data
information, generally quantitive information.
manipulative experiment
an experiment in which the researchers actively choose and manipulate the independent variable.
natural experiment
an experiment in which the researchers cannot directly manipulate the variables and therefore must observe nature, comparing conditions in which variables differ, and interpret the results.
peer review
the process by which a manuscript submitted for publication in an academic journal is examined by specialists in the field, who provide criticism (generally anonymously) and judge wether the work merits publication in the journal.
theory
a widely accepted, well tested explanation of one or more cause-and-effect relationships that has been extensively validated by a great amount of research.
paradigm
a dominant philosophical and theoretical framework within a scientific discipline.
wicked problems
problems complex enough to have no simple solution, and whose very nature changes over time.
predictions
specific statements that can be directly and unequivocally tested.
tsunami
an immerse swell, or wave of ocean water triggered by an earthquake, volcano, or landslide that can travel long distances across oceans and intricate coasts
matter
all material in the universe that has mass and occupies space
chemistry
the study of the different types of matter and how they interact
law of conservation of matter
the physical law stating that matter may be transformed from one type of substance to others, but cannot be created or destroyed
uranium
the chemical element with 92 protons and 92 neutrons. uranium is used as a fuel source to produce energy with nuclear power
element
a fundamental type of matter; a chemical substance with a given set of properties, which cannot be broken down into substances with different properties. chemists currently recognize 92 elements that occur in nature, as well as 20+ others that have been artificially made.
hydrogen
the chemical element with one proton. the most abundant element in the universe.also a posibble fuel for our possible economy
oxygen
the chemical element with 8 protons and 8 neutrons. a key element in the atmosphere that is produced through photosynthesis
silicoln
the chemical element with 14 protons and 14 neutrons. an abundant element in rocks in earths crust
nitrogen
the chemical element with 7 protons and 7 neutrons. the most abundant element in the atmosphere, a key element in macromolecules, and a crucial plant nutrient
carbon
the chemical element with 6 protons and 6 neutrons. a key element in organic compounds
atoms
the smallest component of an element that maintains the chemical properties of that element.
proton
a positively charged particle in the nucleus of an atom.
neutron
an electrically neutral (uncharged) particle in the nucleus of an atom
electron
a negatively charged particle that moves around the nucleus of an atom
isotopes
one of several forms of an element having different number of neutrons in the nucleus of its atoms. chemically, isotopes of the same element behave almost identically,but they have different physical properties because they differ in mass
radioactive
the quantity by which some isotopes “decay” changing their chemical identity as they shed atomic particles and emit high-energy radiation
half-life
the amount of time it takes for one-half the atoms of a radioisotope to emit radiation and decay. different radioisotopes have different half-lives, ranging fractions of a second to billions of years
ions
an electrically charged atom or combination of atoms
molecules
a combination of two or more atoms
compound
a molecule where atoms are composed of two or more elements
water
a compound composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, H20
carbon dioxide
a colorless gas used by plants for photosynthesis, given off by respiration, and released by burning fossil fuels. a primary greenhouse gas whose buildup contributes to global climate
covalent bond
a type of chemical bond where atoms share electrons in chemical bonds. an example is a water molecule whose two hydrogen atoms share two electrons with oxygen
ionic bonds
a type of chemical bond where chemicals are transferred between atoms, creating positively charged ions that bond due to their electrical charges. table salt, sodium chloride, is formed by the bonding of positively charged sodium ions with negatively charged chloride ions.
ionizing radiation
a high-energy form of radiation that can damage the cells of living things. sources of this radiation include the sun and radioactive particles from nuclear energy and natural sources.
methane (CH4)
a colorless gas produced primarily by aerobic decomposition the major constituent of natural gas and a green house gas that is molecule-for-molecule more potent than CO2
ozone(03)
a molecule consisting of three atoms of oxygen. absorbs ultraviolet radiation in the atmosphere
organic compound
a compound made up of carbon atoms (and generally hydrogen atoms) joined by covalent bonds and sometimes including other elements such as nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorous. the unusual ability for carbon to build elaborate molecules has resulted in millions of different organic compounds showing various degrees of complexity
hydrocarbon
an organic compound consisting solely of hydrogen and carbon atoms
acidic
the property of a solution in which the concentration of hydrogen (H+) ions is greater than the concentration of hydroxide (OH-) ions
basic
the property of a solution in which the concentration of hydroxide (OH-) ions is greater than the concentration of hydrogen (H+) ions
PH
a measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution. the PH scale ranges from 0-14: a solution with PH 7 is neutral, while below 7 is acidic, and above 7 is basic. because the PH scale is logarithmic, each step on the scale represent a 10-fold difference in hydrogen ion concentration.
lipids
a class of chemical compounds that do not dissolve in water and are used in organisms for energy storage, for structural support, and as key components of cellular membranes.
genes
a stretch of DNA that represents a unit of hereditary information.
carbohydrate
an organic compound consisting of atoms of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen
nucleic acids
a macromolecule that directs the production of proteins. including DNA and RNA.
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
a double stranded nucleic acid composed of four nucleotides, each of which contains a sugar (deoxyribose), a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base. DNA carries the hereditary information for living organisms and is responsible for passing traits from parents to offspring.
ribonucleic acid (RNA)
a usually single stranded nucleic acid composed of four nucleotides, each of which contain a sugar (ribose), a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base. RNA carries the hereditary information for living organisms and is responsible for passing traits from parent to offspring.
polymers
a chemical compound or mixture of compounds or mixture of compounds consisting of long chains of repeated molecules. important biological molecules such as DNA and protiens are examples of polymers
protein
a macromolecule made up of long chains of amino acids.
macromolecule
very large molecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids
plastics
synthetic polymers used in numerous manufactured products
landslide
the collapse and downhill flow of large amounts of rock or soil. A severe and sudden form of mass wasting
mass wasting
the downslope movement of rock and soil due to gravity
earthquake
a release of energy that occurs as earth relieves accumulated pressure between masses of lithosphere and that result in shaking at the surface.
metamorphic rocks
one of the three main categories of rock. formed by great heat and or pressure that reshapes crystals within the rock and changes its appearance and physical properties. common metamorphic rocks include marble and slate
sedimentary rock
formed when dissolved minerals seep through sediment layers and act as a kind of glue, crystallizing and binding sediment particles together. sandstone and shale are examples of sedimentary rocks
sediments
the eroded remains of rock
lava
magma that is released from the lithosphere and flows or spatters across earths surface
igneous rock
formed from lcooling magma. granite and basalt are examples of igneous rock
mineral
a naturally occurring solid element or inorganic compound with a crystal structure. a specific chemical composition, and distinct physical properties
rock cycle
the very slow process in which rocks and minerals that make up them are heated, melted, cooled, broken, broken, and reassembled, forming igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks
rock
a solid aggregation of minerals
continental collision
the meeting of two tectonic plates of continental lithosphere at a convergent plate boundary, wherein the continental crust on both sides resist subduction and instead crushes together, bending, buckling, and deforming layers of rock and furling parts of the buckled crust upward, often creating mountain ranges
subduction
the plate tectonic process by which denser crust slides beneath the lighter crust at a convergent plate boundery. often results in volcanism
convergent plate boundaries
the area where tectonic plates converge or come together the result is either subduction or continental collision.
core
the innermost part of earth, made up mostly of iron that lies beneath the crust and mantle.
mantle
the malleable layer of rock that lies beneath earths crust, and surrounds a mostly iron core.
asthenosphere
a layer of the upper mantle, just below the lithosphere, consisting of especially soft rock
lithosphere
the outer layers of earth, consisting of the crust and uppermost mantle and located just above the asthenosphere, more generally the solid part of earth, including the rock sediments and soil at the surface and extending many miles underground.
crust
the lightweight outer layer of the earth consisting of rock that floats atop the malleable mantle, which in turn surrounds a mostly iron core
plate tectonics
the process by which earths surface is shaped by the extremely slow movement of tectonic plates, or sections of earths crust. earths surface includes about 15 major plates. their interactions give rise to processes that build mountains, cause earthquakes, and otherwise influence the land scape
transform plate boundry
the area where two tectonic plates meet and slip and grind against each other, creating earthquakes
divergent plate boundry
the area where tectonic plates push away from each other as magma rises upwards upwards to the surface, creating a new lithosphere as it cools and spreads. a prime example is the mid-atlantic ridge
magma
molten, liquid rock
geology
the scientific study of earths physical features, processes, and history
chemosynthesis
the processes by which bacteria in hydrothermal vents use the chemical energy of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) to transform inorganic carbon into organic compounds
hydrothermal vents
a location in the deep ocean where heated water spurts from the sea floor, carrying minerals that precipitate to form rocky structures. unique and recently discovered ecosystems cluster around these vents, tube worms, shrimp, and other creatures here use symbiotic bacteria to derive their energy from chemicals in the heated water rather than from sunlight
cellular resperation
the process by which a cell uses the chemical reactivity of oxygen to split glucose into its constituent parts, water and carbon dioxide, and thereby release chemical energy that can be used to form chemical bonds or to perform other tasks within the cell
heteratroph
an organism that consumes other organisms. includes most animals as well as fungi and microbes that decompose organic matter
autotroph (primary producer)
an organism that can use the energy from the sunlight to produce its own food. this includes green plants, algae, and cyanobacteria
photosynthesis
the processes by which autotrophs produce their own food. sunlight triggers a series of chemical reactions that convert carbon dioxide and water into sugar (glucose), thus transforming low-quality energy from the sunlight into high quality energy that the plant can use
energy conversion efficiency
the ratio of useful output of energy to the amount that needs to be input
second law of thermodynamics
the physical law stating that the nature of energy tends to change from a more-ordered state to a less-ordered state; that is, entropy increases
first law of thermodynamics
the physical law stating that energy can change from one form to another, but cannot be created or destroyed. the total energy in the universe remains constant and is said to be coserved
potential energy
energy of position
kinetic energy
energy of motion
