Chapter 4: Ecosystems and the physical environment

Question 1

cellular respiration

Answer 1

a process in which the energy of organic molecules is released within cells

Question 2

ammonification

Answer 2

part of nitrogen cycle: conversion of nitrogen compounds into ammonia via pee and ammonifying bacteria

Question 3

gyres

Answer 3

large, circular ocean current systems that often encompass an entire ocean basin

Question 4

dentrification

Answer 4

part of nitrogen cycle: the conversion of nitrate (NO3) to nitrogen gas (N2) by certain bacteria in the soil

Question 5

photosynthesis

Answer 5

the biological process that captures light energy and transforms it into the chemical energy of organic molecules (like glucose), which are manufactured from carbon dioxide and water

Question 6

albedo

Answer 6

the proportional reluctance of solar energy from earth’s surface, commonly expressed as a percentage

Question 7

thermosphere

Answer 7

outermost layer of the atmosphere

Question 8

El Nino-southern oscillation

Answer 8

a periodic, large-scale warming of surface waters of the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean that affect both ocean and atmospheric circulation patterns

Question 9

nitrogen fixation

Answer 9

part of the nitrogen cycle: the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen (N2) to ammonia (NH3) by nitrogen-fixing bacteria and cyanobacteria

Question 10

upwelling

Answer 10

occurs when a rising ocean current transports colder, nutrient-laden water in the surface

Question 11

asthenosphere

Answer 11

region of the mantle where rocks become hot and soft

Question 12

trade wind

Answer 12

a prevailing tropical wind that blows from the northeast (in the Northern Hemisphere) or from the southeast (in the Southern Hemisphere)

Question 13

Polar easterly

Answer 13

a prevailing wind that blows from the northeast near the North Pole or from the southeast near the South Pole

Question 14

Lithosphere

Answer 14

Earth’s outermost rigid rock layer that is composed of seven large plates, plus a few smaller ones

Question 15

transpiration

Answer 15

part of the hydrologic cycle: the loss of water vapor from the aerial surface of plants

Question 16

biogeochemical cycle

Answer 16

the process by which matter cycles from the living physical environment and back again

Question 17

Parts of the carbon cycle

Answer 17

photosynthesis
cellular respiration
fossil fuels
combustion

Question 18

fossil fuels

Answer 18

coal, oil, and natural gas from ancient decaying trees deep underground

Question 19

combustion

Answer 19

how the carbon from the trees returns back into the atmosphere (oxidized)

Question 20

Human-induced changes to the carbon cycle

Answer 20

more Co2 in atmosphere than what was in the ground

all basic effects of global warming

Question 21

parts of the nitrogen cycle

Answer 21

nitrogen fixation
nitrification
assimilation
ammonification
dentrification

Question 22

nitrification

Answer 22

conversion of NH3 to NO3 via soil bacteria

Question 23

assimilation

Answer 23

plant roots absorbe nitrate or ammonia and use the nitrogen to form plant proteins and nucleic acids

Question 24

human induced changes to the nitrogen cycle

Answer 24

nitrogen fertilizer is creating dead zones

less plant species

Question 25

nitrogen oxides

Answer 25

high temps of combustion convert N2 into nitrogen oxides which produce photochemical smog

Question 26

photochemical smog

Answer 26

mixture of air pollutants that injures plant tissues, irritates eyes, and causes respiratory problems

Question 27

acid deposition

Answer 27

nitrogen oxides react with water in the atmosphere and leave the atmosphere

Question 28

parts of the phosphorus cycle

Answer 28

land
sediments in the ocean
land

Question 29

human induced changes to the phosphorus cycle

Answer 29

accel long-term loss of phosphorus from land

plants to cows to poop to sewage and ocean and it is permanently lost to the terrestrial cycle

Question 30

parts of the hydrologic cycle

Answer 30

transpiration
runoff
watershed
grondwater

Question 31

runoff

Answer 31

part of the hydrologic cycle

the movement of water from land to rivers, lakes, wetlands, and the ocean

Question 32

watershed

Answer 32

part of the hydrologic cycle

the area of land drained by runoff

Question 33

groundwater

Answer 33

part of the hydrologic cycle

fresh water stored underground in rock

Question 34

aresols

Answer 34

tiny particles of air pollution consisting mostly of sulfates, nitrates, carbon, mineral dusts, and smokestack ash

Question 35

human induces changes to the hydrologic cycle

Answer 35

aerosols and melting of polar ice

Question 36

temperature changes with latitude

Answer 36

not direct sunlight at poles like at the equator

Question 37

ozone

Answer 37

in the stratosphere, our sunglasses

Question 38

Coriolis effect

Answer 38

the influence of earth’s rotation which turns air and water right in north and left in south

Question 39

prevailing winds

Answer 39

major surface winds that blow more or less continually

Question 40

currents

Answer 40

winds create ocean movement

Question 41

ocean conveyor belt

Answer 41

the circulation of shallow and deep ocean currents

Question 42

rain shadow

Answer 42

dry conditions, often on a regional scale, that occur on the leeward side of a mountain barrier; the passage of moist air across the mountains removes most of the moisture

Question 43

plate tetonics

Answer 43

the study of the processes by which the lithosphere plates move over the asthenosphere

Question 44

plate boundary

Answer 44

area where two plates meet

Question 45

transformation plate boudary

Answer 45

when plates move horizontally across eachother

Question 46

seismic waves

Answer 46

vibrations that spread through rocks rapidly in all directions

Question 47

landslide

Answer 47

avalanche of rock, soil, etc down mountain

Question 48

tsunami

Answer 48

giant sea wave