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Bio 20 > Cycles of Matter > Flashcards

Cycles of Matter Flashcards

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Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

What is the universal solvent?

A

Water

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2
Q

Are the boiling points of water high or low?

A

High

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3
Q

What special property does water have?

A

adhesive and cohesive properties

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4
Q

True of false: Water has a low heat capacity

A

False

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5
Q

Is water polar or non-polar?

A

Polar

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6
Q

What is polarity?

A

The high electronegitivity of oxygen creates (+) and (-) poles allowing it to bond with either

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7
Q

What is a hydrogen bond?

A

attraction between (-) atom and (+) hydrogen on H2O

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8
Q

Is water less dense at solid or liquid state?

A

solid

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9
Q

What happens when ice melts?

A

its solid crystalline structure starts to break down which allows the molecules to pack closer together

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10
Q

What value does H2O have in the biosphere?

A
  • It is able to dissolve many life-sustaining molecules (O2, CO2, salt) for transport to and through living
  • weather rocks to create sand/soild and unlock nutrients
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11
Q

What temperature is water max. density at?

A

4 degrees celsius

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12
Q

What happens as water sinks and rises?

A

nutrients and dissolved oxygen cycle with it

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13
Q

Why doesn’t water below ice freeze?

A

Because the ice insalates the deeper water

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14
Q

What is adhesion?

A

attraction to molecules of other substances (specifically polar). Provides an upward force against the pull of gravity.

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15
Q

Define “transpiration”

A

evaporation of water from plants

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16
Q

What is cohesion?

A

attraction of water molecules to each other (via hydrogen bonding). Responsible for surface tention.

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17
Q

How do animals lose water?

A
  • breathing
  • sweating
  • urination
  • defecation
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18
Q

How do plants lose water?

A

transpiration

19
Q

What is the most common state of water in the hydrologic cycle?

A

liquid

20
Q

Is the amount of water in the biosphere finite?

A

yes, as it is recycled through the hydrological cycle

21
Q

Where does most water evaporation happen?

A

the ocean

22
Q

Why is water vapor considered a greenhouse gas?

A

Because it traps and transfers heat within the atmosphere. Liquid water also transfers heat ie. ocean currents

23
Q

Defne “detritus”

A

once living matter or waste

24
Q

Define “rapid cycling”

A

nutrients cycling between nutrient reservoirs quickly (humans)

25
Q

Define “slow cycling”

A

nutrients cycling between nutrients reservoirs slowly (rocks)

26
Q

What are nutrient resivouirs?

A

Storage points for nutrients

27
Q

What are five examples of nutrient res.

A
  • soil
  • water
  • air
  • rocks
  • organisms
28
Q

What two cycles are connected?

A

The carbon and oxygen cycles (CR and Photo…)

29
Q

Is CR and Photo… part of the slow or rapid cycling of nutrients?

A

rapid (food chain)

30
Q

What are carbon sinks?

A

reservoirs that absorb more carbon than what is emitted.

31
Q

What role do trees have in carbon reservoirs?

A

They are able to store large amounts of carbon

32
Q

What is the largest carbon sink?

A

Oceans

33
Q

What four things use nitrogen?

A
  • Proteins (in amino acids)
  • DNA
  • Fertilizers
  • 78% of the earths atmosphere
34
Q

What are the processes involved in the nitrogen cycle?

A
  1. Nitrogen fixation
  2. Nitrification
  3. De-nitrification
35
Q

What is the difference between nitrogen fixation and ammonification?

A
  1. Nitrogen fixation: uses atmospheric nitrogen
  2. Ammonification: uses organic nitrogen
36
Q

What happens during nitrogen fixation?

A
  • N2 converts to NH3 and NH4+ (ammonia and ammonium)
  • Done by nitrogen fixing bacteria in the soil
37
Q

Where is nitrogen fixing bacteria found in the soil?

A

In small lumps called “nodules” on the roots of legumes (peas, alfalfa etc)

38
Q

What happens during nitrification?

A
  • Converts NH3/NH4+ into No2 and NO3- (nitrites/nitrates)
  • Done by nitrifying bacteria in the soil
39
Q

What happens during denitrification?

A
  • NO3- turns into N2
  • Done by denitrifying bacteria in the soil
40
Q

What human impacts effect the nitrogen cycle? and what do they do?

A
  • Eating food/crops (remove nitrogen from soil)
  • Deforestation ( remove nitrogen from soil)
  • Fertilizers (return nitrogen to soil)
  • Overpopulation (too much excretion (nitrogen found in urine))
41
Q

What effects the rate of productivity in an ecosystem?

A
  • # of producers in an ecosystem
  • Amount of light/heat available
  • Amount of rainfall
42
Q

Define “productivity”

A

the rate at which organisms produce new bio mass

43
Q

What is the “Gaia Hypothesis?”

A

the atmosphere acts like an organism that regulates itself, maintaining environmental conditions with certain limits.

Bio 20 (10 decks)

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