Ecology

Question 1

What is an open system?

Answer 1

One that allows both energy and matter to cross the systems boundary

Question 2

What is a closed system?

Answer 2

One that allows only energy (but not matter) to cross the boundary

Question 3

Is earth considered an open or closed system?

Answer 3

Earth is a naturally closed system. It only allows energy (sun) to enter or exit on its own. Other things like rockets and satellites can only enter/exit with human intervention

Question 4

What is the process that all organisms use to obtain energy from chemical compounds?

Answer 4

Cellular respiration

Question 5

What is albedo?

Answer 5

Albedo is the amount of energy that is absorbed or reflected off of a surface. Lighter surfaces have a higher albedo, while darker surfaces absorb more, meaning their albedo is lower.

Question 6

What is chemosynthesis?

Answer 6

Chemosynthesis happens in organisms that inhabit areas where there is no light. They split hydrogen sulfide molecules and use the broken chemical bonds to create energy-storing compounds

Question 7

What is an isolated system?

Answer 7

A system where neither energy or matter can cross

Question 8

Where can chemosynthetic organisms live?

Answer 8

In deep oceans, hot springs, deep caves and soil

Question 9

What is the difference between photosynthesis and chemosynthesis?

Answer 9

Photosynthesis uses light to generate energy and chemosynthesis uses energy from broken chemical bonds

Question 10

What is an autotroph?

Answer 10

Autotrophs are also known as producers. They are self feeders that use the suns energy or inorganic chemicals to feed themselves

Question 11

What is a heterotroph?

Answer 11

Heterotrophs are also known as consumers. They feed on other organisms for the energy in their tissues

Question 12

What is the first law of thermodynamics?

Answer 12

Energy cannot be created or destroyed

Question 13

What is the second law of thermodynamics?

Answer 13

With each energy conversion in a system, there will be less energy available for the next level

Question 14

What is the rule of 10?

Answer 14

Less than 10% of the energy that is present at one level will be passed down to the next.

Question 15

How much energy is lost in the form of heat?

Answer 15

90% of energy is lost in the form of heat, solidifying the rule of 10

Question 16

What do ecological pyramids represent?

Answer 16

The distribution of energy in an ecosystem

Question 17

What is a pyramid of numbers?

Answer 17

Represents the number of organisms in each tropism

Question 18

What is a pyramid of biomass?

Answer 18

Represents the dry mass of living organisms per unit of area

Question 19

What is a pyramid of energy?

Answer 19

Represents the amount of energy that is transferred through each tropism

Question 20

What causes a pyramid to be inverted?

Answer 20

When there is a large number of primary consumers (rabbits) feeding on a single producer (grass) the ecosystem will become unbalanced

Question 21

What happens when a dynamic equilibrium in an ecosystem becomes unbalanced?

Answer 21

The health and number of organisms will be greatly affected. If the change is large enough, some organisms can go extinct

Question 22

What does it mean for water to be a polar molecule?

Answer 22

This means that a water molecule has a negative and positive end. It attracts to nearby water molecules and forms a hydrogen bond

Question 23

What is fusion?

Answer 23

Solid to liquid

Question 24

What is vaporization?

Answer 24

Liquid to gas

Question 25

True or false, water has low melting and boiling points?

Answer 25

False, water has very high melting and boiling points

Question 26

True or false, ice is less dense than water?

Answer 26

True

Question 27

What is cohesion?

Answer 27

Cohesion gives water its surface tension. This means that it will stick to other things [specifically other water molecules. (hydrogen bonding)] This is why small bugs can walk on water without falling through

Question 28

What is adhesion?

Answer 28

Adhesion is the force that attracts molecules of one kind to a different kind. This why raindrops will stick to leaves or glass

Question 29

True or false, water has a low specific heat capacity?

Answer 29

False, water has a high specific heat capacity and as a result, can store huge amounts of heat energy, allowing large bodies of water to moderate their temperatures

Question 30

What are the steps of the carbon cycle in order?

Answer 30

1) Photosynthesis 2) Cellular Respiration 3) Diffusion 4) Fossilization 5) Combustion 6) Volcanic Eruptions PCDFCV

Question 31

What are the steps of the water cycle in order?

Answer 31

1) Evaporation 2) Transpiration 3) Condensation 4) Precipitation 5) Runoff 6) Percolation 7) Groundwater ETCPRPG

Question 32

What is percolation?

Answer 32

Water that falls to the ground and seeps into the soil, filtering downward

Question 33

What is condensation?

Answer 33

When water vapor cools as it rises and changes back into liquid

Question 34

What is transpiration?

Answer 34

When plants release water vapor into the air through the tiny openings in their stomata

Question 35

What are the steps of the nitrogen cycle in order?

Answer 35

1) Lightning 2) Nitrogen Fixation 3) Assimilation 4) Decomposition 5) Ammonification 6) Denitrification 7) Eutrophication LNADADE

Question 36

What is assimilation in the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 36

When plants absorb nitrates or ammonium from the soil and incorporate them into important molecules. Animals then eat plants and the nitrogen is incorporated into their bodies

Question 37

What is denitrification in the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 37

This is when denitrifying bacteria convert nitrates in the soil back to nitrogen gas, which is released into the atmosphere and completes the cycle

Question 38

What is eutrophication?

Answer 38

An excess of nitrogen (usually from fertilizers or human waste) which can lead to the harm of an aquatic ecosystem with things like increased algae production and oxygen depletion

Question 39

What percentage of the atmosphere does nitrogen gas make up?

Answer 39

78%