Environment/Nature III Flashcards
Atom structure
Most of the atom is empty space.
The rest consists of:
- nucleus (composed of: protons and neutrons)
- electrons
Molecule
The smallest unit into which a substance can be divided and still retain the composition and chemical properties of that substance.
Consists of two or more atoms bonded together.
Molecule creation
When atoms approach one another, their electron clouds interact with each other and with the nucleus.
These atoms can combine to form molecules.
Atom
- the smallest unit of matter that has the characteristic properties of a chemical element.
Molecules consist of..,,,
They can consist of a single atom or a grouping of atoms
What element forms more chemical compounds than any other element?
Carbon.
- In fact, it forms more compound elements than all the other elements combined.
How is an atom held together?
- Each atom is composed of smaller parts.
- the electrons and nuclei are electrically charged
- the electric forces hold the atom together.
Cells are largely composed of…
Chemical compounds that contain carbon.
Gulf Coast
Area of the Gulf of Mexico in the extreme south of the US.
Runs from Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, to Texas.
Most oil refineries are along the gulf coast.
Gulf of Mexico
Body of water connected to the Atlantic Ocean that runs from the Florida penninsula to Cuba.
To the west is Mexico.
Straits of Florida
Passage connecting the Gulf of Mexico with the Atlantic Ocean.
It is the body of water that separates Florida and Cuba, which are about 90 miles apart.
How long ago did the earth form?
4.6 billion years ago
Creation of our atmosphere/evolution
The earth formed 4.6 billion years ago.
After hundreds of millions of years of evolution - oxygenic photosynthesis began.
- before this , there was no O2 (oxygen) in the atmosphere, only methane, ammonia, and water vapor.
Oxygenic photosynthesis
Turns sunlight, water, and CO2 into plants.
Pantheism
The doctrine that the universe, conceived of as a whole, is God, and that there is no God but the combined substance, forces, and laws, that are manifested in the existing universe.
- an all-embracing inclusiveness view of God, as opposed to viewing God as separate, as many religions do.
- stresses an immanent religious view.
Immanence
Indwelling.
Remaining within.
Troposphere
(traw-puh-sfeer)
Lowest layer of earth’s atmosphere.
Contains weather and clouds.
Stratosphere
Second lowest layer of earth’s atmosphere.
Exists between the troposphere and mesosphere.
Contains: ozone and highest clouds.
Mesosphere
(Mez-o-sfeer)
Third lowest level of earth’s atmosphere.
Exists between stratosphere and thermosphere.
Thermosphere
Highest level of earth’s atmosphere.
Between mesosphere and outer space.
- where our atmosphere merges with outer space.
Name the layers of earth’s atmosphere. From lowest (closest to earth) to highest.
1) . troposphere
2) . stratosphere
3) . mesosphere
4) . thermosphere
Multiverse
In physics or cosmology: a hypothetical collection of identical or diverse universes, including our own.
Cosmology
Branch of philosophy dealing with the origin and structure of the universe, including all of its diverse parts.
Continent
A continent is a large, discrete land mass separated by large bodies of water.
How many continents are there?
What are they?
7
- Asia
- Africa
- Antarctica
- Europe
- North America (includes Canada)
- South America
- Australia
What is the water cycle?
- The water cycle is the constant movement and storage of water throughout the earth.
- the earth’s water supply never changes. It just travels.
How much water is on earth?
- 332 million cubic miles of water.
- this amount never changes, as water simply recycles over and over.
How many steps are there in the earth’s water cycle?
4
Evaporation - the sun heats up water in rivers, lakes, streams, and oceans, and it becomes vapor or steam. The vapor or steam then rises.
Condensation - water vapor in the air gets cold and turns into clouds.
Precipitation - when so much water has condensed that the air can’t hold it anymore. It comes down as rain, sleet, or snow.
Collection - when the rain falls it either falls into the oceans or streams, or onto land, where it soaks into the groundwater that plants and animals use to drink. It eventually can be collected for evaporation again.
What is a biome?
Biomes (aka “ecosystems”) are large regions of the earth that share similar characteristics, such as:
- climate
- plant communities
- soil
- precipitation
- animal species
What are the different biomes?
- desert
- aquatic
- grassland
- tundra
- forest
Ecotone
The transition point between two ecosystems, or biomes.
Taiga
(Tie-guh)
Forests of the subarctic regions.
Chaparral
(shap-uh-ral)
Wilderness.
Jungle
Nucleus
An atom’s positively charged center.
Proton
- a subatomic particle
- One of the two parts that compose an atom’s nucleus.
- positively charged.
Neutron
- a subatomic particle.
- One of the two parts that compose a nucleus.
- has no charge.
Electron
A subatomic particle.
- negatively charged.
- a cloud of electrons surrounds the nucleus of an atom.
