Environmental Chemistry - Section 1 Flashcards
What is a fertilizer?
A substance that enriches the soil so that plants will grow better
Although fertilizers are beneficial for plant growth, too much can be harmful
What are the three basic nutrient elements in fertilizers?
Nitrogen (N)
Phosphorus (P)
Potassium (K)
What are pesticides?
Chemicals used to kill pests. A pest is an organism that harms people, crops, or structures.
What’s a herbicide?
They kill or control weeds
What is an insecticide?
They kill or control insects
What is a fungicide?
They kill fungi
What are some problems with pesticides?
Can be harmful to people and other non-pests
Might not be selective (kill non-pest species)
Can stay in the environment for too long
What are sanitary landfills?
Are specially built to prevent waste chemicals from moving into surrounding soil
They may use plastic liners and/or compacted clay to prevent harmful solutions of chemicals dissolved in rainwater or groundwater from getting through
What is sewage?
Is wastewater containing dissolved and undissolved materials from your kitchen, bathroom and laundry.
When fossil fuels are burned, they release what?
They release large amounts of carbon dioxide and water vapour
What does pH stand for?
Power of Hydrogen (H)
What is an acid?
A compound that dissolved in water to form a solution with a pH less than 7
What is a base or alkaline?
Is a compound that dissolved in water to form a solution with a pH greater than 7
What is the pH scale?
Most solutions have a pH in the range of 0-14 but the scale can be extended
A solution with a pH of 0 is very acidic
A solution with a pH of 14 is very basic or alkaline
A solution with a pH of 7 is neutral
What are some examples of acids?
Battery acid
Stomach acid
Lemon juice
Vinegar
What are some examples of bases or alkalines?
Baking soda Toothpaste Drain cleaner Soapy water Bleach
What are acid-base indicators?
Change colour when they are placed in solutions
Blue litmus paper turns red when placed in an acid
Red litmus paper turns blue when placed in a base
How is acid rain formed?
Industrial processes and fuel combustion produce large quantities of chemicals such as carbon dioxide
These chemicals dissolve in water droplets and form acid rain
What does acid rain do?
Causes lakes and streams to become more acidic which can affect the diversity of aquatic life
Can also increase the rate at which buildings and monuments deteriorate
How do you neutralize an acidic lake?
Acidic lakes are sometimes treated with lime (or calcium hydroxide) to neutralize them
When dealing with chemical spills what is it important to know?
It is important to know if the substance spilled is an acid or a base, and then use the appropriate opposite material
Our bodies need about ____ elements for normal growth
25
What are the most common elements in living things?
Carbon
Oxygen
Hydrogen
What is an organic compound?
A compound whose molecules contain carbon with the exception of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, carbonates, and cyanides
What is an inorganic compound?
Compounds whose molecules do not contain carbon
What are nutrients?
Elements and compounds that organisms need for living, growing, and reproducing
What are macronutrients?
Nutrients that are needed in relatively large amounts
Too little of these elements can have harmful effects
What are micronutrients?
Nutrients that are needed in very small (or trace) amounts
Too much of theses elements can be harmful
What are the four important types of organic molecules?
Carbohydrates
Lipids
Proteins
Nucleic Acids
What are carbohydrates?
Organic molecules made up of atoms of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen
What are some examples of carbohydrate molecules?
Starch
Cellulose
Glycogen
Glucose
What are lipids?
Organic compounds composed of many carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atom joined together in chains
What are some examples of lipids?
Fats
Oils
Waxes
What is protein?
An organic molecule made up of amino acids
What is an amino acid?
A simple organic compound containing a carboxyl and an amino
What are the three functions of proteins?
Used for organisms for growth and repair
A source of energy
Main component of enzymes
What are nucleic acids?
Are the largest most complicated molecules found in living things
All cells contain what two important nucleic acids that all cells contain?
DNA
RNA
What is the transport of matter?
The act of moving molecules or ions across a cell membrane
What does passive transport mean?
To move passively means to move without the use of any energy
What are two types of passive transport?
Diffusion
Osmosis
What is diffusion?
The natural movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration
What is osmosis?
The natural movement of water molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration
It is a specific form of diffusion
Osmosis occurs through a ___________ membrane
Semi permeable
What is active transport?
The transport of molecules requiring the addition of energy to help the molecules move
They need help because they are moving from an area of low concentration to an area of high concentration
What is ingestion?
The process of taking in food into our bodies
What is mechanical digestion?
The physical breakdown of food by your teeth when chewing
What is chemical digestion?
The breakdown of foods into basic nutrients using enzymes, acids, and bases. This occurs in the mouth, stomach, and small intestine
What is hydrolysis?
The process in which water helps to convert the large organic molecules into simpler substances like sugars
What is a substrate?
The surface on which an organism moves or lives
