ENVIRONMENTAL FINAL - Unit 1 Flashcards
Environment
sum of all conditions that influence life
Environmental Science
field of study that looks at human/nature interactions
Biotic
living components in an environment
Abiotic
non-living components in an environment
Sustainability
being able to do something without jeopardizing future generations from doing the same activities
Theory
a hypothesis that has repeatedly been confirmed and accepted
First Law of Thermodynamics
states that energy is not created nor destroyed but can change form
Second Law of Thermodynamics
states when energy is transformed, the quantity does not change, but the ability to do work diminishes
Independent Variable
variable not dependent on other measured factors
Dependent Variable
variable dependent on other measured factors
What are the four “big ideas” in Environmental Science?
-Energy transfer
-Interactions between Earth’s systems
-Interactions between different species and environment
-Sustainability
Energy transfer
ex: food chains, webs
interactions between Earth’s systems
ex: carbon exists in many forms due to the bio-geochemical cycle (CO2 and in living organisms) - levels fluctuate as population increases
Interactions between different species and environment
ex: species on Earth have interacted for 4.5 million years, humans the past 2.5 - impacts especially with agriculture
sustainability
idea of doing things now to not jeopardize the ability of future generations to do similar things
systems within systems
the boundaries of an environmental system can be defined by a researchers point of view (or personal viewpoints)
What is an environment
sum of all conditions surrounding us that influence life; some natural and some man made
made up of:
-ecosystems, biomes, biotic, and abiotic components
-heavily impacted by human behavior
Why is environmental science interdisciplinary
-it borrows from other fields of science
General example of human influence
-Convert land from natural state
-change chemistry of water, air, soils (fertilizers)
-change species populations positively and negatively
-technology improvements
-climate change
-population growth
zoonotic disease
spreads from animals to humans and vice versa
covid-19 and environmental science
-zoonotic disease
-decreased birth rates (rates of birth per thousand people)
-educated us on how humans impact natural environment
how did covid-19 impact the natural environment
1) less materials used during the pandemic
2) lower CO2 emissions mitigating climate change
3) return of wildlife
Positive human impacts
1) simple home tasks
-unplug devices not in use
-avoid long showers
-regulate ac/heat usage
-turn off light
2) outdoors
-plant trees
-carpool, bike, walk
-no litter
-use homegrown food
3) government
-pass laws to protect environment
-make renewable energy affordable
-unite to reach a common goal
-provide education
what is the approximate world population
7.8 billion
what is the approximate us population
332 million
what is the approximate population of CT
3.6 million
factors that control population
exponential growth:
-technology
-medical advances
-improved farming
limiting factors:
-disease/pollution
-crime/conflict
-resource shortage
-competition
most populous countries? (1-3)
1) china
2) india
3) usa
population density
number of living things (humans) in a unit area; most cases a square mile or square kilometer
why are population densities so concentrated and not spread out more across the globe
proximity to water - trade access
limits effects of drought and famine
more fertile farmland
less extremes of heat
after heart disease, what is the second biggest killer worldwide for humans
infectious disease
in 2010, worldwide there were 20.3 births and 8.4 deaths per 1,000 individuals. Using this data, calculate the population growth (in percent) for the world in 2010.
1.19%
According to your reading, the U.S. average life expectancy is ___ years.
78
___________ is the movement of people into another country or region.
immigration
If you were to study the demographics of a region, what would you be studying?
human population and population trends
What has caused the life expectancy in the United States to decrease by 1-2 years over the past few years?
covid-19
t/f Migration is a factor in determining global populations.
false
If a country has a high life expectancy rate and the infant mortality rate is low, what can you conclude about this country?
adequate access to health care
t/f Infant mortality rates are lower in developed countries and higher in developing countries.
true
The _____ is the sum of all conditions that influence life
environment
once a reading on the AQI reaches _____, it is considered unhealthy
150
What characterizes a disease as zoonotic
it spreads through a vector like a mosquito
sustainability is ___________________
allowing an environment to do things without jeopardizing future generations
environmental science is ______________ because it borrows ideas from other sciences
interdisciplinary
what type of atmospheric pattern set up to draw smoke from the canadian wildfires south
omega block
which of the following is not considered one of the big ideas in environmental science
energy transfer
sustainability
interactions between extinct species and levels of carbon in the air
interactions between humans and the environment
interactions between extinct species and levels of carbon in the air
a rock would be an example of a(n) ________ factor in an environment
abiotic
which of the following is true concerning the covid-19 pandemic and the environment
co2 levels dropped on average but not enough to reverse the damage done by previous co2 emissions
immigration is ________________________
the movement of people into another country or region
which of the following would a demographer study
human population and population trends
__________ is the number of deaths per 1000 individuals per year
Crude death rate
__________ is the number of births per 1000 individuals per year
Crude birth rate
which factor will generally lead to a higher light expectancy in a region
better health care
___________ is the difference between immigration and emigration in a given year per 1000 people in a country
Net migration rate
_________ is the process of converting old material into new material
recycling
