Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Environmental Science Exam > Environmental Science Exam Key Terms > Flashcards

Environmental Science Exam Key Terms Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

What is the environment?

A

The sum of the surrounding conditions that influence life, health and growth

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is Environmental Science?

A

The study of interactions between human systems and natural systems.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is a system?

A

A set of interacting components that influence one another by changing energy/matter.

Human Systems - Trains, highways

Natural Systems - Ecosystems

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is an Environmental indicator?

A

Tools of measurement to determine the health and quality of natural systems

*Measure human population, biodiversity, global temperature, CO2 levels

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is Biodiversity?

A

The variety of life in an ecosystem.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are the 3 Levels of Biodiversity?

A
  1. Species diversity - # of species in an area or type of habitat
  2. Genetic diversity - Measure of genetic variation (higher the better)
  3. Ecosystem diversity - Diversity of ecosystems or habitats in an area
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is a Species?

A

Organisms distinct from other organisms in morphology, behavior, etc.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is Food Production?

A

The ability to grow food for humans

*Healthy soils support food production

*Technology (irrigation, fertilization, genetic modification)

*Weather

(more grain used for livestock than humans!)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is CO2’s Impact on Global Temperatures?

A

Greenhouse gasses like CO2 act as blanket to trap heat near Earth’s surface causing climate change.

Climate change is Anthropogenic (human based) from fossil fuels and net loss of forests.

*Last 200 years CO2 has increased in atmosphere and rising

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are some Dangers of CO2 Emissions?

A

Extreme heat, difficulty breathing, rising water levels, stresses circulator systems

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Resource Depletion Examples

A

Land degradation from mining, waste and landfill pollution, air pollution, non-renewables.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is the 1st Law of Thermodynamics?

A

Energy is neither created nor destroyed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics?

A

When energy is transformed, the quantity of energy remains the same, but its ability to do work diminishes. Energy forms are transformed into heat (Thermal Energy).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

How Does Thermodynamics Govern the Life of Living Organisms?

A

Thermodynamics allows for energy to transfer between ecosystems and trophic levels. It is what makes up for an ecological balance that keeps our ecosystems running.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Where do Ecosystems Get Their Energy?

A

Most all of it is from the sun (photosynthesis), other organisms may produce energy in chemosynthesis on hot springs an sea floors

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What are 3 Types of Consumers in a Trophic System?

A
  1. Primary Consumers - Herbivores that eat producers (plants)
  2. Secondary Consumers - Carnivores that eat primary consumers
  3. Tertiary Consumers - Rare, eat secondary consumers
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What are Trophic Levels?

A

Organism’s levels of feeding and acquiring energy within a food web.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What are Some other Trophic Positions than the 3 Big Ones?

A

Omnivores - Eat plants and animals.

Scavengers - “Carnivores” that eat dead organisms.

Detrivores - Animals that consume dead plant material

Decomposers - Complete breakdown process and recycle nutrients

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is the Ten Percent Law?

A

10 percent law of energy flow states that when the energy is passed on from one trophic level to another, only 10 percent of the energy is passed on to the next trophic level.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is Ecological Efficiency?

A

Percentage of energy transferred from one trophic level to another in a food chain or web, usually around just 10% each level

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What are the 4 Chemical Reservoirs of Earth?

A
  1. Atmosphere
  2. Lithosphere
  3. Biosphere
  4. Hydrosphere
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What is Carbon?

A

4th most abundant element in universe, found in all organic matters. Photosynthesis removes C from atmosphere, is returned in the form of CO2 or Methane (CH4). Can enter atmosphere through respiration, forrest fires, diffusion, and decomposition.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is Carbon - Methane?

A

Potent greenhouse gas 21 times more powerful than CO2. Mostly occurs naturally through respiration, but can also be a product of fermentation and human activities.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What are the Causes of Unequal Earth Heating?

A
  1. Solar energy’s angle - Less atmosphere to travel to at equator vs. poles
  2. Surface area impacted - More concentrated at equator
  3. Albedo % - % incoming light reflected by surface (snow, water, etc)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

How Does Earth Air Circulate?

A

Warm air is less dense than cold air, causing warm air to rise. Warm air has higher water vapor capacity, causing warm days to be more humid.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

What is Climate Change?

A

Increase in average temperature due to greenhouse gasses keeping heat close to the Earth’s surface.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

What are some Examples of the Effects Climate Change?

A

Has caused sea levels to rise 3 inches, glaciers shrinking, trees flowering sooner, coral reef destruction, and overall increase of 2 degrees F.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

What is Evolution?

A

Change in the genetic composition of a population over time.

29
Q

What are the 3 Processes that Drive Evolution?

A
  1. Artificial Selection - Human’s breeding of useful traits from the natural variation among different organisms
  2. Natural Selection - A natural process resulting in the evolution of organisms best adapted to the environment.
  3. Random Processes
  • Mutation
  • Genetic Drift
  • Bottleneck Effect: When pops reduced, genetic variation reduced
  • Founder Effect: Few colonizers give rise to new population
30
Q

What is Population Ecology?

A

Study of dynamics within a population (grow/shrink?)

31
Q

What are the Levels of Complexity (Population Ecology)?

A
  1. Individual
  2. Population (All individuals of same species in given area)
  3. Community (All populations within a given area)
  4. Ecosystem (All biotic and abiotic components of area)
  5. Biosphere (Biomes)
32
Q

What are the 5 Population Characteristics?

A
  1. Population size
  2. Population density (# in given area)
  3. Population distribution (clumped/even?)
  4. Population sex ratio
  5. Population age structure (determines speed of growth)
33
Q

What is a Niche?

A

Each species’ unique way of obtaining a limiting resource

34
Q

What is Lieberg’s Law of the Minimum?

A

What ever resource is in lowest supply relative to its demand will limit the expanse of a population

35
Q

What is Resource Partitioning and Its Types?

A
  1. Temporal - Being active at different periods of time

ex: Wolves and Coyotes

  1. Spacial - Using different areas of a system

ex: Fish and Wolves

  1. Morphological - Differences in body or shape to consume different types of resources

ex: Darwin’s Finches

36
Q

What are Some Types of defenses against predation?

A
  1. Behavioral - playing dead when seen
  2. Morphological - camouflage or prickles
  3. Chemical - toxic or distasteful
  4. Mimicry - mimicking different organism
37
Q

What are the Types of Symbiotic Relationships?

A
  1. Mutualism - benefits both species

ex: humans and dogs

  1. Commensalism - benefits one species while the other is neither harmed nor helped

ex: fish hiding behind coral

  1. Parasitism - benefits one species at the detriment of the other

ex: tape worms

38
Q

What is Ecological Succession and its Types?

A

Ecological Succession - Process by which species and habitat changes over time

  1. Primary Succession - Occurs on surface devoid of soil (lava, glaciers)
  2. Secondary Succession - Disturbed areas that have not lost soil (forrest fire, post hurricane)
39
Q

What Did Thomas Malthus Conclude?

A

Human population was growing exponentially while food growth was linear. (Alternate view is that innovation could alter Earth’s carrying capacity)

40
Q

What are Convection Cycles?

A

Outer core’s high temp causes magma to move in convection cells under crust. Also occurs with radioactive decay of elements (potassium, uranium)

41
Q

What is the Theory of Plate Tectonics?

A

Earth’s lithosphere is divided into plates, most of which are in constant motion as a result of magma movement in the outer core

42
Q

*What Causes Earth’s Plates to Move?

A

All plate movement is driven by convection cells beneath the surface (move 1.4 inches yearly)

43
Q

What is a Rock Cycle?

A

Constant formation and destruction of rocks. All rocks come from deposited material and eventually become sub-ducted turning into magma

44
Q

What is an Igneous Rock? How are they Formed?

A

Formed directly from magma

  • Intrusive Igneous: when magma rises and cools in place underground
  • Extrusive Igneous: when magma cools above Earth’s surface by volcano or seafloor spreading

Basaltic Rock - dark, high in iron, dominant in ocean plates

Granitic Rock - light color, high in mica and quartz, dominant rock of continental plates

45
Q

What is a Sedimentary Rock? How are they Formed?

A

Formed when mud, sand, or gravel fused together over long time

  • Sandstone: made from compressed sand
  • Conglomerate: mixed cobbles, gravel, and sand
46
Q

*What is a Metamorphic Rock? How are they Formed?

A

When sedimentary, igneous, or other rocks are subjected to high temperature and pressure

ex: slate or marble

47
Q

What is a Soil Cycle?

A

Mix of geologic and organic components that connect overlaying biology with underlaying geology

48
Q

What is Groundwater’s Function? Water Table? Groundwater Recharge? Artisan Wells?

A

Allows plants to get water through roots and provides water to springs

Water Table - uppermost level at which water is fully saturated in rock or soil

Groundwater Recharge - when rain water or surface water pores through soil into an aquifer at a “recharge area”

Artisan Wells - pressure of overlaying rock pushes water to surface

49
Q

What are the Consequences of High Water Withdrawl?

A
  • Spring fed streams may dry up
  • Shallow wells no longer reach water table
  • *Cone of depression: water table near well is deeper than others
  • *Saltwater intrusion: adjacent saltwater fills fresh groundwater
50
Q

What is a Floodplain? How can it be Formed?

A

Lakes surrounding rivers

*Formed 2 ways

  • Tectonic: formed by land
  • Glaciers: large depression of land
51
Q

What are Wetland’s Functions

A
  1. Absorb water to help prevent floods
  2. Clean and purify water
  3. Food (rice feeds half of worlds pop.)
  4. Shoreline and storm protection
  5. Cultural (hunting, fishing, and sightseeing)
  6. Habitat (contain 40% of planets species and 12% of animal species
  • Nursery for important finfish and shellfish
  • Migratory birds stay as well
52
Q

What is Non-Renewable Energy?

A

Used once and cannot be replaced

*Includes:

  • Fossil fuels (coal, petroleum), nuclear energy, and natural gas
53
Q

What is Energy Efficiency?

A

Some energy forms better suited for certain jobs

*EROEI - energy return on energy invested

54
Q

What is Electricity?

A

*Secondary source of energy

Produced from coal, oil, and natural gas

55
Q

What is Coal Energy? What are the Pros/Cons/Byproducts?

A

*Most common electricity source

Made from remains of trees, ferns, and plants from 280 to 360 million years ago

Generation:

Steam energy turns blade of turbine

  • Combined cycle: uses natural gas along with coal (gas combustion turns 2 turbines which turn generators)

*35% efficient

Pros: reliable, large global reserves, inexpensive

Cons: CO2 pollution, dangerous for miners, destroys natural habitats, not very efficient

Byproduct: ash, pollution

56
Q

What is Petroleum Energy? How is it Produced? What are some Pros/Cons/Byproducts?

A

*Used for mobile combustion engines

Formed from remains of phytoplankton 50 to 100 million years ago. Common in areas where wedged between porous and nonporous rock

Pros: Relatively dense and cleaner than coal (85% emissions), good for combustion engines

Cons: CO2 pollution, can cause spills

Byproduct: pollution, oil spills

57
Q

What is Natural Gas? How is it Produced? What are some Pros/Cons/Byproducts?

A

Fossil energy source found beneath Earth’s surface.

Generated by hydraulic fracking

  • 80 to 95% methane
  • Used for electricity and industry

Pros: Has fewer impurities than coal

Cons: 25x as potent as greenhouse gas, can cause explosions

Byproduct: heavy pollution, explosions

58
Q

What is Nuclear Energy? How is it Produced? What are its Pros/Cons/Byproducts?

A

Energy captured from nuclear reactions

Uses heat from nuclear fission (neutrons strike each other) to turn steam turbines. Control rods absorb extra neutrons in the form of plutonium preventing meltdown

Pros: no CO2 Released, highly efficient, good for countries independent from oil, cost effective

Cons: can cause meltdowns, creates radioactive waste, uranium mining is dangerous

Byproduct: nuclear waste, some pollution during mining process

59
Q

What Biomass (energy)? Provide The Examples

A

Derived from nature (wood, charcoal, manure, plant remains)

Wood - Used by 3 billion people for heating and cooling. Can use more timber than what naturally grows back

Charcoal - Made from “half burned” wood. Lighter and contains 2x as much energy as wood and produces less smoke

Dried Animal Manure - Used where wood is low, releases pollutants

Ethanol (Liquid Biomass) - Starches and sugars converted to alcohol and CO2. US 90% comes from corn. Can be mixed with gasoline to make “gasohol.” Some areas have E-85 Ethanol. Less energy than gasoline

Biodiesel: Usually B-20 (20% biomass). Comes from mostly soy beans

60
Q

What is Geothermal Energy and how is it Produced?

A

*Uses heat from radioactive decay of underground elements

*Circulates cool liquid underground to be heated

Can be used for electricity, heating water to steam

Ground source Heat Pump - Uses ground’s retainment of sun’s energy

61
Q

What is Hydroelectricity? How is it Captured? (examples too) What are its Pros/Cons?

A

(2nd most common renewable in US)

*Generated by energy of moving water

Examples:

Run of River - Common, retained by small dam and usually low electricity produced

Water Impoundment - Storing large amounts of water in reservoir behind dam

Tidal Energy - Attempts to obtain energy from tide shift. Not very efficient

Pros:

  • Does not create air pollution
  • Cheaper than natural gas/nuclear
  • Controls floods

Cons:

  • River must be help back
  • People possibly forced to relocate
  • Loss of organisms
  • More disease abundant in impound waters
  • Reservoir slowly fills with sediment
62
Q

What is Solar Energy? How is it Captured? (examples too) What are its Pros/Cons?

A

*Capturing energy from sun

Examples:

Passive Solar Energy - Natural heating, cooking eggs on floor

Active Solar Energy - Capturing sun’s energy and using it different ways

Photovoltaic Systems - Low voltage electricity generated by capturing 12-20% of heat

Concentrating Solar Power Plants - Best in deserts, use lens to concentrate sunlight to produce steam-powered turbine

Pros:

  • No pollution or CO2
  • May be cheap

Cons:

  • May be expensive
  • Hard to install
  • May require batteries
63
Q

What is Wind Energy? How is it Captured? (examples too) What are its Pros/Cons?

A

*Result of energy produced by unequal Earth heating

*High EROEI

(US is largest producer)

Examples: Modern (350 ft tall, can supply 400 homes), Offshore (even larger)

Pros:

  • No pollution
  • Can share land

Cons:

  • Needs batteries
  • Produces noise
  • 40,000 birds killed each year
64
Q

What are Hydrogen Fuel Cells? Process? Pros? Cons?

A

*Electricity generated by reacting hydrogen and water

Protons forced through a membraned while electrons move in different direction generating electric current

*Car can be hydrogen fueled

Pros:

  • 80% efficient
  • Byproduct is water

Cons:

  • Requires energy to produce
  • Hydrogen can explode
65
Q

How does Health Care Impact Disease?

A

*90% of diseases occur in developing nations where 10% of health care is spent

*2% of people with AIDS have access to modern medicine

66
Q

How Can Chemical Resistance Impact Disease?

A

*Natural Selection allows organisms to evolve quickly

Malaria was nearly wiped out, but protozoans became resistant to antibiotics

Mosquitos are now resistant to insecticides

Feedlots can use a lot of antibiotics and hormones

67
Q

What is Toxicology?

A

*The study of toxins (poisons) and their effect on living systems

68
Q

What are the 5 Classifications of Toxicology?
(PUT ON NOTECARD)

A
  1. Neurotoxins - Attack nerves
  • Heavy metals (lead, mercury) can kill nerve cells permanently
  • Anesthetics (chloroform) disrupt functions
  1. Mutagens - Chemicals/radiation that damages DNA
  • Can cause birth defects, tumors, changes in reproduction
  1. Teratogens - Chemicals that disrupt embryonic development
  • ex: fetal alcohol syndrome can cause facial abnormalities, developmental decays, behavioral and mental deficits
  1. Carcinogens - Substances that cause cancer (out of control cell-division)
  • 2nd leading killer in US
  • 50% of men and 30% of women get cancer in their lifetimes
  1. Endocrine Hormone Disruptors (EDCs)
  • Chemicals that disrupt hormone/gland function
  • DDT and PCB interfere with growth
  • Environmental estrogen/androgen can cause heath problems
69
Q

What are the Ways to Measure Toxicology?

A
  1. Animal Testing (mice, rats, primates)
  2. Computer Simulations
  3. Cell Cultures
  4. LD50 - Lethal dose for 50% of tested group

Environmental Science Exam (6 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions