Exam 1: Systems

Question 1

system

Answer 1

Ordered, interrelated set of things and their attributes, linked by flies if energy and matter, as distinct from the surrounding environment outside the system

Question 2

reservoir

Answer 2

large lake used as water supply

Question 3

coupling

Answer 3

when one phenomena A affects/causes phenomena B, but phenomena B does not necessarily affect A

Question 4

feedback mechanisms

Answer 4

when phenomena A affects/causes phenomena B, which in turn affects A again

Question 5

positive feedback

Answer 5

when A affects B positively, which affects A positively, etc.
Example: People have more babies, which means more people, which means more babies, etc.
x=y^2 graph

Question 6

negative feedback

Answer 6

when A affects B positively, which affects A positively, which affects B negatively, which affects A negatively
Example: Lots of CO2 in the atmosphere (warm), plants take it in and there are more plants, which decreases the CO2 in the atmosphere, which makes fewer plants grow, which increases the CO2 again, etc.
Graph looks wobbly

Question 7

difference between feedback and coupling

Answer 7

in a feedback situation, A affects B and B definitely affects A as well; in a coupling situation, B doesn’t necessarily affect A

Question 8

terrestrial carbon cycle (atmosphere, soil, biosphere)

Answer 8

every connection:
atmosphere-biosphere (plants)
biosphere (plants)- biosphere (animals)
biosphere (plants/animals)- soil
soil- biosphere (plants)
biosphere (plants/animals)- atmosphere

Question 9

one way that humans are affecting the carbon cycle

Answer 9

humans emit massive amounts of CO2 faster than oceans and forests can deplete it; raises CO2 in atmosphere, negative feedback; uncontrolled experiment