Intro to science and ecology Flashcards

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1
Q

what is science?

A
  • a process of inquiry that includes repeatable observations and testable hypothesis
  • process used to investigate the world around us
  • a systematic approach to understand the universe
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2
Q

what is a hypothesis?

A

-an explanation that is based on testable observations and experiments

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3
Q

what is an experiment?

A

it is one way we can test a hypothesis

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4
Q

what is a theory?

A
  • a hypothesis that is supported by a great deal of evidence
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5
Q

what is pseudoscience?

A

untested or biased ideas presented as sound science (it’s fake science essentially)

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6
Q

what is the scientific method? and what is the order?

A
  • an empirical process that allows us to better the world around us
  1. observation
  2. question
  3. hypothesis
  4. prediction
  5. test: experimental or additional observation
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7
Q

what is a model?

A

an approximation or simplification of the natural world

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8
Q

what are earths 3 systems and what do they include?

A
  • natural systems: air, water, soil and rocks
  • biological systems: life or biosphere
  • sociocultural systems/human culture sphere: the big part of the natural and biological systems
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9
Q

what are earths major components?

A
  • lithosphere: the upper zone of the earths mantle and the inorganic (non-living) mixture of rocks in the earths crust
  • hydrosphere: earths supply of moisture in all its forms. Involves liquid, gaseous and frozen parts of water
  • atmosphere: the thin layer of gases that completely surrounds the solid and liquid earth
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10
Q

what are the sub categories in the atmosphere?

A
  1. Troposphere: lowest layer of the atmosphere (most weather occurs here)
  2. Stratosphere: the layer above the troposphere. Contains the ozone layer. It protects life on earth and absorbs most solar radiation (UV radiation)
  3. Ozone Layer: the part of the stratosphere that filters out harmful UV radiation affected by trioxide and impacted by pollution
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11
Q

What is the biosphere/ecosphere?

A
  • the part of the environment that is inhabited by living organisms
  • includes interactions b/w the other components of the planet
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12
Q

what is matter?

A

it is anything that has mass and takes up space (solid, liquid, gas)

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13
Q

what is energy?

A

it is the ability or capacity to do work

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14
Q

what is the first law of thermodynamics (first law of energy)?

A

energy is neither created nor destroyed, but converted from one form to another

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15
Q

what is the second law of thermodynamics (second law of energy)? and what is the equation?

A
  • in any transformation of energy, some amount will be degraded to a more dispersed, less usable form
  • energy = work + heat
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16
Q

explain solar radiation

A

it uses heat and light which is used in photosynthesis by plants

17
Q

what is gross primary production (GPP)?

A

the total amount of photosynthesis

18
Q

what does Net primary productivity (NPP) mean?

A
  • the component of the GPP that is available for growth and reproduction
  • it is what is available to other organisms
19
Q

what is a food chain?

A

how energy moves through an ecosystem

20
Q

What are the 3 types of consumers?

A
  1. Herbivores (plants)- eating plants
  2. Carnivores (meat)- eating consumers
  3. Omnivores (both)- eating consumers and producers
21
Q

what is the 10% trophic transfer rule?

A

organisms in each trophic level pass on 10% of the original energy available to them