Lesson 2: The Science of Environmental Science Flashcards
It is anything that occupies space and has mass
Matter
Two Types of Matter
Molecules
Elements
It is matter that has only one type of atom and are the building blocks of molecules
Element
Composed of two or more elements
Compound
Law of Conservation of Matter
Matter cannot be destroyed but transformed
The First Law of Thermodynamics
Energy cannot be created or destroyed but changes form
The Second Law of Thermodynamics
An isolated system’s entropy will always increase
In a transformation, some energy is converted to heat
Compounds with usually carbon-hydrogen and carbon-carbon bonds
Organic Compounds
Compounds that usually lacks a carbon-hydrogen bond
Inorganic Compunds
Two Types of Energy
Potential
Kinetic
Energy of an object to do something
Potential
Energy in motion
Kinetic
Levels of Organization
Individual
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Biome
Biosphere
Life Support Systems
Atmosphere
Lithosphere
Hydrosphere
Biosphere
Refers to one organism
Individual
Refers to many organisms but only one species
Population
Refers to many organisms but with many species
Community
Refers to many communities along with the environment in a given area
Ecosystem
Refers to the community formed because of the environment
Biome
Refers to all areas that compose life
Biosphere
Air
Atmosphere
Crust
Lithosphere
Water
Hydrosphere
All living things
Biosphere
an unconfirmed explanation of an
observation that can be tested
Hypothesis
used to test hypotheses by gathering
data or evidence
Scientfic Method
explanation of an observation
through repeated observations and hypothesis testing
Scientific Theory
explanation of an observation, and is
proven over and over
Scientific Law
It is the process of converting solar energy into chemical energy
stored in food
Photosynthesis
the process of releasing chemical
energy stored in food to be used by living things
Respiration
This law states that the existence, abundance and distribution of
a species is determined by levels of one or more physical and biological factors.
Law of Tolerance
Refers to the variety of genetic
material within a species or a population
Genetic Diversity
the number of species
present in different habitats
Species Diversity
the variety of
terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems found
in an area
Ecological Diversity
the variety in the biological and chemical processes needed for the survival of species, communities and ecosystems
Functional Diversity
Heterotrophs
Consumers
Autotrophs
Producers
Energy Flow in Ecosystems
Food Chains
Food Webs
Trophic Levels
sequence of organisms
which is a source of food for the next.
Food Chain
multiple food chains interacting with each other
Food Web
each step in the flow of energy through an ecosystem
trophic levels
the rate at which an ecosystem’s producers capture and store chemical energy as biomass in a particular amount of time
GPP (Gross Primary Productivity)
the rate at which all the plants in an ecosystem produce net useful chemical energy
NPP (Net Primary Productivity)
NPP = GPP - Respiration
Net Primary Productivity is equal to the difference between the rate at which the plants in an ecosystem produce useful chemical energy (e.g. carbohydrates) and the rate at which they use some of that
energy through cellular respiration.
Maturity and Horizons of Soil
Surface litter layer
Top soil layer (humus)
Sub soil
Parent material
Importance of Soil
Provides most of the nutrients for plant life
Cleans water
Decompose and recycle biodegradable wastes
these are global cycles that recycle nutrients through the air, land and
water
Biogeochemical Cycles
Explain the Water Cycle
Water from oceans and transpired from trees are transferred to the clouds in the for of evaporation, water there cools and condenses forming clouds. when the clouds get heavy it is distributed in the land through precipitation. From the land the water travels back through the seas and oceans through runoff
Explain the Carbon Cycle in a Marine Environment
Phytoplankton remove it from the water through photosynthesis.
Converts to carbohydrates. Zooplankton respire, breaking
carbohydrates back to CO2.
Explain the Carbon Cycle in a Terrestrial Environment
CO2 is released when animals respire, the CO2 is then converted to Oxygen through Photosynthesis and is used by the animals to respire. When living things die they turn to carbon which is the source of natural gas, which is burned by factories for consumption emitting carbon
Explain the Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen Gas is fixated by Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria and turned to ammonia, Nitrifying Bacteria turn the ammonia into Nitrates and Denitrifying bacteria turn these nitrates back to Nitrogen.
Explain the Phosphorus Cycle
Weathering.
Absorption by Plants.
Absorption by Animals.
Return to the environment through decomposition.
discover facts about the natural world and the principles that explain these facts
Goal of Science
one that can be proven false
Testable
factors that might affect observations
Variables
can be altered
Laboratory
Difficult to alter
Field
Ecosystem Components
Abiotic
Biotic
Limiting Factors in Terrestrial Environments
Precipitation
Temperature
Soil nutrients
Limiting Factors in Aquatic Environments
Temperature
Sunlight
Nutrients
Dissolved oxygen
Salinity
Biological Components in an Ecosystem
Heterotrophs
Autotrophs
Variations in Texture and Posterity
Rocks -> gravel -> sand -> silt -> clay
Cycles are driven by what factors?
Solar Energy
Gravity
