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Environmental Science 2000 > Physical Environment > Flashcards

Physical Environment Flashcards

Scientific method, matter and energy, plate tectonics, rock cycle, early earth

1
Q

what method to scientists use to test ideas and investigate the nature of the environment

A

scientific method

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1
Q

light reaction

A

splits water using solar energy

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2
Q

what are the steps of the scientific method

A
  1. observations
  2. questions
  3. hypothesis
  4. predictions
  5. testing predictions (experiments)
  6. analyzing the results
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3
Q

is there a universal scientific method

A

NO- many different ways to test a question scientifically

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4
Q

what does the scientific research process look like (include)

A
  1. peer review of work
  2. journal publications
  3. interactions with colleagues (at seminars and such)
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5
Q

Describe some of the main components on Earth

A
  1. matter
  2. energy
  3. atoms and molecules
  4. organic material
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6
Q

what are the key building blocks of life

A
  1. proteins
  2. nucleic acids
  3. carbohydrates
  4. lipids
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7
Q

of the building blocks of life, which is NOT a macromolecule and why

A

lipids - they do NOT dissolve in water

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8
Q

what do living thing depend on and what distinguishes them

A

organic compounds (carbon based) and inorganic compounds

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9
Q

why are hydrogen ions very important

A

they control the acidity of aqueous solutions

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10
Q

what are some key characteristics of the water molecule

A
  1. its polarity allows it to bond well with other molecules
  2. cohesion
  3. high specific heat capacity
  4. ice being denser than liquid water
  5. transparency to light allows for photosynthesis
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11
Q

what are molecules formed from

A

atoms

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12
Q

law of conservation of matter

A

matter can be transformed between forms but it cannot be created nor destroyed

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13
Q

what is the smallest component of an element that STILL retains all properties of the element

A

atom

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14
Q

what can changes to an atom at the atomic level result in

A

alternative forms of elements (ions and isotopes)

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15
Q

different types of energy

A

potential or kinetic energy

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16
Q

describe the total amount of energy in the universe

A

cannot be created or destroyed ; is conserved

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17
Q

examples of potential energy

A
  1. chemical energy
  2. nuclear energy
  3. mechanical energy
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18
Q

describe potential energy

A

energy of position (stored)

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19
Q

describe kinetic energy

A

energy of motion

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20
Q

what mainly powers earth’s systems

A

radiation from the sun

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21
Q

describe photosynthesis

A

solar energy, water and carbon dioxide are used to create sugars and oxygen

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22
Q

Photoahtotrophs vs autotrophs

A

photoautotrophs: turn light energy from sun into chemical energy

autotrophs: produce own food from solar energy

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23
Q

what is the reverse process of photosythesis

A

cellular respiration

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24
Q

what are other important sources of energy for earth

A
  1. geothermal heating
  2. tidal interactions among earth, sun and moon
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25
Q

what is geothermal heating

A

the heating of earth from the planet’s interior

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26
Q

what are two main processes that shape the landscape around use

A
  1. plate tectonics
  2. rock cycle
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27
Q

what distinguished between the layers of earth

A
  1. composition
  2. temp
  3. density
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28
Q

three main layers of earth

A
  1. core
  2. mantle
  3. crust
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29
Q

what are plate tectonics

A

fundamental processes that shape earth’s surface

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30
Q

how do plate tectonics shape earth’s surface

A

the movement of lithospheric plates driven by convection in the mantle

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31
Q

what is convection and its importance

A

heat rising from the core through the layer of the earth and dissipates at the surface that drives the movement of the mantle.

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32
Q

three types of boundaries for tectonic plates

A
  1. divergent
  2. transform
  3. convergent
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33
Q

what are some examples of the effects of plate tectonics

A
  1. high mountains forming
  2. deep valleys forming
  3. climate cycles
  4. soils and distributions of plates and animals
34
Q

what are some examples of geological hazards that can arise from plate tectonics

A
  1. earthquakes
  2. tsunamis
  3. volcanic eruptions
  4. landslides
35
Q

what is happening in the rock cycle

A

matter is cycled and rocks are transformed from one type to another

36
Q

was early earth similar to what it is today and was it hospitable or non hospitable to life

A
  1. not similar to today
  2. not hospitable to life
37
Q

what does the heterotrophic hypothesis propose

A

life arose from “primordial soup” of simple inorganic chemicals in ocean

AND

The first life forms used organic matter for energy

38
Q

what does the panspermia hypothesis propose

A

that substances needed for life’s origin arrived from space

39
Q

what does the chemoautotrophic hypothesis propose

A

that life arose from chemical reactions near deep-sea hydrothermal vents

40
Q

what is all matter composed of

A

elements

41
Q

can elements be broken down into simpler substances

A

NO

42
Q

what are isotopes

A

atoms of the same element with differing number of neutrons

43
Q

what does a differing number of protons result in

A

a different element and NOT an isotope

44
Q

radioisotopes decay into ____ until they are _____

A
  1. lighter
  2. stable
45
Q

ions

A

atoms that have gained or loosed electrons from their outer shell

46
Q

what makes up atoms

A

protons and neutrons

47
Q

protons have ___ charge

A

positive

48
Q

neutrons have ____ charge

A

no

49
Q

atomic number refers to the

A

number of protons in an element

50
Q

what balances out the positive charge of the protons in an atom

A

electrons

51
Q

covalent bonds refer to

A

atoms in a molecule that share electrons

52
Q

ionic bonds refers to

A

atoms in a bond that do not share electrons instead they are transferred to the atom with the greater pull

53
Q

what is a solution in chemistry

A

Elements, molecules and compounds come together without chemically bonding

54
Q

what is the main reason for life on earth

A

water

55
Q

did life originate on land or in water

A

water, moved to land around 3 BYL

56
Q

describe acidic solutions

A

solution where H+ is more concentrated and are less than 7 on PH scale

57
Q

describe basic solutions

A

Solution where OH- is higher concentration and are greater than 7 on the PH scale

58
Q

what does each step on the PH scale represent

A

1 TENFOLD difference in H+ and OH- concentrations

59
Q

of the macromolecules, which are polymers

A
  1. carbohydrates
  2. nucleic acids
  3. proteins
60
Q

what are plastids referring to

A

synthetic (non-natural) polymers (long chain of repeating molecules)

61
Q

energy refers to

A

the ability to do work

62
Q

along what path does energy take when changing between states

A

from more-ordered states to less-ordered states

63
Q

what does an energy system move towards

A

disorder

64
Q

what layer of earth do we live

A

crust - hard rock above the asthenosphere

65
Q

describe a Divergent plate boundary

A

Tectonic plates move apart from one another (diverge)

66
Q

Transform plate boundaries

A

Two plates meet along strike-slip fault = they grind alongside one another horizontally in opposite directions

67
Q

what marks a transform plate boundary

A

strike-slip fault

68
Q

Convergent plate boundary

A

Two plates come together (converge)

69
Q

types of convergent plate boundaries

A

Oceanic-continental convergent
Oceanic-oceanic convergent
Continental-continental convergent

70
Q

describe interactions between Oceanic-continental convergent

A

Ocean crusts are made from basalt which is denser than the granite that make continent crusts = so the oceanic crusts slips under the continental one (SUBDUCTION)

71
Q

Oceanic-oceanic convergent form what

A

volcanic islands or volcanic arc

72
Q

Continental-continental convergent

A

Continental crust on both sides resists subduction and instead crush together

73
Q

rock vs minerals

A

rock are naturally occurring have are composed of different mineral grains and fragments

minerals are naturally occurring soldi elements or inorganic compounds with crystal structures

74
Q

what is considered the building blocks of rocks

A

minerals

75
Q

Igneous rock

A

Rock forms when magma or lava cools

76
Q

two classes of igneous rocks

A

intrusive or plutonic igneous rock:
- Magma cools slowly and solidifies while beneath earth’s surface

extrusive or volcanic igneous rock
- Molten rock is ejected or extruded from a volcano and cools quickly

77
Q

Sedimentary rock

A

Formed when sediments are physically pressed together and dissolved minerals seep through sediments to bind particle together

78
Q

what is lithification and what rock type is it typically associated with

A

Formation of rock through compaction and cementation ; associated with sedimentary rocks

79
Q

Metamorphic rock

A

any type of rock is subjected to great heat or pressure and alters it’s form

80
Q

calvin cycle

A

links carbon atoms from CO2 into sugar (glucose)

81
Q

what are the organelles where photosynthesis occurs

A

chloroplasts

82
Q

what do chloroplasts contain for light-absorption

A

chlorophyll

83
Q

natural experiment vs manipulative experiment

A
  1. natural : demonstrates real-word complexity but without showing the cause-effect relationship
  2. manipulative : results in the strongest evidence and can show direct cause-effect relationship by manipulating ONE variable

Environmental Science 2000 (10 decks)

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