Principles of Ecology Flashcards
refers to the scientific study of relationships between
organisms and their environment
Ecology
Everything that takes up space and has mass.
matter
is the material of which things are made
matter
is the capacity to do work, such as moving matter over a distance.
energy
What energy contained in moving objects
kinetic energy
is stored energy that is latent but available for use.
Potential energy
stored in the food you eat and the gasoline you put in the car, is also a potential energy that can be released to do useful work.
Chemical energy
describes the energy that can be transferred between objects of different temperature.
Heat
is the study of how energy is transferred, its rates of flow and transformation from one form or quality to another.
Thermodynamics
the tendency of all natural system to go from a state of order toward a state of increasing disorder
entropy
is the ultimate source of energy for living organisms.
sun
are organisms that live in severe conditions.
Extremophiles
energy to an ecosystem that lives in total darkness and under tremendous pressure.
Deep-sea hydrothermal vents
The energy source for this ecosystem is provided by inorganic molecules like hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen gas through a process called?
chemosynthesis
are considered to be very primitive organisms and the conditions under which they live are thought to be similar to those in which life first evolved.
Archaea
Most extremophiles are single celled called?
Archaea
is composed of particles of energy that travel as waves. It is part of the electromagnetic spectrum, the entire range of electromagnetic radiation.
Light
converts radiant energy into useful, high quality chemical energy in the bonds that hold together organic molecules (food!).
Photosynthesis
is responsible for the flow of wind, ocean currents, weather patterns and the hydrological cycle.
Sunlight