Science, Matter, Energy, and Ecosystems Flashcards
Cycle of the Scientific Method
Make an observation
Ask a question
Do experiments and collect data > Interpret data
Formulate hypothesis to explan data
Do more experiments to test hypothesis
Revise hypothesis if necessary
Draw a Conclusion
the procedures used to learn about our world.
Scientific Method
goal of science
discover facts about the natural world and the principles that explain these facts.
Constructing the Hypothesis
- can be tested
- can be proved false
factors that might affect observations
variables
an unconfirmed explanation of an observation that can be tested
Scientific hypotheses
used to test hypotheses by gathering
data or evidence
Scientific method
explanation of an observation through repeated observations and hypothesis testing
Scientific theories
explanation of an observation, and is proven over and over (e.g., effects of gravity)
Scientific laws
What is Matter
- is anything that has mass and takes up space
- composed of atoms, ions, and molecules
Two forms of Matter
- Element
- Compound
a single, distinctive building blocks of matter that make up every material substance
Element
two or more different elements held together by chemical bonds
Compound
Two types of Compounds
- Organic Compounds - molecules that contain carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen and other atoms (oxygen,nitrogen, etc. Derived from living organisms (eg. Glucose, DNA, Fats)
- Inorganic compounds - molecules w/o carbon-hydrogen bonds. Derived from both living and non-living (e.g Salts, Minerals)
Law of Conservation of Matter
- Matter is not destroyed, it only changes form.
- Atoms are not destroyed, just rearranged.
First Law of Thermodynamics
- Heat is a form of energy
- Energy is neither created nor destroyed, only transformed.
Two types of Energy
- Kinetic Energy - energy at motion
- Potential Energy- energy at rest
Second Law of Thermodynamics
- In every transformation, some energy is converted to heat.
the process of converting solar energy into chemical energy stored in food
CO2 + H20 —> C6H12O6 + O2
Photosynthesis
the process of releasing chemical energy stored in food to be used by living things
C6H12O6 + O2 —> CO2 + H20
Respiration
Study of how organisms interact with each other and with their non-living surroundings.
Ecology
Greek word “Oikos” meaning house
Eco
Levels of Organization in Ecology
Individual
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Biome
Biosphere
Earth’s Life Support Systems
Atmosphere - thin membrane of air
Lithosphere - earth’s crust
Hydrosphere - water
Biosphere - living and dead organisms
Cycles of Earth’s Natural Capital
Cycle of elements that sustain the life of earth:
- Carbon cycle
- Phosphorus cycle
- Nitrogen cycle
- Water cycle
- Oxygen cycle
Ecosystem Components
- Abiotic factors
- air
- salinity
- soil
- temperature
- light
- water
- minerals
- pH
- humidity - Biotic factors
- bacteria
- fungi
- plants
- protists
- animals
- archaea
The existence, abundance and distribution of a species is determined by levels of one or more physical and biological factors.
Law of Tolerance
Limiting factors
A) Terrestrial ecosystems (on land)
– precipitation
– temperature
– soil nutrients
B) Aquatic ecosystems (in water)
– temperature
– sunlight
– nutrients
– dissolved oxygen
– salinity
Biological Components of Ecosystems
- Producers (autotrophs)
- Consumers (heterotrophs)
- Herbivores, Carnivores, Omnivores
- Decomposers and detritivores
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
biological and chemical processes needed for the survival of species, communities and ecosystems
Functional diversity
– sequence of organisms which is a source of food for the next.
Food chains
most species participate in several food chains (they don’t just eat one thing!).
Food webs
each step in the flow of energy through an
ecosystem (feeding level)
Trophic levels
Food Chains and Energy Flow in Ecosystems
Producers (Plants) [1st trophic lvl]
Primary Consumers (Herbivores) [2nd trophic lvl]
Secondary Consumers (Carnivores) [3rd trophic lvl]
Tertiary Consumers (top carnivores) [4th trophic lvl]
The rate at which an ecosystem’s producers capture and
store a given amount of chemical energy as biomass in a
given length of time.
Gross primary productivity (GPP)
Net primary productivity (NPP)
- Rate at which all the plants in an ecosystem produce net
useful chemical energy - 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.
- provides most of the nutrients for plant life
- cleans water
- decomposes and recycles biodegradable waste
Soils
Matter Cycling in Ecosystems
Biogeochemical cycles
Hydrological cycle
Carbon cycle
Nitrogen cycle
Phosphorus cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen Fixation
Ammonification
Nitrification
Assimilation
Denitrification
One is toxic to plants, One is useful to plants.
Nitrate vs Nitrite
Nitrate - Usable by Plants
Nitrite - Toxic to Plants
Consists of single organism
Individual
Multiple organisms belonging to the same species
Population
Multiple organisms belonging to different species
Community
Multiple communities and their physical environment in an area
Ecosystem
Biological community formed in response to the physical environment and shared regional climate
Biome
