The Environment

Question 1

Name an indicator species that can monitor air quality

Answer 1

Lichens

Question 2

Which lichens tell you what about the air quality?

Answer 2

Bushy- clean
Leafy- little pollution
Crusty- more polluted

Question 3

Name an indicator species that can monitor water quality

Answer 3

Stonefly larvae, freshwater shrimp

Bloodworms, sludge worms

Question 4

Which water indicators tell you what about the water quality?

Answer 4

Stonefly larvae, freshwater shrimp - clean

Bloodworms, sludge worms- polluted water

Question 5

What is eutrophication?

Answer 5

A type of water pollution

Question 6

Describe the stages of eutrophication

Answer 6

Fertiliser leeches into the water
The high levels of nitrates and phosphates causes algae to grow out of control
Algae blocks the light, killing plants that live below
The bacteria decompose dead plants, reduces amount of oxygen in water
No oxygen in water kills fish

Question 7

If human population is increasing, how will this affect the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere?

Answer 7

More people means more fossil fuels being burned, meaning more pollution, which causes carbon dioxide levels to rise

Question 8

What are plants and oceans known as in the carbon cycle?

Answer 8

Carbon dioxide ‘sinks’

Question 9

What puts carbon dioxide into the atmosphere?

Answer 9

Respiration
Decay
Combustion

Question 10

What takes carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere?

Answer 10

Photosynthesis

Large bodies of water

Question 11

What is nitrification?

Answer 11

Where ammonia in soil is converted into nitrates in soil

Question 12

What is nitrogen fixation?

Answer 12

Changes nitrogen gas into nitrates in the soil

Question 13

Explain how plants use the nitrates from the soil

Answer 13

Use nitrates to make proteins to grow

Question 14

Explain the importance of the mutualistic relationship between bacteria and legumes

Answer 14

Bacteria provides nitrates for the plants by nitrogen fixation, the nitrates provide protein for growth

Question 15

Explain how carbon is cycled in the environment

Answer 15

photosynthetic material/plants will remove CO2 from the atmosphere
these plants will use the CO2 to make glucose
plant respiration will release CO2 into the atmosphere
animals will eat the plants which contain carbon
animals and plants will eventually die and decay due to microbial/bacterial action releasing CO2
the combustion/burning of fossil fuels will release CO2 into the atmosphere
the burning of carbon based products made from trees will release CO2 into the atmosphere

Question 16

Describe one way in which the skin helps in the control of body temperature.

Answer 16

Sweat glands release water, which evaporates and takes the heat energy with it which cools the surface of the skin.
Erector muscles in the skin contract, causes the hair to trap heat.

Question 17

Explain how a rise in population could lead to a rise in the n carbon dioxide levels

Answer 17

More people, leads to more fossil fuels being burnt, leading to a rise in carbon dioxide levels

Question 18

What do decomposing bacteria do?

Answer 18

Decomposes dead animal and plant matter in the soil into ammonia

Question 18

What does nitrifying bacteria do?

Answer 18

Converts ammonia into nitrates

Question 19

What does denitrifying bacteria do?

Answer 19

Break down nitrates and returns nitrogen into the air

Question 20

Nitrates can be produced by soil bacteria.

Explain how soil bacteria produce nitrates.

Answer 20

decomposing bacteria break down dead animal and plant matter in the soil into ammonia
ammonia is converted into nitrates by nitrifying bacteria

Question 21

The oak tree is the producer in the food chain

How does the oak tree obtain energy?

Answer 21

Autotrophically

Question 22

Give three examples of organisms that benefit from mutualism

Answer 22

Plants - bacteria in the root nodules
Oxpeckers - reduces number of parasites on Oxes
Cleaner fish remove dead skin and parasites from the fish

Question 23

What are the basic steps of the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 23

Nitrogen fixing bacteria; gas - nitrates
Decomposing bacteria; dead plant matter into ammonia in the soil
Nitrifying bacteria; ammonia - nitrates
Denitrifying bacteria; nitrates - gas

Question 24

Describe the stages of the carbon cycle

Answer 24

Carbon dioxide dissolves in large bodies of water
Plants remove carbon dioxide through photosynthesis
When the plants get eaten by the animal, the carbon compounds are passed to the animals.
Respiration releases carbon dioxide
Plants and animals eventually die and decay, decomposes release carbon dioxide when respiring
Carbon dioxide released when fossil fuels are burned.