Unit 1 Outline ?'s Flashcards
What makes environmental science different from Earth science and why study it?
Environmental focuses more on how humans interact and impact the Earth and it’s surroundings and it’s important so humans can see how sometimes what we do can impact the world negatively.
What is the scientific method?
observations; hypotheses; experimentation; drawing conclusions
what is the importance of peer review?
it allows someone to have their thoughts and ideas up for judgement to others in their field before publication
How is Earth Unique?
3rd planet; P to P 40,007 km; Equator 40,074 km; oblate spheroid; has layers; relatively smooth
What is the composition part of the Earth?
Crust; Mantle; Core
What is the structural part of the Earth?
Lithosphere; Asthenosphere; Mesosphere; Outer Core; Inner Core
Why is Earth Magnetic?
Hypothesized due to the liquid outer core of Earth
What is the point of the Magnetosphere?
Deflect charged particles from space away from the Earth
What’s a system?
set of particles or interacting components considered to be a distinct physical entity for the purpose of study (mult. models)
what system is Earth?
even though it’s open to the outside world, it’s considered a closed system (think of sun’s rays)
What are the 4 main spheres of Earth?
Atmosphere; hydrosphere; geosphere; biosphere
where does earth get it’s energy from?
both internal (radioactive decay) and external (sun; gravitational energy)
Why is the internal and external sources as well as the laws of thermodynamics important?
helps us understand how energy is transferred between different organisms and systems
What are the 4 main Nutrient Cycles?
Nitrogen; Carbon; Phosphorus; Water
What are the 5 major elements to life?
Carbon (C); hydrogen (H); oxygen (O); Nitrogen (N); phosphorus (P)
What does the Nitrogen Cycle do?
Outlines the movement of N from air to soil to plants and animals and back into the air
What does the Carbon Cycle do?
reusing carbon atoms; travels from Atmosph. to animals/plants and then back to Atmosph.
What does the Phosphorus Cycle do?
process which phosphorus moves through the spheres and how it moves from the soil, water, living, and non-living things
What does the water cycle do?
cycles through the atmosph. to the surface and back via precipitation and evaporation
Can all natural cycles be altered by human activities?
Yes
What is the Toledo Water Crisis?
The reoccurring algae in lake Erie
What are the 3 ways animals are classified as?
Producers; Consumers; Decomposers
How is energy affected as it flows through a food web/chain?
You never fully gain the full amount of energy from the first organism at the start of the chain (ex. grass -> rabbit -> wolves; wolves won’t have all of the grass’ energy because some of the energy is used in each organism’s life to fulfill their needs)
What role do humans play in ecology?
ecosystems can be disrupted by human activity. A domino effect (humans can affect one organism which could affect the rest of the ecosystem); pollution
Why are great circles important?
It’s the shortest distance between 2 points on a globe
How can geomagnetic and magnetic poles be used to find location?
We use a magnetic compass which points N and S
How is a GPS useful?
It’s satellite navigation system that is based on a global network
How is remote sensing used in cartography?
often uses GPS technology to picture the earth and makes measurements
What are the 3 main categories of map projections?
Cylindrical; Azimuthal; Conic
What are the Pros and Cons of Cylindrical projections?
Pro-> parallels and meridians produce a grid which is helpful in location and shape is preserved
Con-> Size of objects is distorted and meridians never meet at the poles
What are the Pros and Cons of Azimuthal Projections?
Pro-> Helpful as air travel because straight lines are great circles
Con-> Little distortion at the point of contact but increasing distortion as moving away both direction and distance
What are the Pros and Cons of Conic Projections?
Pro-> Relative size and shape of small areas are nearly same as globe
Con-> Only can produce small projections that must be fitted together
How is elevation measured?
Measured from mean sea level; elevation @ sea level is 0
what’s the relief on a topographic map?
difference between the highest and lowest elevations in a given area
How are soil maps used?
Used to make important decisions in agriculture and land management
How does runoff and algae affect other water organisms?
Runoff of phosphorus can be beneficial at first in a small amount. Algae will start forming. Once that algae dies, it releases a huge amount of phosphorus which in turn, suffocates the fish and other aquatic life forms.
