unit A

Question 1

what is the first law of thermodynamics?

Answer 1

energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed

Question 2

what is the flow of energyfrom the earth to the sun?

Answer 2

linear
-earth has a continuous flow of energy from the sun which must be transformed for us to use

Question 2

what is the second law of thermodynamics?

Answer 2

energy is never transformed with 100% efficiency.
-each conversion there is less energy
-10% rule

Question 2

what is the flow of matter from the earth to the sun?

Answer 2

cyclic
-there is no continous source of matter therefor it must be recycled

Question 3

How is life on earth powered?

Answer 3

solar powered
-photosynthesis being the most important process providibg food for ALL life on earth

Question 4

what is an autotroph?

Answer 4

producers

Question 5

what is a heterotroph?

Answer 5

consumers

Question 6

whatis a primary consumer?

Answer 6

organism that eats plants
-herbivore

Question 7

what is a secondary consumer?

Answer 7

eats primary consumers

Question 8

what is a scavenger?

Answer 8

organism that feeds on dead organisms or wastes of organisms

Question 9

what is a detrivore?

Answer 9

breaks down organic wastes
-basically a decomposer

Question 10

what is a food chain?

Answer 10

linear drawing that represents the step sequence of who eats who in the biosphere

Question 11

what is a food web?

Answer 11

series of interlocking food chains
-more accurately presents energy pathways

Question 12

what is a ecological pyramid?

Answer 12

provides a visual repreentation of teh relationships among trophic levels

Question 13

what is a pyramid of numbers?

Answer 13

a pyramid based off the amount of the organism in each trophic level.

Question 14

what is a pyramid of mass?

Answer 14

mass of organisms combined at each trophic level

Question 15

what is a pyramid of energy?

Answer 15

amount of energy passing through each trophic level over a period of time