Unit A Flashcards
Define Equilibrium
A state in which opposing forces or influences are balanced.
Define Trophic Levels
A category of living things defined by how it gains energy; the first trophic level contains autotrophs and each higher-level contains heterotrophs
Define Atmosphere
The envelope of gases surrounding the earth or another planet
Define Lithosphere
The rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle
Define Hydrosphere
All the waters on the earths surface, such as lakes and seas and sometimes including water over the earth’s surface like clouds.
Define biodiversity
The variety of life in the world or in particular habitats or ecosystems
Define albedo
The proportion of the incident light or radiation that is reflected by a surface, typically that of a planet or moon
Define chemoautotroph
An organism, typically a bacterium, that derives energy from the oxidation of inorganic compounds
Define indicator species
A thing, especially a trend or fact, that indicates the state or level of something.
Define first law of thermodynamics
That energy cannot be created or destroyed it can only change forms.
Define second law of thermodynamics
That during every energy conversion some energy is lost as heat.
Define food chain
A sequence linking organisms that feed on each other, starting with a food source and continuing in order with each consumer
Define food web
A representation of the feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem.
Define pyramid of numbers
Represents the number of organisms in that environment
Define pyramid of biomass
Represents the amount of biomass in that environment
Define pyramid of energy
Represents the amount of energy available at each trophic level