Unit C Environmental Chemistry: Section 1.0 Flashcards
Can natural things be harmful to living things?
Yes many things like carbon dioxide are harmful but natural
What are elements?
Pure substances that cannot be broken down into anything further
What is the nitrogen cycle?
The way nitrogen moves through the environment and changes
When can plants use nitrogen?
Only when it is paired with other elements such as hydrogen and oxygen
In what compound is nitrogen naturally found in?
Nā
What is nitrogen fixation?
The process of changing free nitrogen so that nitrogen atoms can combine with other elements to form compounds that organisms can use
What does most of the nitrogen fixation?
Certain types of bacteria in soil located in root nodules
In what kind of plants are root nodules found in?
Beans, clover, and alfalfa
What do root nodules do?
They separate the nitrogen gas so it is able to pair with other elements such as hydrogen and oxygen for plants
What are the steps in the nitrogen cycle?
- Nitrogen fixation occurs
- Animals then eat the plants
- Their bodies use the nitrogen to make more complex substances
- Decomposers break down large nitrogen containg molecules in dead organisms and aniimal waste into simpler nitrogen compounds in the soil.
- Eventually some are broken down further by ground bacteria
- Then nitrogen is released back into the air as free nitrogen
What does the concentration of usable nitrogen in the natural environment depend on?
The root nodules, and carrying undissolved nitrogen deep in the soil
If soil lacks nitrogen what do farmers plant?
Nitrogen fixing plants
What is pollution?
Any change in the environment that produces a condition that is harmful to living things
What are some ways humans change the chemical balances in our environment?
Growing crops, solid waste, treating waste water, manufacturing products, and driving vehicles
What is a fertilizer?
A substance that enriches soil so plants will grow
What do the 3 numbers on fertilizer mean?
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Potassium
What does the 4th number on a fertilizer mean?
it has sulfur added to it
What are pesticides?
Chemicals used to control pests
What is a pest?
An organism that harms people, plants, or structures
What do herbicides kill?
Weeds
What do insecticides kill?
Insects
What do fungicides kill?
Fungi
What is not good about pesticides?
Some are not selective so they end up killing good organsims
What is solid waste?
Garbage that is collected from households, industrial plants, commercial buildings and etc.
What are incinerators?
Places that burn solid waste
What are sanitary landfills?
Places that are built to prevent fluids from going into the soil
What is sewage?
Wastewater containing dissolved and undissolved materials fro your kitchen bathroom, and laundry
Where does sewage go?
Through pipes into a septic tank
What is a septic tank?
An underground container where bacteria breaks down the organic materials before they are moved out to the soil
What is a sewage treatment plant?
Treats waste from homes, businesses, and industries. Might also treat water from street drains
What is effluent?
Treated wastewater that is released into rivers or lakes
What are storm sewers?
Where rain water goes
What are fossil fuels?
Coal, oil, and natural gas. They are formed from dead plants and animals
Why are fossil fuels called hydrocarbons?
Because they are mainly made from hydrogen and carbon
What elements do fossil fuels contain?
Hydrogen, Carbon, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Sulfur. Sometimes mercury and lead
What is produced when hydrocarbons burn?
Carbon dioxide, water, energy
What is the equation for burning fossil fuels
Hydrocarbon + Oxygen = Carbon dioxide + Water + Energy
What is the equation for burning methane or proprane?
Methane/Propane + Oxygen = Carbon dioxide + water vapour + energy
What is sour gas?
Natural gas that contains hydrogen sulfide
What is an acid?
A compound that dissolves in water to form a solution with a pH lower than 7
What is a base?
A compound that dissolves in water to form a solution with a pH higher than 7
What does pH stand for?
Power of Hydrogen
What is the difference between each number on the pH scale?
Itās 10 times weaker or stronger
What color does blue litmus paper turn in acid?
Red
What color does red litmus paper turn in a base?
Blue
What is neutralization?
A reaction between an acid and base that produces water and salt
How do they neutralize the effects of acid rain?
They treat water with lime (Calcium Hydroxide)
What is lime?
Calcium Hydroxide
What are the most important elements your body needs?
Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen
What are organic compounds?
Compounds that contain carbon
What are inorganic compounds?
Compounds that do not contain carbon
What are nutrients?
Elements and compounds that organisms need for living, living, growing and reproducing
Where do plants obtain Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen?
From air
Where do plants obtain Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium and sulfur?
From soil
What are macro-nutrients?
Nutrients needed in relatively large amounts
What are micro-nutrients?
Nutrients needed in small amounts
What does nitrogen do for plants?
Leaf and stem growth
Composition of proteins and clorophyll
What does Phosphorus do for plants?
Root and flower growth
Cellular respiration and photosynthesis
What does potassium do for plants?
Stimulation of early growth
Starch and protein production and sugar movement
Disease resistance
Chlorophyll production and tuber formation
What does magnesium do for plants?
Composition of Chlorophyll structure and photosythesis
What does calcium do for plants?
Cell wall structure
Cell division
What does sulfur do for plants?
Production of fruits and grains
What does nitrogen do for humans?
Composition of proteins and nucleic acid found in cells
Growth and repair of tissues
What does phosphorus do in humans?
Composition of bones, teeth, and DNA
Many metabolic reactions
What does potassium do in humans?
Muscle contraction and nerve impulses
What does magnesium do in the body?
Composition of bones and teeth
Absorbtion of calcium and potassium
What does calcium do in the body?
Composition of bones and teeth
Blood clotting
Muscle and nerve function
What does sulfur do in the body?
Protein synthesis
Enzyme activation
Detoxification
What does optimum amount mean?
The amount that provides an organism with the best health
What are carbohydrates?
Atoms that form form sugar, starch, cellulose, and glycogen
What is glucose?
A simple made by plants during photosythesis
What are lipids?
Fats, oils, and waxes.
What is fat molecule made of?
Three chains of fatty acid connected to one molecule of glycerol
What are proteins and amino acids?
Food such as meat, fish or eggs.
What are proteins used for?
Growth and repair
What is a protein?
an organic compound made of amino acids
What do all cells contain?
DNA and RNA
What is nucleic acid?
The largest and most complicated molecules found in living things
What are the nucleic acids called?
DNA & RNA
What is passive uptake?
When there is no energy needed to take in nutrients
What is diffusion?
Movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration
What is osmosis?
Water moving from an area of high concentration to low concentration
What is active transport?
When plants use energy to move molecules of nutrients in direction opposite of diffusion
What is the process of taking food into our bodies called?
Ingestion
What is hydrolysis?
Breakdown or digestion of large organic molecules
What does it mean to be hydrolyzed?
A substance broken down by hydrolysis
What is a substrate?
a material on which an organism moves or lives
