unit exam - 1 Flashcards
Scientific method
the process of establishing facts through testing and experimentation.
Engineering
the branch of science and technology concerned with the design, building, and use of engines, machines, and structures.
Data
facts about something that can be used in calculating, reasoning, or planning
Problem statement
a concise description of the problem or issues a project seeks to address
Hypothesis
a testable statement about the relationship between two or more variables or a proposed explanation for something
Independent variable
variation does not depend on that of another
Dependent variable
whose value depends on that of another.
Scientific model
an object or even a process or a system that is used to describe and explain phenomena that cannot be experienced directly.
Data analysis
the process of applying statistical and/or logical techniques to evaluate data.
Claim
an assertion of the truth of something, typically one that is disputed or in doubt.
Population
the group of organisms of the same species living in the same area
Carrying capacity
greatest number of any species that can exist within a specific habitat without threatening the existence of other species also living in the habitat
Limiting factor
anything that constrains a population’s size and slows or stops it from growing
Density-dependent
limiting factor
any force that affects the size of a population of living things in response to the density of the population
Density-independent
limiting factor
any force that affects the size of a population of living things regardless of the density of the population
r selected species
those that have shorter lifespans, are generally smaller, produce many young, and exhibit exponential growth.
K-selected species
living things that focus reproduction on few offspring.
Exponential growth
a pattern of data that shows greater increases with passing time, creating the curve of an exponential function (j shaped curve)
Logistic growth
the process of a population’s growth rate decreasing as the number of individuals in the population decrease (s shaped curve)
Abiotic factors
a non-living part of an ecosystem that shapes its environment
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
the source of energy for use and storage at the cellular level.
Autotroph (producer)
an organism that can produce its own food using light, water, carbon dioxide, or other chemicals.
Biological Community
an interacting group of various species in a common location
Biomass
organic, meaning it is made of material that comes from living organisms, such as plants and animals.
Biosphere
made up of the parts of Earth where life exists—all ecosystems.
Biotic factors
a living organism that shapes its environment
Carbon cycle
the process in which carbon atoms continually travel from the atmosphere to the Earth and then back into the atmosphere
Cellular respiration
the process by which organisms use oxygen to break down food molecules to get chemical energy for cell functions.
Commensalism
a relation between two kinds of organisms in which one obtains food or other benefits from the other without damaging or benefiting it.
Decomposer
organism that breaks down dead organic material
Ecology
the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment
Ecosystem
a community of interacting organisms and their environment
Food Chain
describes who eats whom in the wild
Food Web
consists of all the food chains in a single ecosystem
Habitat
a place where an organism makes its home
Heterotroph (consumer)
an organism that eats other plants or animals for energy and nutrients
Mutualism
a type of symbiotic relationship where all species involved benefit from their interactions.
Niche
the role an organism plays in a community
Nitrogen cycle
a continuous series of natural processes by which nitrogen passes successively from air to soil to organisms and back to air or soil
Parasitism
a nonmutual relationship between two organisms in which one benefits at the expense of the other
Photosynthesis
the process by which plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create oxygen and energy in the form of sugar
Succession
a series of progressive changes in the composition of an ecological community over time
Symbiosis
a close ecological relationship between the individuals of two (or more) different species
Transpiration
the process by which plants give off water vapor through openings in their leaves.
Trophic level
one of the hierarchical strata of a food web characterized by organisms which are the same number of steps removed from the primary producers
Water cycle
the continuous movement of water within the Earth and atmosphere
