Year 11 Term 1

Question 1

What happens to living organisms in the environment

Answer 1

They remove materials for growth and other processes these materials are passed along a food chain as one organism feeds on another all materials removed from environment are eventually returned and recycled providing building blocks for future organisms

Question 2

Carbon cycle info

Answer 2

Plants and algae remove CO2 from air for photosynthesis carbon is incorporated into compounds (carbohydrates, fats, proteins) that make up plants and algae some CO2 returned to air when plants respire when plants eaten, these carbon compounds are then in their body and so on when animals respire CO2 released

Question 3

Decomposition

Answer 3

Microorganisms and detritus feeders break down dead organisms in ecosystems, recycling materials which is vital in an ecosystem

Question 4

Water cycle

Answer 4

Changes to water when it evaporates into the air. condenses into clouds and then precipitates down to earth

Question 5

Evaporation

Answer 5

When water changes from a liquid to a gas when heated

Question 6

Transpiration

Answer 6

Passage of water vapour from plant to atmosphere

Question 7

Condensation

Answer 7

Cooling of water changing from gas to liquid

Question 8

Precipitation

Answer 8

Water droplets fall from atmosphere in form of rain, snow, sleet or hail

Question 9

Percolation

Answer 9

Water trickles through gaps in soils and rocks

Question 10

Run off

Answer 10

Rainfall that isn’t absorbed by soil and travels to the ocean

Question 11

Why is the water cycle so important

Answer 11

responsible for distributing water across the earth vital for sustaining life on earth by providing water to plants, animals and humans

Question 12

Why is water important

Answer 12

Solvent, transpiration stream, osmosis, expands on freezing, metabolic functions, lubricant, support, thermoregulation

Question 13

How does decomposition work

Answer 13

Detrius feeders/detritivores start process of deacy by breaking plant tissue into smaller pieces, increasing SA for action of decomposers which are bacteria and fungi that make things rot by releasing enzymes onto the dead animal or plant, breaking them down into soluble ones that can be absorbed by decomposers

Question 14

What factors affect the rate of decay

Answer 14

Temperature

Availability of water

Availibility of oxygen

Question 15

Recycling kitchen or garden waste

Answer 15

Compost heap and put grass cuttings, weeds and vegetable peelings etc.

bacteria and fungi break down the material giving off CO2

once broken down, material used as fertiliser can take about a year to make

Question 16

How do farmers/gardeners try to provide optimum conditions for rapid deacy

Answer 16

Warmth

Moisture

Oxygen

Question 17

How does putting a plastic sheet over the compost waste, with tyres holding it down increase the rate of decay

Answer 17

Holes in plastic, allowing organisms to respire

Not too hot so enzymes don’t denature

cover holds in moisture but may need to water occasionally if dry

Warmth generated by respiring organisms

Aerated by pitch fork

Question 18

Examples of where decay of microorganisms is useful

Answer 18

Compost heap

gardeners putting horse manure on roses etc.

farmers decomposing animal waste

in sewage works

Question 19

What are biogas generators

Answer 19

Flammable mixture of gases formed when bacteria break down waste material

mainly methane but varies depending on type of bacteria and waste used

bacteria work best at 30*C exothermic reaction

variety of bacteria used

Question 20

What goes into the biogas generator

Answer 20

Animal/human dung

farm waste

garden rubbish e.g faeces/urine of cows and sheep

Question 21

What comes ot of a biogas generator

Answer 21

Methane for cooking, heating and refridgeration

Slurry, which can be used as fertiliser

Used in developing countries as electricity as well

Question 22

Scaling up of biogas generators

Answer 22

Many countries experimenting using on larger scale

waste from sugar factories, sewage farms + rubbish tips can be used to make biogas

Question 23

Pro’s of floating drum biogas generator

Answer 23

Easy construction

Easy to operate

Steady gas pressure produced

Reliable, well tried technology

Question 24

Con’s of floating drum biogas generator

Answer 24

Metal holder expensive

Metal holder may rust

Question 25

Pro's of fixed dome biogas generator

Answer 25

Intitial cost low Long useful life-no moving or rusting parts involved well insulated

Question 26

Con's of fixed dome biogas generator

Answer 26

Sealing of the gas holder is not always tight Gas pressure fluctuates

Question 27

What is water pollution caused by

Answer 27

Fertilisers Toxic chemicals- kill animals and plants if they drink the water , reducing biodiversity Sewage- causes increase in bacteria in water which remove O2 from water when respiring so kill fish

Question 28

What is air pollution caused by and what problems does it cause

Answer 28

When fossil fuels burned, acidic gases + smoke released can cause breathing problems and lead to acid rain, damaging the environment leads to death of animals and plants

Question 29

How is smog formed

Answer 29

Smoke and chemicals e.g Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen add together forming smog Forms haze of small particles and acidic gases that can be seen in air over major cities

Question 30

Exponential drowth of human population is due to:

Answer 30

Lack of predators Advances in medicine Increased efficiency of food production Modern farming methods which increase productivity

Question 31

How do human reduce the amount of land for animals and plants

Answer 31

Building Farming Quarrying Dumping waste

Question 32

How is the land polluted

Answer 32

Landfill or toxic chemicals from houshold/indutry waste Pesticides and herbicides used in farming may be washed from land by rain into streams etc. these all have an effect on biodiversity

Question 33

What's the problem with pollution of the land

Answer 33

May kill insects e.g predators of the pest leading to pest resurgence May kill food plants reducing wild flower biodiversity May cause long term damage, accumulating along the food chain pests could develop resistance through genetic mutation

Question 34

What is bioaccumulation

Answer 34

Occurs when toxic chemicals are taken up by producers and get passed along the food chain to the primary consumers to secondary and so on. at each stage, toxin accumulates in larger amounts as organisms consume large numbers of the organism below them in the food chain. Normally most harmful to top carnivores and can cause their death

Question 35

Why do countries with strict controls over sulfur dioxide levels still suffer from acid rain

Answer 35

Because of prevailling winds from other countries blow the sulfur over causing the acid rain

Question 36

What are the effects of acid rain

Answer 36

Makes water acidic and increases the amount of water which enters lakes from the soil Damages forests and leaves directly leaches essential mineral ions out of the soil and releases toxic aluminium ions into soil

Question 37

What is biodiversity

Answer 37

The variety of all different organisms on earth, or within an ecosytem

Question 38

What does high biodiversity help us to ensure

Answer 38

Ensures stability of ecosytems as reduces dependency of of one species on another for food, shelter and the maintenance of the physical environment

Question 39

How are humans affecting biodiversity

Answer 39

Increased human population means more waste causing polltuion of water, land etc. this can kill plants and animals, reducing biodiversity

Question 40

Global warming and rising sea levels

Answer 40

Leads to flooding resulting in loss of habitat in low-lying places. higher temps makes ice melt so water currently 'trapped' on land e.g. glaciers and poles, runs into the sea rising level even more. As sea gets warmer, it expands causing sea level rise

Question 41

Global warming and changes in the distribution of organisms

Answer 41

Species become more widely distributed e.g species needing warmer climates spread further as warmer temps are now spread over a wider area. species needing colder temps become less widely distributed as conditions they thrive in exist over a smaller area

Question 42

Global warming and changes to migration patterns

Answer 42

Lots of birds migrates. studies shown birds living in Africa in winter have started to migrate back to Europe in summer earlier than before due to temp change as their food source appears earlier

Question 43

Global warming and less biodiversity

Answer 43

Some species may be unnable to adapt to a change in climate. may not survive and species will beome extinct

Question 44

Why is deforestation happening

Answer 44

To clear land for farming (e.g cattle or rice crops) to provide more food/ paper industry To grow crops from which biofuels could be produced Quarrying and dumping waste

Question 45

Problems caused by deforestation

Answer 45

Less biodiversity as fewer habitats More CO2 released into atmosphere from burning less CO2 locked up in trees and amount of CO2 removed from atmosphere is reduced as trees lock up some of the carbon they absorb during photosynthesis in their wood.

Question 46

What are peat bogs

Answer 46

Areas of acidic and water-logged land where there's a lack of decay and not enough oxygen. partly rotten plants build up to form brown soil like material- peat They act as carbon sinks and are often drained and used as farmland, fuel or sold to gardeners as compost Peat is being used quicker than its formed

Question 47

What are the problems of peat bogs

Answer 47

Draining peat means more air so more decomposition, the microbes release CO2 CO2 also released when peat is burned Destroying the bogs reduces natural habitats so biodiversity

Question 48

Examples of maintaining biodiversity

Answer 48

Breeding programmes and protecting rare habitats Field margins and hedge-rows where farmers can only grow one type of crop Reduction of deforestation and CO2 emissions by government recycling resources rather than dumping waste in landfill

Question 49

Conflicting pressures on how biodiversoty is maintained

Answer 49

Costs money- e.g. hedgerows costs to put in place and need to be checked Cost to livelihoods- e.g. reducing deforestation means people left out of work effecting economy Conflict when protecting food security- e.g. farmers need to kill pests to protect crops Development- e.g. houses need to be built and hugh demand for land usage