Environmental Science 2000 > Physical Environment > Flashcards

Physical Environment Flashcards

Scientific method, matter and energy, plate tectonics, rock cycle, early earth (84 cards)

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1
Q

what method to scientists use to test ideas and investigate the nature of the environment

A

scientific method

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1
Q

light reaction

A

splits water using solar energy

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2
Q

what are the steps of the scientific method

A
  1. observations
  2. questions
  3. hypothesis
  4. predictions
  5. testing predictions (experiments)
  6. analyzing the results
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3
Q

is there a universal scientific method

A

NO- many different ways to test a question scientifically

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4
Q

what does the scientific research process look like (include)

A
  1. peer review of work
  2. journal publications
  3. interactions with colleagues (at seminars and such)
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5
Q

Describe some of the main components on Earth

A
  1. matter
  2. energy
  3. atoms and molecules
  4. organic material
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6
Q

what are the key building blocks of life

A
  1. proteins
  2. nucleic acids
  3. carbohydrates
  4. lipids
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7
Q

of the building blocks of life, which is NOT a macromolecule and why

A

lipids - they do NOT dissolve in water

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8
Q

what do living thing depend on and what distinguishes them

A

organic compounds (carbon based) and inorganic compounds

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9
Q

why are hydrogen ions very important

A

they control the acidity of aqueous solutions

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10
Q

what are some key characteristics of the water molecule

A
  1. its polarity allows it to bond well with other molecules
  2. cohesion
  3. high specific heat capacity
  4. ice being denser than liquid water
  5. transparency to light allows for photosynthesis
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11
Q

what are molecules formed from

A

atoms

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12
Q

law of conservation of matter

A

matter can be transformed between forms but it cannot be created nor destroyed

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13
Q

what is the smallest component of an element that STILL retains all properties of the element

A

atom

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14
Q

what can changes to an atom at the atomic level result in

A

alternative forms of elements (ions and isotopes)

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15
Q

different types of energy

A

potential or kinetic energy

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16
Q

describe the total amount of energy in the universe

A

cannot be created or destroyed ; is conserved

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17
Q

examples of potential energy

A
  1. chemical energy
  2. nuclear energy
  3. mechanical energy
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18
Q

describe potential energy

A

energy of position (stored)

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19
Q

describe kinetic energy

A

energy of motion

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20
Q

what mainly powers earth’s systems

A

radiation from the sun

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21
Q

describe photosynthesis

A

solar energy, water and carbon dioxide are used to create sugars and oxygen

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22
Q

Photoahtotrophs vs autotrophs

A

photoautotrophs: turn light energy from sun into chemical energy

autotrophs: produce own food from solar energy

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23
Q

what is the reverse process of photosythesis

A

cellular respiration

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24
what are other important sources of energy for earth
1. geothermal heating 2. tidal interactions among earth, sun and moon
25
what is geothermal heating
the heating of earth from the planet's interior
26
what are two main processes that shape the landscape around use
1. plate tectonics 2. rock cycle
27
what distinguished between the layers of earth
1. composition 2. temp 3. density
28
three main layers of earth
1. core 2. mantle 3. crust
29
what are plate tectonics
fundamental processes that shape earth's surface
30
how do plate tectonics shape earth's surface
the movement of lithospheric plates driven by convection in the mantle
31
what is convection and its importance
heat rising from the core through the layer of the earth and dissipates at the surface that drives the movement of the mantle.
32
three types of boundaries for tectonic plates
1. divergent 2. transform 3. convergent
33
what are some examples of the effects of plate tectonics
1. high mountains forming 2. deep valleys forming 3. climate cycles 4. soils and distributions of plates and animals
34
what are some examples of geological hazards that can arise from plate tectonics
1. earthquakes 2. tsunamis 3. volcanic eruptions 5. landslides
35
what is happening in the rock cycle
matter is cycled and rocks are transformed from one type to another
36
was early earth similar to what it is today and was it hospitable or non hospitable to life
1. not similar to today 2. not hospitable to life
37
what does the heterotrophic hypothesis propose
life arose from “primordial soup” of simple inorganic chemicals in ocean AND The first life forms used organic matter for energy
38
what does the panspermia hypothesis propose
that substances needed for life's origin arrived from space
39
what does the chemoautotrophic hypothesis propose
that life arose from chemical reactions near deep-sea hydrothermal vents
40
what is all matter composed of
elements
41
can elements be broken down into simpler substances
NO
42
what are isotopes
atoms of the same element with differing number of neutrons
43
what does a differing number of protons result in
a different element and NOT an isotope
44
radioisotopes decay into ____ until they are _____
1. lighter 2. stable
45
ions
atoms that have gained or loosed electrons from their outer shell
46
what makes up atoms
protons and neutrons
47
protons have ___ charge
positive
48
neutrons have ____ charge
no
49
atomic number refers to the
number of protons in an element
50
what balances out the positive charge of the protons in an atom
electrons
51
covalent bonds refer to
atoms in a molecule that share electrons
52
ionic bonds refers to
atoms in a bond that do not share electrons instead they are transferred to the atom with the greater pull
53
what is a solution in chemistry
Elements, molecules and compounds come together without chemically bonding
54
what is the main reason for life on earth
water
55
did life originate on land or in water
water, moved to land around 3 BYL
56
describe acidic solutions
solution where H+ is more concentrated and are less than 7 on PH scale
57
describe basic solutions
Solution where OH- is higher concentration and are greater than 7 on the PH scale
58
what does each step on the PH scale represent
1 TENFOLD difference in H+ and OH- concentrations
59
of the macromolecules, which are polymers
1. carbohydrates 2. nucleic acids 3. proteins
60
what are plastids referring to
synthetic (non-natural) polymers (long chain of repeating molecules)
61
energy refers to
the ability to do work
62
along what path does energy take when changing between states
from more-ordered states to less-ordered states
63
what does an energy system move towards
disorder
64
what layer of earth do we live
crust - hard rock above the asthenosphere
65
describe a Divergent plate boundary
Tectonic plates move apart from one another (diverge)
66
Transform plate boundaries
Two plates meet along strike-slip fault = they grind alongside one another horizontally in opposite directions
67
what marks a transform plate boundary
strike-slip fault
68
Convergent plate boundary
Two plates come together (converge)
69
types of convergent plate boundaries
Oceanic-continental convergent Oceanic-oceanic convergent Continental-continental convergent
70
describe interactions between Oceanic-continental convergent
Ocean crusts are made from basalt which is denser than the granite that make continent crusts = so the oceanic crusts slips under the continental one (SUBDUCTION)
71
Oceanic-oceanic convergent form what
volcanic islands or volcanic arc
72
Continental-continental convergent
Continental crust on both sides resists subduction and instead crush together
73
rock vs minerals
rock are naturally occurring have are composed of different mineral grains and fragments minerals are naturally occurring soldi elements or inorganic compounds with crystal structures
74
what is considered the building blocks of rocks
minerals
75
Igneous rock
Rock forms when magma or lava cools
76
two classes of igneous rocks
intrusive or plutonic igneous rock: - Magma cools slowly and solidifies while beneath earth's surface extrusive or volcanic igneous rock - Molten rock is ejected or extruded from a volcano and cools quickly
77
Sedimentary rock
Formed when sediments are physically pressed together and dissolved minerals seep through sediments to bind particle together
78
what is lithification and what rock type is it typically associated with
Formation of rock through compaction and cementation ; associated with sedimentary rocks
79
Metamorphic rock
any type of rock is subjected to great heat or pressure and alters it's form
80
calvin cycle
links carbon atoms from CO2 into sugar (glucose)
81
what are the organelles where photosynthesis occurs
chloroplasts
82
what do chloroplasts contain for light-absorption
chlorophyll
83
natural experiment vs manipulative experiment
1. natural : demonstrates real-word complexity but without showing the cause-effect relationship 2. manipulative : results in the strongest evidence and can show direct cause-effect relationship by manipulating ONE variable
Environmental Science 2000
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