4/28 Vocab test

Question 1

What is sustainability?

Answer 1

The ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Question 2

What is a biome?

Answer 2

Large-scale ecosystems that are typically defined by climate and the dominant vegetation type.

Question 3

What is an ecosystem?

Answer 3

A biological community of organisms interacting with each other and the physical environment.

Question 4

What is a population?

Answer 4

A group of organisms of the same species living within an ecosystem.

Question 5

What is a community?

Answer 5

The different populations that live together in an ecosystem.

Question 6

What is a habitat?

Answer 6

The place that an organism makes its home, meeting all environmental conditions necessary for survival.

Question 7

What is a niche?

Answer 7

The role and position that a species fills in an ecosystem, including the conditions and feeding needs necessary for survival.

Question 8

What is photosynthesis?

Answer 8

The process by which plants synthesize glucose using carbon dioxide, water, and energy from sunlight.

Question 9

What is aerobic respiration?

Answer 9

The chemical reactions in cells that break down glucose molecules and release energy, carbon dioxide, and water.

Question 10

What are trophic levels?

Answer 10

Feeding levels within food chains.

Question 11

What is a producer?

Answer 11

The organism within a food chain that produces its own food source through photosynthesis.

Question 12

What is a primary consumer?

Answer 12

An organism that only eats plants.

Question 13

What is a secondary consumer?

Answer 13

An organism that eats both meat and plants.

Question 14

What is a tertiary consumer?

Answer 14

An organism that only eats meat.

Question 15

What is a decomposer?

Answer 15

An organism that breaks down organic matter.

Question 16

What is bias in scientific research?

Answer 16

When a scientist incorporates systematic errors into sampling or testing by selecting or encouraging one outcome over another.

Question 17

What is reliable data?

Answer 17

Data that is reasonably complete and accurate, works towards answering the hypothesis clearly, and has not been inappropriately altered.

Question 18

What is random sampling?

Answer 18

Samples based on drawing names/numbers out of a hat or using a computer program to give a random list.

Question 19

What is systematic sampling?

Answer 19

Choosing a sample based on regular intervals rather than random selection.

Question 20

What is ‘big data’?

Answer 20

Extremely large sets of numerical information collected using technology and analyzed using computers.

Question 21

What is population density?

Answer 21

Total population divided by area.

Question 22

What are birth rates?

Answer 22

The number of live births per thousand people per year.

Question 23

What are death rates?

Answer 23

The number of deaths per 1000 people.

Question 24

What is the dependency ratio?

Answer 24

The measure of the dependent portion of the population compared to the total independent portion.

Question 25

What are pronatalist policies?

Answer 25

Policies designed to encourage people to have children and increase birth rates.

Question 26

What are antinatalist policies?

Answer 26

Policies designed to discourage people from having children and to decrease birth rates.

Question 27

What is permafrost?

Answer 27

Areas of permanently frozen ground consistently for 2 or more years.

Question 28

What is ecosystem productivity?

Answer 28

The rate of production of biomass for an ecosystem.

Question 29

What is gross primary productivity?

Answer 29

The rate at which producers convert solar energy into biomass.

Question 30

What is net primary productivity?

Answer 30

The rate at which producers convert solar energy into biomass minus the loss of energy through respiration.

Question 31

What are native species?

Answer 31

Species that originated and developed in a specific ecosystem or region.

Question 32

What are invasive species?

Answer 32

Species that can outcompete other species, causing changes to an ecosystem’s balance.

Question 33

What is food security?

Answer 33

When all people have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs.

Question 34

What is energy security?

Answer 34

The reliable availability of energy sources at an affordable price, considering environmental impacts.

Question 35

What is long-term energy security?

Answer 35

Supply of energy that aligns with economic developments and environmental needs.

Question 36

What is short-term energy security?

Answer 36

Systems that react promptly to sudden changes in the supply-demand balance.

Question 37

What is water security?

Answer 37

The ability to access sufficient quantities of clean water for food, sanitation, and health care.

Question 38

What is acid deposition?

Answer 38

A mix of air pollutants that deposit from the atmosphere as acidic wet or dry deposition.

Question 39

What is photochemical smog?

Answer 39

A mixture of air pollutants formed when oxides of nitrogen and VOCs react in sunlight.

Question 40

What is the ozone hole?

Answer 40

An area where the average concentration of ozone is below 100 Dobson Units.

Question 41

What are greenhouse gases?

Answer 41

Gases in the atmosphere that absorb infrared radiation.