Vocab Flashcards
(214 cards)
1
Q
the inter most zone of Earth’s interior composed of mostly iron and nickel. it includes a liquid outer layer and a solid inner layer
A
Core
2
Q
molten rock
A
magma
2
Q
the layer of earth above the core, containing magma
A
mantle
3
Q
the layer of earth located in the outer part of the mantle, composed of semi molten rock. Has plasticity.
A
asthenosphere
4
Q
outermost layer of earth, including the mantle and crust
A
lithosphere
5
Q
in geology, the chemically distinct outermost layer of the lithosphere
A
crust
6
Q
in geology, a place where molten material from Earth’s mantle reaches the lithosphere
A
hot spot
7
Q
the theory that the lithosphere of earth is divided into plates most of which are in motion
A
plate tectonics
8
Q
the sum of processes that build up and break down the lithosphere
A
tectonic cycle
9
Q
the process of one crustal plate crossing under another
A
subduction
10
Q
a vent in the surface of earth that emits ash, gas, or molten lava
A
volcano
11
Q
an area beneath the ocean where tectonic plates move away from one another
A
divergent plate boundary
12
Q
the formation of new ocean crust as a result of magma pushing forward and outward from earths mantle to surface
A
seafloor spreading
13
Q
an area where tectonic plates move sideways past each other
A
transform fault boundary
14
Q
The sum of all the conditions surrounding us that influence life.
A
environment
15
Q
The field of study that looks at interactions among human systems and those found in nature.
A
Environmental science
16
Q
a particular location on Earth with biotic and abiotic
A
ecosystems
17
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biotic
A
living
18
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abiotic
A
non- living
19
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a social movement that seeks to protect the environment through lobbying, activism, and education.
A
environmentalism
20
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The field of study that includes environmental science and additional subjects such as environmental policy, economics, literature, and ethics
A
environmental studies
21
Q
the process by which life-supporting resources such as clean water, timber, fisheries, and agricultural crops are produced
A
ecosystem services
22
Q
an indicator that describes the current state of an environmental system
A
environmental indicator
23
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the diversity of life forms in an environment
A
biodiversity
24
a measure of the genetic variation among individuals in a population
genetic diversity
25
a group of organisms that is distinct from other groups in its morphology
species
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The number of species in a region or in a particular ecosystem
species diversity
27
the evolution of a new species
speciation
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the average rate at which species become extinct over the long term
background extinction rate
29
gases in earth's atmosphere that trap heat near the surface
greenhouse gases
30
derived from human activities
anthropogenic
31
amount per each person in a country or unit of population
per captia
32
improvement in human well-being through economic advancement
development
33
living on earth in a way that allows humans to use its resources without depriving future generation of those resources
sustainability
34
development that balances current human well-being and economic advancement with resource management for the benefit of future generations
sustainable development
35
love of life
biophillia
36
a measure of how much an individual consumers, expressed in an area of land
ecological footprint
37
an objective method to explore the natural world, draw inferences from it, and predict the outcome of certain events, processes, or changes
scientific method
38
a testable conjuncture about how soemthing works
hypothesis
39
any categories, conditions, factors, or traits that differ in the natural world or in experimental situations
variable
40
a variable that is not dependent on other factors
independent variable
41
a variable that is dependent on other factors
dependent variable
42
a prediction that there is no difference between the groups or conditions that are being compared
null hypothesis
43
the data collection procedure of taking repeated measurements
replication
44
the number of times a measurement is replicated in a data collection
sample size (n)
45
how close a measured value is to the actual or true value
accuracy
46
how close the repeated measurements of a sample are to one another
precision
47
an estimate of how much a measured of calculated value differs from a true value
uncertainty
48
a hypothesis that has been repeatedly tested and confirmed by multiple groups of researchers and has reached wide acceptance
theory
49
a groups that experiences the same conditions except for the single variable under study.
control group
50
a natural event that acts as an experimental treatment in an ecosystem.
natural experiment
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anything that occupies space and has mass
matter
52
smallest particle that contains chemical props. of an element
atom
53
a substance composed of atoms that can not be broken into smaller, simpler components
element
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a particle containing more than 1 atom
molecule
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a molecule containing more than one element
compound
56
measurement of the total number of protons and neutrons in an element
mass number
57
atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons
isotopes
58
The spontaneous release of material from the nucleus of radioactive isotopes
radioactive decay
59
The time it takes for 1/2 of an original radioactive parent atom to decay
half life
60
The bond formed when elements share electrons
covalent bond
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a chemical bond between two ions of opposite charges
ionic bond
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a weak chem bond that forms when hydrogen atoms are covalently bonded to one atom but are attracted to another atom or molecule
hydrogen bond
63
one side is more positive and the other side is more negative
polar molecule
64
a prop of h2o that results from cohesion of of h2o molecules at the surface of a body of h2o that creates a sort of skin on its surface
surface tension
65
prop of h2o when adhesion of h2o molecules to a surface is stronger than the cohesion between the molecules
capillary action
66
contributes hydrogen atoms to a substance
acid
67
contributes hydroxide atoms to a substance
base
68
the number that indicates the relative strength of A's and B's
ph
69
an increase in acidity of the oceans
ocean acidification
70
occurs when atoms separate from molecules and recombine with other molecules
chemical reaction
71
matter cannot be created nor destroyed; it can only change form
law of conservation of matter
72
compound that does not contain the element carbon or contains carbon bound to elements other than hydrogen
inorganic compound
73
compound that contains carbon-carbon or carbon-hydrogen bonds
organic compound
74
compound made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms
carbohydrate
75
critical part of living organisms made up of a long chain of nitrogen containing organic made molecules aka amino acids
protein
76
organic compounds found in all living cells
nucleic acid
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genetic material containing the code for reproducing the components of the next generation, organisms pass to offspring
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
78
translates the code stored in DNA, makes synthesis of proteins possible
RNA (ribonucleic acid)
79
smaller organic biological molecule that doesn't mix with water
lipid
80
highly organized living entity that consists of 4 types of macromolecules and other substances in a watery solution, surrounded by a membrane.
cell
81
proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids
macromolecule
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The process by which life supporting resources such as clean water, timber, fisheries, and agricultural crops are produced
ecosystem services
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an indicator that describes the current state of an environmental system
environmental indicator
84
How do we notice when ecosystems are stressed or have degraded?
when they do not proved the same services or produce the same products
85
environmental idicators
Biodiversity, food production, human population, resource depletion, and surface temp + CO2 concentration.
86
the diversity of life forms in an environment
biodiversity
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use with out regard for future needs... American colonies and pioneers
exploitation
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Set aside, not to be use... a brief movement in the early 1800s
preservation
89
use resource for 1 purpose intensively... industrial revolution, the making of America
utilitarian
90
many voices involved in the decision making regarding the use of a resource
multiple use/ sustainibility
91
the ability to do work or transfer heat
energy
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the amount of energy used when a 1 watt electrical device is turned on for 1 second
joule
93
the rate at which work is done
power
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a form of energy emitted by the sun that includes visible light, ultraviolet, and infrared energy
Electromagnetic radiation
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a mass less pack of energy that carries electromagnetic radiation at the speed of light
photon
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stored energy that has not been released
potential energy
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potential energy stored in chemical bonds
chemical energy
98
The energy of motion
kinetic energy
99
measure of the average kinetic energy in a substance
temperature
100
Energy can neither be created nor destroyed but can change from one form to another
1st law thermodynamics
101
when energy is transformed, the quantity stays the same, but its ability to do work diminishes
2nd law thermodynamics
102
the ratio of the amount of energy expended in the form you want to the total amount of energy that is introduced into the system.
energy efficiency
103
the ease with which an energy source can be used for work
energy quality
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randomness in a system
entropy
105
exchanges of matter or energy occurs across system boundaries
open system
106
matter and energy exchanges do not do not happen across boundaries
closed system
107
addition to the system
input
108
a loss from the system
output
109
to determine inputs, outputs, and change in a system under various conditions
system analysis
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inputs=outputs, system is unchanging over time
steady state
111
a system responds to change by returning to it's original start, or decreasing the rate which change is happening
neg. feedback loop
112
change in a system is amplified
pos. feedback loop
113
The region of our planet where life resides, the combination of all ecosystems on earth
biosphere
114
organism that uses energy from the sun to produce usable forms of energy aka autotroph
producer
115
The process where producers use solar energy to convert CO2 and H2O into glucose
photosynthesis
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The process where cells unlock the energy of chemical compounds
cellular respiration
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cells convert glucose and oxygen into CO2 and H2O
aerobic respiration
118
cells convert glucose into energy in the absence of oxygen
anerobic respiration
119
an organism incapable of photosynthesis and must obtain it's energy by consuming other organisms aka heterotroph
consumer
120
a consumer that eats producers aka primary consumer
herbivore
121
a consumer that eats other consumers
carnivore
122
carnivore, eats primary consumers
secondary consumer
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carnivore, eats secondary consumers
tertiary consumer
124
The successive levels or organisms consuming each other
trophic levels
125
The sequence of consumption from producer to tertiary concumers
Food chain
126
a complex model of how energy and matter move between trophic levels
food web
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an organism that consumes dead animals.
scavenger
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an organism that specializes in breaking down dead tissues and waste products
decomposers
129
The total amount of solar energy that producers in an ecosystem captured via photosynthesis over a given amount of time
gross primary Productivity GPP
130
The energy captured by producers minus the energy producers respire
Net primary productivity NPP
131
The total mass of all living matter in a specific area
Biomass
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The amount of biomass present in an ecosystem at a particular time.
Standing crop
133
the proportion of consumed energy that can be passed from one trophic level to another.
ecological efficiency
134
a representation of the distribution of biomass, numbers, or energy among trophic levels. a
trophic pyramid
135
the movements of matter within and between ecosystems
biogeochemical cycle
136
the movement of water through the biosphere
water cycle
137
the release of water from leaves during photosynthesis
transpiration
138
the combined amount of evaporation and transpiration
evapotranspiration
139
water that moves across the land surface and into streams and rivers
runoff
140
the movement of carbon around the biosphere
carbon cycle
141
one of 6 key elements that organisms need in relatively large amounts: Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur
macronutrient
142
a nutrient required for the growth of an organism but available in a lower quantity than other nutrients
limiting nutrient
143
the movement of nitrogen around the biosphere
nitrogen cycle
144
the process that converts nitrogen gas in the atmosphere into forms of nitrogen that producers can use.
Nitrogen fixation
145
the conversion of ammoinia into nitrite and then to nitrate
nitrification
146
the process by which producers incorporate elements into their tissues
assimilation
147
the process by which fungal and bacterial decomposers break down the organic matter found in dead bodies and waste products and convert into inorganic compounds
mineralization
148
the process by which fungal and bacterial decomposers break down the organic nitrgoen found in dead bodies and waste products and convert it into inorganic ammonium
ammounification
149
the conversion of nitrate in a series of steps into the gases nitrous oxide and eventually nitrogen gas which is emitted into the atmosphere
denitrification
150
the transportation for dissolved molecules through the soil via groundwater
leaching
151
the movement of phosphorus around the biosphere
phosphorus cycle
152
a rapid increase in the algal population of a waterway
algal bloom
153
low in oxygen
hypoxic
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when oxygen concentrations become so low that it kills fish and other aquatic animals
dead zone
155
the movement of sulfur around the biosphere
sulfur cycle
156
an even, caused by physical, chemical, or biological agents, resulting in changes in population size or community composition.
disturbance
157
a measure of how much a disturbance can affect flows of energy and matter in an ecosystem
resistance
158
the rate at which an ecosystem returns to its original state after a disturbance
resilience
159
the study and implementation of restoring damages ecosystems
restoration ecology
160
all land in an given landscape that drains into a particular stream, river, lake, or wetland.
watershed
161
the hypothesis that ecosystems experiencing intermediate levels of disturbance are more diverse than those with high or low disturbance levels
intermediate disturbance hypothesis
162
a layer of the atmosphere closest to the surface of earth, extending to approximately 16 km or 10 mi.
trophosphere
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the layer of the atmosphere above the trophosphere, extending roughly 16-50 km or 10-31 mi above the surface of earth
stratosphere
164
the average weather that occurs in a given region over a long period of time
climate
165
the short term conditions of the atmosphere in a local area, which include temperature, humidity, clouds, precipitation, and wind speed.
weather
166
the percentage of incoming sunlight reflected from a surface
albedo
167
the max amount of water vapor in the air at a given temperature
saturation point
168
the cooling affect of reduced pressure on air as it rises higher in the atmosphere and expands
adiabatic cooling
169
the heating affect of increased pressure on air as it sinks toward the surface of earth and decreases in volume.
adiabatic heating
170
the release of energy when water vapor in the atmosphere condenses into liquid water
latent heat realease
171
global patterns of air movement that are initiated by the unequal heating of earth
atmospheric convection currents
172
a convection current in the atmosphere that cycles between the equator and 30N and 30S
Hadley Cell
173
the latitude that receives the most intense sunlight, which causes the ascending branches of the 2 Hadley cells to converge
intertropical convergence zone ITCZ
174
a convection current in the atmosphere, formed by air that rises at 60N and 60S and sinks at the poles 90N and 90S
polar cell
175
a convection current in the atmosphere that lies between Hadley cells and polar cells
Ferrell cell
176
the deflection of an object path due to the rotation of earth
Coriolis effect
177
the region with dry conditions found of the leeward side of a mountain range as a result of humid winds from the ocean causing precipitation on the windward side
rain shadow
178
a large scale pattern of water circulation that moves clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counter clockwise in the southern hemisphere
gyre
179
the upward movement of ocean water toward the surface as a result of diverging currents
upwelling
180
an oceanic circulation pattern that drives the mixing of surface water and deep water
thermohaline circulation
181
a geographic region categorized by a particular combination of average annual temperature, annual precipitation, and distinctive plant growth forms on land.
terrestrial biome
182
an aquatic region characterized by a particular combination of salinity, depth, and water flow
aquatic biome
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an area where a species lives in nature
habitat
184
a cold and treeless biome with low growing vegetation
tundra
185
an impermeable, permanently frozen layer of soil.
permafrost
186
a forest biome made up primarily of coniferous evergreen trees that can tolerate cold winters and short growing seasons
boreal forest
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a coastal bome typified by moderate temperatures and high precipitation
temperate rainforest
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a biome with warm summers and cold winters with over 1 m of precipitation annually
temperate seasonal forest
189
a biome characterized by hot, dry, summers and mild, rainy winters.
woodland/shrubland
190
a biome characterized by cold, harsh winters, and hot, dry summers
temperate grassland/Cold desert
191
a warm wet biome found betwen 20N and 20S of the equator, with little seasonal temperature variation and high precipitation
tropical rainforest
192
a biome marked by warm temperatures and distinct wet and dry seasons
tropical seasonal forest/savanna
193
a biome prevailing at approximately 30N and 30S with hot temperatures, extremely dry conditions, and sparse vegetatation
Subtropical desert
194
The shallow zone of soil and water in lakes and ponds where most algae and emergent plants grow
littoral zone
195
a zone of open water in lakes and ponds
limnetic zone
196
floating algae
phytoplankton
197
a region of water where sunlight does not reach, below the limnetic zone in very deep lakes
profundal zone
198
the muddy bottom of a lake, pond, or ocean
benthic zone
199
describes a lake with a low level of productiivity
oligotrophic
200
describes a lake with a moderate level of productivity
mesotrophic
201
describes a lake with a high level of productivity
eutrophic
202
am aquatic biome that is submerged or saturated by water for at least part of each year, but shallow enough to support emergent vegetation
freshwater wetland
203
a march containing nonwoody emergent vegetation, found along the coast in temperate climates
salt marsh
204
an area along the coast where the freshwater of rivers mixes with salt water from the ocean
estuary
205
a swamp that occurs a long tropical and subtropical coasts and contains salt tolerant trees with roots submerges in water
mangrove swamp
206
the narrow band of coastline between the levels of high tide and low tide
intertidal zone
207
the most diverse marine biome on earth, found in warm, shallow waters beyond the shoreline
coral reef
208
a phenomenon in which algae inside corals die, causing the corals to turn white
coral bleaching
209
deep ocean water, located away from the shoreline where sunlight can no longer reach the ocean bottom
open ocean
210
The upper layer of ocean water in the ocean that receives enough sunlight to photosynthesize
photic zone
211
the deeper layer of the ocean water that lacks sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis
aphotic zone
212
a process used by some bacteria in the ocean to generate energy with methane and hydrogen sulfide
chemosynthesis
213
