Chapter 2: Environmental Systems: Matter, Energy, and Life

The second law of thermodynamics recognizes that (blank) (disorder, or loss of energy or organization) tends to increase in nature.

Entropy

Proteins

Enzymes

Select the ecosystem producer. A. Milkweed plant B. Fox C. Grasshopper

A. Milkweed plant

Compounds are held together by (blank).

Electrons

Omnivores

Plant and animal matter

We can characterize the hydrologic cycle in terms of a series of steps in which evaporation is followed by (blank).

1. Condensation 2. Precipitation 3. Runoff

Put these parts of the nitrogen cycle in the correct order, starting with atmospheric nitrogen (N2) at the top.

1. Fixation by bacteria 2. Uptake (assimilation) by plants 3. Consumption of plants by animals 4. Decomposition of animal waste or material 5. Gaseous N2 produced by denitrifying bacteria

Energy enters a system as sunlight and a producer is able to produce 10 kilograms of tissue. If eaten, the producer would produce about (blank) kilograms of consumer tissue that would provide about (blank) kilograms of tissue for a secondary consumer.

1; 0.1

An ecosystem consists of (blank).

A biological community and its physical environment.

Water has a high specific heat.

A great deal of heat is absorbed before it changes temperature. The slow response of water to temperature change helps moderate global temperatures, keeping the environment warm in winter and cool in summer. This effect is especially noticeable near the ocean, but it is important globally.

Negative feedback loop

A signal or factor that tends to decrease a process or component. Large numbers of rabbits feeding depletes the food supply causing the rabbit population growth to slow.

Positive feedback loop

A signal or factor that tends to increase a process or component. Rabbits produce several baby rabbits, and future reproduction leads to greater and greater numbers of rabbits.

Which of the following is an example of cellular respiration? A. A caterpillar eating a milkweed plant and moving from leaf to leaf. B. A sunflower capturing energy from the sun to grow. C. A bear eating berries to build up fat reserves for the winter.

A. A caterpillar eating a milkweed plant and moving from leaf to leaf. C. A bear eating berries to build up fat reserves for the winter.

What are the three primary sources of contaminants in Chesapeake Bay? A. Atmospheric deposition B. Street runoff C. Agriculture D. Septic systems E. Wastewater

A. Atmospheric deposition C. Agriculture E. Wastewater

Photosynthesis captures solar energy and stores it in (blank). A. Chemical bonds in sugars and carbohydrates. B. The cells of herbivorous animals. C. Bonds formed from carbon dioxide and water. D. Chlorophyll

A. Chemical bonds in sugars and carbohydrates C. Bonds formed from carbon dioxide and water

Producers are responsible for (blank). A. Generating biomass B. Consuming dead organisms C. Producing the most abundant offspring in a system D. Photosynthesis

A. Generating biomass D. Photosynthesis

Isotopes are forms of an element that differ in their (blank). A. Mass B. Electric charge C. Number of protons D. Number of neutrons E. Number of electrons

A. Mass D. Number of neutrons

Chesapeake Bay (described in the opening case study) has been degraded mainly by what familiar elements? A. Iron B. Nitrogen C. Sodium D. Phosphorous E. Lead

A. Nitrogen D. Phosphorous

Which of these statements reflect real-world implications of the principle of conservation of matter? A. Nutrients, water, and other matter can cycle endlessly through living organisms and earth systems. B. Nutrients washing offshore in Chesapeake Bay do not disappear; they remain in the estuary system or oceans until they are cycled out. C. Nutrients washing offshore can readily be converted to other phases. D. The nutrients washing offshore can be absorbed indefinitely by the estuary. E. When you throw away garbage, it doesn't really disappear.

A. Nutrients, water, and other matter can cycle endlessly through living organisms and earth systems. B. Nutrients washing offshore in Chesapeake Bay do not disappear; they remain in the estuary system or oceans until they are cycled out. E. When you throw away garbage, it doesn't really disappear.

Which of these elements make up most of the mass in living organisms? A. Oxygen B. Carbon C. Sodium D. Iron E. Nitrogen F. Phosphorous G. Hydrogen

A. Oxygen B. Carbon E. Nitrogen G. Hydrogen

Why are isotopes important in environmental science? A. Radioactive isotopes are what make nuclear waste dangerous. B. Isotopes are needed to calculate the mass of an organism. C. Isotopes let us approximate past temperatures from air bubbles in ice cores. D. Isotopes are necessary to distinguish elements from on another, e.g., carbon from oxygen.

A. Radioactive isotopes are what make nuclear waste dangerous. B. Isotopes let us approximate past temperatures from air bubbles in ice cores.

Which of the following wavelengths of light are used in photosynthesis? A. Red light B. Ultraviolet light C. Blue light D. Infrared light

A. Red light C. Blue light

Which of the following are major processes in the carbon cycle? A. Respiration B. Evaporation C. Combustion D. Photosynthesis E. Precipitation

A. Respiration C. Combustion D. Photosynthesis

DNA is essential for (blank). A. Storing and expressing genetic information. B. Combining traits in sexual reproduction. C. Photosynthesis and respiration.

A. Storing and expressing genetic information. B. Combining traits in sexual reproduction.

Which of these describe the process of cellular respiration? A. Sugars and O2 are broken down to release energy, water, and carbon dioxide. B. Carbon dioxide and water are broken down to produce sugars and O2. C. Cellular respiration is the opposite of photosynthesis.

A. Sugars and O2 are broken down to release energy, water, and carbon dioxide. C. Cellular respiration is the opposite of photosynthesis

An element's atomic number involves the number of protons in an atom because (blank). A. The number of protons does not vary B. The number of protons is unpredictable. C. Protons have a greater mass than neutrons. D. The number of neutrons can vary (producing different isotopes).

A. The number of protons does not vary. D. The number of neutrons can vary (producing different isotopes).

An emergent property is one that is held by an entire ecosystem, and not by parts of it individually. Which of the following demonstrate emergent properties of mangroves? A. The roots of mangroves trap sediment and stabilize mud flats which improves water quality and protects offshore coral reefs from silt. B. A single mangrove tree offers tremendous biological productivity. C. Mangrove forest roots create an ideal habitat for small fish to be protected in while growing because the roots break up wave activity.

A. The roots of mangroves trap sediment and stabilize mud flats which improves water quality and protects offshore coral reefs from silt. C. Mangrove forest roots create an ideal habitat for small fish to be protected in while growing because the roots break up wave activity.

The phosphorous cycle is important because (blank). A. Most phosphorous in ecosystems comes from rocks and mineral sources, which are finite. B. Atmospheric phosphorous is abundant and hard for plants to capture. C. Phosphorous is a significant environmental pollutant. D. Phosphorous is a key nutrient. E. Phosphorous is abundant but useless to organisms.

A.Most phosphorous in ecosystems comes from rocks and mineral sources, which are finite. C. Phosphorous is a significant environmental pollutant. D. Phosphorous is a key nutrient.

The sun supplies warmth; how does this affect living organisms? A. Organisms cannot survive below 0 degrees Celsius. B. At very high temperatures, biomolecules break down. C. At very low temperatures, metabolism is too slow for growth and reproduction.

B. At very high temperatures, biomolecules break down C. At very low temperatures, metabolism is too slow for growth and reproduction

Which of the following elements are limiting elements because they are essential for plant and animal growth, and they are not normally abundant in ecosystems? A. Carbon B. Nitrogen C. Phosphorous

B. Nitrogen C. Phosphrous

Which of the following are components of a cell? A. Skin B. Wall C. Membrane D. Tissue E. Nucleus

B. Wall C. Membrane E. Nucleus

What important element makes up the skeletons of organic compounds?

Carbon

Extremophiles are organisms that gain their energy from inorganic compounds in a process called (blank).

Chemosynthesis

Nucleic Acids

DNA

Adding an acid to a solution (blank) the pH, while adding a base (blank) the pH.

Decreases; increases

Fires, floods, and climate change can interrupt normal feedback loops in ecosystems and are collectively known as (blank).

Disturbances

These molecules are held together by covalent bonds, in which atoms share (blank).

Electrons

When an atom gives up one or more (blank), it is said to be oxidized, but if an atom gains electrons, it is said to be (blank).

Electrons, reduced

(blank) provides the forces that hold structures together, take them apart, and move them to different locations.

Energy

We think of ecosystems as systems because (blank).

Energy and matter flow through and are stored in the component parts

Kinetic Energy

Energy contained in moving objects, such as a rock rolling down a hill, the wind blowing through the trees, or water flowing over a dam. Energy in moving objects.

Which sentence best describes the way the quality of energy normally changes as it moves through a system?

Energy degrades or dissipates.

There are more rabbits than foxes in an ecosystem because (blank).

Energy is degraded and dissipated with successively higher trophic levels.

Which of the following statements correctly describes energy?

Energy takes many different forms

Closed System

Exchanges no energy or matter with its surroundings, but these are rare.

The (blank) law of thermodynamics states that energy is neither created nor destroyed

First

Carnivores

Flesh

This image shows a(n) (blank).

Food web

Water vapor

Gas

This is the energy transferred between objects of different temperatures.

Heat

Looking at natural processes in terms of systems is useful in science because (blank).

It helps organize the way we make observations

As a result of entropy, there is always (blank) useful energy available when you finish a project than there was before you started.

Less

Water

Liquid

A population includes all (blank).

Members of a species that live in an area at a given time.

Water expands when it crystallizes.

Most substances shrink as they change from liquid to solid. Ice floats because it is less dense than liquid water. When temperatures fall below freezing, the surface layers of lakes, rivers, and oceans cool faster and freeze before deeper water. Floating ice then insulates underlying layers, keeping most water bodies liquid (and aquatic organisms alive) throughout the winter in most places. Without this feature, many aquatic systems would freeze solid in winter.

Potential Energy

Stored energy that is latent but available for use. A rock poised at the top of a hill or water stored behind a dam are examples of potential energy. Stored energy, such as in a rock poised on top of a hill.

Anion

Negative charge (extra electrons)

Nitrogen gas (N2) makes up about 78% of our atmosphere. This form of nitrogen is (blank).

Not usable by most organisms

Lipids

Oils

In general, an ecosystem includes (blank).

Organisms and nonliving factors in their environment

In biology, the term "species" generally refers to all (blank).

Organisms similar enough to produce fertile offspring in nature.

Carbohydrates

Sugars

Which of the following elements acts as both an essential nutrient for many organisms, but is also involved in many pollution problems such as acid rain?

Sulfur

Which of the following is true about the phosphorous cycle?

Phosphorous has no gaseous phase, and thus it "cycles" extremely slowly.

Producers are responsible for (blank), which captures the sun's energy and converts it to organic material.

Photosynthesis

The sun's energy enters living things through the process of (blank).

Photosynthesis

In most environmental systems, energy degrades as it is used. Which of these is a notable exception?

Photosynthesis, which captures low-quality energy and stores it in chemical bonds.

Herbivores

Plants

Cation

Positive charge (missing electrons)

Chemical Energy

Potential energy stored in chemical bonds of molecules. Energy stored in molecular bonds.

Green plants are often called (blank) producers.

Primary

The nucleus of an atom contains (blank) and (blank). A "cloud" of electrons surrounds the nucleus.

Protons, neutrons

Acids or bases can cause environmental problems because they (blank).

React readily with living tissues

Open System

Receive inputs from their surroundings and produce outputs that leave the system.

Scavengers, detrivores, and decomposers are known as (blank) because they remove the dead bodies and waste of organisms, making the matter and energy available to others.

Recyclers

Geologic and organic materials that store carbon are known as carbon (blank).

Sinks

Ice

Solid

(blank) isotopes are those that do not change mass by losing neutrons.

Stable

Which biogeochemcial cycle lacks an atmospheric component?

The phosphorous cycle

Threshold

The "tipping point" where rapid change suddenly occurs if you pass certain limits.

In the carbon cycle, CO2 is mainly stored in (blank).

The atmosphere

Throughput

The flow of energy and matter into, through, and out of a system.

The atomic number of an element reflects (blank) in an atom of that element.

The number of protons

Molecules are polar.

They have a slight positive charge on one side and a slight negative charge on the other side. Therefore, water readily dissolves polar or ionic substances, including sugars and nutrients, and carries materials to and from cells. Dissolves substances easily.

Water remains liquid at a wide range of temperatures.

Water is the only inorganic liquid that occurs in nature under normal conditions at temperatures suitable for life. Most substances exist as either a solid or a gas, with only a very narrow liquid temperature range. Organisms synthesize organic compounds such as oils and alcohols that remain liquid at ambient temperatures and are therefore extremely valuable to life, but the original and predominant liquid in nature is water. Helps organisms to function in cool and warm conditions.

The highest trophic level is filled by (blank).

Top predators

Heat Energy

Total kinetic energy of atoms or molecules in a substance not associated with the bulk motion of the substance and can be transferred between objects of different temperature. Energy stored as kinetic energy of molecules; can be transferred between objects of different temperature.

True or False: Bacteria are important drivers in the global nitrogen cycle.

True

True or False: Elements and compounds are continuously recycled in the natural environment.

True

True or False: Matter and energy flow in and out of a system, taking different forms.

True

Primary productivity, which is the creation of chemical energy in organic compounds by living organisms, is studied in the oceans using remote sensing that measures amounts and patterns of (blank) wavelengths reflected from the surface of earth.

Visible light and infrared

Equilibrium

When a system is in a stable balance.

Molecules are cohesive.

Water molecules are cohesive, tending to stick together tenaciously. You have experienced this property if you have ever done a belly flop off a diving board. Water has the highest surface tension of any common, natural liquid. Water also adheres to surfaces. As a result, water is subject to capillary action: it can be drawn into small channels. Without capillary action, movement of water and nutrients into groundwater reservoirs and through living organisms might not be possible. Aids capillary action, and surface tension.

Water has a high heat of vaporization.

Water uses a great deal of heat to convert from liquid to vapor. Consequently, evaporating water is an effective way for organisms to shed excess heat. Many animals pant or sweat to moisten evaporative cooling surfaces. Why do you feel less comfortable on a hot, humid day than on a hot, dry day? Because water-vapor-laden air inhibits the rate of evaporation from your skin, thereby impairing your ability to shed heat.

Substances that readily give up hydrogen ions in water are known as (blank), and substances that readily bond with hydrogen ions are called (blank) or alkaline substances

acids, bases

Carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorous are all chemical (blank).

elements

The (blank) scale is used to represent hydrogen ion concentration in water, and differentiates acids and bases.

pH