Environmental Science H // Chapter 3

what are some characteristics of the geosphere?

- crust, mantle, & core - rocks & minerals - creates various landforms

what are some characteristics of the biosphere?

- living & once-living organisms - gases affect composition

what are some characteristics of the atmosphere?

- oxygen, ozone, & greenhouse gases - global sunscreen - keeps the Earth warm

what are some characteristics of the hydrosphere?

- salt water, fresh water : on surface, underground, & in atmosphere - water cycle through lithosphere, biosphere, & atmosphere

explain how macromolecules are involved in passing traits from parents to offspring.

DNA & RNA are both nucleic acids which store genetic information which eventually be passed on through the reproduction process

element

a chemical substance w/ a given set of properties that cannot be broken down

biochemical cycle

a complex cycle in which nutrients continuously circulate through the environment

water is an example of what?

a compound - 2 elements

feedback loop

a cyclical process that can be either positive or negative

tectonic plate

a large section of the lithosphere that moves across Earth's surface

tectonic plate

a large section of the lithosphere that moves over Earth's surface

aquifer

a layer of rock & soil that holds water underground

mantle

a layer of, not very but, mostly solid rock below the crust

pH

a measure of acidity of alkalinity of solutions

solution

a mixture in which all substances are evenly distributed

landform

a mountain, island, continent, or other feature that forms above & beneath oceans surface

landform

a mountain, island, or continent that forms above & below an oceans surface

macromolecule

a protein, nucleic acid, carbohydrate, or lipid

explain how a negative feedback loops works. use a thermostat as an example.

a thermostat is used to stabilize a room's temperature by turning on the furnace when it gets cold & is used to turn off the furnace when it gets hot.

what impact do humans have on the carbon cycle?

activities tend t increase carbon dioxide in the atmosphere beyond what they can absorb

biosphere

all planets living or once-living things & non-living parts of layers of gases

hydrosphere

all the water on & below Earth's surface & in the atmosphere

the amount of matter in the environment ...

always stays the same

give an example of how two of Earth's sphere overlap or interact.

an earthworm goes through soil in the ground

what term describes something where its' properties cannot be broken down any further?

an element

protein

an organic compound made up of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, & sometimes sulfur

hydrocarbon

an organic compound that contains only hydrogen & carbon

consumer

an organism that must eat other organisms to obtain nutrients

primary producer

an organism that produces its own food

primary producer

an organisms that can produce its own food

eutrophication

an overgrown of algae & other producers

eutrophication

an overgrowth of producers often caused by the release of phosphorus

aquifer

an underground water reservoir

matter

anything that occupies space

some precipitation & surface water soaks down through soil & rock to recharge underground reservoirs, or storage areas, known as... a) subduction zones b) aquifers c) mantles d) faults

aquifers

most of the nitrogen on Earth is located in the what?

atmosphere

what are two examples of substances that contain hydrocarbons?

auto emissions & smoke

what is the main organism responsible for nitrogen fixation?

bacteria

the sphere of the Earth that consists of all the plant's living or once-living things & the nonliving parts of the environment w/ which they interact is the ________________.

biosphere

systems do not have well-defined _____________, which makes it difficult to decide where one system ends & another begins.

boundaries

how are Earth's spheres defined?

by function, makeup, & location

how do people obtain phosphorus?

by plant roots it dissolved in water / people consume this by consuming theses substances

what are the end products of the process of cellular respiration?

carbon dioxide, water, & energy

nucleus

central core of a cell containing protons & neutrons

condensation

change in state: gas -> liquid

lipid

chemically diverse compound that doesn't dissolve in H2O

water has the property of ____________, which means it sticks to itself.

cohesion

molecule

combination of two or more atoms of the same type

a substance composed of atoms of two or more different elements is called a(n) what?

compound

evaporation

conversion of a substance from a liquid to gas

nitrogen fixation

conversion of nitrogen gas into ammonia, which makes nitrogen gas viable for organisms

deposition

depositions of eroded soil at a new location

the negatively charged part of an atom is what?

electron

water moved from bodies of water & moist soil into the atmosphere by ____________, the conversion of a substance from a liquid to a gas.

evaporation

TRUE OR FALSE: a human being is part of Earth's lithosphere.

false

TRUE OR FALSE: bacteria, fungi, & other organisms that break down waster are called consumers

false

TRUE OR FALSE: the products of photosynthesis are oxygen & carbon dioxide

false

TRUE OR FALSE: waste molecules adhere to each other through covalent bonds

false

a solution w/ a pH less than 7 is basic

false

an event that is both a cause & an effect is a cyclical process known as a ________________ ________, & can be either positive or negative.

feedback loop

the Haber-Bosch process enabled people to do what?

fix nitrogen artificially

Groundwater

fresh water found underground

what two spheres of Earth are primarily involved in the phosphorus cycle?

geosphere & hydrosphere

the _____________ is made up of all the rocks & minerals on or below Earth's surface. the outer part of the geosphere is called the _______________, which forms the land we live on as well as the ocean bottom. the hot rock beneath this layer is known as the ________________ & includes the uppermost lithosphere as well as the softer ______________. as this layer moves, it drags larger sections of lithosphere, called _____________ __________, across Earth's surface. Earth's center is called the ________ & is made up of molten & solid metals.

geosphere / crust / mantle / asthenosphere / tectonic plates / core

what tends to happen to plant & algae growth when phosphorus is added to their environments?

growth often jumps dramatically

lithosphere

hard rock on & just below Earth's surface - outermost layer

what factor is responsible for several of water's unusual & important properties?

hydrogen bonding

the _______________ encompasses all water - salt, fresh, liquid, ice, & vapor - on Earth's surface, underground, & in the air.

hydrosphere

where is phosphorus stored?

in rocks, sediments, soil, & the oceans

systems receive & process ___________ inputs of energy, matter, or information, & produce of energy, matter, or information.

inputs

Earth's spheres both overlap & ______________.

interact

how does water resist changes in temperature?

it absorbs energy w/o changing its temperature, due to the hydrogen bonds

how does the release of large amounts of phosphorus by humans cause problems?

it can cause eutrophication, which can lead to hypoxia, & then eventually to dead zones in bodies of water

describe the effects of a positive feedback loop.

it pushes a system to an extreme, making it less stable.

describe the special properties of water that allow it to support life on Earth.

it sticks to itself, allowing it to carry & transport materials / its resistant to temperature change, which results in the stabilization of aquatic systems & their climates / it's the universal solvent, which allows it to hold molecules together

what happens in the Carbon Cycle?

it uses the sun's energy to convert CO2 & H2O to oxygen & sugars / through cellular respiration, consumers take in oxygen & sugars & then release CO2 & H2O

why is phosphorus important to living things?

it's a key component of cell membranes & of DNA & RNA

why is cellular respiration important for life on Earth?

it's how organisms break down sugars to release chemical energy needed for life

why is water called "the universal solvent"

it's polar & can dissolve almost any molecule

atmosphere

layers of gases surrounding our planet

what increases the amount of usable nitrogen in soil?

legumes

all of the following macromolecules are polymers EXCEPT: a) lipids b) proteins c) nucleic acids d) carbohydrates

lipids

fats & oils used by the body to store energy do not dissolve in water & are therefore classified as what?

lipids

an earthworm tunneling through the soil is an example of the biosphere interacting w/ the _______________.

lithosphere

the hard rock on & just below Earth's surface is called the what?

lithosphere

the outermost layer of Earth & the geosphere is known as the _______________.

lithosphere

why is Earth's biosphere called "the living Earth"?

living & non-living things exist only on or near the surface

what materials make up Earth's biosphere?

living & once-living things & all non-living parts of the environment

nucleic acid

macromolecule that carries hereditary info & include both DNA & RNA

geosphere

made of all rock at & below Earth's surface

scientists divide Earth into spheres, which are often described by their ___________ rather than by their location.

makeup

systems may exchange energy, ____________, and/of information w/ other systems.

matter

law of conservation of matter

matter can be transformed but not created or destroyed

nutrient

matter needed by an organism to live

a(n) _____________ is a combination of two or more atoms of the same type or of different types joined covalent bonds.

molecule

_______________ feedback loops enhance stability by canceling an action once it reaches an extreme.

negative

a predator-prey relationship in which the two populations rise & fall in response to each other is an example of a ______________ feedback loop.

negative

contrast the two different types of feedback loops in terms of how they affect the stability of a system.

negative feedback loops stabilize systems, whereas positive feedback loops don't stabilize systems & instead, pushes them to its extreme.

which statement about the nitrogen cycle is true? a) nitrogen cycles only into large organisms, such as humans & trees b) nitrogen gas cannot cycle out of the atmosphere & into organisms c) nitrogen is abundant in the lithosphere, hydrosphere, & in organisms d) natural nitrogen fixation occurs at a fast rate

nitrogen gas cannot cycle out of the atmosphere & into organisms

what happens in the Nitrogen Cycle?

nitrogen gas is changed into usable forms naturally or artificially & taken by plants / consumers obtain the nitrogen foods / nitrogen is then released & returned to the atmosphere by denitrifying bacteria

is water an element? why or why not?

no bc it's made up of two elements

DNA & RNA are two main types of _____________ that carry hereditary information & are responsible for passing traits from parents to offspring.

nucleic acids

carbohydrate

organic compound that consists of atoms of carbon, hydrogen, & oxygen

decomposer

organisms, such as bacteria & fungi, that break down waste & feed organisms

Earth's ____________ is made of molten metals such as iron & nickel that are almost as hot as the surface of the sun.

outer core

which four nutrients cycle through all of Earth's spheres & organisms?

oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, & phosphorus

what gas in the atmosphere protects the biosphere from the sun's radiation?

ozone

define ozone & explain it's purpose.

ozone is a gas made of oxygen molecules that have three oxygen atoms that function to protect the biosphere from the sun

core

part of the Earth beneath the mantle - Earth's center

all of the following are part of a carbohydrate EXCEPT: a) carbon b) oxygen c) hydrogen d) phosphorus

phosphorus

how do the hydrosphere & geosphere participate in the phosphorus cycle?

phosphorus is stored in the geosphere which is later released when H2O in the hydrosphere which gets ride of rock / then it's ready to become part of the lithosphere again

what process do most producers use to create their own food?

photosynthesis

what happens in the Phosphorus Cycle?

plants take phosphorus through roots / consumers obtain phosphorus from plants & H2O is released it in waste / decomposes then return it to soil

erosion is an example of a ________________ feedback loop.

positive

the process of erosion is an example of a(n) what? a) positive feedback loop b) system w/ no feedback c) stabilizing process d) negative feedback loop

positive feedback loop

cellular respiration

process by which organisms use oxygen to release energy in food, CO2, & H2O

photosynthesis

process by which producers use CO2, H2O, & sunlight to make their own food

positive feedback loops are relatively __________ in nature but _____________ in environmental systems that people have changed.

rare / common

transpiration

release of water vapor through leaves of plants

Earth's geosphere is made up of all the ____________ at & below the surface of the Earth.

rock

what are the components of Earth's geosphere?

rock at & below Earth's surface

the characteristic that best defines a macromolecules is its what? a) size b) function c) life cycle d) chemical makeup

size

erosion

soil removal by water, wind, ice, or gravity

inputs into Earth's systems can include both __________ energy & geothermal energy.

solar

a mixture in which all the ingredients are evenly distributed is called a(n) what?

solution

compound

substance composed of atoms of two or more different elements

a ________ is a network of parts, elements, or components that interact ab & influence one another.

system

organisms expel gases into the air - this is an interaction between the what?

the atmosphere & biosphere

atom

the basic unit of matter

which cycle plays a role in all of the biogeochemical cycles?

the water cycle

describe how organisms in the biosphere affect the atmosphere & vice versa.

they affect the atmosphere by expelling gases & wastes / they protect & support the biosphere bc they are living things

how does photosynthesis & cellular respiration help drive the carbon cycle?

they help by taking H2O, CO2, & sunlight & Chang's it into oxygen & carbohydrates / respiration then puts carbon back into air as CO2 waste

how do greenhouse gases innEarth's atmosphere affect our environment?

they keep the Earth warm enough to support all forms of life

why do scientists think there is an undiscovered carbon sink somewhere?

they measure how much CO2 is released & how much is brought back to the atmosphere / a large amount is uncounted for so therefore, must be going somewhere else

crust

thin layer of relatively cool rock that forms Earth's outer skin both on land & in the ocean

when two tectonic plates meet, they may slip & grind alongside one another, forming a _____________ plate boundary.

transform

define the three types of plate boundaries.

transform: areas where plates slip & grind against each their divergent: areas where molten rock pushes plates apart convergent: areas where plates move toward each other

TRUE OR FALSE: its cohesion allows water to transport nutrients & wastes in plants & animals

true

TRUE OR FALSE: only a producer can use the sun's energy or chemical energy to make food

true

TRUE OR FALSE: the hydrosphere includes water in Earth's atmosphere.

true

TRUE OR FALSE: the lithosphere is part of the geosphere.

true

the hydrosphere includes all water on Earth, including all forms of liquid, solid, & _______________.

vapor

precipitation

water returns from atmosphere to Earth's surface

if the human brain used only positive feedback loops, its response to an input of being too hot would be to what? a) drink cool water b) wear more clothes c) seek shade d) sweat

wear more clothes

how does plate tectonics influence the characteristics of Earth's surface?

when tectonic plates move, they combine, separate, & recombine w/ the end result of changing land forms that affect climate, soil, & plants/animals