ENVS 170 A

What are the 3 main nutrients needed for plant growth?

N P K N-Nitrogen P-Phosphate K-Potassium

What is the most common form of sodium in the environment?

NA+

What is the chemical formula for table salt?

NaCl

What are change drivers?

Natural processes, such as fire, volcanoes, and evolution Altered inputs: Pollution and integration Resource Consumption Climate change

What is the most common type of feedback in natural systems?

Negative feedback is the most common in natural systems

Photosynthesis only involves C, H and O, why are N and P necessary?

Nitrogen is in proteins, enzymes are partly made of nitrogen, and phosphorus helps provide energy

Can we locate individual electrons in atoms?

No, we can only know the probability of their location

In nitrogen fixation, nitrogen is converted from N2 to what form?

Organic Nitrogen (NH3)

What is compost?

Organic matter that has been decomposed into fertilizer

What causes eutrophication and the formation of dead zones in aquatic systems?

Phytoplankton in aquatic systems consumes all of the oxygen in the ocean and this kills the fish, causing the dead zone

What is the difference between piece thinking and systems thinking?

Piece thinking focuses on individual parts of a system Systems thinking recognizes the connections among the pieces of a larger integrated system

What does N deficiency look like?

Plants become a pale green

Give examples of natural resources and ecosystem services.

Provisioning: Food, water, fiber etc. Regulating: Climate water flows, disease Cultural: Aesthetic beauty, recreation

What are protons, neutrons, & electrons?

Small particles that make up an atom

Where is Namibia?

South Africa

What does it mean to live sustainably as an individual, community, and population?

Sustainability means: meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Describe the Keeling curve.

The Keeling curve is the rise in co2 in the air over time. If we keep using fossil fuels it will keep getting higher. By using other forms of energy the levels of c02 will go down.

What is the atomic mass of carbon?

The atomic mass of carbon is 12.0107

What are atomic number and atomic mass?

The atomic number is equal to the number of protons in an element. The atomic mass is the number of protons and neutrons in an atom

What is respiration?

The exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and the body cells 6 CO2 + 12 H2O --> C6 H12 O6 + 6 O2 + 6 H2O + Energy

Where is the mass of an atom located?

The mass of an atom is located in it's nucleus

What causes phytoplankton blooms off the coasts in some places?

The nitrogen input

What happens if you add more nitrogen than the plants need? (also see in-class worksheet)

The nitrogen runs off into our water sources. It leaves salt on the plants and dehydrates them.

What is a philosophically interesting aspect of atomic theory?

The nucleus is a small fraction of the whole volume of an atom, a ratio of 1/10,000th

What is industrially produced fertilizer?

The process is used to create synthetic fertilizer by synthesizing ammonia from hydrogen and nitrogen

What is different about isotopes of carbon? What is the same?

There are more neutrons in the isotope of carbon, but it has the same number of protons

How do plants affect the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

They absorb carbon dioxide so there is less in the atmosphere

What is the role of microorganisms in nitrogen fixation?

They fix the nitrogen in root zone and transform atmospheric nitrogen

Where does the carbon come from in plants?

They get carbon from the air through photosynthesis. It is a part from C02

How does science fit into the process of deciding if an action is sustainable?

We can reduce uncertainty with science, and we can determine pieces of complex systems one at a time

Do animals also need Carbon?

YES

Do animals also need Nitrogen?

YES

Where do you find each of these in an atom and what is the charge on each?

You find protons (positive charge) and neutrons (neutral charge) inside the nucleus of an atom. You find electrons (negative charge) outside the nucleus of an atom

In its pure form is sodium a metal or nonmetal?

non-metal

The sun emits most intensely in which part of the electromagnetic spectrum?

visible

What are the top five gases in the atmosphere in order of abundance?

1.) Nitrogen 2.) Oxygen 3.) Argon 4.) Water 5.) Carbon dioxide

What are the "4 rules" that govern ecosystem function?

1.) Something cannot be created from nothing and everything goes somewhere 2.) Ecosystems are open, matter and energy flow in and out 3.) Ecosystems talk and listen to themselves 4.) Change is both inevitable and essential

What is the atomic number of carbon?

6 (Atomic number is located at the top of the element above the elemental abbreviation)

How much pure space is there in an atom?

99%

What is an isotope?

Any of two or more forms of a chemical element having the same number of protons in the nucleus, but has a different number of neutrons

What is photosynthesis?

CONVERTS SUNLIGHT INTO STORED CHEMICAL ENERGY. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants make food. The materials that go in and out are called stomata. It occurs in the Chloroplasts. There is an equation for it also: 6 CO2 + 12 H2O --> C6 H12 O6 + 6 O2 + 6 H2O

Which of these are greenhouse gases?

Carbon dioxide and water

What is an isotope of carbon?

Carbon-14, 14C, or radio carbon

Why are cheetahs going extinct?

Cheetahs have many birth defects due to inbreeding

What are the three ways we discussed in class that plants get Nitrogen for growth?

Chemical fertilizers, Organic fertilizers, Nitrogen fixing bacteria associated with plants (like Clover and alfalfa and soybeans)

What kinds of plants are used in crop rotation to enrich the soil with nitrogen? Why?

Clover and legumes

Give several examples of organic fertilizers.

Compost, Manure, Coffee grounds, Blood meal, Bio solids and wood

What is convergent evolution? Dr. Tom Wilson discussed an example of this while giving an overview of the Namibia study abroad opportunity

Convergent evolution is by saying that, it is the process by which two separate species developed similar characteristics in order to fill a similar niche ( role, job ).

How do these dead zones form? What is out of balance?

Dead zones form when Phytoplankton dies at sea and fish eats their remains. These fish grow because of this and then they take up more space and consume more oxygen. Lack of oxygen kills and suffocates the fish and shrimp.

Is graphite an element or a compound?

Element

What is matter?

Everything that takes up space

Where does the carbon plants use come from?

From air

What is an atom?

Greek word for "uncuttable", atoms make up all of matter, they consist of protons neutrons, and electrons

What is the Haber-Bosch process?

Haber - Bosch process: N2+ H2 (from CH4) = 2 NH3 Ammonia is made

What is an ecosystem?

Integrated systems of living and nonliving parts and processes

What happens when it is added to water?

It dissolves into water

How has carbon dioxide in the atmosphere varied over the industrial age?

It has increased. It is also higher is the spring and lower in the fall.

What are some of the things to take into consideration when deciding if an action is sustainable?

Keep in mind the limited resources available, and the impact it will have on future generation

Draw a diagram of the flow of carbon in a cycle showing the relationship between photosynthesis, and respiration, in both terrestrial and marine environments.

Look at drawling