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AP environmental chapter 1-3

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201083271environmenteverything, living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) things
201083272environmental sciencehow humans interact with environment
201083273ecologyhow species interact with one another& their environment
201083274speciesorganisms with distinct traits that can reproduce with one another (if sexual)
201083275ecosystemregion with species that interact with each other and their environment
201083276environmentalismsociopolitical movement to protect the environment
201083277sustainabilityability of human society and natural world to survive/adapt indefinitely
201083278natural capitalnatural resources and natural services that keep us and other organisms alive
201083279natural resourcesmatter and energy used by humans. ex: Soil, air, water, minerals, fossil fuels
201083280natural servicesfunctions/activities of nature that support human life
201083281solar capitalenergy from the sun
201083282degradeUse it faster than it can be replenished
201083283gross domestic productannual amount of goods and services produced by a country
201083284per capita GDPGDP divided by number of people in country
201083285economic developmentuse economic growth to produce higher standards of living
201083286developed countriescountries that have higher per capita GDP
201083287developing countriescountries that have lower per capita GDP
201083288resourcesomething obtained from environment for human use
201083289conservationmanagement of resources to minimize waste and sustain resource supplies
201083290perpetual resourceresource that will last forever
201083291renewable resourceresources that can be replenished through natural processes
201083292sustainable yielduse resources as quickly or less quickly than they are replenished
201083293environmental degradationoccurs when resources are used faster than they are replaced
201083294tragedy of the commonsdepletion of shared resource by cumulative small actions of many
201083295nonrenewable resourcesresources that exists in a fixed amount on Earth
201083296ecological footprintamount of natural capital used by people compared to ability of env. to replenish it
201083297per capita ecological footprintaverage ecological footprint one person has
201477439pollutionsomething in the environment that is harmful to living organisms
201477440point sourcefrom a specific identifiable source
201477441nonpoint sourcefrom many sources
201477442biodegradablecan be broken down by natural means
201477443nondegradablecannot be broken down
201477444output controlpollution cleanup/remediation (reactive)
201477445input controlpollution prevention (proactive)
201477446scientific method1. question 2. hypothesis 3. experiment 4. conclusion
201477447scientific theoryformed after hypothesis is supported many times in many experiments; How or why something happens
201477448scientific lawdescribes fundamental principle of science; Does not describe how or why something happens
201477449matterpossesses mass & volume
201477450elementfundamental substance with unique properties; cannot be broken down by chemical reaction
201477451compoundcombination of 2 or more elements
201477452atomsmallest unit of element
201477453isotopesatoms with same number of protons but different number of neutrons
201477454ionatom that has different number of protons & electrons; has pos. or neg. charge
201477455acidmore H+ ions, pH < 7
201477456basemore OH- ions, pH > 7
201477457moleculecombination of 2 or more atoms joined by chemical bond
201477458organic compoundcontain carbon as central element, also possess hydrogen, often other elements
201477459inorganic compounddo not possess C and H
201477460carbohydratesimportant energy molecules, used for structure, can be simple or complex
201477461nucleic acidscontains info for making proteins, info for building and maintaining organism
201477462proteinsimportant structural molecule, make up enzyme, made up of chains of amino acids
201477463lipidsmake up cell membrane, used for energy storage, form protective coatings
201477464radioactive decayradioisotopes emit energy, particles spontaneously
201477465nuclear fissionsplitting of nucleus into smaller nuclei, used in nuclear power plants
201477466nuclear fusionfusing of small nuclei into larger
201477467law of conservation of matter and energyMatter & energy cannot be created or destroyed, only changed/transferred
201477468energythe ability to do work, transfer heat, ability to move or change matter
201477469potential energystored energy
201477470kinetic energyenergy of motion
201477471radiationelectromagnetic energy (visible & invisible)
201477472conductionheat passed between 2 substances that are in contact
201477473convectionmovement of heat within a gas or liquid from warm areas to cool
201477474electromagnetic energyAKA Light Engery: Form of kinetic energy - movement of photons; Comes in range of frequencies/wavelengths; Includes visible light - Roy G BIV; Source of most energy for life on Earth
201477475thermodynamicsstudy of energy transformation, how energy moves
201477476energy efficiencyMeasure of amount of work produced by a given amount of input energy
201477477systemset of components/parts that function and interact in a regular way or as a unit
201477478feedback loopenergy, matter that flows as output flows back into system as new input
201477479positive feedback loopcauses system to progress further in same direction/manner
201477480negative feedback loopcauses system to stop progressing, causes system to change
201477481organization of lifeAtoms, molecules, cells, organism, population, community, ecosystem, biosphere
201477482cell theoryall living things are made up of cells, cells are basis of function & structure, cells can only be produced from other cells
201477483eukaryotic cellpossess nucleus & organelles more recently evolved, unicellular or multicellular
201477484Prokaryotic cellno nucleus or organelles, more ancient, unicellular
201477485ecologystudy of how organisms interact with each other and nonliving environment
201477486speciesset of individuals with specific traits; can reproduce & produce fertile offspring
201477487habitatplace where organism normally lives
201477488genetic diversitygenetic variation within a population; produces phenotypic variation
201477489atmospherethin layer of gases surrounding earth
201477490hydrosphereall water at or near surface
201477491geosphere(lithosphere) solid surface; ex: Core, mantle, crust
201477492biosphereareas of these 3 regions that possess life
201477493biomeslarge regions with distinct characteristics (species, climate)
201797277limiting factorsfactors affecting number of organisms
201797278limiting factor principletoo much or too little of any factor can limit/ prevent population growth
201797279food chainssequence of organisms where energy is passed from one trophic level to the next
201797280biomasstotal dry mass of organic matter of living organisms
201797281ecological efficiency% of total energy that is passed from one trophic level to the next
201797282transpirationWater that evaporates from plants

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