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AP Environmental Science: Basics Flashcards

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6623675545InorganicNot formed from living things or the remains of living things0
6623675546Organicof, relating to, or derived from living matter and Carbon-containing1
6623675547NaturalFixed or determined by nature; pertaining to the constitution of a thing2
6623675548SyntheticArtificial3
6623675549KineticEnergy of motion4
6623675550Potential EnergyStored Energy5
6623675551Radioactive decayA spontaneous process in which unstable nuclei lose energy by emitting radiation6
6623675552Half lifethe time required for something to fall to half its initial value (in particular, the time for half the atoms in a radioactive substance to disintegrate)7
6623675553Law of Conservation of MatterThe principle that the total amount of matter is constant during any physical or chemical change (matter is neither created nor destroyed during these types of changes).8
66236755541st Law of ThermodynamicsThe principle of conservation of energy. Energy can be transferred and transformed, but it cannot be created or destroyed.9
66236755552nd Law of ThermodynamicsEvery energy transfer or transformation increases the entropy of the universe.10
6623675556EntropyA measure of disorder or randomness and a function of thermodynamic variables, as temperature, pressure, or composition, that is a measure of the energy that is not available for work during a thermodynamic process11
6623675557OrganismA living thing12
6623675558SpeciesComprising related organisms that share common characteristics and are capable of interbreeding.13
6623675559PopulationA group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area14
6623675560Communityan interacting group of various species in a common location. For example, a forest of trees and undergrowth plants, inhabited by animals and rooted in soil containing bacteria and fungi15
6623675561EcosystemA biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.16
6623675562ProducersMake their own food17
6623675563Autotrophsany organism capable of self-nourishment by using inorganic materials as a source of nutrients and using photosynthesis or chemosynthesis as a source of energy, as most plants and certain bacteria and protists.18
6623675564ConsumersAn organism that obtains energy and nutrients by feeding on other organisms or their remains.19
6623675565HeterotrophsAn organism that obtains organic food molecules by eating other organisms or their by-products.20
6623675566DecomposersBreak down organic matter21
6623675567Photosynthesiscarbon dioxide and water --> Glucose and oxygen Conversion of light energy from the sun into chemical energy.22
6623675568Cellular Respiration (reactants and products)C6H12O6 (Glucose) + 6O2--> 6CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) + 6H20 (Water) + ATP (Energy)23
6623675569AerobicProcess that requires oxygen24
6623675570AnaerobicDescribes a process that does not require oxygen.25
6623675571AdaptationA trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce26
6623675572MutationA rare change in the DNA of a gene, ultimately creating genetic diversity.27
6623675573Gene TraitRepresented in pairs with an upper case letter for the dominant (A) and a lower case letter for the recessive (a). Since half the genetic material is from each parent, the offspring's traits are represented as a combination of these.28
6623675574ChromosomeA threadlike, gene-carrying structure found in the nucleus. Each _____ consists of one very long DNA molecule and associated proteins.29
6623675575Gene poolCombined genetic information of all the members of a particular population30
6623675576Natural SelectionA process in which individuals that have certain inherited traits tend to survive and reproduce at higher rates than other individuals because of those traits.31
6623675577ExtinctionA term that typically describes a species that no longer has any known living individuals.32
6623675578Plate TectonicsA theory stating that the earth's surface is broken into plates that move. Geological processes, such as continental drift, volcanoes, and earthquakes, resulting from plate movement33
6623675579WeatheringThe breaking down of rocks and other materials on the Earth's surface.34
6623675580Climate ChangeChange in the statistical properties of the climate system when considered over periods of decades35
6623675581RocksA naturally formed aggregate, or mixture, of minerals; have varied chemical compositions36
6623675582MineralsA solid inorganic substance of natural occurrence.37
6623675583ClimateOverall weather in an area over a long period of time38
6623675584WeatherThe condition of Earth's atmosphere at a particular time and place.39
6623675585CO2carbon dioxide40
6623675586COCarbon Monoxide41
6623675587C6H12O6glucose42
6623675588CH4methane43
6623675589H2hydrogen44
6623675590H2Ooxidane/water45
6623675591N2nitrogen gas46
6623675592NOxnitrogen oxide47
6623675593NO3-nitrate48
6623675594NH3ammonia49
6623675595O2dioxide50
6623675596O3trioxygen51
6623675597Pphosphorous52
6623675598PO4phosphate53
6623675599Ssulfur54
6623675600SO2sulfur dioxide55
6623675601CLchloride56
6623675602Kpotassium57
6623675603NaClsodium chloride58
6623675604Pblead59
6623675605Hgmercury60
6623675606Rnradon61
6623675607Uuranium62
6623675608Richter scaleA scale that rates an earthquake's magnitude based on the size of its seismic waves.63
6623675609BiodiversityThe amount of biological or living diversity per unit area. It includes the concepts of species diversity, habitat diversity and genetic diversity.64
6623675610GeneA segment of DNA on a chromosome that codes for a specific trait65
6623675611TraitA characteristic that an organism can pass on to its offspring through its genes.66
6623675612TranspirationEvaporation of water from the leaves of a plant67
6623675613FermentationA catabolic process that makes a limited amount of ATP from glucose without an electron transport chain and that produces a characteristic end product, such as ethyl alcohol or lactic acid. Process by which cells release energy in the absence of oxygen68
6623675614ChemosynthesisProcess by which some organisms, such as certain bacteria, use chemical energy to produce carbohydrates69

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