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AP Environmental Science: Basics Flashcards

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9421711221InorganicNot formed from living things or the remains of living things0
9421711222Organicof, relating to, or derived from living matter and Carbon-containing1
9421711223NaturalFixed or determined by nature; pertaining to the constitution of a thing2
9421711224SyntheticArtificial3
9421711225KineticEnergy of motion4
9421711226Potential EnergyStored Energy5
9421711227Radioactive decayA spontaneous process in which unstable nuclei lose energy by emitting radiation6
9421711228Half 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
9421711229Law 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
94217112301st Law of ThermodynamicsThe principle of conservation of energy. Energy can be transferred and transformed, but it cannot be created or destroyed.9
94217112312nd Law of ThermodynamicsEvery energy transfer or transformation increases the entropy of the universe.10
9421711232EntropyA 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
9421711233OrganismA living thing12
9421711234SpeciesComprising related organisms that share common characteristics and are capable of interbreeding.13
9421711235PopulationA group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area14
9421711236Communityan 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
9421711237EcosystemA biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.16
9421711238ProducersMake their own food17
9421711239Autotrophsany 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
9421711240ConsumersAn organism that obtains energy and nutrients by feeding on other organisms or their remains.19
9421711241HeterotrophsAn organism that obtains organic food molecules by eating other organisms or their by-products.20
9421711242DecomposersBreak down organic matter21
9421711243Photosynthesiscarbon dioxide and water --> Glucose and oxygen Conversion of light energy from the sun into chemical energy.22
9421711244Cellular Respiration (reactants and products)C6H12O6 (Glucose) + 6O2--> 6CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) + 6H20 (Water) + ATP (Energy)23
9421711245AerobicProcess that requires oxygen24
9421711246AnaerobicDescribes a process that does not require oxygen.25
9421711247AdaptationA trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce26
9421711248MutationA rare change in the DNA of a gene, ultimately creating genetic diversity.27
9421711249Gene 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
9421711250ChromosomeA threadlike, gene-carrying structure found in the nucleus. Each _____ consists of one very long DNA molecule and associated proteins.29
9421711251Gene poolCombined genetic information of all the members of a particular population30
9421711252Natural 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
9421711253ExtinctionA term that typically describes a species that no longer has any known living individuals.32
9421711254Plate 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
9421711255WeatheringThe breaking down of rocks and other materials on the Earth's surface.34
9421711256Climate ChangeChange in the statistical properties of the climate system when considered over periods of decades35
9421711257RocksA naturally formed aggregate, or mixture, of minerals; have varied chemical compositions36
9421711258MineralsA solid inorganic substance of natural occurrence.37
9421711259ClimateOverall weather in an area over a long period of time38
9421711260WeatherThe condition of Earth's atmosphere at a particular time and place.39
9421711261CO2carbon dioxide40
9421711262COCarbon Monoxide41
9421711263C6H12O6glucose42
9421711264CH4methane43
9421711265H2hydrogen44
9421711266H2Ooxidane/water45
9421711267N2nitrogen gas46
9421711268NOxnitrogen oxide47
9421711269NO3-nitrate48
9421711270NH3ammonia49
9421711271O2dioxide50
9421711272O3trioxygen51
9421711273Pphosphorous52
9421711274PO4phosphate53
9421711275Ssulfur54
9421711276SO2sulfur dioxide55
9421711277CLchloride56
9421711278Kpotassium57
9421711279NaClsodium chloride58
9421711280Pblead59
9421711281Hgmercury60
9421711282Rnradon61
9421711283Uuranium62
9421711284Richter scaleA scale that rates an earthquake's magnitude based on the size of its seismic waves.63
9421711285BiodiversityThe amount of biological or living diversity per unit area. It includes the concepts of species diversity, habitat diversity and genetic diversity.64
9421711286GeneA segment of DNA on a chromosome that codes for a specific trait65
9421711287TraitA characteristic that an organism can pass on to its offspring through its genes.66
9421711288TranspirationEvaporation of water from the leaves of a plant67
9421711289FermentationA 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
9421711290ChemosynthesisProcess by which some organisms, such as certain bacteria, use chemical energy to produce carbohydrates69

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