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AP Environmental Science: Basics Flashcards

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9877635118InorganicNot formed from living things or the remains of living things0
9877635119Organicof, relating to, or derived from living matter and Carbon-containing1
9877635120NaturalFixed or determined by nature; pertaining to the constitution of a thing2
9877635121SyntheticArtificial3
9877635122KineticEnergy of motion4
9877635123Potential EnergyStored Energy5
9877635124Radioactive decayA spontaneous process in which unstable nuclei lose energy by emitting radiation6
9877635125Half 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
9877635126Law 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
98776351271st Law of ThermodynamicsThe principle of conservation of energy. Energy can be transferred and transformed, but it cannot be created or destroyed.9
98776351282nd Law of ThermodynamicsEvery energy transfer or transformation increases the entropy of the universe.10
9877635129EntropyA 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
9877635130OrganismA living thing12
9877635131SpeciesComprising related organisms that share common characteristics and are capable of interbreeding.13
9877635132PopulationA group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area14
9877635133Communityan 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
9877635134EcosystemA biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.16
9877635135ProducersMake their own food17
9877635136Autotrophsany 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
9877635137ConsumersAn organism that obtains energy and nutrients by feeding on other organisms or their remains.19
9877635138HeterotrophsAn organism that obtains organic food molecules by eating other organisms or their by-products.20
9877635139DecomposersBreak down organic matter21
9877635140Photosynthesiscarbon dioxide and water --> Glucose and oxygen Conversion of light energy from the sun into chemical energy.22
9877635141Cellular Respiration (reactants and products)C6H12O6 (Glucose) + 6O2--> 6CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) + 6H20 (Water) + ATP (Energy)23
9877635142AerobicProcess that requires oxygen24
9877635143AnaerobicDescribes a process that does not require oxygen.25
9877635144AdaptationA trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce26
9877635145MutationA rare change in the DNA of a gene, ultimately creating genetic diversity.27
9877635146Gene 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
9877635147ChromosomeA threadlike, gene-carrying structure found in the nucleus. Each _____ consists of one very long DNA molecule and associated proteins.29
9877635148Gene poolCombined genetic information of all the members of a particular population30
9877635149Natural 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
9877635150ExtinctionA term that typically describes a species that no longer has any known living individuals.32
9877635151Plate 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
9877635152WeatheringThe breaking down of rocks and other materials on the Earth's surface.34
9877635153Climate ChangeChange in the statistical properties of the climate system when considered over periods of decades35
9877635154RocksA naturally formed aggregate, or mixture, of minerals; have varied chemical compositions36
9877635155MineralsA solid inorganic substance of natural occurrence.37
9877635156ClimateOverall weather in an area over a long period of time38
9877635157WeatherThe condition of Earth's atmosphere at a particular time and place.39
9877635158CO2carbon dioxide40
9877635159COCarbon Monoxide41
9877635160C6H12O6glucose42
9877635161CH4methane43
9877635162H2hydrogen44
9877635163H2Ooxidane/water45
9877635164N2nitrogen gas46
9877635165NOxnitrogen oxide47
9877635166NO3-nitrate48
9877635167NH3ammonia49
9877635168O2dioxide50
9877635169O3trioxygen51
9877635170Pphosphorous52
9877635171PO4phosphate53
9877635172Ssulfur54
9877635173SO2sulfur dioxide55
9877635174CLchloride56
9877635175Kpotassium57
9877635176NaClsodium chloride58
9877635177Pblead59
9877635178Hgmercury60
9877635179Rnradon61
9877635180Uuranium62
9877635181Richter scaleA scale that rates an earthquake's magnitude based on the size of its seismic waves.63
9877635182BiodiversityThe amount of biological or living diversity per unit area. It includes the concepts of species diversity, habitat diversity and genetic diversity.64
9877635183GeneA segment of DNA on a chromosome that codes for a specific trait65
9877635184TraitA characteristic that an organism can pass on to its offspring through its genes.66
9877635185TranspirationEvaporation of water from the leaves of a plant67

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