APES Flashcards
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| 15101723932 | what is the lithosphere? | - Outermost layer - About 1000 km thick - Made mostly of rock - Broken into plates | 0 | |
| 15101723933 | water quality index | a set of standard quality tests developed in the 1970's to compare sites. tests several important factors influencing the quality of natural surface waters. | 1 | |
| 15126592801 | Why is temperature important? | - It has a strong influence on other factors - temperature range determines type of life present - measured with a thermometer at site. | 2 | |
| 15126623519 | pH | - measure of the acidity of the water - indicator of contamination if far from normal range - aquatic life is most diverse at neutral pH and is sensitive to low pH | 3 | |
| 15126661453 | alkalinity | - a measure of all of the substances in water which will neutralize acids - prevents pH from changing - comes from limestone | 4 | |
| 15126751347 | nitrates/phosphates | nutrient pollution causes algal blooms that may lead to cultural eutrophication - EPA limit for N is 10 ppm - P normal limit is 0.1 ppm | 5 | |
| 15126785572 | what is turbidity? | the measure of water clarity - more turbid = less clear - more turbid = warmer water - more turbid = low DO | 6 | |
| 15126886192 | Dissolved Oxygen (DO) | the amount of 02 dissolved in the water A higher DO = better - dependent upon temp - high temp = low DO - low temp = high DO - flowing water = higher DO - consumed by respiration and decomposition | 7 | |
| 15126975456 | Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) | the amount of DO consumed by decomposes. it measure the amount of DO consumed/time - high BOD means lots of organic matter decomposing indicating contamination - high BOD means low DO | 8 | |
| 15127049274 | total solids | the weight of all solids dissolved and suspended in the water - useful indicator of runoff - increases after rain - reduces clarity | 9 | |
| 15127134803 | Coli form count | the measure of the # of colonies of E. coli/100mL. E. coli is an indicator of contamination by wastewater - drinking water = none swimming + bathing = <200 - fishing/boating = <1000 | 10 | |
| 15139622024 | what is a hypothesis? | a testable if... then statement describing a predicted directional change of one variable in response to another | 11 | |
| 15139778029 | What is methodology? | describes in EXACT detail all the things that you will do, observe, and record during the experiment: - must have at least 3 groups, (control, several experimental groups with different levels of independent variable) - describe constants - how many trials? - how often is data collected? | 12 | |
| 15149281528 | What is the nitrogen cycle? | the series of processes by which nitrogen and its compounds are inter converted in the environment and in living organisms, including nitrogen fixation and decomposition. | 13 | |
| 15149308788 | N2 | Molecular Nitrogen | 14 | |
| 15149312830 | NH4+ | Ammonium | 15 | |
| 15149315349 | NO2- | Nitrite | 16 | |
| 15149317921 | NO3- | nitrate | 17 | |
| 15149321003 | what is nitrogen fixation? | Converting atmospheric N2 into a usable form ammonium NH4+. Can only be done by nitrogen fixing bacteria that live on the roots of some plants. | 18 | |
| 15149401550 | what are some nitrogen fixing plants? | Beans, soybeans, peanuts, alfalfa, and clover | 19 | |
| 15149416704 | ammonification | When organisms die decomposers use waste and dead bodies as food (their poop fertilizes the soil). Creates NH4+ | 20 | |
| 15149420510 | What is nitrification? | 2 step process done by soil bacteria NH4+ converted into NO2- NO2- converted into NO3- | 21 | |
| 15149426516 | Denitrification | Bacteria in soil and lakes convert NO3- back into atmospheric N2. | 22 | |
| 15149433158 | what is the phosphorus cycle? | Phosphate is the most important limiting nutrient in most AQUATIC systems. Very sensitive to even minor additions of phosphorus. Comes from weathering of phosphate rocks. Never enters the atmosphere | 23 | |
| 15149444722 | how are humans affecting N and P cycles? | Nitrate sources = fertilizers Phosphate sources = fertilizers + detergents Excessive nitrate/phosphate cause EUTROPHICATION in water | 24 | |
| 15149452508 | What is eutrophication? | - Algal bloom (prevents sunlight from entering the water) - Ocean plants can't go through photosynthesis - Hypoxic (not enough oxygen) conditions - Everything dies | 25 | |
| 15149461873 | what is evaporation? | Movement from the earth's surface to the atmosphere Liquid vapor becomes water vapor (gas) | 26 | |
| 15149464789 | What is transpiration? | Movement from plants into the atmosphere | 27 | |
| 15149471628 | what is condensation? | Water vapor in the atmosphere cools and turns back into liquid water We see this happen as clouds and dew | 28 | |
| 15149476963 | what is precipitation? | Returns water from the atmosphere to the hydrosphere Runoff vs Infiltration Rain hits the ground and sinks in (infiltrates) Or It can't infiltrate so it runs downhill | 29 | |
| 15149480866 | What is the carbon cycle? | Photosynthesis Respiration Exchange Sedimentation | 30 | |
| 15149487806 | photosynthesis and respiration | Photosynthesis draws C out of the atmosphere and into the biosphere Respiration returns C from the biosphere to the atmosphere | 31 | |
| 15149490464 | exchange | A large amount of C is exchanged between the oceans and our atmosphere. C is absorbed by ocean in 2 ways photosynthesis by phytoplankton wave action Respiration and decomposition return CO2 to atmosphere | 32 | |
| 15149498099 | What is sedimentation? | Some CO2 in becomes CaCO3 used to make shells used to make coral reefs Eventually this becomes the rock limestone / dolostone Weathering, erosion, volcanoes return back to air Sinks and sources | 33 | |
| 15149506394 | what is a carbon sink? | A place where C can be sequestered (stored away) Forests Soil Ocean (biggest one) | 34 | |
| 15149510399 | what is a gyre? | Massive loops of currents in ocean basins created by the Coriolis Effect | 35 |