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101 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Environment |
Allthe living and nonliving things around us
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Environmental science is the study of:
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How the natural world works
How the environment affects humans and vice versa |
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Natural resources
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Substances and energy sources we need for survival
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Renewable natural resources
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Replenished over short periods
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Nonrenewable natural resources
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Unavailable after depletion
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Renewable Natural Resources A. Inexhaustible B Exhaustible |
A. Solar, Wind, Wave, Geothermal B. Fresh Water, Forest products, biodiversity, soils |
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Ecosystem services
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Arise from the normal functioning of natural services and allow us to survive
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Ecological systems
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Purify air and water, cycle nutrients, regulate climate, pollinate plants, recycle waste
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Degradation of ecosystem servicesOccurs when
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we exhaust resources, destroy habitat, generate pollution. Intensified by human affluence and population growth
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Two major phenomena triggered human population increases
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Agricultural revolution 10,000 years ago Industrial revolution mid 1700s
led to Demand for fossil fuels |
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Ecological footprint
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The area of biologically productive land and water to provide resources and dispose/recycle waste
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We are using renewable resources
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50% faster than they are being replenished
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Overshoot
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When humans have surpassed Earth’s capacity to sustainably support us
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Environmental scientists
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Research and develop solutions to environmental problems The solutions are applications of environmental science The study of these applications is also part of environmental science
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Environmental science involves input from multiple disciplines
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Natural sciences Examine the natural world Environmental science programs
Social sciences Examine human interactions and institutions Environmental studies programs |
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Environmental science
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The scientific study of the environment and our interactions with it Scientists try to remain objective and free from bias, personal values, preconceptions
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Environmentalism
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A social movement dedicated to protecting the natural world from undesirable changes due to human actions
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Science
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A systematic process for learning about the world and testing our understanding of it The body of knowledge arising from the dynamic process of questioning, observation, testing, and discovery Scientists are motivated to: Develop useful applications Understand how the world works
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Applications of Science |
a. Engineering and Technology ex energy efficient car b. Policy and Management ex prescribed burning |
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Observational (descriptive) science
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Information is gathered about organisms, materials, systems, or processes not yet well known Phenomena are observed and measured Used in astronomy, paleontology, taxonomy, molecular biology, and genomics
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Hypothesis-driven science
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Targeted, structured research
Experiments test hypotheses using the scientific method |
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Environmental science involves input from multiple disciplines |
Natural and Social Sciences |
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Natural sciences
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Examine the natural world Environmental science programs |
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Social sciences
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Examine human interactions and institutions Environmental studies programs
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Observational (descriptive) science
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Information is gathered about organisms, materials, systems, or processes not yet well knownPhenomena are observed and measuredUsed in astronomy, paleontology, taxonomy, molecular biology, and genomics
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Hypothesis-driven science
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Targeted, structured research Experiments test hypotheses using the scientific method
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Scientific Method |
Testing ideas with observationsObservations lead to questions about some phenomenonHypothesisA statement that tries to answer the questionThe hypothesis generates predictionsScientists test predictions by conducting experiments
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Experiment |
Tests the validity of a prediction or hypothesisInvolves manipulating variablesAnalyze and interpret results Record dataEither reject the hypothesis or generate a new hypothesis to further test the original hypothesisRepetition is necessary
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Experiments manipulate variables
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Independent variable Can be manipulatedDependent variableDepends on the independent variable
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Controlled experiment |
Control: An unmanipulated point of comparison
Treatment: A manipulated point of comparison |
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Manipulative experiments
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The independent variable is manipulated Reveal causal relationships Provide the strong evidence Long-term, large-scale processes can’t be manipulated
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Natural tests
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Compare how dependent variables are expressed in naturally different contexts Search for correlations among variables Weaker evidence, but shows real-world complexity Addresses immense-scale questions (i.e., ecosystems)
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follow up on scientific process` |
Peer reviewOther scientists judge the workConferencesScientists interact with othersGrants and fundingFrom private or government sourcesIntense competitionRepeatabilityOthers try to reproduce the results
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Theory
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A well-tested and widely accepted explanation Extensively validated by great amounts of research Consolidates widely supported, related hypotheses It is not “just a theory” (speculation) Example: Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection
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Paradigm
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A dominant view
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Paradigm shift
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A new dominant view replaces the old Example: Earth, not the sun, is the center of the universe
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Ethics
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The set of moral principles or values held by a person or society that tell us how we ought to behave
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Relativists vs. universalists
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Relativists: ethics varies with social context Universalists: notions of right or wrong remain the same across cultures and situations
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Ethical standards
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Criteria that help differentiate right from wrong Example: categorical imperative: the “Golden Rule,” which tells us to treat others as we want to be treated Example: principle of utility: the utilitarian principle holds that something is right when it produces the greatest practical benefit for the most people
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Environmental ethics
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Application of ethical standards to relationships between human and nonhuman entities Hard to resolve: it depends on the person’s ethical standards and domain of ethical concern
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Anthropocentrism
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Only humans have rights Costs/benefits are measured only by their impact on people Anything not providing benefit to people has no value
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Biocentrism
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Certain living things have value All life (human and nonhuman) has ethical standing Opposes development that destroys life, even if it increases food production and economic growth
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Ecocentrism |
Whole ecological systems have valueValues well-being of species, communities, ecosystemsHolistic: it preserves connections between entities
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Preservation ethic
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Nature deserves protection for its own inherent value We should protect our environment in a pristine, unaltered state
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Conservation ethic
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A call to use natural resources wisely A utilitarian standard that calls for using resources for the greatest good for the most people for the longest time
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Land ethic
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Healthy ecological systems depend on protecting all parts We are obligated to treat the land ethically
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Environmental justice
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Involves the fair treatment of all people with respect to the environment, regardless of income, race, or ethnicity
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Sustainability
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Living within our planet’s means Leaving our descendants with a rich, full world by: Conserving resources for future generations Developing solutions that work in the long term Keeping fully functioning ecological systems Sustainability is a guiding principle of modern environmental science
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Natural capital
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(the bank account) the accumulated wealth of Earth’s resources We need to leave the principle intact and spend just the interest Depleting the principle decreases the bank account Currently we are drawing down Earth’s natural capital 50% faster than it is being produced We cannot do this for long
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Human population growth
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amplifies all environmental impacts We add over 200,000 people to the planet each day Our consumption of resources has risen even faster The gap between rich and poor countries has tripled in the past 40 years
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Environmental impacts
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Erosion from agriculture
Deforestation Toxic substances Mineral extraction and mining Depletion of fresh water Air and water pollution Global climate change Loss of Earth’s biodiversity |
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The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
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The most comprehensive scientific assessment of the condition of the world’s ecological systems and their capacity to continue supporting usIn 2005, over 2000 leading environmental scientists from nearly 100 nations found:Our degradation of environmental systems is having negative impacts on all of usWith care and diligence we can still turn many of these trends around
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Fossil fuels
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Intensify the impact we exert on the environment Have powered the machinery of the industrial revolution However, we have depleted roughly half the world’s conventional oil supplies Possible new fossil fuel sources Have more environmental impact while providing less fuel Examples: hydraulic fracturing, oil sands extraction, deep-water and Arctic drilling
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Sustainable solutions must:
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Enhance quality of life Protect/restore the environment that supports us
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Many workable solutions exist
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Renewable energy sources to replace fossil fuels Energy-efficiency efforts
Improved agricultural practices Laws and new technologies to reduce air pollution Habitat and species protection Better waste management to conserve resources Reduced emissions of greenhouse gases |
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Sustainable development
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Use of resources for economic advancement in a manner that satisfies our current needs But leaves enough resources for the future Local level Every individual person can help create sustainable solutions in his/her community
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Sustainable solutions include:
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Running recycling programs
Promoting efficient transportation options Planting trees and restoring native plants Growing organic gardens Fostering sustainable dining halls Improving energy efficiency and water conservation Reducing greenhouse emissions Investing in renewable energy |
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Finding ways to live sustainably on Earth requires:
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A solid ethical grounding
Scientific understanding of our natural and social systems |
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Environmental science helps us:
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Understand our relationship with the environment
Informs our attempts to solve and prevent problems Identifying a problem is the first step in solving it Environmental science can help find balanced, workable, sustainable solutions to environmental problems |
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Central Case Study: The Vanishing Oysters of the Chesapeake Bay
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Chesapeake Bay was the world’s largest oyster fisheryOverharvesting, pollution, and habitat destruction ruined itThe economy lost $4 billion from 1980 to 2010Strict pollution standards and oyster restoration efforts give reason for hope
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A system
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A network of relationships among components that interact with and influence one another Exchange of energy, matter, or information Receives inputs of energy, matter, or information; processes these inputs; and produces outputs
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Structural spheres of Earth’s systems
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Lithosphere – rock and sediment
Atmosphere – the air surrounding the planet Hydrosphere – all water on Earth Biosphere – the planet’s living organisms plus the abiotic (nonliving) parts they interact with |
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Feedback loop
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A circular process in which a system’s output serves as input to that same system
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Negative feedback loop
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Stabilizes a system: output that results when the system moves in one direction acts as an input that moves the system in the other direction When balanced, the system is in dynamic equilibrium
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Positive feedback loop
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Drives a system further toward an extreme instead of stabilizing it
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Eutrophication
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The process of nutrient overenrichment; characterized by blooms of algae, increased production of organic matter, and ecosystem degradation Example Nitrogen and phosphorus enter the Chesapeake Bay, causing… Phytoplankton (microscopic algae and bacteria) to grow; then… Bacteria eat dead phytoplankton and wastes and deplete oxygen, causing… Fish and other aquatic organisms to flee or suffocate
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Matter
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All material in the universe that has mass and occupies space It can be solid, liquid, or gas
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Chemistry
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Study of types of matter and their interactions Is crucial for understanding how: Chemicals affect the health of wildlife and people Pollutants cause acid precipitation Synthetic chemicals thin the ozone layer How gases contribute to global climate change
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Law of conservation of matter
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Matter can be transformed from one type of substance into others, but it cannot be destroyed or created Because the amount of matter stays constant, It is recycled in nutrient cycles and ecosystems We cannot simply wish away pollution and waste
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Element
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A chemical substance with a given set of properties Examples: nitrogen, phosphorus, oxygen 92 natural and 20 artificially created elements exist
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Nutrients
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Elements that organisms need in large amounts Examples: carbon, nitrogen, calcium
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Atom
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Smallest component of an element The atom’s nucleus (center) includes Protons (positively charged particles) Neutrons (lacking electric charge) Surrounding the nucleus are Electrons (negatively charged particles)
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Atomic number
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The number of protons
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Mass number
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Protons plus neutrons (particles in nucleus)
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Isotopes
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Atoms of an element with different numbers of neutrons
Different mass numbers Isotopes of an element behave slightly differently |
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Ions
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Atoms that gain or lose electrons They are electrically charged
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Radioisotopes
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Shed subatomic particles and emit high-energy radiation Decay until they become nonradioactive stable isotopes
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Half-life
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The amount of time it takes for one-half of the atoms in a radioisotope to give off radiation and decay Different radioisotopes have different half-lives, ranging from fractions of a second to billions of years Uranium-235, used in commercial nuclear power, has a half-life of 700 million years
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Molecules
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Combinations of two or more atoms
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Compound
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A molecule composed of atoms of two or more different elements
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Chemical formula
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Indicates the type and number of atoms in a molecule or compound Examples Oxygen gas: O2 Water: H2O Carbon dioxide: CO2
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Ionic bonds
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Ions of different charges bind together Example: table salt (NaCl)
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Covalent bond
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Atoms without electrical charges “share” electrons Example: hydrogen gas (H2)
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Water can split into H and OHThe pH scale
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quantifies the acidity or basicity of solutions Acidic solutions: pH 7 Contain more H Basic solutions: pH 7 Contain more OH Neutral solutions: pH: 7 A pH of 6 contains 10 times as many H as a pH of 7
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Organic compounds
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Carbon atoms bonded together They may include other elements: nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and phosphorus Carbon can be linked in elaborate chains, rings, other structures
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Inorganic compounds
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Lack the carbon–carbon bond
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Hydrocarbons
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Organic compounds that contain only carbon and hydrogen The simplest hydrocarbon is methane (natural gas) Fossil fuels consist of hydrocarbons Crude oil contains hundreds of types of hydrocarbons
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Polymers |
Long chains of repeated organic compounds Play key roles as building blocks of life Three essential types of polymers Proteins Nucleic acids Carbohydrates
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Lipids
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are not polymers, but they are also essential Fats, oils, phospholipids, waxes, steroids
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Macromolecules
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Large-sized molecules essential to life
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Proteins
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Long chains of amino acids Comprise most of an organism’s matter Produce tissues, provide structural support, store energy, transport material Some are components of the immune system or hormones (chemical messengers) Can serve as enzymes Molecules that catalyze (promote) chemical reactions Animals use proteins to generate skin, hair, muscles, and tendons
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Nucleic acids
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Long chains of nucleotides that contain sugar, phosphate, and a nitrogen base Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) carry hereditary information of organisms
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Genes
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Regions of DNA that code for proteins that perform certain functions
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Carbohydrates
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Include simple sugars and large molecules of simple sugars bonded together Glucose fuels cells and builds complex carbohydrates Plants store energy in starch, a complex carbohydrate Animals eat plants to get starch Organisms build structures from complex carbohydrates Chitin forms shells of insects and crustaceans Cellulose is found in cell walls of plants
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Lipids
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Do not dissolve in water Fats and oils (energy), waxes (structure), steroids
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Cells
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Most basic unit of organismal organization Simplest component of all living things Vary in size, shape, and function Classified according to their structure
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Eukaryotes:
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plants, animals, fungi, protists Contain a membrane-enclosed nucleus Membrane-enclosed organelles do specific things
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Prokaryotes:
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bacteria and archaea Single-celled, lacking membrane-enclosed nucleus and organelles
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First law of thermodynamics
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Energy can change form but cannot be created or destroyed
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Second law of thermodynamics
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Energy changes from a more-ordered to a less-ordered state Entropy: an increasing state of disorder
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Living organisms resist entropy by
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getting energy from food and photosynthesis Dead organisms get no energy and through decomposition lose their organized structure
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