APES Chapter 2 Questions with solutions 100% correct

APES Chapter 2 Questions with solutions 100% correct What is an environmental system? a set of interacting components which exchange energy and matter so that a change in one part of the system effects other part(s) of the system. (Ex:,digestive system, ecosystem, car, etc.) How do systems vary in scale, and how does a large system include a smaller system? Systems can occur in any scale (with a cell, within an entire ocean, etc.) A large system may contain many smaller systems within it. (Ex., photosynthesis, crop cycle, food production, human population growth.) What are the largest systems in the Mono Lake ecosystem? What are some examples of smaller systems within that system? Larger: water flow, salt deposits Smaller: birds, shrimp, algae matter anything that occupies space and has mass mass measure of the amount of matter an object contains atom smallest particle which can contain the chemical properties of an element; the building blocks of matter element substance composed of atoms and cannot be broken down into smaller/simpler components; can occur as solids, liquids, or gases periodic table list of all known elements abbreviated in one or two letter symbols; contains 94 naturally occurring elements and 24 lab produced elements (118 total.) molecule particle containing more than one atom compound molecule containing more than one element atomic number amount of protons in an atom's nucleus; unique property to that element mass number total number of protons and neutrons in an atom's nucleus; unique property to that element's isotope isotopes atoms of the same element, with different numbers of neutrons radioactive decay spontaneous release of material from the nucleus of an unstable isotope half-life time it takes for one-half of an element's original radiocative parent atoms to decay chemical bonds how atoms interact/join together to form molecules or compounds covalent bonds compounds made of elements which don't easily gain or lose electrons and are instead held together through sharing electrons ionic bonds atoms whose transfer of electrons creates a charge imbalance of ions which holds the molecule together as the opposites attract. hydrogen bonds weak chemical bond that forms when hydrogen atoms that are covalently bonded to one atom are attracted to another atom on another molecule polar molecule molecule in which one side is more positive and one side is more negative surface tension property of water molecules to cohere at the surface of a body of water and form a sort of skin capillary action property of water to adhere to a surface stronger than the cohesion between its molecules, resulting in absorption acid substance that contributes hydrogen ions to a solution (H+) base substance that contributes hydroxide ions to a solution (OH-) pH scale logarithmic scale that indicates strength of acids and bases in a solution on a range of 0 to 14 chemical reaction occurs when atoms separate from molecules or recombine with other molecules law of conservation of matter states that matter can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only change form inorganic compounds compounds which a) do not contain carbon b) contain carbon bound to elements other than hydrogen organic compounds basis of biological molecules crucial to life; compounds which have carbon-carbon and carbon-hydrogen bonds (such as macromolecules) carbohydrates compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms which form monosaccharides (glucose) or chains of polysaccharides (starch and cellulose) proteins compounds composed of long chains of nitrogen-containing organic molecules called amino acids; provide structure, energy storage, transport, and defense; examples are enzymes and antibodies nucleic acids organic compounds found in all living cells DNA deoxyribonucleic acid; contains genetic material organisms pass onto offspring RNA ribonucleic acid; translates genetic material stored in DNA and allows for protein synthesis lipids smaller biological molecules which do not mix with water and form a major part of the cell membrane cell smallest component of living organisms which contain the four macromolecules and organelles in a watery solution surrounded by a membrane energy ability to do work, or transfer heat (power / time) measured in kiloWatt-hours electromagnetic radiation the sun's energy which includes visible light, UV light, and infrared energy (heat) photons carriers of EMR; massless packets of energy that travel through space at the speed of light in the form of waves joule amount of energy used by a 1-watt lightbulb when turned on for 1 second power rate at which work is done (energy / time) measured in kiloWatts potential energy stored energy which has not yet been released kinetic energy energy of motion chemical energy potential energy stored in chemical bonds temperature measure of the average kinetic energy of a substance first law of thermodynamics energy cannot be created or destroyed, just like matter, and is always conserved second law of thermodynamics transferred energy remains in quantity but reduces ability to do work; this adds entropy, or disorder, to the universe energy efficiency ratio of the amount of work done to the total amount of energy first put into a system energy quality the ease at which an energy source can be used for work; high quality is concentrated and easily transported, low quality is less concentrated and less easily transported entropy part of the second law of thermodynamics which states that all systems move towards randomness; entropy increases in a system until new energy is added to create order open system system which can exchange matter and energy across other system boundaries