| A | B |
|---|
| Environmental science | Study of how the natural world works, how the environment affects humans and vice versa, and the search for solutions to environmental problems |
| Tragedy of the Commons | Unregulated exploitation leads to resource depletion. Resource users are tempted to increase use until resources are gone |
| Renewable resources | Perpetually available, renew themselves over time |
| Non-renewable resources | Can be depleated |
| Population growth | Populations can grow to a certain extent, but they will hit a limit and plateau, then deplete |
| Human population trend | Huge population booms after agricultural and industrial revolutions |
| Thomas Malthus | Influenced Darwin, said population growth must be restricted as it would cause lack of resources, disease, war, etc. |
| Ecological footprint | The environmental impact of a person or population (resources used/waste generated) |
| Scientific method | Technique for testing ideas with observations. Scientist makes an observation and asks questions of some phenomenon then formulates a hypothesis, which is used to make predictions, which can be tested. Results can support of reject hypothesis |
| Manipulative experiments vs. natural expiriments | Manipulative yield strongest evidence but are less realistic. Natural shows real-world complexities but has less clear results |
| Environmental challenges: agriculture | Nearly half of the planets surface is used for agriculture. Causes chemicals, pesticides, fertilizers, erosion, changes in the ecosystem |
| Environmental challenges: climate | Melting glaciers, rising sea levels, impacted wildlife/crops, destructive weather |
| Environmental challenges: biodiversity | Many species have gone extinct, causing loss of biodiversity |
| Sustainability | Leaves future generations with a rich and full earth, conserves earth's natural resources, maintains fully functional ecological systems |
| Sustainable development | The use of resources to satisfy current needs without compromising future availability of resources |
| Bio-remediation | Pollution cleanup through enhanced natural biodegradation |
| Element | A fundamental type of matter, with a given set of properties |
| Atoms | The smallest components that maintain an element's chemical properties |
| Protons and neutrons | Protons are positively charged, neutrons are neutral |
| Atomic number | Number of protons |
| Electrons | Negatively charged particles surrounding the nucleus, balances the positively charged protons |
| Molecules | Combinations of two or more atoms |
| Compounds | A molecule composed of atoms of two or more different elements |
| Covalent bonds | Atoms in a molecule share electrons equally |
| Polar bonds | Atoms share electrons unequally, with one atom exerting greater pull |
| Ionic bonds | One molecule (or atom) gains or loses electron(s) and opposite charges attract |
| Properties of water: polarity | Water's polarity creates surface tension |
| Properties of water: temperature stabalizing | Water is less dense as a solid than a liquid, so ice floats and acts as an insulator |
| Properties of water: cohesion | To break water's surface, you must break hydrogen bonds |
| Properties of water: adhesion | Adhesion is water's ability to stick to other things |
| Capillary effect | Water will move up a narrow tube, molecules adhere |
| Water as a solvent | Water is a solvent for ions and polar molecules. Non-polar molecules (like oil) repel water |
| Water's pH | Pure water has a neutral pH of 7 |
| Organic compounds | Are made of carbon atoms joined by covalent bonds, but may include other elements |
| Polymers: proteins | Made of amino acids strung together, gives structural support |
| Polymers: carbohydrates | Consist of of atoms of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen |
| Lipids | A chemically diverse group of compounds grouped together because they don't dissolve in water |
| Hormone mimicking compounds and plastics | Best known by their brand names (Nylon, Teflon, Kevlar), many are derived from petroleum hydrocarbons |
| Prokaryotic cells | Single-celled organisms lacking organelles and a nucleus |
| Eukaryotic cells | Multi-celled organisms containing internal structures (organelles) |
| Kinds of energy: potential, kinetic, chemical | Potential energy: energy of position. Kinetic energy: energy of motion. Chemical energy: potential energy held in the bonds of atoms. |
| Hydrothermal vents | Host entire communities that thrive in high temperatures and pressure |
| Chemosynthesis | Uses energy in hydrogen sulfide to produce sugar |
| Origins of life theories: "Primordial soup" | The heterotrophic hypothesis |
| Origins of life theories: "Seeds from space" | The panspermia hypothesis |
| Origins of life theories: "Life from the depths" | The chemoautotrophic hypothesis |
| Adaptive traits | Help create reproductive success |
| Mutations | Accidental changes in DNA that may be passed on to the next generation |
| Directional selection | Drives a feature in one direction |
| Stabilizing selection | Produces intermediate traits, preserving status quo |
| Disruptive selection | Traits diverge in two or more directions |
