Daily Question 9/26/12

1. Daily Question9/26/12 The more energy moves through a system, the more _____ it becomes.

2. Ecology Notes Ecology is the study of the complex relationships between living things and their nonliving environment.

3. A community of organisms and the abiotic environment that the organisms inhabit is called an ecosystem. An ecosystem may be as large as an ocean or as small as a drop of water. The largest ecosystem is the entire biosphere.

4. Most of Earth’s ecosystems contain a variety of plants and animals. What is this process known as? Plants are important parts of ecosystems because they use energy from the sun to produce their own food.

5. Organisms that make their own food are called producers. Producers include most plants and some bacteria.

6. Consumers are organisms that get their energy by eating other organisms.

7. Consumers may eat producers or other consumers. However, some consumers get their energy by breaking down dead organisms, these consumers are known as decomposers.

8. In order for an ecosystem to remain healthy and stable it must have a balance of producers, consumers, and decomposers.

9. Ecosystems have a limited amount of energy in them. If you have enough food to last your family for an entire week, but someone eats all of it the first day. What’s going to happen? Think of your refrigerator at home.

10. The largest population that an environment can support at any given time is called the carrying capacity. If every student in this room gets one hamburger. Do I have enough? The carrying capacity depends on the available resources for that environment. What does that tell you about the carrying capacity of this room?

11. A given ecosystem can support only the number of organisms that allows matter and energy to be transferred efficiently through the ecosystem.

12. One change in any part of an ecosystem may affect the entire system. What affects may a forest fire have on an ecosystem? Other than burning “stuff.”

13. After certain disasters, organisms will naturally migrate back into an area in predictable patterns.

14. The further up you move, the less energy there is available. As energy moves through an ecosystem it is lost the more it travels.

15. The sequence in which organisms consume other organisms can be represented by a food chain.

16. A food web, is used to represent the relationship between multiple food chains.

17. Human beings have a tendency to alter most ecosystems to better fit their needs or wants. When humans convert large natural areas into inhabitable environments for them, most of those ecosystems are destroyed.

18. Removal of topsoil & runoff pollution.

19. Bonus Questions Raise your hand if you think you know the answer.

20. Review Questions Bonus Points

21. An organized group of related objects or components that interact to create a whole is a _____. system

22. _____ is anything that has mass & takes up space. Matter

23. Energy is the ability to do work or _____. Cause change

24. The operation of Earth’s system is a result of interaction between the 2 most basic components of the universe: _____. Matter and energy

25. Energy can be transformed in a variety of forms, list all 4. Heat Energy Light Electromagnetic Waves

26. When energy is transferred, there is usually a change in the _____ or _____ properties of the matter. Chemical or Physical

27. A system in which energy, but not matter, is exchanged with the surroundings is a _____ system. Closed

28. An _____ is a system in which both energy and matter are exchanged with the surroundings. Open

29. What are Earth’s 4 spheres? Biosphere Atmosphere Hydrosphere Geosphere

30. The blanket of gases that surrounds Earth’s surface is called the _____. Atmosphere

31. Earth’s atmosphere is made up of 78% nitrogen and _____% oxygen 21

32. _____% of Earth’s water is saturated with salt. 97

33. The _____ includes all the rock and soil on the surface of the continents and the ocean floor. Geosphere

34. Once organic matter _____ it becomes a part of the other 3 spheres. Decomposes

35. 1st Law of Thermodynamics Energy is transferred between systems, but cannot be _____ or _____. Created or destroyed

36. 2nd Law of Thermodynamics When energy transfer takes place; matter becomes less _____ with time. Organized

37. The heat in Earth’s interior cause’s material to rise toward the surface, as the material cools; it becomes denser and begins to sink back into the interior. This is known as a _____ current. Convection

38. Solar _____ causes air masses to move, which generate winds & ocean currents. Radiation

39. Plants use energy from the sun to perform _____. Photosynthesis

40. The _____ reactions that break rock down into soil require solar energy. Chemical

41. The pull of the sun and the moon on the oceans, combined with Earth’s rotation, generates _____. Tides

42. _____ is used by organisms to build protein, which is used to build cells. Nitrogen

43. Most organisms cannot use _____ nitrogen; the nitrogen must be fixed, before it can be used. Atmospheric

44. Nitrogen is removed from the air by _____ that live in the soil. Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria

45. Carbon moves through all 4 spheres in a process called the _____. Carbon Cycle

46. Phosphorus enters soil & water when rock _____ & when phosphorus dissolves in water. Breaks down

47. Carbon is stored in the geosphere in buried plant or animal remains and in a type of rock called _____. Carbonate

48. Plants convert carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into _____. Carbohydrates

49. List the 3 main stages of the water cycle. Condensation Precipitation Evaporation

50. What are the 2 types of carbon cycle known as? Short and Long Term