Ecosystems, Plants, Temperature, Structures, and Planet Earth Flashcards

Flashcards based on lecture notes about Ecosystems, Plants, Temperature, Structures, and Planet Earth.

Biotic

Living (plants, animals)

Abiotic

Non-living (water, light, temperature)

What is a food chain?

One path of energy transfer in an ecosystem.

What is a food web?

Many interconnected food chains.

Who are Producers?

Organisms that produce their own food.

Who are Consumers?

Organisms that eat other organisms.

Who are Decomposers?

Organisms that break down dead organic material.

Herbivores

Eat plants

Carnivores

Eat animals

Omnivores

Eat both plants and animals

Scavengers

Eat dead animals

What is Succession?

Natural change in ecosystems over time.

What is Primary Succession?

Starts with bare land and no soil.

What is Secondary Succession?

Starts where soil already exists.

What is a climax community?

Stable, mature ecosystem.

What are the main steps in the Water Cycle?

Evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

What is the Carbon Cycle?

CO₂ being used by plants, consumed by animals, and returned to the air.

What is the Nitrogen Cycle?

Air nitrogen converted by bacteria for use by plants.

What are some human impacts on ecosystems?

Pollution, deforestation, and climate change.

What are Invasive Species?

Non-native species that disrupt ecosystems.

What is an Ecological Footprint?

How much land, water, and energy you use.

What is Symbiosis?

How organisms live together (mutualism, commensalism, parasitism)

What is Mutualism?

Both organisms benefit.

What is Commensalism?

One organism benefits, the other is unaffected.

What is Parasitism?

One organism benefits, the other is harmed.

What is a Niche?

The role or job of an organism in its ecosystem.

What are some characteristics of invasive species?

Outcompete native species, spread quickly, disrupt food webs.

How Can a Seed Be Dispersed?

Wind, water, animals, explosion

What is Asexual Reproduction?

One parent; offspring are identical.

What is Sexual Reproduction?

Two parents; offspring are a genetic mix.

What are the stages in the Life cycle of a Seed Plant?

Seed, germination, growth, flowering, pollination & fertilization, seed production, dispersal.

What is Self-Pollination?

Pollen lands on its own stigma.

What is Cross-Pollination?

Pollen transferred to a different plant’s stigma.

What are some methods of Asexual Reproduction?

Cuttings, grafting, runners, tubers.

What are the Female Flower Parts (Pistil/Carpel)?

Stigma, style, ovary.

What are the Male Flower Parts (Stamen)?

Anther and filament.

What is Geothermal energy?

Heat from Earth’s interior.

What is Hydroelectric energy?

Moving water turns turbines.

What is Wind energy?

Wind turns turbines.

What is Biomass energy?

Burning plant or animal materials.

What are the pros and cons of Geothermal energy?

Clean, reliable, low emissions, but limited locations and costly setup.

What are the pros and cons of Hydroelectric energy?

Renewable, powerful, no pollution during use, but dams harm ecosystems.

What are the pros and cons of Wind energy?

No emissions, low operating costs, but noisy and harms birds.

What are the pros and cons of Biomass energy?

Reduces waste and is renewable, but can cause air pollution.

What are the pros and cons of Nuclear energy?

Low emissions and powerful, but radioactive waste and risk of accidents.

What are the pros and cons of Fossil Fuels?

Cheap, reliable, built infrastructure, but air pollution and greenhouse gases.

What are some Passive Solar Energy Designs?

South-facing windows, thick insulation, dark floors, thermal mass materials.

What is the Greenhouse Effect?

Greenhouse gases trap heat.

What is Thermal Pollution?

Release of excess heat into water bodies.

What is Cogeneration?

Produces electricity and useful heat at the same time.

What is Mass?

The amount of matter in an object.

What is Weight?

The force of gravity acting on an object’s mass.

What is the unit of measurement for Mass?

Kilograms (kg) or grams (g).

What is the unit of measurement for Weight?

Newtons (N).

How do you convert Mass to Weight?

Weight (N) = Mass (kg) × Gravity (9.8 N/kg)

What is a Dynamic Load?

A moving or changing force.

What is a Static Load?

A still or constant force.

What is Compression?

A squeezing force.

What is Tension?

A stretching force.

What is Torsion?

A twisting force.

What is Shear?

Forces moving in opposite directions.

What are Internal Forces?

Forces inside a structure.

What are External Forces?

Forces acting on a structure from outside.

What Causes Bending?

Tension on one side and compression on the other.

What is Deformation?

A change in shape of a structure due to forces.

What are the layers of the Earth?

Crust, Mantle, Outer Core, Inner Core

What is the crust of earth?

Thin, solid outer layer made of rocks and minerals.

What is the mantle of earth?

Thick, semi-solid layer that moves slowly.

What is the outer core of earth?

Liquid iron and nickel that creates earth's magnetic field

What is the inner core of earth?

Solid iron and nickel, hottest part of Earth

What is an Earthquake?

Sudden shaking of the Earth's surface caused by movement along faults

What is the Richter Scale?

Measures the strength (magnitude) of an earthquake (scale from 1–10)

What is a Seismograph?

Records seismic waves

What is a Seismogram?

The recording of seismic waves

What is a Tsunami?

A giant sea wave caused by underwater earthquakes

What is the Ring of Fire?

Area around the Pacific Ocean with lots of earthquakes and volcanoes

What is a Volcano?

A mountain where magma escapes from Earth’s surface

What is Magma?

Molten rock inside Earth

What is Lava?

Magma that reaches the surface

What is Weathering?

Breaking down rocks

What is Erosion?

Moving broken pieces

What is Deposition?

Dropping off materials

What is Mechanical Weathering?

Physical breakdown of rocks

What is Biological Weathering?

Living things cause breakdown of rocks

What is Chemical Weathering?

Chemicals break down rocks

What are Minerals?

Naturally occurring, solid materials with a crystal structure

What are properites of minerals?

Hardness, Lustre (shine), Color, Streak, Cleavage and fracture, Transparency

What is a Hardness Test?

Use Moh’s Hardness Scale (1=soft, 10=hard)

What are Rocks?

Made up of one or more minerals

What are Igneous Rocks?

Cooled magma/lava

What are Sedimentary Rocks?

Layers of sediment compressed over time

What are Metamorphic Rocks?

Rocks changed by heat and pressure

What is Pangaea?

Ancient supercontinent

What is the Theory of Continental Drift?

Continents moved apart over time

What is the Theory of Plate Tectonics?

Earth's crust is broken into plates that move

What is a Diverging plate boundary?

Plates move apart (mid-ocean ridges)

What is a Converging plate boundary?

Plates move together (mountains, volcanoes)

What is a Transform plate boundary?

Plates slide past each other (faults like San Andreas Fault)

How are Mountains formed?

Formed by tectonic plate movements

What are Fold Mountains?

Layers of rock folded