FSSA science prep

What are the three types of symbiosis and a brief description of each?

1. Mutualism: Both organisms benefit (e.g., bees pollinating flowers). 2. Commensalism: One organism benefits, the other is unaffected (e.g., barnacles on a whale). 3. Parasitism: One organism benefits, the other is harmed (e.g., a tick on a dog).

What is energy transformation?

Energy transformation is the process where energy changes from one form to another, such as potential energy converting to kinetic energy in a falling object.

What is the definition of an ecosystem?

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms (biotic) interacting with their physical environment (abiotic). Examples include forests, lakes, and deserts.

What differentiates a food chain from a food web?

A food chain is a linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass as one organism eats another, while a food web is an interconnected set of food chains showing the complex feeding relationships in an ecosystem.

What is the electromagnetic spectrum?

The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of all types of electromagnetic radiation, which includes radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays.

What are the three main types of rocks and how are they formed?

1. Igneous: formed from cooled magma or lava. 2. Sedimentary: formed from compacted sediments. 3. Metamorphic: formed from existing rocks under heat and pressure.

What is the theory of plate tectonics?

The theory of plate tectonics states that Earth's crust is divided into plates that move and interact, causing earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain formation.

How are earthquakes measured?

Earthquakes are measured using the Richter scale, which quantifies the amount of energy released during an earthquake.

What are the main steps of the scientific method?

The steps of the scientific method are observation, question, hypothesis, experiment, analysis, and conclusion.

What characterizes weather and climate?

Weather is the condition of the atmosphere at a specific place and time, while climate is the average weather conditions in an area over a long period, typically 30 years or more.

What are the features of the Sun?

The Sun features include the photosphere (visible surface), chromosphere (layer above photosphere), corona (outermost layer), sunspots (temporary dark spots), and solar flares (sudden bursts of energy).

What is a physical change versus a chemical change?

A physical change does not alter the chemical composition of a substance (e.g., melting ice), whereas a chemical change results in the formation of new substances (e.g., burning wood).