Science 1206 - Physics & Ecology

Vocabulary flashcards based on Science and Ecology lecture notes.

Significant Digits

Digits that carry meaning contributing to its precision.

Scientific Notation

A way of expressing numbers that are too big or too small to be conveniently written in decimal form.

Scalar Quantity

A quantity that has magnitude only.

Distance

The total length of the path traveled by an object.

Vector

A quantity that has both magnitude and direction.

Displacement

The change in position of an object.

Speed

The rate at which an object is moving; magnitude of velocity.

Instantaneous Speed

The speed of an object at a particular moment in time.

Average Speed

The total distance traveled divided by the total time taken.

Velocity

The rate of change of an object's position with respect to time and direction.

Acceleration

The rate at which an object's velocity changes over time.

Meter

The fundamental unit of length in the metric system, and the base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI).

Biotic Factor

A living component of an ecosystem.

Abiotic Factor

A non-living component of an ecosystem.

Predation

An interaction in which one organism (the predator) kills and eats another organism (the prey).

Commensalism

A relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected.

Interspecific Competition

Competition between different species for the same resources.

Intraspecific Competition

Competition between individuals of the same species for the same resources.

Niche

The position of a species in its habitat, including its biotic and abiotic interactions.

Population

A group of organisms of the same species living together in a specific area.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum population size of a species that an environment can sustain indefinitely, given the available resources.

Density-Dependent Factor

A limiting factor that depends on population size.

Density-Independent Factor

A limiting factor that affects a population regardless of its size.

Biome

A large geographical region that contains a community of plants and animals with common characteristics adapted for the environment they live in.

Nutrient Cycles

Processes that recycle nutrients between the organic and inorganic parts of the environment indefinitely.

Denitrifying Bacteria

Bacteria that convert nitrates into nitrogen gas.

Food Chain

A linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass as one organism eats another.

Food Web

A complex network of interconnected food chains within an ecosystem.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Ecotone

A transition area between two different ecosystems.

Endangered Species

A species at serious risk of extinction.

Paradigm Shift

A fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions.

Sustainability

The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level.

Constant Velocity

Motion at a steady speed in a straight line.

Constant Acceleration

Acceleration in which the velocity changes at a constant rate.

Average Velocity

Displacement divided by time.

Community

An interacting group of various species in a common location

Habitat

An ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant, or other kind of organism

Mutualism

A relationship between two species of organisms in which both benefit from the association.

Parasitism

A relationship between two species in which one organism (parasite) lives on or in another organism (host), causing it some harm.