Environmental Science Flashcards

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from the Environmental Science lecture notes.

Environmental Science

A dynamic, interdisciplinary field that studies the interaction between living and non-living components of the environment.

Tragedy of the Commons

A situation where individuals, acting in their own self-interest, collectively overexploit shared, limited resources—leading to long-term ruin for all.

Scientific Method

A structured way of exploring questions through experiments and careful observation.

Hypothesis

A testable idea or explanation for an event or pattern.

Scientific Theory

A well-tested, widely accepted explanation of natural phenomena, built from many hypotheses and observations.

Observational Study

Scientists observe and compare groups with and without the presumed cause (no manipulation).

Response Variable

The outcome being measured in the study.

Explanatory Variable (Treatment)

The factor scientists intentionally change to observe its effect.

Controlled Variables

Other factors kept constant to avoid affecting the results (also called confounding variables).

Manipulative Experiment

The explanatory variable is altered by scientists to test its effect on the response variable.

Dependent Variable (Response)

The social behavior, attitude, or condition being measured.

Independent Variable (Cause)

The factor believed to influence or cause change in the dependent variable.

System Thinking

A way of understanding how parts of a system are connected and how they affect one another.

Environmental Chemistry

Study of chemical processes occurring in the environment (natural and human-induced).

Atoms

The basic building blocks of all matter in the environment.

Elements

Pure substances made of one type of atom.

Molecules

Two or more atoms bonded together.

Compounds

Atoms of different elements bonded together.

Ionic Bonds

Electron transfer between a metal and nonmetal (e.g., NaCl).

Covalent Bonds

Electron sharing between nonmetal atoms (e.g., H2O, CO2).

Ions

Charged atoms or molecules with unequal protons and electrons.

Isotopes

Atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons.

pH

A measure of the hydrogen ion concentration [H⁺] in a solution, indicating acidity or alkalinity.

Acid

Substance that donates H⁺ ions in solution.

Base

Substance that accepts H⁺ ions or donates OH⁻ ions.

Cation exchange capacity (CEC)

Determines nutrient availability, especially for inorganic ions in the soil.

Acid Rain

Precipitation with a pH of 4.2–5.0, formed by SO₂ and NO₂ reacting with water in the atmosphere.