Comprehensive Science Review: Energy Resources, Astronomy, Optics, and Biological Macromolecules

Flashcards testing core concepts across renewable/non-renewable energy sources, cosmological models and Kepler's laws, wave/particle models of light with mirror optics, and the molecular structure and function of nucleic acids and proteins.

What defines a renewable energy source according to the presentation?

Renewable sources are energy produced from sources that do not deplete or can be replenished within a human's lifetime.

What is the Malitbog Geothermal Power Station and where is it located?

It is a $232.5\,MW$ geothermal power plant (earth steam turbined electric generator), recognized as the world's largest geothermal power plant under one roof, located in Malitbog, Kananga, Leyte, Philippines.

What are the five step-by-step stages of power generation in a geothermal power plant?

1. Hot water is pumped under high pressure from deep underground through a well. 2. Upon reaching the surface, the pressure is dropped, causing water to turn into steam. 3. The steam spins a turbine connected to a generator that produces electricity. 4. Steam cools in a cooling tower and condenses back to water. 5. Cooled water is pumped back into the Earth to repeat the process.

How is kinetic energy converted into electrical energy in a hydroelectric power plant?

A turbine converts the kinetic energy of falling water into mechanical energy, and then a generator converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy, which is stepped up to a higher voltage at a substation for transmission.

What natural visual indicator suggests a site has potential for a wind farm?

The presence of flagging trees, which are trees bent like a flag due to strong winds.

Which two harmful greenhouse gas emissions are associated with the manufacture of solar panels?

Nitrogen trifluoride and sulfur hexafluoride.

How is biomass used to generate electricity in steam turbine systems?

Organic waste such as rice husks or bagasse is burned as fuel to boil water. The resulting steam runs steam turbines, which drive generators to produce electricity.

What percentage of electricity in the Philippines is derived from fossil fuels?

Around $69\%$ of electricity in the Philippines is derived from fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas, biomass).

Where are major coal deposits located in Antique, Philippines?

Semirara Island (Antique).

What is the Tychonic model proposed by Tycho Brahe?

Also called the geo-heliocentric model, it is a hybrid of geocentric and heliocentric models of the universe.

Who did Tycho Brahe hire as a research assistant to help prove his geo-heliocentric model?

Johannes Kepler.

What is Kepler's First Law of Planetary Motion, published in $1609$?

The Law of Elliptical Orbit or Law of Ellipses, which states that planets move in elliptical orbits with the Sun at one focus ($F_1$) while the other focus ($F_2$) is empty.

What is Kepler's Second Law of Planetary Motion, published in $1609$?

The Law of Equal Areas, which states that as the planets orbit around the Sun, they cover equal areas in equal times.

What is Kepler's Third Law of Planetary Motion, published in $1619$?

The Law of Periods, which states that the ratio of the squares of the periods ($T$) of any two planets revolving around the Sun is equal to the ratio of the cubes of their mean distances ($r$) from the Sun ($\frac{r^3}{T^2} = k$).

What is the value of the proportionality constant $k$ ($\frac{r^3}{T^2}$) calculated using Earth's orbit ($T = 365.24\,\text{days}$ and $r = 149.6 \times 10^6\,km$)?

$2.51 \times 10^{19}\,km^3/days^2$.

What is Sir Isaac Newton's Corpuscular Theory of light?

Proposed in $1675$ and detailed in his $1704$ work Opticks, it posits that light consists of streams of tiny, weightless, perfectly elastic particles called corpuscles emitted in all directions by luminous bodies.

What are the four postulates of Newton's Corpuscular Theory?

1. Light is tiny elastic particles. 2. They propagate in straight lines. 3. They are attracted by denser media. 4. They excite the retina for vision.

What is refraction and why does light bend inwards in water?

Refraction is the bending of light when it travels from one medium to another. Light bends inwards because the speed of light is slower in water.

What is the Law of Reflection?

The Law of Reflection states that the angle of incidence ($i$) is equal to the angle of reflection ($r$).

How do specular reflection and diffuse reflection differ?

Specular reflection occurs on smooth, shiny surfaces resulting in regular reflection in the same angle and direction; Diffuse reflection occurs on rough, irregular surfaces resulting in scattered light in different angles and directions.

What type of image is produced by a plane mirror?

A plane mirror produces an upright, laterally inverted, and virtual image.

How are concave mirrors characterized in terms of light interaction and focal point location?

Concave mirrors are converging mirrors that focus light to a point as it reflects; their focal point lies in front of the mirror.

How are convex mirrors characterized in terms of light interaction and focal point location?

Convex mirrors are diverging mirrors that spread light out as it bounces back; their focal point lies behind the mirror.

What are the three components that make up a nucleotide?

A five-carbon sugar, a nitrogenous base, and a phosphate group (attached to the $5'$ carbon of the sugar).

How do the five-carbon sugars in DNA and RNA differ structurally?

In DNA, the sugar is deoxyribose, which has a hydrogen ($H$) atom on its second carbon; in RNA, the sugar is ribose, which has a hydroxyl ($\text{-OH}$) group on its second carbon.

Which nitrogenous bases are purines and which are pyrimidines?

Purines (adenine and guanine) have two fused rings; Pyrimidines (cytosine, thymine, and uracil) have a single ring.

What are the four levels of organizational structure in proteins?

Primary (linear sequence of amino acids), Secondary (local folding into alpha-helices or beta-pleated sheets via hydrogen bonds), Tertiary (full 3D shape of a single polypeptide chain driven by R-group side-chain interactions), and Quaternary (multiple folded polypeptide subunits working together as a complex unit).

What catalytic function does the protein amylase perform?

Amylase acts as an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis (breakdown) of starch into simpler sugars.