Environmental Science: Earth's Systems, Geology, and Hazards Chapter 2

What is matter?

Matter is any material that has mass and occupies space.

What does chemistry study?

Chemistry studies the interaction of matter.

What does the law of conservation of matter state?

Matter can be transformed from one type of substance to another, but not created or destroyed.

What are the two main types of energy?

Kinetic energy and potential energy.

What is the first law of thermodynamics?

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed.

What is the second law of thermodynamics?

In any energy transfer, there will always be a loss of usable energy.

What processes are involved in energy transformation in ecosystems?

Photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and chemosynthesis.

What caused the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster?

A 9.0 magnitude earthquake generated a tsunami that flooded the power plant's emergency generators.

What happened to the cooling water in the Fukushima disaster?

The cooling water boiled off, leading to a nuclear meltdown.

What is an element?

An element is a substance with specific properties that cannot be broken down into other substances.

What are the most abundant elements in Earth's crust?

Oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium.

What are atoms?

Atoms are the smallest units that still have all of the element's chemical properties.

What particles make up an atom?

Protons, neutrons, and electrons.

What is the nucleus of an atom?

The dense center of the atom where protons and neutrons are found.

What is an isotope?

Atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons and thus different masses.

What is a radioisotope?

An isotope that is radioactive and can emit subatomic particles and high-energy radiation.

What is half-life in relation to isotopes?

Half-life is the time it takes for half of the atoms in a radioactive isotope to decay.

What is ionizing radiation?

Radiation energy emitted by radioisotopes that generates ions when it hits molecules.

What are molecules?

Combinations of two or more atoms chemically bonded together.

What is a compound?

A molecule made of two or more different elements, such as water (H2O).

What is a covalent bond?

A bond formed when electrons are shared between atoms.

What are hydrogen bonds?

Weak interactions formed between charged ends of polar molecules, such as water.

What is an ionic bond?

A bond formed when electrons are transferred from one atom to another, creating oppositely charged ions.

What is a solution?

An evenly distributed mixture where the components do not react with each other.

What role does energy play in ecosystems?

Energy is transformed through processes like photosynthesis and respiration, supporting life.

What are geologic hazards?

Natural events such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions that can cause damage.

How can the impact of geologic hazards be minimized?

Through preparedness, early warning systems, and effective response strategies.

What creates an ionic bond?

Oppositely charged ions attract each other.

What are evenly distributed mixtures called?

Solutions.

What are organic compounds primarily made of?

Carbon atoms joined together with covalent bonds.

What are hydrocarbons?

A class of organic compounds that contain only hydrogen and carbon.

What are macromolecules?

Large molecules, including polymers and lipids.

What are proteins made of?

Polymers made of amino acids.

What do nucleic acids carry?

Hereditary information for organisms.

What are the building blocks of nucleic acids?

Nucleotides.

What are the two types of carbohydrates?

Simple and complex sugars.

What is cellulose?

A complex carbohydrate found in plants.

What do lipids include?

Fats, oils, waxes, and steroids.

What happens to water molecules in an aqueous solution?

They split into hydrogen ions (H+) and hydroxide ions (OH−).

What is the pH of pure water?

7, indicating it is neutral.

What do acids have in terms of pH?

A pH below 7.

What does the second law of thermodynamics state?

Energy tends to change from a more-ordered to a less-ordered state.

What is potential energy?

The energy of position or composition.

What is kinetic energy?

The energy of motion.

What do autotrophs do with solar energy?

They use it to produce their own food through photosynthesis.

Where does photosynthesis occur?

In chloroplasts.

What does chlorophyll do in photosynthesis?

It uses solar energy to initiate light reactions.

What do light reactions in photosynthesis produce?

Hydrogen ions (H+), oxygen (O2), ATP, and NADPH.

What is the Calvin cycle?

A series of reactions that link carbon atoms to form sugars.

What is the role of energy in chemical reactions?

Energy conversions occur when chemical bonds are broken or formed.

What happens to a log of firewood when burned?

It releases carbon dioxide, water, and kinetic energy.

What happens to Iodine-131 after 8 days?

Half of its atoms decay to a stable isotope.

Which solution is classified as the strongest acid?

Vinegar, pH 3.

What is the overall process of photosynthesis summarized by?

Plants take in water, absorb carbon dioxide, and harness sunlight to generate sugar and oxygen.

How does the energy released in cellular respiration compare to that of photosynthesis?

The energy released in cellular respiration is about two-thirds of the input from photosynthesis.

What are autotrophs and heterotrophs?

Autotrophs are organisms that produce their own energy, while heterotrophs gain energy by feeding on other organisms.

What is geothermal energy?

Geothermal energy is heat from deep within the Earth, produced by the decay of radioisotopes.

What is chemosynthesis?

Chemosynthesis is the process by which organisms use chemical potential energy in substances like hydrogen sulfide to produce sugar.

What type of energy is represented by the wind flowing past a windmill?

Kinetic energy.

What law does transforming potential energy to kinetic energy without loss of quality violate?

The second law of thermodynamics.

According to photosynthesis, what do autotrophs use as a source of energy?

Sunlight.

What do autotrophs use as a source of mass in photosynthesis?

Carbon dioxide and water.

What is geology?

Geology is the study of Earth's physical features, processes, and history.

What are the main layers of the Earth?

The core, mantle, and crust.

What is the asthenosphere?

An area of the upper mantle with especially soft rock.

What drives plate tectonics?

Heat from the Earth creates convection currents that move large plates of lithosphere.

What occurs at divergent plate boundaries?

Plates move apart as magma rises to the surface and cools.

What happens at transform plate boundaries?

Plates slip and grind alongside each other, causing earthquakes.

What is subduction?

The process where oceanic crust dives downward at convergent plate boundaries.

What is continental collision?

When two continental plates crush, bend, and buckle, creating mountain ranges.

What is the rock cycle?

A process where rocks and minerals are heated, melted, cooled, broken down, and reassembled.

What is magma?

Liquid rock that has melted at high temperatures.

What type of rock forms when lava or magma cools?

Igneous rock.

What is sedimentary rock?

Rock formed from compacted sediment layers over time.

What is metamorphic rock?

Rock that has changed physical properties due to heat and pressure.

What is the significance of gneiss?

Gneiss is formed by the metamorphosis of granite.

How have geologists divided Earth's history?

Into 3 eras and 11 periods.

What type of rock is formed by heat and pressure?

Metamorphic rock

What is the current geological period called?

Quaternary period

What epoch are we currently in?

Holocene epoch

What new epoch has been proposed due to human impact?

Anthropocene

What layer of the Earth includes continental and oceanic crust?

The lithosphere

What type of plate boundary is the San Andreas fault?

Transform boundary

What type of rock is marble?

Metamorphic rock

What is a sudden release of energy at a tectonic plate boundary called?

An earthquake

What is the circum-Pacific belt also known as?

The 'ring of fire'

What technology helps protect buildings from earthquakes?

Engineering designs that allow buildings to sway with ground motion

What natural disaster can result from tectonic movements?

Earthquakes and volcanoes

What is created by the eruption of molten rock, ash, or gas?

A volcano

What is mass wasting?

The downward gravitational movement of rock or soil

What can trigger a tsunami?

Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or large coastal landslides

What was the death toll of the 2004 tsunami?

Approximately 228,000 people

What can worsen the impacts of natural hazards?

Living in hazard-prone areas, damming rivers, and clearcutting forests

Which natural hazards are cities along the 'ring of fire' at risk from?

Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis

What is the direct result of mass wasting?

Landslides

What is the most volcanically active nation?

Japan

What is the significance of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti?

It claimed an estimated 230,000 lives due to inadequate building protections.

What happens to global temperatures after a major volcanic eruption?

They can decrease, as seen after the eruption of Mount Tambora.

What is the process of creating a series of volcanoes at hotspots called?

Repeated eruptions at hotspots

What is the primary cause of earthquakes?

Movement at plate boundaries