Second quarter exam study guide science

What is an ecosystem?

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms interacting with their physical environment.

What are the components of an ecosystem?

The components include biotic factors (living organisms) and abiotic factors (non-living elements like water, soil, and climate).

What is heat energy?

Heat energy is the energy that comes from the movement of particles in a substance.

What is the role of heat energy in ecosystems?

Heat energy helps drive processes like photosynthesis and affects climate, influencing the types of organisms that can thrive.

Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants and some organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water.

How do plants capture heat energy?

Plants capture heat energy through sunlight, which is converted into chemical energy during photosynthesis.

What is conduction?

Conduction is the transfer of heat energy through direct contact of particles.

What is convection?

Convection is the transfer of heat energy through the movement of fluids (liquids and gases).

What is radiation?

Radiation is the transfer of heat energy through electromagnetic waves, such as sunlight.

What is a food chain?

A food chain is a linear sequence that illustrates how energy and nutrients flow through an ecosystem.

What is a food web?

A food web is a complex network of interlinked food chains in an ecosystem.

What is a trophic level?

A trophic level is a layer in the food chain, indicating the position of an organism in the ecosystem.

How do predators and prey interact?

Predators hunt and consume prey, influencing population dynamics and energy flow within an ecosystem.

What is an energy pyramid?

An energy pyramid is a graphical representation showing energy distribution among trophic levels in an ecosystem.

What is ecological succession?

Ecological succession is the process by which ecosystems change and develop over time.

What is a producer?

Producers are organisms, like plants, that produce energy through photosynthesis.

What is a consumer?

Consumers are organisms that cannot produce their own food and rely on eating other organisms for energy.

What is a decomposer?

Decomposers are organisms that break down dead material, returning nutrients to the soil.

What is biodiversity?

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in a particular ecosystem, including species richness and ecological diversity.

What is an abiotic factor?

Abiotic factors are non-living chemical and physical parts of the environment that affect living organisms.

What human activities impact ecosystems?

Human activities such as deforestation, pollution, and climate change significantly impact ecosystems and their energy balance.

What is climate change?

Climate change refers to shifts in global or regional climate patterns, often attributed to human activity.

How does energy flow through an ecosystem?

Energy flows through ecosystems from producers to consumers and eventually to decomposers through food chains and webs.