Geoscience exam 1

Environmental Science

The interactions and impacts between the biological, chemical, and physical components of the environment and humanity

Sustainability

The quality of not being harmful to the environment or depleting natural resources, and thereby supporting long-term ecological balance

Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations

The use of a resource that neither depletes nor destroys the resource or the ability of natural systems to ”absorb” the waste and pollution produced by human activities

Environmentally Sound

Does not negatively affect the environment.

Reduces environmental damage through processes and materials that generate fewer potential damaging substances

Economically Feasible

Is there a potential to create jobs? Is it cost effective?

Equity

Are we making sure that people have access to what is being created?

fairness or justice in the way people are treated, and especially freedom from bias or favoritism

Equality

the quality or state of having the same rights and opportunities.

Interdisciplinary

•Environmental science that includes a variety of fields of study (disciplines) such as:

–Atmospheric sciences

–Ocean science

–Ecology

–Agronomy

–Soil Science

Geography

Holistic Approach

Environmental science has to consider information from a variety of different disciplines to help solve the issues related to human impacts on the environment

Environment

The natural world, as a whole or in a particular geographical area, especially as affected by human activity.

The surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates

Biotic Factors

organisms, their food, and their interactions

Abiotic Factors

sunlight, soil, air, water, climate, and pollution

Ecology

study of the interactions between organisms and between organisms and their environment

Ecosystem

includes all organisms living in an area and the physical environment with which these organisms interact

Anthropogenic

Originating in and from human activity

Scientific Method

Systematic process for learning about the world and testing our understanding of it.

Natural Resource

resources that are drawn from nature and used with few modifications. This includes the sources of valued characteristics such as commercial and industrial use, aesthetic value, scientific interest and cultural value. (Note renewable vs. non-renewable)

Natural Capital

the world's stock of natural resources, which includes geology, soils, air, water and all living organisms. Some natural capital assets provide people with free goods and services, often called ecosystem services. All of these underpin our economy and society, and thus make human life possible

Ecosystem Services

 wide range of services that humans derive from natural capital.

Permaculture

an approach to land management and settlement design that adopts arrangements observed in flourishing natural ecosystems

Sustainable City / Green City

 a city designed with consideration for social, economic, environmental impact, and resilient habitat for existing populations, without compromising the ability of future generations to experience the same.

Green Building & Sustainable Architecture

architecture that seeks to minimize the negative environmental impact of buildings through improved efficiency and moderation in the use of materials, energy, development space and the ecosystem at large.

Sustainable Agriculture

Farming in sustainable ways meeting society's present food and textile needs, without compromising the ability for current or future generations to meet their needs. It can be based on an understanding of ecosystem services.

Opinion

 a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge

Scientific Hypothesis

Suggested solution for an unexplained occurrence that does not fit into current accepted scientific theory.

are either supported by the data collected or refuted by the data collected.

Scientific Theory

 A well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world, based on a body of facts that have been repeatedly confirmed through observation and experiment. Such fact-supported theories are not "guesses" but reliable accounts of the real world. explains WHY.

Scientific Law

Descriptions — often mathematical descriptions — of natural phenomenon; laws simply describe the observation, not why they work. flexible. It can have exceptions, be proven wrong or evolve over time. explains HOW.

Paradigm Shift (aka scientific revolution)

A significant change in a theory or practice.

Paradigm Theory (normal science)

general theory that helps to provide scientists working in a particular field with their broad theoretical framework i.e. basic assumptions, key concepts, and methodology. It gives research its general direction and goals. It represents an exemplary model of good science within a particular discipline.

Falsifiable

In science, a claim must be testable in a way that could show it to be false or refute it.

System

 a term used for any complex whole, with smaller connected parts working together.

Subsystem

Complex systems are made up of multiple Of these

Cycle

is something that never stops- with no beginning and no end

Geosphere

 the earth and its internal components

The crust of the planet composed of rock and minerals. it includes the solid crust (lithosphere or crust), the molten mantle and the liquid and solid parts of the earth's core.

Atmosphere

layer of gases surrounding the earth

the gaseous layer surrounding the earth and held to its surface by gravity.

Hydrosphere

all water on earth

Those parts of the earth system composed of water in its liquid, gaseous (vapor) and solid (ice) phases.

Cryosphere

ice, snow, permafrost

Solar Energy Cycle

Interaction of the sun’s solar energy with the surface of the earth.

Biosphere

all of life. Contains all living organisms and it is intimately related to the other three spheres.

Greenhouse Effect

the natural trapping of the sun's warmth in a planet's lower atmosphere, due to the greater transparency of the atmosphere to visible radiation from the sun than to infrared radiation emitted from the planet's surface.

Greenhouse Effect

the natural trapping of the sun's warmth in a planet's lower atmosphere, due to the greater transparency of the atmosphere to visible radiation from the sun than to infrared radiation emitted from the planet's surface.

Water cycle phase 2

Water vapor evaporates from the ocean into the atmosphere to form clouds.

Water cycle phase 3

This condenses into clouds which are transported over land.

Water cycle phase 4

Precipitation (rain or snow) happens (over land and water)

Water cycle phase 5

Some of the water sinks into the ground becoming groundwater.

Water cycle phase 6

All water eventually makes it way back to the oceans.

Biogeochemical Cycles

Important biological cycles are geochemical cycles

Positive Feedback Loop

A change that makes itself worse — the result feeds back into the cause and pushes things further in the same direction

It speeds a system up or pushes it off balance. The system does not recover to its original state.

Negative Feedback Loop

A change that corrects itself — the result pushes back against the cause and brings the system back toward balance. It keeps a system stable.

Local consequences

Effect a certain community or place

Global consequences

Consequences that effect the world as a whole.

Rock cycle

Transitions through geologic time via plate tectonics.  Among the three main rock types: sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous

One of the geospheres important earth cycles

Solar Energy Cycle

Interaction of the sun’s solar energy with the surface of the earth.

One of the atmospheres cycles

Example of an hydrosphere cycle

The water cycle

Geochemical cycles

The nitrogen cycle, phosphorus cycle, sulfur cycle, carbon cycle