Untitled Flashcards Set

●     What are SI units? Convert between metric and US customary units 

International systems of units (based on multiples of 10 where each successive unit is 1/10th of the previous larger unit and 10 times the next smaller unit 

●  How do we calculate means or averages? Add all the numbers up and then divide them by the total of numbers available in the set

●     What is Length? 

Measured in meters;measurement of how long something is from one end of the other 

o        What is the basic unit of length?

Meters 

o        Types of linear measurement. Linear measurements include length, width, distance, and  diameter.

o        Example of Instruments used to measure length

Ruler, tape measure, measuring wheel

  ●  What is Mass?

A measure of the amount of matter in an object or substance

o        What is the basic unit of mass?

Grams 

o        Examples of Instruments used to measure mass  

Spring scale, digital balance, beam balance 

●  What is Volume?

The amount of space that an object or substance occupies 

o        What is the basic unit of liquid volume?

litters

o        Example of Instruments used to measure volume 

 graduated cylinder, beaker, volumetric flask, pipette

o  What is the meniscus?

The upward or downward curve at the surface of a liquid in a cylinder, beaker, ect

o        How to read the meniscus 

Position yourself at eye level with the liquid and measure the volume at the bottom of the curved surface 

 ●  What is Temperature?

A measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in a substance (aka how hot or cold something is )

o        What is the basic unit of temperature?

Celsius to Fartenhiet (kelvin too)

o        Examples of Instruments used to measure mass

thermometer

●     What is the Diameter at breast height (DBH)? How to calculate DBH?

A standard method to measure the diameter of a tree’s trunk 

Calculation: circumference/ by pi

●     What is Accuracy? What is precision? Distinguish between accuracy and precision?

Accuracy : how closely a measurement agrees with a true or accepted value

Precision: how closely repeated measurements are to each other 

 Lab 2A and 2B: Scientific Investigation and Writing  ●  What is Scientific Investigation?

●     Describe the steps of the scientific investigation( methods):  Observation, Questions, Literature Review,

Observation: observing a phenomenon, organism, or discovery of a problem

Question: posed about the observation or problem to be solved (simple and testable and form of How, what, or why)

Literature review: background research or literature review (reviewing previous work) 

 Hypothesis, Prediction, Experiment, Conclusion

Hypothesis: potential explanation to the question, can be general or specific. 

Prediction: result that will occur if the hypothesis is correct “ if then statements “ 

Experiment: designed and conducted to test the hypothesis 

Conclusion: interpret and discuss the results 

●     What are the limitations of the scientific method?

Bias can occur through the formation of hypothesis, design experiments, and the interpretation of data. Data can be insufficient or incomplete 

●     Formulate testable hypotheses and predictions

A hypothesis is a testable statement that predicts the relationship between two variables.

It is often written in an If... then... format:

Example: "If plants receive more sunlight, then they will grow taller."

Key points:

Must be specific and measurable.

Should be based on existing knowledge or observations.

Must be testable through experiments.

Prediction:

A prediction is a specific, testable outcome expected if the hypothesis is correct.

It describes what will happen in the experiment.

Example: "If the plant gets 6 hours of sunlight, it will grow 10 cm taller in 2 weeks than the plant with 2 hours of sunlight."

Key points:

Specifies the independent variable (what you change) and dependent variable (what you measure).

Must be measurable and observable.

●     Identify factors important in experimental design

  o  Independent variables, treatment; factor that is changed or manipulated by the experimenter

 Dependent variables factor being observed, measured, or affected(observers responded of f this variable to change in the independent variable

 controlled variables kept the same for all groups

continuous variables vs discrete variables  continuous measures quantitatively and uses logical order of numbers ( temperature and length )

Discrete variables: mesured qualitative and uses categories or an unordered set of numbers (colors or shapres)

 experimental group vs. control group  experimental: group being treated with the independent variable 

Control;: group where the independent variable is standardized ; used to compare the results of the experimental (treatment) gorup

Replication repeated several times to ensure taht the resulrs are reliable and not due by chance

sample size the greater the number the more accurate the results 

●     Data presentation. Make simple graphs and tables with provided or calculated data.

                    o     Line graph shows the relationship between variables in an experiment( best suutied when the independent variable is continuous  vs. Histogram graph shows how often something happened in a set of data best used for continuous independent variables   vs. Bar graphs: used to compare data and identify trends ( best for independent caiables is discrete 

●     Develop reasonable conclusions based on collected data  o  Applying the Scientific Method:  Does sunscreen protect you from UV radiation? How  chemical sunscreens can affect exposure to UV radiation.

●     Parts of the scientific paper 

Title : one sentence description ofg the content of the paper

 Authors scitnetst that contributed mosrt to the researchwill be listed as authors

, Keywords describing the paper are assigned by the author 

 Abstract, written last, a one paragraph summary of the most important information of the entire study 

 Introduction serves to provide enough background information to understand the study and to explain the need for the im-portance of the study 

, Material and Methods decibels exactly what and how the experiments were performed to anser the question stated in the introduction enough detailed infgormation so that other scientists can repeat it 

  Results summary of what was found and presents darta in tables and figures 

Discussion, describes the author's interpretation of the results in teh context of the research question

Conclusion a summary of the most important findings of the worek and what they mean

, Acknowledgment, personally thanks anyone who contributed to the research, such as finding sources 

References) any information that is derived from anouthe resources must be cited in a scientific article. Theses citations are indicated throught the paper as numbers in superscript or paratehneses 

 Lab 3: Allelopathy: A plant-plant Interaction

●     What is Allelopathy? The production and release of chemicals into the environment that have harmful effects in the growth and development of neighboing plants (plant-plant interaction)

 What is plant competition? The struggle between plants for limited resources such as sunlight, water, nutriencet, and space

What are Species interactions?The different way organisms in an ecosystem interact with each other( can be beneficial, harmful, or netreual)

●     Effect of plant compounds on seed germination and seedling development Germination: the focus is on whether the seed starts growing and development: focuses on how well the seedling continues to grow into a mature plant. Depending on the compounds some may inhibit germination but not development while ofthers may affect both stages differentky

●     What are allelochemicals? List the disadvantages of using allelochemicals as bioherbicides.

Allelochemicals are compounds taht are not directly involved in primary plant functions, like growth and reproduction (secondary compounds)

A common compound the Juglone (from black walnut ) prevents gemination of many plants

Disadvatnageouses include: non-selectvity, slow action, soil persistence, and production challenges 

●     What are essential oils? What was the purpose of testing essential oils in this lab?

Essential oils are secondary compounds produced by aromatic plants that gives plants their flavor and fragrance 

If the presence of essential oils will increase the amount of germination a seed produces 

●     Describe how to control an invasive plant that is allelopathic 

Remove the invasive alleopathic mechanically ior chemically (uding herbidcieds)

Neturlize the alleochmicals using soil treatment 

Reintroduce native plants that can withstand or degeade alleochemicals 

●     Explain each of the classes of secondary compounds and known examples of them:

                    Alkaloids : akiline nitrogen -containing compounds. Many are toxic to other organisms and often have pharmacological effects (cafinee [ shoen to inhibit the germination of other seeds and can be letal to insects]  camellia sinesis[tea] and choclate

Terpenes largest and most weird groups of plant chencialas and include many essential oils Nepetalactone[attractive to members of the cat family] and THC [protects the plant form herbivore damage] 

Phenols compounds that contain a hydroxyl group bonded to an aromatic benzene ring )vanilla fragans)

 Lab 4: Building Green

●     What is a building green? The practice of creating environmentally and people friendly buildings 

What are the advantages of building green minimize the impact of buildings on the environment and the health od its occupants and vistors. Promotes native species, protects from invasive species, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and reducees the amount of harmful chemicals needed such as pesticides, fertilizers, and cleaning products. Also cheaper echonmically, creates less waste and uses less land, energy, and water

●     What is sustainability? Ability to practive to use resources that meet present and future human requirements without harming the environment

●     How is LEED certification obtained? Explain the features and functions of a LEED-certified building 

LEED certification is obtained through meetin the requirements of sustainable design, construction practice and operational performance . Adhering to environmental preactices like energy effcientcy, water conservation and materials usage. Reduce resources consumption, improve air quality ect.

●     How do you calculate Energy Composition, energy use, annual energy use, and annual cost? Key ()() = multiply 

kWh (kilowatt-hour) = (average energy use W) x (hours of bulb use/100)

kWh per year (Annual Energy use) = (kWh) (hours per day) (days per year)

Annual Cost per Year= (kWh per year)(cost  per kWh)

●     How do you calculate the cost of different types of lighting? By adjusting the average energy use in the formulas above 

• Incandescent bulbs consume more energy (e.g., 60W or 100W).

• CFL bulbs use less energy (e.g., 15W or 20W) for the same light output.

• LED bulbs are even more energy-efficient (e.g., 8W to 12W for equivalent brightness).

By adjusting the wattage, you can calculate the cost for any type of lighting using the formulas above.

●     Present recommendations on minimizing a building’s environmental impact  

To minimize a building’s environmental impact, focus on integrating energy-efficient technologies, resource conservation, and sustainable design principles throughout the building’s lifecycle, from construction to operation. The key is to adopt strategies that not only reduce the environmental footprint but also promote healthier, more comfortable spaces for occupants. 

●     Importance of environmentally sustainable practices and Describe things you can do to reduce your impact on the environment.

By incorporating sustainable practices into our daily lives, we can all play a part in reducing our environmental impact. Whether through energy conservation, waste reduction, sustainable food choices, or supporting environmental causes, these small changes can collectively contribute to a healthier planet for current and future generations. The key is to make environmentally conscious decisions and integrate them into everyday habits for long-term sustainability.

 Online Module: Bioplastics. This module is posted in Folio. Please complete the Bioplastic Quiz before  your midterm exam.

●     Are there environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic? Yes: Biodegradable plastics (Bioplastics) such as Poly Lactide Acid and Polydroxyalkanaoates PHA

●     What do we as a society need to do to help solve the plastic problem? Use reusable items and avoid single use plastics. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle government and corporate policesllad and make technological innovations

●     What role can you play in addressing the issue of plastic pollution?

●     What are bioplastics made from? Plant- based materials such as plant sugars, corn, wheat and potatos and bacteria

●     What are the potential benefits of using bioplastics? Renewable because they are derived form crops and environmentally better than conventional plastics 

●     Are bioplastics good for the environment? No they are BETTER than the conventional plastics but they are not good for the environment. They are compostable under ther right conditions and in landfills without oxygen and the right temp, they can produce methane emissions over time which is a potent greenhouse gas

●     What is the composting bioplastics process? ndustrial composting is the ideal setting for compostable bioplastics to break down efficiently, while home composting may not always provide the necessary temperature or aeration for complete degradation. Proper sorting and disposal practices are essential to ensure bioplastics are composted correctly rather than contributing to landfill or environmental pollution

●     What are the properties of plastics?

Durabile, lightweight, flexiable, water resistant, non biodegradable, thermal insulation, chemical resistance, electrical insulation

  What are they made from? Polymers , long chains of molecules 

  What is leachate? Liquid that forms when water filters through waste, like in landfills and picks up dissolved chemicals,heavy metals, and other harmfulr substances from the materials 

●     Are bioplastic biodegradable? Not all bioplastics are biodegradable

●     What are some products you think recycled plastics could be turned into. Plastic bags, clothing and fabrics, bottles and containers

●     Why do you think plastic became the go-to option? Durallbe and stong,lightweight, verstiailal and cost effective 

●     What if we tried to remove all the plastic waste from the sea? Would this be beneficial? Do you think  this (removal of the plastic) could have some unexpected consequences?

Vdd While removing plastic waste from the sea would certainly be beneficial for reducing the negative impact on marine life, ecosystems, and human health, it’s not without potential unintended consequences. The removal could disrupt some marine species' habitats and refuges, and it might not solve the root cause of plastic pollution, which is the ongoing production and improper disposal of plastics. 

 Tools/ instruments used during the lab course:  what are they and their uses?

●     Lab tools and equipment:  

Measuring Tape: Used to measure length, width, or distance.

Measuring Wheel: Used for measuring long distances, often in field studies.

Balances: Used to measure the mass of objects or substances.

Thermometers: Measure temperature (Celsius or Fahrenheit).

Forceps: Tweezers used to grasp, manipulate, or handle small objects.

Serological Pipets: Used to transfer precise volumes of liquids, often in biology or chemistry.

Serological Pipet Pumps: Attached to serological pipets for easier liquid transfer.

Transfer Pipets: Used to transfer small amounts of liquids, usually in drops.

Graduated Cylinders: Measure the volume of liquids accurately.

Rulers: Measure length or distance, typically in centimeters or inches.

Petri Dishes: Shallow dishes used for growing cultures, typically in microbiology.

Parafilm: A flexible, waterproof film used to seal containers or cover specimens.

Fixed Pipettes: Used to measure and transfer precise amounts of liquid.

Pipette Tips: Disposable tips that attach to pipettes to prevent cross-contamination.

●     Meters and units:  UV meter and power meter 

1. UV Meter

• Purpose: Measures the intensity of ultraviolet (UV) light.

• Units:

  • Microwatts per square centimeter (µW/cm²): Common unit for measuring UV intensity.

  • Watt per square meter (W/m²): Another unit sometimes used to measure UV radiation exposure.

2. Power Meter

• Purpose: Measures the amount of electrical power in a circuit or system.

• Units:

  • Watts (W): The standard unit for power, measuring the rate at which energy is used or generated.

  • Kilowatts (kW): 1,000 watts, commonly used for larger power measurements.

  • Milliwatts (mW): 1/1,000 of a watt, used for smaller power measurements.

Both meters are important for measuring specific forms of energy in different contexts (light and electricity).