environment
the surroundings/conditions in which a living thing (plant/animal/person) operates
environmental science
a field of study focused on the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of an organism's surroundings
ecosystem
a geographic area where plants, animals, other organisms, weather and landscapes work together to create a network of life
biotic
living
abiotic
nonliving
environmentalist
a person who works to protect the environment
ecosystem service
outputs, conditions, or processes of natural systems that directly or indirectly benefit humans
economic service
government-provided services that help struggling individuals get the support they need
biodiversity
the total variety of life on Earth
genetic diversity
the range of different inherited traits in a species
species
a group of related organisms that have common characteristics and can interbreed
species diversity
the number of species that are represented in a given community
speciation
the formation of new and unique species in the course of evolution.
greenhouse gas
any gas that absorbs heat energy emitted from the Earth's surface- examples include water, methane, and carbon dioxide
anthropogenic
originating in human activity
sustainability
The ability to keep in existence or maintain. A sustainable ecosystem is one that can be maintained
Biophilia
the human instinct to connect with nature and other living things
ecological footprint
the impact of human activities on the environment
hypothesis
a testable statement that explains an observed phenomenon
control group
the group that does not receive the experimental treatment.
sample size
the number of participants or observations in a study
Replication (during experimentation)
repeating an experiment in the same conditions to see how reliable the conclusions are that you draw from the data
theory
a well-supported explanation of an aspect of the natural world
matter
anything that has mass and occupies space
mass
the amount of matter in an object
atom
the most basic unit of matter
element
A pure substance made of only one kind of atom
molecule
A group of atoms bonded together to form the smallest fundamental unit of a chemical compound
isotopes
Atoms with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons
covalent bond
A chemical bond formed when two atoms share electrons
ionic bond
chemical bond formed when one or more electrons are transferred from one atom to another
hydrogen bond
a weak bond between two molecules resulting from an attraction between a proton in one molecule and an electronegative atom in the other.
polar molecule
molecule with an unequal distribution of charge, resulting in the molecule having a positive end and a negative end
surface tension
property of the surface of a liquid that allows it to resist an external force
capillary action
the attraction of the surface of a liquid to the surface of a solid
acid
any compound that forms H+ ions in solution
base
a compound that produces hydroxide ions in solution
pH
an expression of hydrogen ion concentration in water
chemical reaction
a process that changes molecular or ionic structure of a substance (not just a physical change)
law of conservation of matter
Matter is neither created nor destroyed
carbohydrate
compound made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms; major source of energy for the human body
protein
A three dimensional polymer made of monomers of amino acids- important nutrient for the body to grow and repair cells
lipid
organic compounds that are fatty acids and are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents. examples are natural oils, waxes, and steroids
nucleic acid
biopolymers and macromolecules essential to all forms of life
DNA/RNA
two types of nucleic acids. DNA replicates and stores genetic information, RNA converts this genetic information to a format used to build proteins and then transfers it to protein factories
cell
the most basic and smallest structural/functional unit of an organism
energy
the ability to do work
chemical energy
energy stored in the bonds of atoms and molecules
first law of thermodynamics
energy cannot be created nor destroyed, though it can be transferred between the system and surroundings
second law of thermodynamics
when energy is transformed or transferred, more and more of it is wasted, also heat can flow spontaneously from a hot object to a cold object but not in the reverse