APES Definitions

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