APES Study Guide
Unit 2 – Science, Systems, Matter, and Energy & Soil and Geology
In this unit we will begin studying the earth’s physical characteristics and how man’s influence affects the
physical nature of the earth.
Reading
Miller, Living in the Environment, 15th Edition, Chapters 2 (pg 28-48) and Chapter 15 (pg 335-353)
Major Assignments
Soil Lab
Biogeochemical Cycle Project
Vocabulary (65 terms)
Chapter 2
scientific data
experiment
scientific hypothesis
model
scientific theory
scientific law
accuracy
precision
scientific methods
serendipity
variables
control
double blind
placebo
inductive reasoning
deductive reasoning
frontier science
consensus science
technology
system
structure
function
mental models
conceptual models
graphic models
physical models
mathematical models
input
accumulation
flow (throughput)
output
sinks
feedback loop
positive feedback loop
negative feedback loop
homeostasis
time delay
synergistic interaction
synergy
chaos
butterfly effect
elements
compounds
mixtures
atoms
molecules
protons
neutrons
electrons
nucleus
atomic number
mass number
isotopes
chemical formula
organic compounds
genes
genomes
gene mutations
chromosomes
inorganic compounds
crust
mineral
rock
matter quality
high-quality matter
low-quality matter
entropy
energy
kinetic energy
electromagnetic radiation
ionizing radiation
non-ionizing radiation
heat
temperature
potential energy
energy quality
high-quality energy
low-quality energy
chemical reaction
law of conservation of matter
law of conservation of matter
and energy
nuclear change
natural radioactive decay
radioisotopes
gamma rays
alpha particles
beta particles
half-life
nuclear fission
critical mass
chain reaction
nuclear fusion
law of conservation of energy
(1st law of thermodynamics)
2nd law of thermodynamics
high-waste societies
matter-recycling society
low-waste society
Chapter 15
soil
soil horizon
soil profile
humus
infiltration
leaching
soil texture
loam
mineral resource
ore
identified resource
undiscovered resource
reserve
overburden
spoil
open-pit mining
dredging
strip mining
depletion
reserve-to-production ratio
gangue
benefaction
tailings
smelting
soil erosion
desertification
salinization
waterlogging
soil conservation
conventional-tillage farming
conservation-tillage farming
terracing
contour farming
strip cropping
alley cropping
agroforestry
windbreak
shelterbelt
organic fertilizer
commercial inorganic fertilizer
animal manure
green manure
compost
crop rotation
Unit Objectives:
1. Summarize the rock cycle and be able to identify the major rock forming minerals. Distinguish
between igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.
2. Know six soil layers, four soil types, and four soil textures. Distinguish between porosity and
permeability, and describe how humus and pH contribute to soil fertility.
3. Describe the world and U.S. problems with soil erosion. Explain how U.S. soil erosion issues differ
from those of the rest of the world.
4. Name four mineral resources, and give one example of each. List four mineral products found in a
typical home.
5. Describe plate tectonics, and distinguish between the three types of plate boundaries.
6. Explain how seawater is a potential source of many metals, and how this resource could be exploited.
7. List the environmental impacts of extracting, processing, and using mineral resources.
8. Minerals are essentially nonrenewable resources. Many are being exploited at rates that will deplete
them within a generation or two. What are some of the economic and social effects of resource
deletion? How can society extend the lifetime of limited resources?
Sites of Interest
www.cengage.com/highered/ - Check the site for the chapter test and for the flashcards.
Important Dates
Vocabulary quiz –
Vocabulary quiz –
Unit Test –