APES Chapter 1-2 Test Study Guide
The following is a study guide for the chapter 1-2 test. The study guide is provided a guide only. There is no guarantee
that every question is represented. If you have completed your assignments (including reading the chapters and
knowing the vocabulary) there should not be any surprises----Enjoy
1. Accuracy vs. Precision
o Accuracy: how close to actual value
o Precision: how close to one another when experiment repeated
2. Bases have more _OH ions while acids have more __H ions.
3. Be able to convert numbers within the metric system (Calories to calories or given watts per hour be able to
calculate kwh per unit of time. See table 2.1 and you do the math on pg 38
4. Be able to define matter, electrons, mass, element, atomic number, electrons and isotopes.
o Matter: is anything that occupies space and has mass
o Electrons: are negatively charged , smaller mass than protons and neutrons
o Mass: the amount of matter it contains
o Atomic Number:number of protons in the nucleus
o Atomic mass: Protons and neutrons in the nucleus
o Isotopes: element with the same amount of protons and electrons but different amount of neutrons
5. Be able to identify and define the parts of the scientific method. (given a description of and experiment).
o Question
o Hypothesis
o Experiment
 Control group
 Experimental group
 Independent variable
 Dependent variable
 Natural experiment
o Data collection
o Conclusion
o Repeat
6. Describe how greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere are changing. (steady state, increasing decreasing).
o Steady State: inputs= outputs (water cycle)
o Green house gasses are increasing
7. Describe how ionic, covalent, and hydrogen bonds form.
o Covalent: electrons are shared
o Ionic: charged ions are attracted to eachother
o H: weak bonds created when H bonds of a molecule that are slightly positive are attracted to something
negative
8. Describe the basic properties of lipids.
o Small, hate water, fats, waxes, steroids, cell membranes
9. Describe the law of conservation of matter?
o Matter cannot be created or destroyed; it can only change form
10. Describe the story of the Neuse River. What does the story show about environmental science?
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Pfiesteria creates a toxin that kills fish,they can change forms from harmless herbivores to toxin creating
carnivores
o Environmental science is not always clear cut
How do potential and kinetic energy differ?
o Potential energy: stored energy
o Kinetic energy: the energy in motion
How is neutral represented on the pH scale. 7
How many people are in the world? Close to 7 billion
Inductive vs. Deductive reasoning
o Inductive:General statements from specific facts
o Dectuctive: applying general statemnets to specific facts
The pH scale is logarithmic? What does this mean? What does it mean if you move from a pH of 2 to a pH of 8?
o There is a 10 fold difference between the numbers. 1000000.
To what does the term “our environment” refer?
o The sum of all the conditions surrounding us that influence life
Water is polar? Why and what does this mean?
o Yes, Oxygen has a higher electronegativity and a stronger pull on their shared electrons, making oxygen
slithgyly negative and hydrogen slightly positive.
o Polar molecules stick to eachother due to the attraction between the + and - parts
What are the building blocks of proteins?amino acids
What are the four major macromolecules?proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, carbohydrates
What does an ecological footprint measure? What is taken into account when determining an individual’s
human foot print. If everyone lived like Americans how many worlds would we need?
o Is a measure how much that persons consumes in terms of resources (food, water, energy, other
activities)
o Calculated in terms of land mass
o 5 Earths
What is a closed system?
o Matter and energy exchanges across boundaries never occur, underground caves are almost a closed
system, rare
What is biodiversity? Genetic, species, ecosystem variety within an ecosystem
What is capillary action? How does it relate to adhesion and cohesion?
o When adhesion of water to a surface is stronger than the cohesion between the water molecules
What is meant by ecosystem services? Water, soil, food, shelter etc
What is radioactive decay and how is it measured? Spontaneous release of material from the nucleus, measured
in half-life
What is surface tension and what causes it? Results from cohesion of water molecules at the surface of water
What is the “ability to do work”? energy
What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources? Give examples of each. Easy.. not
giving the answer to this one
What is the relationship between genetic diversity and a populations ability to respond to changes in an
ecosystem? More genetic diversity increases the chance f species survival
What is the Shannon-Weiner diversity index? Given the formula be able to calculate the relative diversity of two
groups. +sum of (Pi(ln(pi))=H
What is the ultimate/major source of energy on earth?the sun!!!!