Name: _____________________________________________ Date: ______________ Period: _________
Chapter 2: Science, Matter, Energy, and Systems
Vocabulary: Due















Scientific hypothesis
Null hypothesis
Scientific theory
Scientific law
Peer review
Inductive reasoning
Deductive reasoning
Paradigm shift
Frontier science
Matter
Atomic theory
Atomic number
Mass number
Isotope
Acidity














pH
Organic compounds
Inorganic compounds
Genes
Traits
Matter quality
Natural radioactive decay
Nuclear fission
Nuclear fusion
Radioactive isotope
Law of conservation of
matter
Kinetic energy
Potential energy
Heat













Electromagnetic radiation
Energy quality
Law of conservation of
energy
Second law of
thermodynamics
Energy efficiency
System
Input
Throughput
Output
Feedback loop
Time delay
Synergistic interaction
Tipping point
Objectives: Due
1. Describe the controlled scientific experiment carried out at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest.
2. Describe the steps involved in the scientific process.
3. Think of an area you have seen where some significant change has occurred to a natural system. What is a
question you might ask in order to start a scientific process to evaluate the effects of this change?
4. Distinguish among a scientific hypothesis, scientific theory, and scientific law.
5. What is peer review and why is it important?
6. Explain why scientific theories are not to be taken lightly and why people often use the term “theory’
incorrectly.
7. Distinguish between inductive reasoning and deductive reasoning and give an example of each.
8. What are five limitations of science and environmental science?
9. What is the atomic theory?
10. Distinguish between the atomic number and the mass number of an element.
11. Distinguish between organic compounds and inorganic compounds and give an example of each.
12. Distinguish among complex carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids.
13. Distinguish between high-quality matter and low-quality matter and give an example of each.
14. Explain the differences among natural radioactive decay, nuclear fission, and nuclear fusion.
15. What is the law of conservation of matter and why is it important?
16. A tree grows and increases its mass. Explain why this phenomenon is not a violation of the law of
conservation of matter.
17. Distinguish between kinetic energy and potential energy and give an example of each.
18. Define and give two examples of electromagnetic radiation.
19. Distinguish between high-quality energy and low-quality energy and give an example of each.
20. Someone wants you to invest money in an automobile engine, claiming that it will produce more energy
than the energy in the fuel used to run it. What is your response? Explain.
21. What is the second law of thermodynamics and why is it important?
22. Explain why this law means that we can never recycle or reuse high-quality energy.
23. Distinguish among the input, throughput, and output of a system.
24. Distinguish between a positive feedback loop and a negative feedback loop in a system and give an
example of each.
25. Distinguish between a time delay and a synergistic interaction in a system and give an example of each.