APES
Question Set—Chapter 3
As you read, please answer the following questions. These will be checked for
completion. The questions may also be duplicated on in-class quizzes. Sometimes, I’ll let
you use these notes for the quizzes.
1) What is the difference between a eukaryotic cell and a prokaryotic cell? What is an
example of each?
2) Describe what a species is.
3) What is the order of hierarchy for how living things are classified (ie: the broadest
classification is biosphere). Know what each of these terms mean.
4) Explain the difference between hydrosphere, atmosphere, and geosphere (also called
lithosphere). Discuss the difference between the terms stratosphere and troposphere.
5) What are the two aquatic life zones and how are they different?
6) Describe the natural greenhouse effect. What may be increasing this effect?
7) What is the difference between abiotic and biotic factors?
8) What is the example of the range of tolerance that the book gives and what does it
mean?
9) Describe what a trophic level is and what the different organisms are within the
different trophic levels (ie: primary consumers).
10) Give the definitions of the following terms: photosynthesis, anaerobic respiration and
aerobic respiration.
11) Why are decomposers and detritus feeders “the key” to nutrient cycling?
12) Describe the difference between a food chain and a food web.
13) Explain why the Earth can support more people if they eat at a lower trophic level.
14) What is gross primary productivity as compared to net primary productivity?
15) What is a biogeochemical cycle? What is the other name for it?
16) What are the main components of the water cycle? How have humans altered it?
17) How does the carbon cycle work? Where does carbon come from? How has it been
altered?
18) The nitrogen cycle is probably the most complex we’ll cover. Through your reading,
what is your understanding of it and what are some of the main ways humans add
nitrogen to the environment?
19) Why is phosphorus important to the environment? How are humans altering the
phosphorus cycle? What are some key differences between this cycle and the carbon,
nitrogen and water cycles?
20) In considering the sulfur cycle, what are some of the ways humans have altered it?
21) What are the three ways scientists study nature? Give an example of each one.