UNIT 2
Chapters 3& 4
Essential Questions
Warm-Ups
Labs:
Acid & Base
Energy from Yeast
Aquatic Productivity
Microbial Succession
Activities:
Smokey Mountain Food Chain
Eating at a lower Trophic Level, Molnar 16
Homework:
Questions 3 & 4
Vocabulary
Flip Charts
Basic Math
Decomposition of Fallen Leaves
Environmental Laws
Test:
Ch. 3 & 4 September 23
Unit 2 Vocabulary:
Chapter 3
1. inductive reasoning
2. deductive reasoning
3. positive feedback loop
4. negative feedback loop
5. synergistic interaction
6. atomic number
7. mass number
8. pH
9. organic compounds
10. kinetic energy
11.potential energy
12. electromagnetic radiation
13. ionizing radiation
14. non-ionizing radiation
15. convection
16. conduction
17.radiation
18. high-quality energy
19. low-quality energy
20. law of conservation of matter
21. persistence
22.degradable (non-persistent)
23. biodegradable pollutants
24. natural radioactive decay
25. radioactive isotopes
26. half-life
27. nuclear fission
28. nuclear fusion
29. First Law of Thermodynamics
32. Second Law of Thermodynamics
Chapter 4
1. ecology
2. organism
3. eukaryotic
4. prokaryotic
5. asexual reproduction
6. sexual reproduction
7. population
8. genetic diversity
9. community
10. biological community
11. troposphere
12. stratosphere
13. hydrosphere
14. lithosphere
15. biosphere
16. photosynthesis
17. biomes
18. climate
19. aquatic life zones
20. ecotone
21. abiotic
22. biotic
23. ecosystem
24. range of tolerance
cycles)
25. Law of Tolerance
26. limiting factors
27. producers (autotrophs)
28. consumers (heterotrophs)
29. herbivores (primary consumers)
30. carnivores (secondary consumers)
31. tertiary consumers
32. omnivores
33. scavengers
34. detritivores
35. detritus feeders
36. decomposers
37. aerobic respiration
38. anaerobic respiration (fermentation
39. biodiversity
40. genetic diversity
41. species diversity
42. ecological diversity
43. functional diversity
44. food chain
45. trophic level
46. food web
47. biomass
48. ecological efficiency
49. pyramid of energy flow
50. pyramid of numbers
51. gross primary productivity (GPP)
52. net primary productivity (NPP)
53. hydrologic cycle
54. evaporation
55. transpiration
56. condensation
57. precipitation
59. percolation
60. absolute humidity
61. relative humidity
62. dew point
63. biogeochemical cycles (nutrient
64. carbon cycle
65. nitrogen cycle
66. nitrogen fixating bacteria
67. nitrification
68. assimilation
69. ammonification
70. denitrification
71.sulfur cycle
72. phosphorus cycle
Chapter 3
1. Define Matter. Distinguish between the following: atoms, ions, molecules, isotopes,
protons, neutrons, electrons, atomic number. List three physical properties of matter.
2. What is the law of conservation of matter?
3. What are the building blocks of Nature? What two chemical forms is matter found in?
4. Define chemical formula. Distinguish between molecular compounds held together by
covalent bonds and ionic compounds held together by ionic bonds. Describe a hydrogen
bond.
5. Define organic compound. List four important organic polymers and their building
blocks. Contrast organic and inorganic. Give two examples of inorganic compounds.
6. Distinguish between high-quality and low-quality matter.
7. Describe how the law of conservation of matter and energy governs normal physical and
chemical change. Explain the phrase” There is no way”.
8. Describe why the law of conservation of matter and energy is necessary to govern nuclear
changes. Distinguish among gamma rays, alpha particles, beta particles, nuclear fission
and nuclear fusion.
9. Define energy. Distinguish between kinetic and potential energy, ionizing and nonionizing radiation, high quality and low quality energy
10. Summarize the first and second laws of thermodynamics and give and example of each.
11. Describe the implications of the law of conservation of matter and the second law of
energy for high-waste, matter – recycling and low-waste societies.
Chapter 4
1. Define ecology. List and distinguish among the five levels of organization of matter that
are the focus of the realm of ecology.
2. What are the major parts of the Earth’s life support system. Briefly describe how the sun,
gravity, and nutrient cycles sustain life on Earth. Compare the flow of matter and the
flow of energy through the biosphere.
3. Do ecosystems have distinct boundaries? Explain what an ecotone is.
4. Define abiotic component of an ecosystem. List three important physical factors and three
important chemical factors that have large effects on ecosystems.
5. In your own words explain the law of tolerance. Draw the diagram. Compare the
limiting factors in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems
6. Define biotic component of an ecosystem. Distinguish between producers and
consumers. List and distinguish four types of consumers. Distinguish among
scavengers, detritus feeders and decomposers. Distinguish between photosynthesizes and
chemo synthesizers; aerobic respiration and anaerobic respiration.
7. Distinguish between food chains and food webs; grazing food web and detrital food web.
Apply the second law of energy to food chains and pyramids of energy, which describe
energy flow in ecosystems. Explain how there may be exceptions to pyramids of
numbers and biomass, but not energy.
8. Evaluate which ecosystems show the highest average net primary productivity and which
contribute most to global net primary productivity.
9. Summarize the hydrological cycle. Describe the unique properties of water and how it
contributes to life. Summarize the human impact on the water cycle.
10. Summarize the carbon cycle. Describe a connection between the carbon cycle and the
heating of the Earth’s atmosphere. Summarize the human impact on the carbon cycle.
11. Summarize the nitrogen cycle. Describe a connection between plants and the atmosphere
that makes nitrogen useable for humans and other consumers. Summarize the human
impact on the nitrogen cycle.
12. Summarize the phosphorus cycle and sulfur cycle. Summarize the human impact on
each. Which cycle does NOT have a gas stage?