AP Environmental Science – Study Guide Unit 1 Test Coverage: Miller pp.1-49, 615-626 Relevant Vocabulary: environment environmental science environmentalism natural capital natural resources natural services sustainability exponential growth economic growth gross domestic product (GDP) per capita GDP GPI economic development developed country developing country doubling time rule of 70 ecological footprint renewable resource nonrenewable resource perpetual resource environmental degradation pollution point sources non-point sources pollution prevention pollution clean-up poverty affluenza environmental impact theory law of progressive simplification agricultural revolution industrial-medial revolution information-globalization revolution frontier environmental worldview frontier era environmental ethics planetary management worldview stewardship worldview environmental wisdom worldview biodiversity social capital trade-off common property resource scientific hypothesis scientific theory scientific law observation scientific method experiment induction deduction paradigm shift single variable analysis multivariable analysis matter elements chemical bonds compounds atomic number atoms nucleus neutrons electrons protons ion isotopes mass number pH acidic solution basic solution neutral solution molecule organic compounds inorganic compounds chemical formula chromosomes genes cells prokaryotic eukaryotic organelles macromolecules monomers simple carbohydrates hydrocarbons chlorinated hydrocarbons complex carbohydrates proteins lipids nucleic acids solid liquid gas plasma material efficiency high-quality matter low-quality matter matter quality law of conservation of matter chemical change physical change chemical reaction persistence slowly degradable (persistent) pollutants controlled nuclear fusion uncontrolled nuclear fusion nondegradable pollutants degradable (nonpersistent) pollutants biodegradable pollutants radioactive isotopes half-life natural radioactive decay nuclear change nuclear fission nuclear fusion critical mass energy heat kinetic energy chemical energy potential energy electromagnetic radiation high-quality energy low-quality energy first law of thermodynamics second law of thermodynamics law of conservation of energy energy efficiency matter-recycling economy sinks high-throughput economies low-throughput economy Relevant Concepts: Explain the difference between environmental science and environmentalism Define and explain natural capital. Differentiate between natural resources and natural services. Explain the ideal of environmental sustainability Interpret a graph of U.S. and international population growth. Calculate the doubling time of a population given its current population and growth rate. Explain the effects of exponential population growth on an environmental system. Explain the difference between developed and developing countries (or 1st, 2nd, and 3rd world countries). Compare GDP and GPI. Identify practices that lead to environmentally sustainable economic development. Explain why economic disparities, poverty, and affluenza exacerbate environmental problems. Distinguish among perpetual, renewable, and non-renewable resources. Give examples of each. Explain the tragedy of the commons. Be able to identify a common property resource. Explain the term “ecological footprint.” Identify actions that increase and decrease this footprint. Define pollution. Distinguish between point sources and non-point sources. Compare and contrast pollution prevention and pollution clean-up. Identify the basic causes of environmental problems. Identify the major steps in the “Story of Stuff.” Cite unsustainable practices mentioned in this linear model. Explain environmental impact theory. Use the IPAT equation to determine the environmental impact of a particular practice. Differentiate between the major eras in human environmental impact. Provide the characteristics of various environmental worldviews. Explain the four components of sustainability. Characterize the nature of science Provide the scientific definition for hypothesis, law, and theory. Explain the difference between induction and deduction. Explain how the scientific method provides a mechanism for paradigm shifts that might benefit the field of environmental science. Chapter 2 Types and Structure of Matter What is matter? What is an element? How are elements classified? What is the structure of an atom? Name the principal subatomic particles, their charge, mass, and location in the atom. Describe their arrangement in the atom. Explain the difference between the atomic number and the mass number of an atom. What is an isotope? Explain how an atom can become an ion. Describe the pH scale. What is the difference between an acid and a base. Why is water considered to be a neutral substance? Explain the difference between ionic and covalent compounds. What is an organic compound? What is a diatomic molecule? What is polyatomic ion? Describe the differences among hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons, and simple carbohydrates. What are the major polymers that comprise the organic molecules of life? From what are each composed? What is the relationship between genes and chromosomes? What is an inorganic compound? What is a cell? Compare prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. What is an organelle? Describe the states of matter. Explain the differences among each. What is the difference between high quality and low quality matter. Give an example of each. What is material efficiency/resource productivity? Changes in Matter What is the difference between a chemical change and a physical change? State the law of conservation of matter. Describe its implications for matter cycling on the Earth. What is a pollutant? What governs the harmfulness of pollutants? What are the four categories of pollutants? What is a nuclear change? What happens when an atom undergoes a nuclear change? What is radioactive decay? Calculate the leftover amount of a radioactive substance if its halflife is given. What is nuclear fission? How is it used to provide energy? Energy What is energy? What are its different forms? How can energy be transferred? What rules govern the transfer of energy? What is heat? Energy Laws: Two Rules We Cannot Break Describe the implications of the laws of thermodynamics. Compare high-quality and low-quality energy. Describe why energy transfers are not 100% efficient. Sustainability and Matter and Energy Laws Compare and contrast high-throughput and low-throughput economies. What is more sustainable? Explain how reuse-recycling economies are more sustainable.