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Questions and Answers
What effect does hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico primarily have on marine organisms?
What effect does hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico primarily have on marine organisms?
What type of bond occurs when electrons are shared between atoms?
What type of bond occurs when electrons are shared between atoms?
Which of the following best describes an organic compound?
Which of the following best describes an organic compound?
What is the primary function of nucleic acids?
What is the primary function of nucleic acids?
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Which of the following elements is naturally occurring and counts as one of the 94 identified elements?
Which of the following elements is naturally occurring and counts as one of the 94 identified elements?
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Which property of water is primarily responsible for its ability to dissolve many substances?
Which property of water is primarily responsible for its ability to dissolve many substances?
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What characterizes a solution compared to other types of mixtures?
What characterizes a solution compared to other types of mixtures?
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What is the pH range of a basic solution?
What is the pH range of a basic solution?
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Which statement about ionic bonds is true?
Which statement about ionic bonds is true?
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In a negative feedback loop, what is the typical outcome?
In a negative feedback loop, what is the typical outcome?
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What type of compound lacks carbon-to-carbon bonds?
What type of compound lacks carbon-to-carbon bonds?
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Which statement best describes how the U.S. government and farmers relate to fertilizer use?
Which statement best describes how the U.S. government and farmers relate to fertilizer use?
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Which macromolecule is primarily responsible for energy storage in organisms?
Which macromolecule is primarily responsible for energy storage in organisms?
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What causes a solution to be classified as acidic?
What causes a solution to be classified as acidic?
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Which of the following best describes a positive feedback loop?
Which of the following best describes a positive feedback loop?
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What distinguishes lipids from other macromolecules?
What distinguishes lipids from other macromolecules?
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What characterizes the asthenosphere in relation to plate tectonics?
What characterizes the asthenosphere in relation to plate tectonics?
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Which statement accurately describes the difference between convergent and divergent plate boundaries?
Which statement accurately describes the difference between convergent and divergent plate boundaries?
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What is the composition of Earth's inner core?
What is the composition of Earth's inner core?
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Which layer is directly above the asthenosphere?
Which layer is directly above the asthenosphere?
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What is the primary composition of the hydrosphere?
What is the primary composition of the hydrosphere?
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Which type of boundary is characterized by plates sliding past each other?
Which type of boundary is characterized by plates sliding past each other?
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What percentage of Earth's water is considered unfrozen fresh water?
What percentage of Earth's water is considered unfrozen fresh water?
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Which term describes one tectonic plate sliding beneath another?
Which term describes one tectonic plate sliding beneath another?
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What is a consequence of nutrient-rich runoff in the Gulf of Mexico?
What is a consequence of nutrient-rich runoff in the Gulf of Mexico?
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Which statement accurately defines an element?
Which statement accurately defines an element?
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What is the fundamental difference between covalent and ionic bonds?
What is the fundamental difference between covalent and ionic bonds?
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What is the primary result of collisions between tectonic plates at convergent boundaries?
What is the primary result of collisions between tectonic plates at convergent boundaries?
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What is a characteristic of hydrocarbons?
What is a characteristic of hydrocarbons?
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Which of the following accurately describes a solution?
Which of the following accurately describes a solution?
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Which layer of the Earth is characterized as being very hot and mostly solid?
Which layer of the Earth is characterized as being very hot and mostly solid?
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What happens to marine organisms when hypoxia occurs in the Gulf of Mexico?
What happens to marine organisms when hypoxia occurs in the Gulf of Mexico?
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Which type of plate boundary is formed when tectonic plates are pushed apart?
Which type of plate boundary is formed when tectonic plates are pushed apart?
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What percentage of Earth's water is classified as salt water?
What percentage of Earth's water is classified as salt water?
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Which process involves the transfer of electrons resulting in ionic bonding?
Which process involves the transfer of electrons resulting in ionic bonding?
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Which type of compound is characterized by having carbon-to-carbon bonds?
Which type of compound is characterized by having carbon-to-carbon bonds?
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Which layer is directly above the lower mantle?
Which layer is directly above the lower mantle?
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What keeps Earth warm enough to support life?
What keeps Earth warm enough to support life?
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Which of the following statements about mixtures is true?
Which of the following statements about mixtures is true?
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What are the basic units of matter that form all substances?
What are the basic units of matter that form all substances?
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What process occurs in the asthenosphere that leads to the movement of tectonic plates?
What process occurs in the asthenosphere that leads to the movement of tectonic plates?
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Which of the following statements about the biosphere is true?
Which of the following statements about the biosphere is true?
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What characterizes the outer core of the Earth?
What characterizes the outer core of the Earth?
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How long can it take for groundwater to recharge completely if depleted?
How long can it take for groundwater to recharge completely if depleted?
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What role do negative feedback loops play in environmental systems?
What role do negative feedback loops play in environmental systems?
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Which macromolecule provides both energy and structural support to living organisms?
Which macromolecule provides both energy and structural support to living organisms?
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What characterizes water's unique property of cohesion?
What characterizes water's unique property of cohesion?
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What pH range indicates an acidic solution?
What pH range indicates an acidic solution?
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In the context of Earth's spheres, which factor is primarily used to define their function?
In the context of Earth's spheres, which factor is primarily used to define their function?
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What happens to the density of water when it freezes?
What happens to the density of water when it freezes?
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Which statement about the pH scale is accurate?
Which statement about the pH scale is accurate?
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Which macromolecule is characterized as not being soluble in water?
Which macromolecule is characterized as not being soluble in water?
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What is a primary consequence of positive feedback loops in environmental systems?
What is a primary consequence of positive feedback loops in environmental systems?
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Which property of water is responsible for its resistance to temperature changes?
Which property of water is responsible for its resistance to temperature changes?
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Study Notes
Gulf of Mexico's Dead Zone
- Nutrient-rich runoff causes plankton blooms and hypoxia (low oxygen levels).
- Hypoxia kills or displaces marine organisms, impacting fisheries and the fishing industry.
- US government and farmers debate reducing fertilizer use.
- Distance between nitrogen/phosphorus source and dead zone can complicate management.
Atoms and Elements
- Atoms are the basic unit of matter.
- Nucleus contains protons and neutrons.
- Electrons move around the nucleus.
- Elements are substances that cannot be broken down into other substances.
- There are 94 naturally occurring and 24 artificially created elements.
Bonding
- Atoms combine by bonding.
- Covalent bonds involve shared electrons.
- Ionic bonds involve transferred electrons.
- A molecule is two or more atoms joined by covalent bonds.
- A compound is a substance composed of two or more different elements.
Organic and Inorganic Compounds
- Organic compounds primarily have covalently bonded carbon and often include hydrogen.
- Hydrocarbons are organic compounds containing only hydrogen and carbon.
- Inorganic compounds lack carbon-carbon bonds.
Solutions
- A mixture is a combination of elements, molecules, or compounds that are not bonded chemically.
- Solutions are mixtures with uniformly distributed ingredients.
- Mixtures can be solids, liquids, or gases.
Macromolecules
- Large organic compounds essential for life.
- Proteins perform various functions, including enzyme activity.
- Nucleic acids (DNA & RNA) control protein production.
- Carbohydrates provide energy and structure (sugars, starch, cellulose).
- Lipids (fats, waxes, hormones) are not soluble in water.
Water
- Water is essential for all living organisms.
- Hydrogen bonding gives water unique properties.
- Cohesion allows water to resist temperature changes.
- Water is less dense as a solid than a liquid.
- Water can dissolve many molecules.
Acids, Bases, and pH
- Water molecules separating into ions (H⁺ and OH⁻) creates acidic, basic, or neutral solutions.
- The pH scale measures acidity or basicity.
- A pH of 7 is neutral.
- A pH below 7 is acidic, with a high concentration of H⁺.
- A pH above 7 is basic, with a high concentration of OH⁻.
Interacting Systems
- Earth's interconnected systems use energy, information, and matter.
- Negative feedback loops stabilize systems, like thermoregulation in humans.
- Predator-prey cycles are an example of negative feedback.
- Positive feedback loops drive systems to extremes.
Spheres of Function
- Earth's systems are divided into spheres based on location and function.
- Geosphere: Earth's rocks and minerals.
- Lithosphere: Crust and uppermost mantle; includes tectonic plates.
- Asthenosphere: Soft middle mantle, heated by outer core.
- Lower mantle: Solid rock.
- Hydrosphere: Earth's water.
- Atmosphere: Earth's gases.
- Biosphere: Interacting living and nonliving things.
The Geosphere
- The geosphere consists of rocks and minerals.
- Crust: Earth's outer rocky layer.
- Mantle: Hot, mostly solid layer beneath the crust.
- Core: Inner and outer core, including molten metal.
Plate Tectonics
- Crust and mantle are divided into tectonic plates.
- Lithosphere: Crust and uppermost mantle, divided into tectonic plates.
- Asthenosphere: Soft, heated middle mantle.
- Convection currents in the asthenosphere move tectonic plates.
- Plate collisions/separation create landforms.
- Divergent, transform, and convergent are three major plate boundary types.
Divergent and Transform Plate Boundaries
- Divergent boundaries: Magma rises, pushing plates apart, creating new crust .
- Transform boundaries: Plates slip past each other, causing earthquakes.
Convergent Plate Boundaries
- Convergent boundaries: Plates collide, causing subduction (one plate slides under another) or mountain building.
The Biosphere and Atmosphere
- Biosphere: The part of Earth that contains living and nonliving things interacting.
- Atmosphere: Contains gases essential for life, including oxygen and greenhouse gases.
The Hydrosphere
- The hydrosphere consists of Earth's water (mostly salt water).
- Fresh water is a small portion (0.5%) of total water and usable for drinking and irrigation.
- Earth's fresh water includes surface water and groundwater.
The Water Cycle
- The continuous movement of water through the Earth's environment.
- Involves evaporation, transpiration, precipitation, runoff, infiltration, uptake, and groundwater.
Nutrient Cycling
- Matter cycles through the environment.
- Matter is transformed, not created or destroyed.
- Nutrients are essential for life processes.
- Nutrients circulate in biogeochemical cycles.
The Carbon Cycle
- Cycles carbon through the environment.
- Involves photosynthesis, cellular respiration, combustion, and the ocean-atmosphere exchange.
- Includes the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers.
The Phosphorus Cycle
- Cycles phosphorus through the environment.
- Involves weathering, erosion, runoff, uptake by plants, and return to the soil and ocean.
- Includes the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers.
- Humans add fertilizers and detergents affecting phosphorus distribution.
The Nitrogen Cycle
- Cycles nitrogen through the environment.
- Involves fixation, nitrification, denitrification, and other processes driven by organisms and human activities.
- Includes the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers.
- Humans influence nitrogen cycling through fossil fuel combustion, agriculture, and industrial emissions.
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Description
Test your knowledge on the basics of chemistry, covering atoms, elements, and different types of bonding. Explore the distinctions between organic and inorganic compounds while understanding the implications for the Gulf of Mexico's Dead Zone. Perfect for students looking to solidify their grasp on fundamental concepts in chemistry.
