Earth Science Quiz: Ecosystems and Cycles
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Questions and Answers

What is the primary composition of Earth's atmosphere?

  • 76% nitrogen, 22% oxygen, 2% other gases
  • 70% nitrogen, 25% oxygen, 5% other gases
  • 80% nitrogen, 15% oxygen, 5% other gases
  • 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% other gases (correct)

Which of the following describes the lithosphere?

  • The layer of gases surrounding the Earth
  • The rocky outer shell of the Earth (correct)
  • A vast layer of water covering the Earth
  • The layer that supports all forms of life

What percentage of Earth's water is found in the oceans?

  • 75%
  • 85%
  • 97% (correct)
  • 90%

What is a significant characteristic of the biosphere?

<p>It encompasses all locations where life exists within the other three spheres. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the atmosphere affect Earth's temperature?

<p>It moderates temperature by preventing excessive heating and cooling. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the process called when liquid water transforms into water vapor?

<p>Evaporation (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is not a process associated with the water cycle?

<p>Photosynthesis (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What serves as a carbon source in the carbon cycle?

<p>Atmosphere (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about biogeochemical cycles is true?

<p>All matter is part of a biogeochemical cycle. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How is carbon cycled from nonliving to living organisms?

<p>By respiration and photosynthesis (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of consumer is characterized by eating both plants and animals?

<p>Omnivore (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key feature of food chains?

<p>They show a sequence of organisms feeding on one another. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do food webs differ from food chains?

<p>Food webs provide a more accurate representation of interactions within an ecosystem. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the fox population when its primary food source is removed from the food web?

<p>It may decrease as they find alternative food sources. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is biodiversity important in food webs?

<p>It decreases vulnerability to the decline of a single food source. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key feature of a sustainable ecosystem?

<p>It can maintain the same characteristics over time (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following correctly defines an ecosystem?

<p>All living organisms in a region interacting with each other and their environment (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main source of energy for organisms in an ecosystem?

<p>Radiant energy from the sun (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What process allows organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy?

<p>Photosynthesis (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a human impact that makes ecosystems unsustainable?

<p>Destroying natural habitats (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is one major human activity that directly contributes to increased carbon levels in the atmosphere?

<p>Burning fossil fuels (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a potential effect of climate change?

<p>Melting ice caps and glaciers (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately describes nitrogen fixation?

<p>It converts atmospheric nitrogen into usable compounds. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role do denitrifying bacteria play in the nitrogen cycle?

<p>They convert nitrogen compounds back to atmospheric nitrogen. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do excess nitrogen compounds typically manifest in the environment?

<p>As urea and ammonia (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a biotic factor?

<p>Mosquitoes (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What primarily determines the success of a species within a habitat?

<p>Biotic factors and interactions (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which abiotic factor is crucial for both terrestrial and aquatic species?

<p>Heat from sunlight (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What defines whether a species can flourish in a specific environment?

<p>The combination of abiotic and biotic factors (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following influences the population size of a species?

<p>Predators and food availability (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main function of chlorophyll in plants?

<p>To absorb sunlight for photosynthesis (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where does cellular respiration occur in plant cells?

<p>In mitochondria (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is produced as a result of photosynthesis?

<p>Oxygen and sugar (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about cellular respiration is true?

<p>It can happen continuously in organisms. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role do producers have in the ecosystem?

<p>They convert sunlight into energy. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the sugar produced during photosynthesis?

<p>It is stored for energy or used as building blocks. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How are photosynthesis and cellular respiration related?

<p>The products of photosynthesis are the reactants of cellular respiration. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which organisms are classified as consumers?

<p>Organisms that obtain energy by eating others (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which interaction occurs when two individuals compete for the same resources?

<p>Competition (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What term describes the maximum population size that a particular species can sustain in an ecosystem?

<p>Carrying capacity (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a negative impact on carrying capacity?

<p>Cutting down trees (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What concept explains the depletion of shared resources when individuals act independently without regard for the common good?

<p>Tragedy of the Commons (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship called when one organism benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed?

<p>Commensalism (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

What is the atmosphere?

The layer of gases surrounding Earth, composed mainly of nitrogen and oxygen, which regulates temperature and protects us from harmful solar radiation.

What is the lithosphere?

The rigid outer layer of Earth, composed of rocks and minerals.

What is the hydrosphere?

All the water on, above, and below Earth's surface, including oceans, lakes, ice, groundwater, and clouds.

What is the biosphere?

The area where all living things exist, interacting with the atmosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere.

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Where is the biosphere located?

The region where life exists on Earth, spanning across the atmosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere.

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Ecosystem Equilibrium

A state where an ecosystem's conditions remain constant over time, without degradation or depletion.

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Sustainable Ecosystem

An ecosystem that can maintain its functions and characteristics indefinitely without deterioration, ensuring its long-term survival.

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What is an Ecosystem?

All living organisms in a specific area, interacting with each other and their non-living environment.

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Photosynthesis

The process by which organisms, mainly plants, convert sunlight into chemical energy.

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Producers

Organisms that make their own food through photosynthesis, forming the base of the food chain.

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Chlorophyll

Green pigment found in plants that captures light energy for photosynthesis.

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Chloroplasts

The organelles within plant cells where photosynthesis takes place.

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Cellular Respiration

The process where cells break down sugar and oxygen to release energy, producing carbon dioxide and water as byproducts.

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Mitochondria

Organelles within cells (both plant and animal) where cellular respiration occurs.

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Consumers

Organisms that cannot make their own food through photosynthesis and must obtain energy by consuming other organisms.

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Complementary Reactions

The relationship between photosynthesis and cellular respiration, where the products of one process are the reactants of the other.

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Transpiration

The release of water vapor from plant leaves, contributing to the water cycle.

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Carbon Cycle

The continuous movement of carbon between the atmosphere, oceans, Earth's crust, living things, and fossil fuels.

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Water Cycle

The continuous movement of water through evaporation, condensation, precipitation, runoff, infiltration, and transpiration.

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Biogeochemical Cycles

All the matter in ecosystems constantly moves through cycles, including water, carbon, and nutrients.

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Herbivore

An animal that primarily eats plants or other producers, occupying the first level in the food chain.

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Food chain

A series of organisms that feed on each other, demonstrating the flow of energy from one organism to another. It starts with a producer and ends with a top predator.

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Food web

A complex network of interconnected food chains showcasing the feeding relationships among multiple species within an ecosystem. It portrays a more realistic view of energy flow compared to a single food chain.

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Carnivore

An animal that eats other animals. They occupy a higher level in the food chain, often preying on herbivores.

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Scavenger

An animal that feeds on the remains of dead organisms, playing a crucial role in decomposition and nutrient cycling.

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Nitrogen Fixation

The process of converting atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms by certain organisms, like bacteria and blue-green algae.

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Human Impact on Carbon Cycle

Human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, release large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.

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Denitrification

The process by which organisms, like bacteria, convert nitrogen compounds back into atmospheric nitrogen gas.

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Nitrogen Cycle

The movement of nitrogen between the atmosphere, Earth's surface, and living organisms. It's a cycle of transformations that ensures nitrogen's availability for life.

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What are biotic factors?

Living organisms in an ecosystem, such as insects, bears, and their remains and wastes.

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What are abiotic factors?

Non-living components of an ecosystem like temperature, wind, sunlight, and water.

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What is biotic influence?

The influence of living organisms on each other. For example, competition for resources like food, space, and mates.

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What is abiotic influence?

The impact of non-living things on living organisms. For example, temperature and rainfall affect plant growth.

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How do abiotic and biotic factors interact?

Abiotic factors determine where a species can live, while biotic factors determine its success. For example, deer can live in dense forests but are more abundant in open woodlands.

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Carrying capacity

The maximum population size of a species that an ecosystem can support long-term.

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The Tragedy Of The Commons

When a shared resource is overused and depleted due to the lack of individual responsibility for its preservation.

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Commensalism

A relationship between two species where one benefits while the other is unharmed.

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Mutualism

A relationship where both individuals benefit from interacting.

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Parasitism

When an individual benefits by living in or on another organism, harming the host.

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