Ecology and Nutrient Cycling

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Questions and Answers

What is a main advantage of hydropower?

Is clean and renewable (correct)

Reliance on fossil fuels

Produces air pollution

Limited to dry regions

Which energy source relies on heat from the Earth’s interior?

Solar Energy

Hydropower

Wind Energy

Geothermal Energy (correct)

What is a significant disadvantage of biomass energy?

It competes with food supply. (correct)

It has low efficiency.

It is a non-renewable source.

It reduces air pollution.

What defines an Astronomical Unit (AU)?

Distance from Earth to the Sun Signup and view all the answers

Which unit measures how far light travels in one year?

Light Year Signup and view all the answers

What is one characteristic of the speed of light?

299,792 km/s in a vacuum Signup and view all the answers

What type of star is the Sun classified as?

G-type dwarf star Signup and view all the answers

What is the approximate temperature in the core of the Sun?

15 million K Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of neutrons?

They are neutral particles found in the nucleus. Signup and view all the answers

Which energy level can hold a maximum of 2 electrons?

First shell Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between a molecule and a compound?

Molecules can consist of two or more atoms of any kind, while compounds are different elements bonded together. Signup and view all the answers

How do you determine the number of neutrons in an atom?

Mass Number - Atomic Number Signup and view all the answers

Which prefix is used to indicate three atoms in a molecular formula?

Tri- Signup and view all the answers

What is represented by the formula H₂O?

2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom Signup and view all the answers

John Dalton's atomic model described atoms as:

Indivisible particles of matter. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following terms is used for a binary compound?

-ide Signup and view all the answers

What role do decomposers play in an ecosystem?

They break down dead plant parts, releasing nutrients. Signup and view all the answers

Which of these organisms is classified as a tertiary consumer?

Raccoons Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary source of energy for primary producers?

Sunlight Signup and view all the answers

What happens to bird and insect populations if raccoon numbers decrease significantly?

Both populations will likely increase due to reduced predation. Signup and view all the answers

Which trophic level do herbivores belong to?

2nd trophic level Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of autotrophs in an ecosystem?

They produce their own food through photosynthesis. Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by the 10% rule in energy transfer within ecosystems?

10% of energy is carried over from one trophic level to the next. Signup and view all the answers

Which organisms are considered heterotrophs?

Animals and fungi Signup and view all the answers

What process describes the increase in toxic substance concentration at each trophic level of a food chain?

Biomagnification Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best defines sustainability?

Meeting present needs without compromising future generations Signup and view all the answers

Which component of the Earth includes all of its living organisms?

Biosphere Signup and view all the answers

What are biotic factors in an ecosystem?

Living components like plants and animals Signup and view all the answers

What role do abiotic factors play in an ecosystem?

They affect the living conditions for organisms Signup and view all the answers

Which structure is the solid, outer part of the Earth?

Lithosphere Signup and view all the answers

What is bioaccumulation?

The process of toxins accumulating in a single organism over its life Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of a community in ecology?

Populations of different species interacting in a specific area Signup and view all the answers

What property describes the ability of a substance to dissolve in another substance?

Solubility Signup and view all the answers

What is the pH level characteristic of neutral substances?

pH equal to 7 Signup and view all the answers

Which property indicates how a material expands when heated?

Thermal Expansion Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following elements has the highest number of valence electrons?

Neon Signup and view all the answers

How does ionization energy change across a period in the periodic table?

It increases across a period. Signup and view all the answers

What is the formula to calculate the number of neutrons in an atom?

Number of Neutrons = Mass Number - Atomic Number Signup and view all the answers

Which group in the periodic table contains elements with 2 valence electrons?

Group 2: Alkaline Earth Metals Signup and view all the answers

What is the atomic number of an element?

The number of protons in an atom Signup and view all the answers

What did Thomson propose about the structure of atoms?

Atoms consist of a positively charged pudding with electrons embedded. Signup and view all the answers

What was a key finding from Rutherford's gold foil experiment?

Atoms contain a small, dense nucleus. Signup and view all the answers

What concept did Bohr introduce regarding electron movement?

Electrons orbit the nucleus in fixed energy levels. Signup and view all the answers

How do particles behave in solids compared to gases?

Particles in solids are closely packed and vibrate in place. Signup and view all the answers

What effect does increasing temperature have on particles?

Particles gain energy and move faster. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is true about insulators?

Insulators hold onto their electrons tightly. Signup and view all the answers

What happens when two different materials are rubbed together?

Electrons can be transferred between the materials. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following materials is an example of a conductor?

Copper Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Ecology

Ecology is the scientific study of interactions between living organisms and their environment, examining both biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components.
Studying ecology is crucial for understanding relationships between living organisms and their environment, for conservation, managing resources, and combating climate change.
Ecology helps appreciate the balance of nature, human impact on Earth, and guides sustainable practices to protect biodiversity and create a resilient planet.

Nutrient Cycling

Earth is a closed system, requiring nutrient recycling for life to continue.
Nutrient cycling, including the nitrogen cycle, is vital for continuous availability of essential elements (e.g., carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus) that organisms need to thrive.
Without recycling, these nutrients would deplete, resulting in ecosystem collapse.
The nitrogen cycle involves nitrogen-fixing bacteria converting atmospheric nitrogen into plant-usable forms, plants using it to grow, and decomposing plants returning nitrogen to the soil via bacteria.
The water cycle involves evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and absorption by plants/animals, cycling water through the atmosphere, surface, and underground.

Pop-Bottle Terrarium Example

A pop-bottle terrarium demonstrates nutrient cycling in a miniature ecosystem.
Within this closed environment, plants absorb nutrients, and decomposers (bacteria/fungi) release nutrients back into the soil.
This cycle ensures a continual supply of elements for new plant growth.

Food Chain Example

Plants are producers using sunlight for food production (photosynthesis).
Insects are primary consumers, feeding on plants.
Birds are secondary consumers, feeding on insects.
Raccoons are tertiary consumers able to consume birds, insects, and some plants.
Trophic levels represent energy and nutrient flow within an ecosystem's food chain with each level sharing a similar position.
Primary producers (plants/algae) are at the bottom; primary consumers (herbivores) feed on them; secondary consumers (carnivores/omnivores) feed on primary; tertiary are bigger predators like raccoons and foxes, and finally quaternary are apex predators with no natural predators.

Other Ecological Concepts

Population: A group of the same species living in a particular area.
Community: All populations in a particular area.
Ecosystem: A community of living organisms plus their non-living environment interacting as a system.
Biosphere: The global sum of all ecosystems encompassing all living organisms and their environments.
Biotic Factors: Living components of an ecosystem. Example: Plants, animals, fungi, bacteria.
Abiotic Factors: Nonliving physical and chemical components. Example: Sunlight, temperature, water, minerals.
Symbiosis: Close, long-term interactions between different species that can be beneficial, neutral or harmful. Example: Mutualism (both benefit), Commensalism (one benefits, other unaffected), and Parasitism (one benefits, other harmed).
Carrying Capacity: The maximum population size an environment can sustainably support. Determined by resource availability (food, water, shelter), predation, disease, and competition.
Biodiversity: Variety and variability of life on Earth encompassing species, genes, ecosystems, and ecological processes. Crucial for ecosystem health and resilience.
Competition: When two or more organisms vie for the same limited resources .

Chemistry Concepts

States of Matter: Solid (definite shape and volume), Liquid (definite volume, no definite shape), Gas (no definite shape or volume).
Pure Substances: Elements (single type of atom) and Compounds (two or more types of atoms chemically bonded together).
Mixtures: Homogeneous (uniform composition throughout, e.g., saltwater) and Heterogeneous (non-uniform composition, e.g., salad).
Physical Properties: Observable characteristics like Mass, Volume Density, Color, Odor, and Taste.
Chemical Properties: Characteristics describing how a substance interacts with others, like reactivity, flammability, acidity/basicity, and oxidation state.
Thermal Properties: Material's response to heat like thermal conductivity and thermal expansion.
Electrical Properties: Material's ability to conduct or resist electricity, like conductivity, and resistivity
Atomic Number (Z): Number of protons.
Mass Number (A): Total number of protons and neutrons.

Atomic Structure

Nucleus: Nucleus contains protons (positive) and neutrons (neutral). The number of these in the nucleus determines the atom.
Electrons: Negatively charged particles that orbit the nucleus in energy levels or shells. The number of electrons is equal to the number of protons.
Bohr Model: Electrons orbit the nucleus in fixed energy levels/shells.

Electricity

Insulator: Materials that do not allow electrons to flow freely (e.g., rubber, glass).
Conductor: Materials that allow electrons to flow freely (e.g., copper, aluminum).
Charging: Methods like Friction, Contact (Conduction), and Induction to add/remove electrons and cause an electric charge.
Static Electricity: Buildup of electrical charge on an object (e.g., lightning, static cling).
Current Electricity: Movement of electrical charge in a closed loop (circuit). Components include power source, conductors (wires), load (resistors, bulbs), and a switch.

Energy Generation

Different energy sources produce electrical power.
- Fossil Fuels: Coal, oil, natural gas (burn to produce steam that powers turbines).
- Nuclear Energy: Nuclear fission (splitting atomic nuclei for energy).
- Renewable Energy: Solar (photovoltaic cells), wind (turbines), hydropower, geothermal, biomass, tidal/wave, hydrogen fuel cells.

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Description

This quiz explores the fundamental principles of ecology, focusing on the interactions between organisms and their environment. It covers essential concepts such as nutrient cycling, the nitrogen cycle, and their importance for ecosystem sustainability and biodiversity conservation.