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Questions and Answers
What are isotopes?
What are isotopes?
Which statement correctly describes a compound?
Which statement correctly describes a compound?
What defines anions?
What defines anions?
Which of the following compounds is NOT classified as an organic compound?
Which of the following compounds is NOT classified as an organic compound?
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What is the primary function of nucleotides in living organisms?
What is the primary function of nucleotides in living organisms?
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What structure serves as the basis for proteins?
What structure serves as the basis for proteins?
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Which type of organism is made up of a single cell?
Which type of organism is made up of a single cell?
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What is pH a measure of?
What is pH a measure of?
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What primarily causes water vapor to condense into liquid form?
What primarily causes water vapor to condense into liquid form?
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What forms when clouds move over mountain ranges and cool?
What forms when clouds move over mountain ranges and cool?
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What is runoff primarily caused by?
What is runoff primarily caused by?
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What process allows precipitation to become groundwater?
What process allows precipitation to become groundwater?
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Which condition must be met for matter to be classified as a plasma?
Which condition must be met for matter to be classified as a plasma?
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What is the significance of the Conservation of Matter in environmental systems?
What is the significance of the Conservation of Matter in environmental systems?
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Why is the carbon cycle significant in environmental science?
Why is the carbon cycle significant in environmental science?
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Which of the following elements are responsible for more than 96% of the mass of living organisms?
Which of the following elements are responsible for more than 96% of the mass of living organisms?
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Which of the following steps completes the carbon cycle?
Which of the following steps completes the carbon cycle?
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What does the water table represent?
What does the water table represent?
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Which statement accurately describes the structure of an atom?
Which statement accurately describes the structure of an atom?
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What happens to chemical elements when they are used by living organisms?
What happens to chemical elements when they are used by living organisms?
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Which organisms are responsible for taking in carbon dioxide in the carbon cycle?
Which organisms are responsible for taking in carbon dioxide in the carbon cycle?
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What defines an element?
What defines an element?
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What correctly describes the particles within an atom?
What correctly describes the particles within an atom?
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How is atomic mass defined?
How is atomic mass defined?
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What was one of the primary roles of environmental engineers in ancient civilizations?
What was one of the primary roles of environmental engineers in ancient civilizations?
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What major concern emerged in the late 19th century regarding civil engineering?
What major concern emerged in the late 19th century regarding civil engineering?
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Which term was created in the mid-1700s to distinguish certain engineers?
Which term was created in the mid-1700s to distinguish certain engineers?
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What is defined as the scientific study of relationships between organisms and their environment?
What is defined as the scientific study of relationships between organisms and their environment?
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What became a primary concern for civil engineers due to unsanitary conditions in cities?
What became a primary concern for civil engineers due to unsanitary conditions in cities?
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What do carbon-based compounds represent in the context of life?
What do carbon-based compounds represent in the context of life?
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What was a significant consequence of industrialization regarding public health?
What was a significant consequence of industrialization regarding public health?
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What happens to energy during successive energy transfers according to the second law of thermodynamics?
What happens to energy during successive energy transfers according to the second law of thermodynamics?
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Which of these roles did civil engineers adopt during the formative years of the United States?
Which of these roles did civil engineers adopt during the formative years of the United States?
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Which of the following is a consequence of energy being dissipated as heat in living organisms?
Which of the following is a consequence of energy being dissipated as heat in living organisms?
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What process do extremophiles use to obtain energy in sunless environments?
What process do extremophiles use to obtain energy in sunless environments?
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Why is solar energy crucial for most organisms on Earth's surface?
Why is solar energy crucial for most organisms on Earth's surface?
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How do temperature extremes affect biochemical processes in organisms?
How do temperature extremes affect biochemical processes in organisms?
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What role do Earth's water and atmosphere play concerning solar energy?
What role do Earth's water and atmosphere play concerning solar energy?
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How do organisms maintain their structural and metabolic organization?
How do organisms maintain their structural and metabolic organization?
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What is a common feature of organisms that survive in extreme environments?
What is a common feature of organisms that survive in extreme environments?
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Study Notes
Environmental Engineering Overview
- Environmental engineers aim to improve recycling, waste disposal, public health, and pollution control.
- Historical role since ancient civilizations involved providing clean water and managing waste as people settled in organized communities.
- Engineers of antiquity constructed wells, aqueducts, city walls, and moats.
Evolution of Civil Engineering
- The term "civil engineering" emerged in the mid-1700s to distinguish between military and civilian engineering.
- Public health concerns arose during industrialization due to unsanitary urban conditions, prompting engineers to ensure clean water supply.
- By the late 19th century, civil engineers developed roles as public health and sanitary engineers focused on eliminating waterborne diseases.
Ecological Concepts
- Ecology studies relationships between organisms and their environment, assessing nutrient and energy functions within ecosystems.
- Matter, defined as anything with mass and space, exists in four states: solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.
- Water exemplifies matter's states and showcases the concept of conservation: matter is recycled and never created or destroyed.
Conservation of Matter
- Environmental systems are interconnected; waste does not vanish but is redirected elsewhere.
- Molecules can contain atoms from ancient organisms, illustrating the recycling of matter through time.
Elements and Atoms
- There are 122 elements, with four (Oxygen, Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen) constituting over 96% of living organisms' mass.
- Atoms, the smallest unit of elements, consist of protons, neutrons, and electrons, with protons defining the atomic number and neutrons contributing to atomic mass.
Ions and Compounds
- Ions are charged atoms formed when electrons are gained or lost; anions carry a negative charge and cations a positive charge.
- Acids release hydrogen ions in water, while bases bond with them, affecting pH levels.
- Organic compounds, essential to life, include four main categories: lipids, carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids.
Energy and Thermodynamics
- Energy conversion occurs within ecosystems, with each transformation degrading energy quality (Second Law of Thermodynamics).
- Organisms require a continuous energy supply to maintain structural and metabolic processes, as energy dissipates as heat.
Energy source for Life
- Extremophiles, organisms thriving in harsh environments, utilize chemosynthesis to derive energy from inorganic chemical bonds.
- The sun is vital for life by providing warmth and solar energy, which supports nearly all organisms through photosynthesis.
Water Cycle Processes
- Condensation happens when water vapor cools, forming clouds that precipitate as rain, snow, or hail.
- Runoff occurs when excess precipitation flows over land, contributing to rivers and lakes.
- Percolation describes the downward movement of water through soil to form groundwater, which can be accessed via wells.
Carbon Cycle Dynamics
- The carbon cycle begins with photosynthetic organisms absorbing carbon dioxide to create carbohydrates, returning carbon dioxide during respiration.
- This cycle significantly influences climate regulation and ecological balance.
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Description
Explore the evolution of environmental engineering from ancient civilizations to modern times. This quiz discusses the critical role of environmental engineers in managing water supply, waste disposal, and health. Test your knowledge on the mission and impact of this vital profession.
