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Questions and Answers
What type of factors does the environment include?
What type of factors does the environment include?
Which statement best defines environmental science?
Which statement best defines environmental science?
What defines environmental degradation?
What defines environmental degradation?
What major goal does environmental science aim to achieve?
What major goal does environmental science aim to achieve?
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Which of the following is NOT an example of a non-renewable resource?
Which of the following is NOT an example of a non-renewable resource?
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What describes a renewable resource?
What describes a renewable resource?
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What can result from improper use of potentially renewable resources?
What can result from improper use of potentially renewable resources?
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Which of these is an example of a nonrenewable resource?
Which of these is an example of a nonrenewable resource?
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Which statement best describes the 'tragedy of the commons'?
Which statement best describes the 'tragedy of the commons'?
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How are environmental science and environmentalism different?
How are environmental science and environmentalism different?
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How can environmental science benefit society?
How can environmental science benefit society?
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Sustainable yield refers to which of the following?
Sustainable yield refers to which of the following?
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What role does perception play in defining environmental problems?
What role does perception play in defining environmental problems?
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What interaction is studied primarily in environmental science?
What interaction is studied primarily in environmental science?
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Which method is suggested as a solution to prevent the tragedy of the commons?
Which method is suggested as a solution to prevent the tragedy of the commons?
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What typically involves environmental problems?
What typically involves environmental problems?
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Study Notes
Introduction to Environmental Science
- Environmental science studies the air, water, and land surrounding organisms, covering a small area to the entire biosphere. It focuses on the interaction between humans and the environment.
What is Our Environment?
- Environment encompasses everything affecting a living organism.
- Biotic factors are living things (animals, plants, fungi, etc.).
- Abiotic factors are nonliving things (continents, oceans, clouds, soil, rocks).
Fields of Environmental Science
- Environmental science is interdisciplinary, combining various fields of study.
- Ecology is foundational, studying the interactions of living organisms with each other and their environment.
- This includes (but is not limited to) economics, engineering, political science, history, ethics, biology, chemistry, atmospheric science, oceanography, sociology, geology, anthropology, and archaeology.
Environmental Science vs. Environmentalism
- Environmental science seeks knowledge about the natural world, aiming to remain objective.
- Environmentalism is a social movement dedicated to protecting the natural world.
Goals of Environmental Science
- A primary goal is understanding and solving environmental problems.
- Environmental scientists study human interactions with their environment, including:
- How human actions alter the environment.
- The use of natural resources.
Humans and the World Around Us
- Humans rely completely on the environment for survival.
- Increased wealth and development have degraded natural systems (e.g., pollution, erosion, species extinction).
- Environmental changes threaten long-term human health and survival.
The Use of Natural Resources
- Natural resources (substances and energy sources) are vital for survival.
- Renewable resources (e.g., sunlight, wind, wave energy, timber, water, soil) are always available or renew over short periods. These resources can be destroyed if used inappropriately.
- Nonrenewable resources (e.g., oil, coal, minerals) can be depleted. Examples of renewable resources include, sunlight, wind energy, wave energy, geothermal energy, agricultural crops, fresh water, and forest products, and soils. Examples of nonrenewable resources include crude oil, natural gas, coal, copper, aluminum, and other metals.
Renewable Resources
- Sustainable yield is the highest rate a renewable resource can be used without reducing its availability.
- Environmental degradation occurs when a renewable resource is used faster than it can naturally replenish, potentially becoming non-renewable or extinct in the long term.
Non-Renewable Resources
- Non-renewable resources exist in finite amounts (stock) in Earth's crust.
- These resources may renew over geological timescales.
- Examples include energy, metals, and minerals (like copper, aluminum, iron, salt, clay, coal, and oil). Any resource can be degraded if used improperly. They are theoretically inexhaustible, but economically viable extraction limits availability.
Non-Renewable Resources and Degradation
- Extracting, processing, and using nonrenewable resources have environmental costs.
Environmental Science's Role
- Understanding the natural world, how human and natural systems interact, the status and trends of ecosystems, and long-term sustainable relationships with the environment can help us avoid mistakes of past civilizations.
What is an Environmental Problem?
- Perceptions of environmental problems vary among individuals and societies.
- Examples: DDT was welcomed in developing countries for controlling malaria but was not in developed countries because of health risks.
- Environmental problems involve pollution, resource depletion, and loss of biodiversity.
Tragedy of the Commons
- Unregulated exploitation leads to resource depletion (soil, air, water).
- Users are tempted to increase consumption until resources are gone.
- Potential solutions include privatization, voluntary organizations, and government regulations.
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Description
This quiz explores the fundamentals of environmental science, including the interactions between humans and their environment, and the various fields that contribute to this interdisciplinary study. Test your knowledge of biotic and abiotic factors as well as the differences between environmental science and environmentalism.
