Chapter 2 Vocab

Front 1

System

Back 1

a network of relationships among components that interact with and influence one another

Front 2

Feedback loop

Back 2

a circular process in which a system’s output serves as input to that same system

Front 3

Negative feedback loop

Back 3

output resulting from a system moving in one direction acts as an input that moves the system in the other direction

Front 4

Positive feedback loop

Back 4

instead of stabilizing a system, it drives it further toward an extreme

Front 5

Lithosphere

Back 5

rock and sediment

Front 6

Atmosphere

Back 6

air surrounding the planet

Front 7

Hydrosphere

Back 7

all water in the Earth

Front 8

Biosphere

Back 8

the planet's living organisms

Front 9

Eutrophication

Back 9

the process of nutrient over-enrichment, blooms of algae, increased production of organic matter, and ecosystem degradation

Front 10

Matter

Back 10

all material in the universe that has mass and occupies space (solid, liquid, or gas)

Front 11

Law of conservation of matter

Back 11

matter can be transformed from one type of substance into others but it cannot be created nor destroyed

Front 12

Nutrients

Back 12

elements needed in large amounts by organisms : carbon, nitrogen, calcium

Front 13

Atoms

Back 13

the smallest components that maintain an element’s chemical properties

Front 14

Proton

Back 14

positively charged particles

Front 15

Neutron

Back 15

no electric charge

Front 16

Electrons

Back 16

negatively charged particles surrounding the nucleus

Front 17

Isotopes

Back 17

atoms with different number of neutrons

Front 18

Ions

Back 18

atoms that gain or lose electrons

Front 19

Molecules

Back 19

combination of two or more atoms

Front 20

Chemical formula

Back 20

indicates the type and number of atoms in a molecule

Front 21

Compound

Back 21

a molecule composed of atoms of two or more different elements

Front 22

Acidic solution

Back 22

pH <7 contains and H+

Front 23

Basic solution

Back 23

pH >7 contains an OH-

Front 24

neutral solutions

Back 24

pH of 7

Front 25

Organic compounds

Back 25

carbon atoms bonded together

Front 26

inorganic compounds

Back 26

lack the carbon-carbon bond

Front 27

Hydrocarbons

Back 27

organic compounds that contain only carbon and hydrogen

Front 28

Enzymes

Back 28

molecules the promote chemical reactions

Front 29

Nucleic acids

Back 29

long chains of nucleotides that contain sugar, phosphate,and a nitrogen base

Front 30

Genes

Back 30

regions of DNA that code for proteins that perform certain functions

Front 31

Carbohydrates

Back 31

include simple sugars and large molecules of simple sugars bonded together

Front 32

Lipids

Back 32

do not dissolve in water, fats and oils

Front 33

Cells

Back 33

most basic unit or organism organization

Front 34

Energy

Back 34

an intangible phenomenon that can change the position, physical composition, temperature of matter

Front 35

1st law of thermodynamics

Back 35

energy cannot be created nor destroyed

Front 36

2nd law of thermodynamics

Back 36

energy changes from a more-ordered to a less-ordered state

Front 37

Net primary production

Back 37

energy remaining after respiration

Front 38

Biogeochemical cycles

Back 38

the movement of nutrients through an ecosystem

Front 39

Hydrologic cycle

Back 39

the flow of liquid, gaseous, and solid water through the environment

Front 40

Carbon cylce

Back 40

describes carbon’s route in the environment

Front 41

Nitrogen cycle

Back 41

describes the routes of nitrogen through the environment

Front 42

Phosphorous cylce

Back 42

describes the routes that phosphorus takes through the environment