Ch 1
The biosphere is a ______ system
closed
Difference between food webs and food chains
more interconnections in food webs
Why is water useful in the biosphere to moderate or buffer temperatures in the biosphere?
It has a high specific heat capacity
Photosynthesis increases the level of _______ in the atmosphere.
oxygen
form of nitrogen found in air
nitrogen gas N2
A tertiary consumer is what trophic level?
4th
1st trophic level is called
producer
Name the process where acid rain falls and percolates through the soil, dissolves minerals
leaching
Cellular respiration increases the level of _______ in the atmosphere
carbon dioxide
form of nitrogen found in soil
nitrate, ammmonium
two types of autotrophs are called
chemosythesis (chemoautotrophs)
photosynthesis (photoautotrophs)
What group of organisms is not usually in food chains?
decomposers
What gases are found in acid rain?
sulphur oxides SOx and nitrogen oxides NOx make sulfuric acid and nitric acid in the precipitation
Decomposition increases the level of _______ in the atmosphere.
carbon dioxide
cycle does not occur in the air (atmosphere)
phosphorous
according to the laws of thermodynamics, energy is always
conserved (or transferred (most is lost to unusable form))
What is biomass?
dry weight of living things in an area at a time
What does polarity mean when referring to water?
Slightly positive H end and slightly negative oxygen end
What is the effect of photosynthesis on atmosphere levels of oxygen? and cellular respiration on atmosphere levels of oxygen?
increase and decrease, respectively
Does not require bacteria in the nitrogen cycle
assimilation, nitrogen fixation by lightning
How do microbes get energy if they live in the deep waters of hydrothermal vents?
Chemosythesis
In a pyramid, the trophic level that receives the least energy is
the highest, 10% is passed on due to law of thermodynamics
Name all the parts in the water cycle.
condensation, evaporation, transpiration, run off, groundwater, percolation, aquifer, transportation
Name 2 sinks and 2 sources of carbon
carbon sinks include peat, photosynthesis (forests), fossilization/fossil fuels, and ocean stores. Sources including combustion, cellular respiration (including decomposition)
Explain slow cycle and fast cycle
Slow= weathering, run off, sedimentation, uplift, Fast=decay/decomposition and assimilaton