Oxygen cycle
What is the form of atmospheric oxygen? (the oxygen that we breathe)
O2 (2 oxygen atoms binded together).
What number is carbon on the periodic table?
6
What is nitrogen fixation?
Nitrogen gas being converted into ammonia. This is done by bacteria that live in the soil or in the roots of specific plants known as legumes (peas or beans).
What is a system?
A set of interdependent parts that come together to form a whole.
What is positive feedback in a system?
Feedback resulting from the output of a system that increases the disturbance within a system.
What are the 4 main reservoirs for oxygen?
The lithiosphere, the hydrosphere, the atmosphere, and the biosphere.
Which of the following contain carbon molecules: Diamonds, Limestone, Graphite, Coal, Green leaves, And all living organisms.
All of them!
What microorganism helps with the nitrogen cycle?
Bacteria.
What is systems thinking?
the process of exploring and understanding components in the context of the whole system of which they are a part of.
What type of feedback is sweating?
Negative feedback.
Why must oxygen be exchanged constantly?
Because the earth has a fixed supply, meaning it can't make more than it currently has.
What do sea creatures build using carbonate ions?
They use carbonate ions to build their shells.
What is the final stage of the nitrogen cycle that turns ammonia and nitrates back into atmospheric nitrogen?
Dentrification.
Because it balances out competing factors, creating a more stable system.
What are the behaviors or processes that transform input to output?
Flow
What are the 2 processes that exchange oxygen between the atmosphere and biosphere?
Respiration (atmosphere to biosphere) and photosynthesis (biosphere to atmosphere).
What process changes dead organisms into fossil fuels?
Decomposition.
What happens to nitrogen when something dies?
It gets carried away and cycles throughout the rest of the earths reservoirs.
Is this an example of systems thinking: The planets, the sun, and other bodies each have their own part in contributing to the solar system.
YES
Is our current climate system an example of positive feedback?
YES
What is the primary purpose of oxygen in living things?
Oxygen is used by living organisms to break down food to release energy
What are the 2 sources of energy that drive the carbon cycle?
Solar energy and earths internal energy.
What is the Haber-Bosch process?
A process of directly synthesizing ammonia from hydrogen and nitrogen, developed by the German physical chemist Fritz Haber.
Why is systems thinking important?
The interdependent functions of each part of the system create the overall system function. System thinking is understanding each of these parts in relation to the whole.
Why is feedback helpful in a system?
It helps to regulate and stabilize a system.