8/14/2019 Study Guide Questions (Unit 2)

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Study Guide Questions

1. An example of a positive feedback loop that operates in my life isa amount of reading I do on a daily basis. (The more I readsmarter I become the more reading appeals to me)Anotherexample, this time a negative feedback loop, would be one suchas my parents telling me something. ( Told to clean my roomless likely I am to do it)

2. Starting at the lowest to the highest in order of electromagneticradiation, (radioradarTVShortmicroheatlightultravioletX-raygamma rays) these forms of radiation allowus to do lots of things, many of which sustain the flora and faunaon our planet. Radio: waves are also emitted by other things,such as stars and gases in space. We use it to learn what starsare made out of. Microwaves: Microwaves in space are used by

astronomers to learn about the structure of nearby galaxies.Heat: it makes our skin feel warm. In space, IR or (inferred light)maps the dust between stars. Light: Visible radiation is emittedby everything from lights to stars, and everything else we see.Ultraviolet: The Sun is a source of ultraviolet (or UV) radiation;Stars and other objects in space emit UV radiation as well. X-rays: Hot gases in the Universe use X-ray radiation. Gammarays: Radioactive materials (some natural and others made byhumans in things like nuclear power plants) create gamma rays.

3. The ability for plate tectonics to influence life on earth comesfrom its power to harness and create disasters, which take

human lives on a daily basis. Of the ways that plate tectonicseffect life, three are most prevalent. Tsunamis, Earthquakes, andVolcanic eruptions. The tsunami that happened in 2004underneath the Indian Ocean, was presumably caused bysubduction related to plate tectonics. This disaster killed 225,000people in eleven countries, and the remnants of this 9.1earthquake were felt as far away as Alaska. The largestearthquake to have happened nearby is the earthquake thathappened on the San Andres Fault in San Francisco. This disaster,which took place in 1989, and began as a 6.9 magnitudeearthquake, and killed 63 people and injured countless more.

Volcanic disasters are a result of plate tectonics, and aretherefore subject to change over time. Volcanic disasters happenall the time.

4. There are many differences between abiotic, and bioticcomponents that build ecosystems. Abiotic components arethings like, sunlight, temperature, precipitation, moisture, andsoil chemistry or make-up. Biotic components are things like,carnivores, herbivores, omnivores primary producers and tertiary

8/14/2019 Study Guide Questions (Unit 2)

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producers. Considering all these factors, artificial ecosystems arehard to create. There are so many things that need to be setup incertain formations in order to work right. There are also lots ofthings that we may or may not have control of.

5. Oxygen Cycle: creates photosynthesis, and its main reservoir isthe atmosphere. Water Cycle: is continuous by nature, mainreservoir is the biosphere. Carbon Cycle: carbon is linked tooxygen and hydrogen, Its main Reservoir is the biosphere.Nitrogen Cycle: required by all living things, reservoir;biosphere. Phosphorous Cycle: essential for plants, mainreservoir; biosphere. Rock Cycle: produces rocks, biosphere.

6. Decomposers in the ecosystem help move along nutrients and

allow everything else to flourish. Every species of decomposerhas had some trouble being able to live for a long amount of timebased on its diet. Im sure they are extinct because of theirinabiltity to gain many of their much needed nutrients.

7. Human activities are greatly increasing the amount of nitrogencycling between the living world and the soil, water, andatmosphere. This human created global change is having aserious impact on ecosystems around the world becausenitrogen is essential to living organisms Mostof the humanactivities responsible for the increase in global nitrogen are localin scale, from the over use of nitrogen based fertilizers to the

burning of messy fossil fuels in automobiles, and large industrialplants. Human activity has enhanced the global movement ofvarious forms of nitrogen through air and water. Because of thisincreased mobility, excess nitrogen from human activities hasserious and long-term environmental consequences for largeregions of the planet. We could lessen the impact by eliminatingall of these things.

8. Humans are having an impact on the phosphorus cycle, as wellas many others. Things like fertalizer, sewage, animal feedlots,and other such things. Sewage contributes nearly all of thephosphorus reaching rivers and lakes and is causing serious

problems. Pollution of waters and the built up sediment createsdead spots and kills fish and other living organisms. We couldlessen this by using and wasting less. We could recycle less andclean sewage out of rivers and swamps.