Study Guide
Please bring a pen and calculator!
Test on Monday June 12th
Chapter 1.1: Energy transfer in the Biosphere
- Describe the difference between energy and matter.
- Describe the purpose of photosynthesis. Understand the complete equation (product & reactant).
- Understand the complete cellular respiration equation and the purpose of it.
- Identify and explain autotrophs, heterotrophs and decomposers.
- Be able to label herbivores, (primary, secondary, tertiary...) consumers and decomposers in a food web & chain.
- Explain the Albedo effect (booklet p. 2, know the %) and the first & second law of thermodynamics.
- Explain chemosythesis.
Chapter 1.2: How Energy is transferred in the Biosphere
- Explain what is a trophic level. Label the trophic levels of a food chain.
- Explain the "Rule of Ten" and use it to calculate the amount of energy that is transferred.
- Explain and draw a food web and chain.
- Explain what is a pyramid of numbers, biomass and energy. Explain their shape (example: reverse, upright..)
- Explain why people should eat more plants than meat or fish. (include in your answer, the rule of ten and amount of energy)
- Explain biomagnification.
Tuesday June 13th
Chapter 2.1 The Role of Water in Cycles of Matter
- Describe the characteristics of water (heat capacity, density, molecule structure, hydrogen bonding)
- Explain the hydrological cycle (label diagram in book p. 35) (use the terms and include where water is stored in the biosphere)
- Define the terms transpiration, evaporation, evapotranspiration, sublimation, surface runoff, condensation, precipitation and infiltration
- Explain the difference between cohesion and adhesion. What is surface tension?
Chapter 2.2 Biogeochemical Cycles
- Describe what is a nutrient reservoir (p. 42)
- Explain the carbon and oxygen cycle, the slow and rapid cycle of carbon (label diagrams p. 43, 46)
- List the major carbon sinks on Earth
- Explain the sulfur cycle (see diagram p. 47). What is the role of bacteria? What causes acid rain?
- Explain the nitrogen cycle (diagram p. 49) using the terms nitrogen fixation, denitrifying bacteria, nitrate ion and ammonium ion.
- Explain the phosphorus cycle (diagram p. 50). Importance, storage effects of increased amounts of phosphorous-algal bloom-eutrophication)