ENVIRSC 1C03 Study Guide - Fall 2018, Comprehensive Midterm Notes - Earth, Unit, Ice
12 Oct 2018
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ENVIRSC 1C03
MIDTERM EXAM
STUDY GUIDE
Fall 2018
Module #1: What is Environmental Science
ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
- Climate change
- Deforestation, habitat loss
- Rising sea levels, melting ice caps
WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY?
- The ability of a system to function or be maintained at a certain rate/level
- Avoidance of depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance
PRINCIPLES OF ECOSYSTEM SUSTAINABILITY
1. For sustainability, ecosystems use sunlight a non-depletable non-polluting form of energy
2. For sustainability, ecosystems break down and recycle all wastes as nutrients
3. For sustainability, herbivore populations must stay in check so that overgrazing and destruction of the
ecosystem does not occur
4. Biodiversity is healthy for ecosystems
WHAT IS THE ENVIRONMENT?
- According to the “Old View” the environment is the natural world apart from human society
- “New View”: humans exist within the environment and our interactions with the environment have
consequences
Earth’s Spheres
- Each sphere interacts with another and their parts interact with the system
- Some of the main 4 systems also have subsystems
1. The Atmosphere
2. The Hydrosphere
3. The Lithosphere
4. The Biosphere
Atmosphere
- First sphere, seen from outer space
- Thin blue region along the edge of the Earth
- Is a mixture of gas molecules, small solid and liquid suspended particles, and falling precipitation
- Delicate life-giving blanket of air
- Without the atmosphere the Earth would not have lakes and oceans
Hydrosphere
- Liquid realm of Earth
- Consists of fresh, salt, and frozen water (snow and ice)
- The region of snow and ice is known as the Cryosphere
Lithosphere
- Encompasses the solid Earth
- Includes all the rock and geologic material making up the planet; also includes the soil (Pedosphere)
- Landforms of the lithosphere provide habitats for living organisms and the layer of soil is a source of
nutrients
Biosphere
- Encompasses all life on Earth
- Plants, humans, animals
What is Environmental Science?
- The study of how the natural world works, how humans affect their environment, and how the environment
affects humans in return
THE SCIENCE OF THE ENVIRONMENT
3 TYPES OF EXPERIMENTS
Field Research
- Research which monitors the environment to determine its spatial (space) and temporal (time) variability
Experimental Research
- Relationship between variables is studied by manipulating one variable and measuring the response of the
other
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- Ie. Changing the concentration of a chemical compound in a lake, and measuring the subsequent changes
to the experimental system
Deductive Reasoning: if a conclusion follows logically from reason, the conclusion is said to be proven; does not
require the proof be true, only that the reasoning be foolproof; starts with a theory and then the theory is tested
Inductive Reasoning: premises are correct; used in forecasting, prediction, or behaviour; uses previous patterns to
reach conclusions
Modelling
- Computer models are used to simulate and predict future outcomes
- Can test the premises but not necessarily the final inference
Natural Uncertainties
- Some numbers/values of an experiment may not be the same for all other species tested
- Ie. 2 trees of the same species are not entirely alike; the measurements we would obtain from one tree
would not necessarily be applicable to all trees of the same species
Measurement Uncertainties
- Always a potential to introduce a bias, either by making a mistake while doing a measurement, or because
the method used in inherently flawed
Accuracy and Precision
- Values can be described using 2 characteristics
1. Accuracy: is the extent to which a measurement agrees with the true or accepted value
2. Precision: which is the degree of exactness with which a quantity is measured
Evaluating Science
- If the ideas are open to being proved and not open to being disproved, they fall into 2 categories
1. Inside the Realm of Science (open to being disproved)
2. Outside the Realm of Science (not open to being disproved)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
The ability of a system to function or be maintained at a certain rate/level. According to the old view the environment is the natural world apart from human society. New view : humans exist within the environment and our interactions with the environment have consequences. Each sphere interacts with another and their parts interact with the system. Some of the main 4 systems also have subsystems: the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the lithosphere, the biosphere. Thin blue region along the edge of the earth. Is a mixture of gas molecules, small solid and liquid suspended particles, and falling precipitation. Without the atmosphere the earth would not have lakes and oceans. Consists of fresh, salt, and frozen water (snow and ice) The region of snow and ice is known as the cryosphere. Includes all the rock and geologic material making up the planet; also includes the soil (pedosphere)
