Environmental Science Cheat Sheet by quatumgirl03

It encomp­asses the diversity of species of plants, animals, fungi, and microo­rga­nisms, as well as the genetic diversity within each species and the variety of ecosystems and habitats in which they live.

These include all living organisms such as plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, and other microo­rga­nisms that interact with each other and with their enviro­nment.

These are physical and chemical factors that influence the structure and function of ecosystems but do not involve living organisms.

Ex. climate, geology, soil, water, light and atmosp­here.

It describes how an organism meets its needs for survival and reprod­uction, including its habitat requir­ements, resource use, behavior, and ecological relati­ons­hips.

It is one of the fundam­ental units of ecological study and is charac­terized by its size, density, distri­bution, age structure, and genetic compos­ition.

Play a vital role in breaking down dead organic matter into simpler substa­nces, such as nutrients and minerals, and returning them to the enviro­nment.

It represents the flow of energy and nutrients through an ecosystem.

also include decomp­osers, such as bacteria and fungi, which break down dead organic matter and return nutrients to the soil, completing the nutrient cycle.

More complex and interc­onn­ected repres­ent­ation of the feeding relati­onships within an ecosystem compared to a simple linear food chain.

It accounts for the fact that most organisms in an ecosystem feed on multiple species and are themselves consumed by multiple predators. This complexity reflects the diverse intera­ctions and interd­epe­nde­ncies that exist within ecosys­tems.

are substances or agents that contam­inate the enviro­nment and cause adverse effects on living organisms, ecosys­tems, and the enviro­nment as a whole.

It is often referred to as the "­silent killer­" because it is difficult to detect without special equipment, and exposure to high levels of carbon monoxide can be deadly.

Found both in the Earth's upper atmosphere (strat­osp­here) and at ground level (tropo­sph­ere).

Formed through complex chemical reactions involving sunlight, nitrogen oxides (NOx), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from sources such as vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions, and chemical solvents.

It can also be produced by natural sources such as wildfires and lightning can also contribute to NO2 emissions.

PM10 (particles with a diameter of 10 microm­eters or less) and PM2.5 (particles with a diameter of 2.5 microm­eters or less)

Natural sources include dust, pollen, sea salt, and particles from wildfires and volcanic eruptions.

Sulfur dioxide is produced primarily by the combustion of sulfur­-co­nta­ining fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, in power plants and industrial facili­ties. It is also emitted during volcanic eruptions and some natural processes.

ex. benzene, formal­dehyde, toluene, and xylene, among many others.

It causes formation of ground­-level ozone and smog

Are a type of ionizing radiation, consisting of two protons and two neutrons, essent­ially a helium nucleus. They are relatively large and heavy compared to other types of radiation, such as beta particles and gamma rays.

Have low penetr­ating power and can be stopped by a sheet of paper or the outer layers of skin.

It can penetrate materials such as paper and skin, but they can be stopped by denser materials like aluminum or plastic.

Highly penetr­ating and can travel through most materials, including human tissue.

For example, if you have a sample of a radioa­ctive substance with a half-life of 10 years, after 10 years, half of the radioa­ctive atoms in the sample will have decayed into a different element or isotope, and after another 10 years, half of the remaining radioa­ctive atoms will have decayed, and so on.

It is a natural phenomenon that exists throughout the universe and comes in various forms, including electr­oma­gnetic radiation (such as light, radio waves, microw­aves, X-rays, and gamma rays) and partic­ulate radiation (such as alpha particles, beta particles, and neutrons).

Radiation is produced by natural sources such as the sun, cosmic rays, and radioa­ctive elements in the Earth's crust, as well as human-made sources such as X-ray machines, nuclear power plants, and nuclear weapons.