Environmental Science Chapter 2 - Science, Systems, Matter and
Energy
matter - Answer: -anything that occupies space and has mass
made of atoms
-after a chemical reaction, the original atoms remain
atom - Answer: the smallest particle than can contain the chemical properties of an element
element - Answer: -a substance composed of atoms that cannot be broken down into smaller,
simpler components
-made of only one type of atom
periodic table - Answer: a chart of all chemical elements currently known, organized by their
properties
molecule - Answer: a particle that contains more than one atom
atomic number - Answer: the number of protons in the nucleus of a particular atom
mass number - Answer: a measurement of the total number of protons and neutrons in an
element
isotopes - Answer: atoms of the same element with different number of neutrons
energy - Answer: -the ability to do work or transfer heat
-measured in joules (J)
-electromagnetic radiation
-high or low quality
, Environmental Science Chapter 2 - Science, Systems, Matter and
Energy
electromagnetic radiation - Answer: -transfers energy in protons
-measured in wavelengths
potential energy - Answer: stored energy that has not been released
kinetic energy - Answer: the energy of motion
first law of thermodynamics - Answer: -a law of nature stating that energy can neither be
created nor destroyed
second law of thermodynamics - Answer: -the law stating that when energy is transformed, the
quantity of energy remains the same, but its ability to do work is diminished
energy efficiency - Answer: -the ratio of the amount of work done to the total amount of energy
introduced to the system
energy quality - Answer: -the ease with which an energy source can be used for work
outputs - Answer: -a loss from a system
inputs - Answer: -an addition to a system
system - Answer: -any set of components that function & interact in some regular way (a cell,
human body, a forest, economy, the earth)
Energy
matter - Answer: -anything that occupies space and has mass
made of atoms
-after a chemical reaction, the original atoms remain
atom - Answer: the smallest particle than can contain the chemical properties of an element
element - Answer: -a substance composed of atoms that cannot be broken down into smaller,
simpler components
-made of only one type of atom
periodic table - Answer: a chart of all chemical elements currently known, organized by their
properties
molecule - Answer: a particle that contains more than one atom
atomic number - Answer: the number of protons in the nucleus of a particular atom
mass number - Answer: a measurement of the total number of protons and neutrons in an
element
isotopes - Answer: atoms of the same element with different number of neutrons
energy - Answer: -the ability to do work or transfer heat
-measured in joules (J)
-electromagnetic radiation
-high or low quality
, Environmental Science Chapter 2 - Science, Systems, Matter and
Energy
electromagnetic radiation - Answer: -transfers energy in protons
-measured in wavelengths
potential energy - Answer: stored energy that has not been released
kinetic energy - Answer: the energy of motion
first law of thermodynamics - Answer: -a law of nature stating that energy can neither be
created nor destroyed
second law of thermodynamics - Answer: -the law stating that when energy is transformed, the
quantity of energy remains the same, but its ability to do work is diminished
energy efficiency - Answer: -the ratio of the amount of work done to the total amount of energy
introduced to the system
energy quality - Answer: -the ease with which an energy source can be used for work
outputs - Answer: -a loss from a system
inputs - Answer: -an addition to a system
system - Answer: -any set of components that function & interact in some regular way (a cell,
human body, a forest, economy, the earth)
