AP Environmental Science Review Exam| 155 Questions And Answers Solved 100% Correct!!

First Law of Thermodynamics - Energy is neither created nor destroyed, but may be converted from one form to another. El Niño (ENSO) - prevailing winds in the Pacific weaken and change direction every few years which results in above average warming of eastern Pacific waters, which changes distribution of plant nutrients and alters earth's weather for 2-3 years Reason for seasons on Earth - Tilt of the axis ~23.5° Second Law of Thermodynamics - When energy is changed from one form to another, some useful energy is always degraded into lower quality energy (usually heat). Nuclear Fission - nuclei of isotopes split apart when struck by neutrons. Leaching - removal of dissolved materials from soil by water moving downwards through soil. Soil Conservation Methods - conservation tillage, crop rotation, contour plowing, organic fertilizers. Soil Salinization - in arid regions, water evaporates leaving salts behind. (ex. Fertile crescent, southwestern US) Hydrologic Cycle Components - evaporation, transpiration, runoff, condensation, precipitation, and infiltration. Watershed - all of the land that drains into a body of water Aquifer - any water-bearing layer in the ground.Salt Water Intrusion - near the coast, overpumping of groundwater causes saltwater to move into the aquifer. La Nina - "Normal" year, easterly trade winds and ocean currents pool warm water in the western Pacific, allowing upwelling of nutrient rich water off the West coast of South America. Nitrogen Fixation - because atmospheric N cannot be used directly by plants, it must first be converted into ammonia by bacteria. Ammonification - decomposers covert organic waste into ammonia.