IB ESS Midterm Review
Ecocentrism - correct answer ✔✔puts ecology and nature as central to humanity. it emphasizes a less
materialistic approach to life with greater self-sufficiency of societies
Anthropocentrism - correct answer ✔✔argues that humans must sustainably mange the global system.
May be met by taxing, stricter environmental regulations and legislation.
Techno centrism - correct answer ✔✔argues that technological developments can provide solutions to
environmental problems.
system - correct answer ✔✔an assemblage of parts that work together as a functional whole
open system - correct answer ✔✔A system in which both energy and matter are exchanged with the
surroundings.
closed system - correct answer ✔✔exchange energy but not matter (doesn't exist in nature)
isolated system - correct answer ✔✔A system that can exchange neither energy nor matter with its
surroundings.
energy transfer - correct answer ✔✔energy moves from one source to another
energy transformation - correct answer ✔✔A change from one form of energy to another
model - correct answer ✔✔a simplified version of reality that can be used to understand how a system
works and to predict how it will respond to change
steady state equilibrium - correct answer ✔✔a state of balance within a system
, first law of thermodynamics - correct answer ✔✔energy is neither created nor destroyed
second law of thermodynamics - correct answer ✔✔the entropy of a system not in equilibrium will tend
to increase over time
negative feedback - correct answer ✔✔responds that tends to counteract a deviation from equilibrium
positive feedback - correct answer ✔✔response that tends to accelerate a deviation from equilibrium
towards a tipping point
resilience (of a system) - correct answer ✔✔ability of an ecosystem to recover from change or disruption
sustainable development - correct answer ✔✔meets the needs of the present without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
natural capital - correct answer ✔✔natural resources that can provide a sustained natural income of
goods or services (ex. water replenishment, flood and erosion protection, timber, crops, O2 production)
EIA - correct answer ✔✔1. incorporates baselines studies before a project is undertaken. 2. assess the
environmental, social, and economic impacts of the project, predicting and evaluating possible impacts
and suggesting mitigation strategies. 3. followed by an audit and continued monitoring
pollution - correct answer ✔✔addition of a substance or form of energy to an environment at a rate
faster than it can accommodate for it (ex. light, sound, heat, biological agents)
natural income - correct answer ✔✔the yield obtained from natural resources
primary pollutants - correct answer ✔✔active on emission (oil, nuclear waste)
secondary pollutants - correct answer ✔✔arising from primary pollutants undergoing physical or
chemical change
Ecocentrism - correct answer ✔✔puts ecology and nature as central to humanity. it emphasizes a less
materialistic approach to life with greater self-sufficiency of societies
Anthropocentrism - correct answer ✔✔argues that humans must sustainably mange the global system.
May be met by taxing, stricter environmental regulations and legislation.
Techno centrism - correct answer ✔✔argues that technological developments can provide solutions to
environmental problems.
system - correct answer ✔✔an assemblage of parts that work together as a functional whole
open system - correct answer ✔✔A system in which both energy and matter are exchanged with the
surroundings.
closed system - correct answer ✔✔exchange energy but not matter (doesn't exist in nature)
isolated system - correct answer ✔✔A system that can exchange neither energy nor matter with its
surroundings.
energy transfer - correct answer ✔✔energy moves from one source to another
energy transformation - correct answer ✔✔A change from one form of energy to another
model - correct answer ✔✔a simplified version of reality that can be used to understand how a system
works and to predict how it will respond to change
steady state equilibrium - correct answer ✔✔a state of balance within a system
, first law of thermodynamics - correct answer ✔✔energy is neither created nor destroyed
second law of thermodynamics - correct answer ✔✔the entropy of a system not in equilibrium will tend
to increase over time
negative feedback - correct answer ✔✔responds that tends to counteract a deviation from equilibrium
positive feedback - correct answer ✔✔response that tends to accelerate a deviation from equilibrium
towards a tipping point
resilience (of a system) - correct answer ✔✔ability of an ecosystem to recover from change or disruption
sustainable development - correct answer ✔✔meets the needs of the present without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
natural capital - correct answer ✔✔natural resources that can provide a sustained natural income of
goods or services (ex. water replenishment, flood and erosion protection, timber, crops, O2 production)
EIA - correct answer ✔✔1. incorporates baselines studies before a project is undertaken. 2. assess the
environmental, social, and economic impacts of the project, predicting and evaluating possible impacts
and suggesting mitigation strategies. 3. followed by an audit and continued monitoring
pollution - correct answer ✔✔addition of a substance or form of energy to an environment at a rate
faster than it can accommodate for it (ex. light, sound, heat, biological agents)
natural income - correct answer ✔✔the yield obtained from natural resources
primary pollutants - correct answer ✔✔active on emission (oil, nuclear waste)
secondary pollutants - correct answer ✔✔arising from primary pollutants undergoing physical or
chemical change
