Cutting a tree will
someday make you treeless; and eventually, you will be homeless.
A.
The environment is a
set of complex systems that support life as we know
it.
B.
The building blocks of
matter and energy support our complex environment and are
weakened by pollutants, nuclear changes, and resource depletion.
C.
A sustainable economy
must protect resources and make resources use more efficient.
3-1 The nature of science
Basing
their research on scientific hypotheses, scientists ask questions to explain
how the world works.
A.
Scientific Theory vs.
Scientific Law
B.
Scientific methods
C.
Frontier science vs.
consensus science
3-2 Models and behavior of systems
Interacting,
environmental systems include three key components (matter, energy or
information) which function as inputs, flows and/or storage areas and outputs.
A.
Systems change:
feedback loops, time delays
B.
Influence of synergy
C.
Law of conservation of
problems
3-3 Matter: Forms, structure, and quality
The two chemical forms
of matter are elements and compounds which are found
together in mixtures.
A.
Characteristics of
atoms, ions, and molecules
3-4 Energy: Forms and quality
Energy can be either
kinetic or potential, high-quality or low-quality.
3-5 Physical and chemical changes and the
law of conservation of matter
No physical or
chemical change can create or destroy matter.
A.
Physical and chemical
changes and the law of conservation of matter
B.
Example of
change: pollutants
3-6 Nuclear changes
Nuclear change occurs
in three types: natural radioactive decay, nuclear fission, and nuclear fusion.
A.
Radioactive isotopes
and gamma rays
3-7 Two laws governing energy changes
The first and second
laws of energy explain that when energy is changed, less usable energy is the
result.
A.
Mechanical,
electrical, and chemical energy and their results
B.
Energy efficiency
3-8 Connections: Matter and energy change
laws and environmental problems
A
‘high-throughput/high-waste economy’ operates in the advanced industrialized
countries of today, compromising the environment for the entire world.
Outline for Chapter 4
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