Science, Systems, Matter, and Energy

Summary

• Science is an attempt to discover the natural world’s order and use that in describing what is likely to happen in nature. Scientists ask a question or identify a problem to investigate. Then, they collect scientific data through observation and measurement. Experiments may be used to study specific phenomena.
• The major components of complex systems are environmental inputs, flows within the system, and outputs to the environment.
• The basic forms of matter are elements and compounds. Matter is useful to us as a resource because it makes up every material substance.
• The major forms of energy are kinetic energy and potential energy. Energy is useful to us as a resource because it moves matter.
• The Law of Conservation of Matter states that matter is neither created nor destroyed when a physical or chemical change occurs.
• Matter can undergo three types of nuclear changes: natural radioactive decay, nuclear fission, and nuclear fusion.
• The First Law of Thermodynamics states that in all physical and chemical changes, energy may be converted from one form to another but it is neither created nor destroyed. The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that when energy is changed from one form to another, there is always less usable energy left.
• These laws, then, show that energy goes from a more useful to a less useful form and that high-quality energy cannot be recycled. So, the quality as well as the quantity of our resources and our environment will be reduced.

Google Earth Connection

• Easter Island Cultures [DOWNLOAD]

Assignments

• Vocabulary terms [DOWNLOAD]
• Review questions [DOWNLOAD]
• Current event articles [1]
• How would you vote? [LINK]

Assessments

• 17 question web quiz [LINK]
• Free-Response question [DOWNLOAD]
• The unit test consists of 100 multiple choice questions from Chapters 1-2. Your time will limited to one minute per question.

IMPORTANT: The work for this chapter will be accepted until Monday, September 20th.