acid 70
activation energy 71
atom 69
base 70
catalyst 71
chemical bond 71
combustion 75
compound 70
controlled experiment 67
electron 69
element 69
energy 72
entropy 73
enzyme 72
experiment 67
first law of thermodynamics 73 		hydroxide ion 70
hypothesis 67
ion 70
isotope 70
kinetic energy 72
kinetic molecular theory 69
latent heat 73
law 68
law of conservation of matter 68
matter 69
mixture 70
molecule 70
neutron 69
nucleus 69
observation 67
pH 70 		photosynthesis 72
potential energy 72
proton 69
repeatability 68
respiration 72
science 67
scientific method 67
second law of thermodynamics 73
sensible heat 73
theory 68
theory of evolution 68

On-line Flashcards
We flip that switch and expect the light to turn on. What factors affect our supply of electricity? One thing that is constantly working "against" us is the second law of thermodynamics. Read Heat Wave Threatens Nuclear Power Plants to see why electricity generation is commonly reduced during heat waves (it is not due to increased demand).       The quest for high quality energy continues to provide convenience in most of our lives and a Historic Decision to Allow Drilling in Remote Alaska Oil Reserve explains how we are using a petroleum reserve in Alaska.
You've probably studied and learned about photosynthesis before. But do you remember what happens? Try out the Photosynthesis animation to refresh your memory of this process and how it relates to potential, kinetic, and chemical energy.
     For a refresher of atoms, electrons, protons, and neutrons, check out the Atom animation. 		     What is the difference between atoms and molecules, and what is a covalent bond? See the Covalent Bond animation for a review.
Review Questions
  1. How do scientific disciplines differ from nonscientific disciplines?
  2. What is a hypothesis? Why is it an important part of the way scientists think?
  3. Why are events that happen only once difficult to analyze from a scientific point of view?
  4. What is the scientific method, and what processes does it involve?
  5. How are the second law of thermodynamics and pollution related?

  1. Diagram an atom of oxygen and label its parts.
  2. What happens to atoms during a chemical reaction?
  3. State the first and second laws of thermodynamics.
  4. How do solids, liquids, and gases differ from one another at the molecular level?
  5. List five kinds of energy.
  6. Are all kinds of energy equal in their capacity to bring about changes? Why or why not?
Critical Thinking Questions
  1. You observe that a high percentage of frogs, especially sensitive to environmental poisons, in small ponds in your agricultural region have birth defects. Suspecting agricultural chemicals present in runoff to be the culprit, state the hypothesis in your own words. Next devise an experiment that might help you support or reject your hypothesis.
  2. Given the experiment you proposed in Critical Thinking Question 1, imagine some results that would support that hypothesis. Now imagine you are a different scientist, one who is very skeptical of the initial hypothesis. How convincing do you find these data? What other possible explanations (hypotheses) might there be to explain the results? Devise a different experiment to test this new hypothesis.
  3. Increasingly, environmental issues like global climate change are moving to the forefront of world concern. What role should science play in public policy decisions? How should we decide between competing scientific explanations about an environmental concern like global climate change? What might be some of the criteria for deciding what is "good science" and what is "bad science"?
  1. How important are the first and second laws of thermodynamics to explain environmental issues? Using the concepts in these laws of thermodynamics, try to explain a particular environmental issue. How does an understanding of thermodynamics change your conceptual framework regarding this issue?
  2. The text points out that incandescent light bulbs are only 4 percent efficient at using energy to accomplish their task, while new, initially more expensive, compact fluorescent lighting uses significantly less electricity to provide the same quantity of light. Examine the contextual framework of those who advocate for new lighting methods and the contextual framework of those who continue to design and build using the old methods. What are the major differences in perspective? What could you suggest be done to help bring these different perspectives closer together?
  3. Some scientists argue that living organisms constantly battle against the principles of the second law of thermodynamics using the principles of the first law of thermodynamics. What might they mean by this? Do you think this is accurate? What might be some of the implications of this for living organisms?