Chp 2 8-15

8) Which wavelengths do our eyes respond to and why? About how long are short ultraviolet wavelengths to microwave lengths.

Our eyes can see the visible wavelengths of 4 to 7 micrometers. Ultraviolet waves start at 10 nm, microwaves have wavelengths of about 1 cm.

right-why?

9) Where do extremophiles live? How do they get the energy they need for survival?

Extremophiles live in extreme places such as the bottom of the ocean floor, deep inside of the earth's crust, or inside of hot springs.

as opposed to?

They gain energy by extracting energy from inorganic chemical compounds under extreme heat in a process known as chemosynthesis.

10) Ecosystems require energy to function. From where does this energy come? Where does it go?

This energy comes from the sun. It goes into plants, from then into herbivores, carnivores, then back into the ground as animals and plant matter dies.

primary producers? trophic levels? (trophos = food)

11) How do green plants capture energy, and what do they do with it?

Green plants capture energy through photosynthesis! They store the energy as glucose.

Plants are green, get energy from the sun, need water, store energy as sugar, capillary action is there circulatory system. CO2 in the daytime, oxygen at night time.

12) Define the terms, species, population, and biological community?

Species: Can reproduce fertile offspring

population: the number of species

biological community: all the populations in one area.

mule=sterile combination of a horse and a donkey

13) Why are big fierce animals rare?

Because there is less energy at the top of the trophic levels where the big fierce animals are.

dependent on many many smaller animals, who are dependent on many many many many plants
why dinosaurs extinct?
why did alligators survive?

14) Most ecosystems can be visualized as a pyramid with many organisms in the lowest trophic levels and only a few individuals at the top. Give an example of an inverted numbers pyramid.

An example of an inverted numbers pyramid can be one large tree that supports thousands of caterpillars.

hmmm?

15) What is the ratio of human-caused carbon releases into the atmosphere compared to the amount released by terrestrial respiration?

Human-caused carbon realease in the atmosphere is about 7 gigatons a year, while terrestrial respiration is about 100 gigatons a year.

so, why are we so worried about global warming? Because terrestrial respiration is offset by photosynthesis, whereas human released carbon is not offset by anything.