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SCIE-1002: Science and the Environment

Assignment - 1
Student Name: shabeeba shihabudeen Student No: 60097781

Answer the following questions.

Q 1. Define matter and energy. BRIEFLY outline the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen and water.
(8 Marks)

Matter: Matter is defined as anything that has mass and fills space. Matter is the foundation of all
tangible objects, including living organisms.

Energy: The property of matter and radiation expressed as the ability to perform work.

Water cycle: It involves the transfer of water molecules from the earth's surface to the atmosphere and
back. It is also known as the hydrologic cycle and involves processes like as evaporation, transpiration,
condensation, sublimation, and precipitation.

Nitrogen cycle: The transfer of nitrogen (in various forms) through plants, animals, microbes, soil, and
the atmosphere is known as the nitrogen cycle. The processes involved are fixation, nitrification,
assimilation, ammonification, and denitrification.

Carbon cycle: The biological, geological, and physical cycles that transmit carbon molecules from the
atmosphere to land, ocean, and life are referred to as the carbon cycle. There are both slow and fast
cycles. Sediments and rocks both store carbon.

Q 2. State the Law of Conservation of Energy and provide three (3) examples from nature. (4 Marks)

The law of conservation of energy states that “energy can neither be created nor destroyed - only
converted from one form of energy to another”

Examples:

 Solar panels do not generate energy from the sun. They capture solar energy and convert it into
a different form of energy.
 On the field, two football players collided and both fell backward. Each player's energy was
transferred to the other, propelling them in the opposite direction from which they had been
running.
 Water can transfers potential energy into kinetic energy as it falls from the sky. This energy is
subsequently used to turn a generator's turbine, which produces electricity.
 When a car collides with a road sign, the sign will fall over. The energy from the driving car will
be passed to the stationary sign, making the sign to move.

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Q 3. Outline the geochronological units of the Earth’s geologic timeline: Eons, Eras, Periods, Epochs, and
Ages. (5 Marks)

Q 4. Define resources. Compare and contrast renewable and non-renewable resources, citing three (3)
examples for each. (7 Marks)

The term "resource" refers to all of the materials in our nature that humans can employ to sustain life
and meet their requirements, and these resources are derived from the environment.

Renewable resources Non-renewable resources

These resources can replenish and will
not be exhausted even after continuous
utilization.
The majority of renewable resources
emit little carbon and have a minimal
carbon footprint.
Renewable energy has a high initial cost.
– For example, creating power with
renewable energy technologies is more
expensive than generating it with fossil
fuels.
Examples of non-renewable resources
are sunlight, water, wind and also
geothermal sources such as hot springs.
These resources cannot replenish itself
at the same pace as it is used and can
be depleted when it is over used.
Nonrenewable energy has a greater
carbon footprint and emissions than
renewable energy as carbon is the main
element in fossil fuels.
Nonrenewable energy has a lower initial
investment cost when compared to
renewable energy.
Examples of Non-renewable energy
includes fossil fuels such as coal, natural
gas and petroleum.

Q 5. Define biome and describe three (3) different types of biomes of your choice. (10 Marks)

A biome is a regional or global land area characterized by the flora, fauna, and climate that are unique
to that area.

 Tropical seasonal forest: Grasslands with a few trees spread about, with very seasonal rainfall.
Fire and grazing are critical to the long-term viability of these ecosystems. The climate is dry all
year, but there is enough moisture to keep the forest alive.
 Temperature rain forest: Mostly found in warmer regions, with occasional fogs in the
summertime and heavy downpours in the winter. The vegetation is dominated by tall evergreen
trees such as fir and coastal redwood. Temperate rainforests receive more rain than tropical
rainforests but have a colder average temperature.
 Taiga is another name for a boreal forest. The weather is bitterly cold, and winters can be lengthy
and uncomfortable, while summers are similarly cold. Evergreen woods with frost-resistant
needle-leaved forests make up the majority of the vegetation.

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 Woodland/Shrubland: The climate is dry in the summer with the chance of droughts, and it
is moist and rainy in the winter. The vegetation is dominated by evergreen sclerophyllous plants.
The majority of plants have evolved to withstand the fires.

Q 6. Define Biodiversity, give at least five (5) reasons why biodiversity is important. List five (5) threats to
biodiversity. (11 Marks)

Q 7. What are Fossil Fuels, give three (3) examples. (5 marks)

Fossil fuels are derived from the decomposition of plants and animals. These fuels are found in the
Earth's crust and consist of carbon and hydrogen, both of which can be burned to generate energy.

Examples of fossil fuels are: coal, petroleum, oil, and natural gas

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