Thermodynamics

Students will be able to:

-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and self-regulating
mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system
-will be able to create a model of an ecosystem of their choice

Ecosystems involve interrelationships among climate, geology, soil,
vegetation, and animals. These components are linked
together transfers of energy and or matter.
Two basic processes occur in an ecosystem:
1. The cycling of matter
2. A flow of energy
Thermodynamics
Students will be able to:
-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and self-regulating
mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system

The cycling of matter. Because there are only finite amounts of
nutrients available on the earth, they must be recycled in order to
ensure the continued existence of living organisms.
Examples are the:
Thermodynamics
Students will be able to:
-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and self-regulating
mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system

The cycling of matter. Because there are only finite amounts of
nutrients available on the earth, they must be recycled in order to
ensure the continued existence of living organisms.
Examples are the:
Water Cycle
Thermodynamics
Students will be able to:
-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and self-regulating
mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system

http://www.youtu
be.com/watch?v=
0_c0ZzZfC8c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i
3NeMVBcXXU
The cycling of matter. Because there are only finite amounts of
nutrients available on the earth, they must be recycled in order to
ensure the continued existence of living organisms.
Examples are the:
Carbon Cycle
Thermodynamics
Students will be able to:
-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and self-regulating
mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system

http://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=OByqdU
hWERk
The cycling of matter. Because there are only finite amounts of
nutrients available on the earth, they must be recycled in order to
ensure the continued existence of living organisms.
Examples are the:
Nitrogen Cycle
Thermodynamics
Students will be able to:
-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and self-regulating
mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system

http://www.youtu
be.com/watch?v=
w03iO_Yu9Xw
The cycling of matter. Because there are only finite amounts of
nutrients available on the earth, they must be recycled in order to
ensure the continued existence of living organisms.
Examples are the:
Phosphorus Cycle
Thermodynamics
Students will be able to:
-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and self-regulating
mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system

http://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=Au0ZaqXy1wM
The flow of solar energy into the earth's systems. As radiant
energy, it is used by plants for food production. As heat, it warms
the planet and powers the weather system. Eventually, the energy is
lost into space in the form of infrared radiation. Most of the energy
needed to cycle matter through earth's systems comes from the sun.
Thermodynamics
Students will be able to:
-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and self-regulating
mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system

Thermodynamics is the study of
the energy transformations that occur in a system.
Laws of thermodynamics:
1. Energy can be transferred and transformed, but it cannot be
created or destroyed. It follows the law of conservation of
energy (physics) and it describes how the energy of the
universe is constant.
2. Every transformation of energy results in a reduction of
FREE ENERGY (usable energy). It follows the laws of
ENTROPY where each transformation reduces the quality
(usability) of the energy.
Thermodynamics
Students will be able to:
-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and self-regulating
mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system

Any conversion of energy is less than 100% efficient and therefore
Some energy is wasted or lost from the system.
Usually this energy is lost from the system in the form of heat.
Only 25% of the energy
stored in gasoline is
transformed in the
motion of a car, 75% is
lost as heat.
Thermodynamics
Students will be able to:
-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and self-regulating
mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system

Pyramid of energy is always upright. It is so because at each transfer
about 80 - 90% of the energy available at lower trophic level is used up
to overcome its entropy and to perform metabolic activities. Only 10% of
the energy is available to next trophic level (as per Lindemann's ten
percent rule).

Thermodynamics
Students will be able to:
-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and self-regulating
mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system

Negative Feedback = The way living systems maintain
homeostasis.
Homeostasis = The property of a system, that regulates its
internal environment and tends to maintain a
stable, constant condition.
Negative feedback systems include a sequence of events that
will cause an effect that is in the opposite direction to the original
stimulus and thereby brings the system back to its equilibrium
position.
Thermodynamics
Students will be able to:
-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and self-regulating
mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system

Positive feedback systems include a sequence of events that
will cause an effect that is in the same direction to the original
stimulus and thereby brings the system further away from
equilibrium.
Thermodynamics
Students will be able to:
-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and self-regulating
mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system

Predator Prey relationships are usually controlled by
negative feedback where:
Increase in Prey Increase in Predator
Decrease in Prey Decrease in Predator
Increase in Prey and so on in a cyclical
manner
Thermodynamics
Students will be able to:
-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and self-regulating
mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system

Thermodynamics
Students will be able to:
-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and self-regulating
mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system

Thermodynamics
Students will be able to:
-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and self-regulating
mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system

Thermodynamics
Students will be able to:
-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and self-regulating
mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system

Systems are defined by the source and ultimate destination of
their matter and/or energy.
Open system = A system in which both matter and energy are
exchanged across boundaries of the system.
Closed system = A system in which energy is exchanged across
boundaries of the system, but matter is not.
Isolated system = A system in which neither energy or matter
is exchanged across boundaries of the system.
No such system exists.
Thermodynamics
Students will be able to:
-outline the concept and characteristics of a system
-apply the systems concept to ecosystems
-describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics are relevant to environmental systems
-explain the nature of equilibria
-define and explain the principles of positive and negative feedback, homeostasis and self-regulating
mechanisms
-define the terms open system, closed system, and and isolated system