g18.    What is energy?

Energy is the ability to do work. Energy comes in several types.  Kinetic energy comes from movement of a mass. Heat is the total kinetic energy from movement of atoms, ions or molecules.  Temperature is a measure of this energy. Electromagnetic radiation is radiant energy traveling as waves (TV, radio, light, etc.). Ionizing radiation from x-rays, gamma rays, and ultraviolet radiation causes atoms in living materials to be ionized, thus damaging cells. Non-ionizing radiation may or may not be damaging to living materials. Potential energy is stored energy.  It takes an input of energy to release potential energy. Energy quality is the measure of usefulness of energy. High quality is organized and concentrated. Low quality matter is disorganized and dispersed. There are two laws of conservation of energy. Law 1 states that you can't get something for nothing.  In other words, when energy is changed from one form to another, energy input must equal energy output. Law 2 states that you can't break even.  Every time we change from one form of energy to another, the energy we get out is a lower grade.  Heat is lost into the environment. Organisms spend a lot of time converting matter to energy and energy from one form to another.

e09.    What is succession?

e17.    How do organisms use matter?

e22.    What do we eat?

m11.    What is the aesthetic and recreational importance of organisms?

m16.    How are forests of commercial importance?

m23.    What is energy efficiency?

m24.    How is energy used?

m25.    How is solar energy used?

m26.    How is hydroelectric power used?

m27.    How is electricity from wind used?

m28.    How is biomass used for energy?

m30.    How is natural gas used?

m31.    Is nuclear energy a viable alternative?

m34.    How could food production affect the environment?

m59.    How do diapers affect the environment?

m61.    Who recycles solids wastes?

m62.    Are there other methods of dealing with solid waste?