1. Science, Systems, Matter, and Energy
G. Tyler Miller’s
Living in the Environment
14th Edition
Chapter 3

2. Key Concepts Science as a process for understanding
Components and regulation of systems
Matter: forms, quality, and how it changes; laws of matter
Energy: forms, quality, and how it changes; laws of energy
Nuclear changes and radioactivity

3. Science, and Critical Thinking
Ask a question
Do experiments
and collect data
Formulate
hypothesis
to explain data
Do more
Experiments to
test hypothesis
Revise hypothesis
if necessary
Well-tested and
accepted
hypotheses
become
scientific theories
Interpret data
accepted patterns
In data become
scientific laws
Scientific data
Scientific hypotheses
Scientific (natural) laws
Scientific theories
Consensus science
Frontier science
Fig. 3-2 p. 33

4. Models and Behavior of Systems
Inputs
Flows (throughputs)
Stores (storage areas)
Outputs

5. System Regulation Positive Feedback Negative Feedback Time Delay
Synergy

6. Matter: Forms, Structure, and Quality
Elements
Compounds
Atoms
Ions
Molecules

7. Atoms Subatomic Particles Protons Neutrons Electrons
Atomic Characteristics
Atomic number
Ions
Atomic mass
Isotopes

8. Examples of Isotopes
Fig. 3-5 p. 40

9. pH Measures acidity or alkalinity of water samples Scale 0 – 14
Acids: 0 – 6.9
Neutral 7.0
Alkaline (Basic) 7.1 – 14

10. Chemical Bonds
Chemical formulas
Ionic bonds
Covalent bonds

11. Organic Compounds Organic vs. inorganic compounds Hydrocarbons
Chlorinated hydrocarbons
Simple carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates
Proteins
Nucleic acids

12. Genetic Material Nucleic acids Chromosomes Genes Genomes
Compare Fig. 3-7 p. 42

13. The Four States of Matter
Solid
Liquid
Gas
Plasma

14. Matter Quality and Material Efficiency
High-quality matter
Low-quality matter
Material efficiency (resource productivity)
Fig. 3-8 p. 43

15. Energy Definition: Capacity to do “work” and transfer heat Types:
Kinetic
Potential
Radiation: Energy & Wavelength

16. Electromagnetic Spectrum
Fig. 3-9 p. 44

17. Transfer of Heat Energy
Convection
Conduction
Radiation
Heat from a stove burner causes
atoms or molecules in the pan’s
bottom to vibrate faster. The vibrating
atoms or molecules then collide with
nearby atoms or molecules, causing
them to vibrate faster. Eventually,
molecules or atoms in the pan’s
handle are vibrating so fast it
becomes too hot to touch.
As the water boils, heat from the hot
stove burner and pan radiate into the
surrounding air, even though air
conducts very little heat.
Heating water in the bottom of a pan
causes some of the water to vaporize
into bubbles. Because they are
lighter than the surrounding water,
they rise. Water then sinks from the
top to replace the rising bubbles.This
up and down movement (convection)
eventually heats all of the water.
Fig p. 45

18. Energy: Quality
High-quality energy
Low-quality energy
Fig p.46

19. Changes in Matter
Physical
Chemical

20. Chemical Changes or Reactions
Fig. In text p. 47

21. The Law of Conservation of Matter
Matter is not destroyed
Matter only changes form
There is no “throw away”

22. Matter and Pollution Chemical nature of pollutants Concentration
Persistence
Degradable (nonpersistent) pollutants
Biodegradable pollutants
Slowly degradable (persistent) pollutants
Nondegradable pollutants

23. Nuclear Changes
Natural radioactive decay
Radioactive isotopes (radioisotopes)
Gamma rays
Alpha particles
Beta particles
Half life (See Table 3-2 p. 49)
Ionizing radiation

24. Half-life
Fig. 3-13, p. 49

25. Nuclear Reactions
Fission
Fusion
Fig p. 50
Fig p. 50

26. Laws Governing Energy Changes
First Law of Thermodynamics (Energy)
Energy is neither created nor destroyed
Energy only changes form
You can’t get something for nothing
ENERGY IN = ENERGY OUT

27. Laws Governing Energy Changes
Second Law of Thermodynamics
In every transformation, some energy is converted to heat
You cannot break even in terms of energy quality

28. Connections: Matter and Energy Laws and Environmental Problems
High-throughput (waste) economy
Matter-recycling economy
Low-throughput economy

29. Environmental Solutions: Low-Throughput Economy
Learning from Nature
Fig p. 53