IB ESS: Final Exam
Ecocentric - Answer-pure ecology & nature is central to humanity and emphasizes a less materialist
approach to life with greater self-sufficiency of societies
Technocentric - Answer-believes that technological development can provide solutions to
environmental problems
Anthropocentric - Answer-believes humans must sustainably manage the global system
Environmental Manager - Answer-believe governments need to legislate to protect environment and
resources from overexploitation and make sustainable economics - humans have ethical duty to protect
& nurture Earth
Cornucopian - Answer-through technology & inventiveness, humans can solve any environmental
problem & improve living standards - little government intervention
Biocentric - Answer-all life has inherent value - no harm to individual species
Deep Ecologist - Answer-put more value on nature than humanity - believe in biorights; no human
intervention in nature
System / Systems Diagram - Answer-set of components that function together & form integrated units
Open System - Answer-exchanges matter & energy with its surroundings
Closed System - Answer-exchanges energy with its surroundings
,Isolated System - Answer-exchanges no energy or matter with its surroundings
Transfer - Answer-a change in location
Transformation - Answer-a change in chemical nature, state, or energy
Matter - Answer-gas, liquid, solid
Atoms - Answer-makes up matter
1st Law of Thermodynamics / Principle of Conservation of Energy - Answer-energy is neither created nor
destroyed
2nd Law of Thermodynamics - Answer-the entropy of an isolated system not in equilibrium will increase
over time
Entropy - Answer-the measure of the disorder of a system - refers to spreading out or dispersal of
energy
Enthalpy - Answer-equivalent to total heat content of a system
Equilibrium: Steady State, Static, Unstable/stable - Answer-the tendency to return to its original state
-the system is constant with continuous inputs & outputs
-no change over time
-unstable: returns to new equilibrium; stable: returns to same
, Efficiency (Energy) - Answer-useful energy, work or output produced by a process divided by the amount
of energy consumed, bring the input to the process
Negative Feedback - Answer-damp down, neutralize, or counteract any deviation from an equilibrium;
stablizies systems in steady-state
Positive Feedback - Answer-further increases or decreases in output that enhances the change in the
system
System Resilience - Answer-how a system responds to a disturbance
-more resilient: more distrubance dealt with
Tipping Point - Answer-reached when ecosystem experiences a shift to a new state in which there are
significant changes to its biodiversity & services it provides
Ecological Overshoot - Answer-surpassing the sustainable level of resources exploitation
Sustainable Development - Answer-development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
Natural Capita - Answer-goods & services the environment provides humans with in order to provide
natural income
Natural Income - Answer-natural resources that can be sold for profit
Abiotic vs. Biotic - Answer-Abiotic: non-living physical factors influencing organisms & the ecosystem
Biotic: living organisms
Ecocentric - Answer-pure ecology & nature is central to humanity and emphasizes a less materialist
approach to life with greater self-sufficiency of societies
Technocentric - Answer-believes that technological development can provide solutions to
environmental problems
Anthropocentric - Answer-believes humans must sustainably manage the global system
Environmental Manager - Answer-believe governments need to legislate to protect environment and
resources from overexploitation and make sustainable economics - humans have ethical duty to protect
& nurture Earth
Cornucopian - Answer-through technology & inventiveness, humans can solve any environmental
problem & improve living standards - little government intervention
Biocentric - Answer-all life has inherent value - no harm to individual species
Deep Ecologist - Answer-put more value on nature than humanity - believe in biorights; no human
intervention in nature
System / Systems Diagram - Answer-set of components that function together & form integrated units
Open System - Answer-exchanges matter & energy with its surroundings
Closed System - Answer-exchanges energy with its surroundings
,Isolated System - Answer-exchanges no energy or matter with its surroundings
Transfer - Answer-a change in location
Transformation - Answer-a change in chemical nature, state, or energy
Matter - Answer-gas, liquid, solid
Atoms - Answer-makes up matter
1st Law of Thermodynamics / Principle of Conservation of Energy - Answer-energy is neither created nor
destroyed
2nd Law of Thermodynamics - Answer-the entropy of an isolated system not in equilibrium will increase
over time
Entropy - Answer-the measure of the disorder of a system - refers to spreading out or dispersal of
energy
Enthalpy - Answer-equivalent to total heat content of a system
Equilibrium: Steady State, Static, Unstable/stable - Answer-the tendency to return to its original state
-the system is constant with continuous inputs & outputs
-no change over time
-unstable: returns to new equilibrium; stable: returns to same
, Efficiency (Energy) - Answer-useful energy, work or output produced by a process divided by the amount
of energy consumed, bring the input to the process
Negative Feedback - Answer-damp down, neutralize, or counteract any deviation from an equilibrium;
stablizies systems in steady-state
Positive Feedback - Answer-further increases or decreases in output that enhances the change in the
system
System Resilience - Answer-how a system responds to a disturbance
-more resilient: more distrubance dealt with
Tipping Point - Answer-reached when ecosystem experiences a shift to a new state in which there are
significant changes to its biodiversity & services it provides
Ecological Overshoot - Answer-surpassing the sustainable level of resources exploitation
Sustainable Development - Answer-development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
Natural Capita - Answer-goods & services the environment provides humans with in order to provide
natural income
Natural Income - Answer-natural resources that can be sold for profit
Abiotic vs. Biotic - Answer-Abiotic: non-living physical factors influencing organisms & the ecosystem
Biotic: living organisms
