Life in the Earth System

Life in the Earth System

By Roberto Gonzalez

​Some plants that are infested with caterpillars or other insects produce chemicals that repel the insects and attract wasps that eat or parasitize the insects. Neighboring plants that are not infested with insects may start to produce these chemicals, too.

​Living systems

Open Ended

How do you think tomato plants detect pests on a neighboring plant so they can protect themselves from infestation?

Properties of Systems

• Open a tab and find the definition for "System"

• Write it down in your notebook.​ (3 min)

• write the following subheadings leaving two to three lines after each one. ​

  • Boundaries and components

  • Inputs and outputs

  • Open and closed systems

  • Controls​

• As these topics are defined in the lecture, write down your understanding of these terms.

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*Write information from the lecture only

Multiple Choice

A pencil can be considered as a system.

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

Which of the following parts of a system relates to what enters a system?

• outputs

• properties

• components

• inputs

Multiple Choice

Using the image of the house as an example of a system, what would be the boundaries?

• the windows

• the fence around the yard

• the door

• what goes into and out of the house

Multiple Choice

Use the attached picture of a prism as an example of a system. If white light is the input into the system, what is the output?

• colored light

• gravity

• clear light

• triangular

Multiple Choice

Look at the picture attached of the digestive system. Which of the following is a component of the digestive system?

• liver

• complex

• food

• waste

Multiple Choice

Look at the picture attached of the digestive system. Which of the following is an input into the digestive system?

• liver

• complex

• food

• waste

Multiple Choice

Which of the following parts of a system relates to what enters a system?

• outputs

• properties

• components

• inputs

Types of Systems

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• Write "Open System" in your notebook as a subheading and leave a line to write your group's definition.

• Write "Closed System" as a subheading and leave two to three lines for your group's definition. ​

• As these topics discussed the lecture, write an example for each type of system

*Write information from the lecture only

Multiple Choice

Earth is what type of system?

• open

• closed

• isolated

Multiple Choice

A normal glass of water is an example of a ____________.

• open system

• closed system

• solated system

Multiple Choice

Allows the exchange of energy, but not of matter

• Closed system

• Open system

• Isolated system

Multiple Choice

Allows the flow of both energy and matter

• isolated system

• Closed system

• Open system

Multiple Choice

Systems that allow transfer of energy but not matter

• Open

• Closed

• Isolated

Multiple Choice

A system that exchanges neither matter nor energy

• Open

• Closed

• Isolated

• ​write down your understanding of control.

  • ​what do controls do?

  • what type of controls are there?

• Write down your understanding of feedback​

  • ​How does input and output work in providing feedback?

Controls and Feedback

*Write information from the lecture only

Controls

The components of a system include the controls that help keep the system working properly by monitoring and managing the inputs and outputs. Controls can be automatic, manually set, or a combination of both. Feedback is information from one step of a cycle that acts to change the behavior of a previous step of a cycle. So, feedback is output that becomes input.

The output is the cool air.

The input is the temperature of the room and the set point is the "normal"​

​Some text here about the topic of discussion.

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What do you think would be the input? What is the output? What would be the set point?

This device opens a parachute if a skydiver is unconcious

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Positive feedback loops

• Positive feedback is a process that occurs in a feedback loop which exacerbates the effects of a small disturbance.

• That is, A produces more of B which in turn produces more of A. 

• Positive feedback tends to promote the triggering mechanism.

Negative feedback loops

• Negative feedback occurs when some function of the output of a system, process, or mechanism is fed back in a manner that tends to reduce the fluctuations in the output.

• A system in which the results of a change act to reduce or counteract it has negative feedback.

• Negative feedback tends to promote a settling to equilibrium.

Multiple Choice

On a hot day, people turn on their air conditions. The air conditions are run with electricity which is generated in a power plant by burning natural gas. The exhaust from the power plant is CO2. With more CO2, the atmosphere heats up more and people turn their air conditions up.

• Positive Feedback Loop

• Negative Feedback Loop

Multiple Choice

Earth warms and water evaporates from the ocean. The moisture condenses to form clouds. The clouds reflect sunlight back into space.

• Positive Feedback Loop

• Negative Feedback Loop

Multiple Choice

A banana releases a gaseous chemical that causes it to ripen, as it ripens it releases more of this gaseous chemical.

• Formal Feedback

• Audio Feedback

• Positive Feedback Loop

• Negative Feedback Loop

Multiple Choice

In Mario Kart, the back of the pack get better and stronger PowerUps.

• Positive Feedback Loop

• Negative Feedback Loop

• Parental Feedback

• Peer Feedback

Multiple Choice

A system that tries to maintain balance or equilibrium uses.......

• Positive Feedback Loops

• A Balance Beam

• Science

• Negative Feedback Loops

• ​write down a list of organization levels in life in order using the following terms:

  • biosphere, organism, ecosystem, community, population, biome, ​

System Organization

*Write information from the lecture only

System Organization

Systems can range in size and in complexity. More complex systems generally have more levels of organization than simpler systems.

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Organisms and Cells

• Some organisms are unicellular. This means they are made of only one cell. Ex: bacteria, yeast

• Some organisms are multicellular. This means they are made of many cells. Ex: humans, trees

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is the correct order of organization in living things from most basic (simple) to most complex?

• organism, cell, tissue, organ, organ system

• organ system, organ, tissue, cell, organism

• cell, tissue, organ, organ system, organism

• cell, organ, tissue, organism, organ system

Cell

• The smallest unit of life (building blocks of life)

• Cells are specialized by size and shape for the job they do.

• Example: nerve cell, also called a neuron

Multiple Choice

The basic unit of structure and function of living organisms

• organ

• organ system

• cell

• tissue

• organism

Tissue

• The same type of cells grouped together that are working together to do a specific job.

• Ex: nerve tissue, muscle tissue

Multiple Choice

A group of similar cells that work together to form the same function is called .......

• organ

• cell

• organ system

• organism

• tissue

Multiple Choice

What is the difference between a cell and a tissue?

• cell is basic unit of life; tissue is group of cells that work as one

• cell is group of tissues; tissue is basic unit of life

• cell is basic unit of life; tissue is groups of different cells

• cell is group of organs; tissue is group of different cells

Organ

• A bunch of tissues working together to do a job.

• Ex: brain, heart

Multiple Choice

A structure that is composed of different kinds of tissues

• organ

• cell

• organ system

• organism

• tissue

Organ System

• A bunch of organs working together

• Ex: nervous system, circulatory system, digestive system, etc.

Multiple Choice

A group of organs that work together to perform a major function....

• organ

• cell

• organ system

• organism

• tissue

Organism

• All cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems working together makes an organism.

• Ex: human, animal

Multiple Choice

Any living thing made up of one or more cells....

• organ

• cell

• organ system

• organism

• tissue