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An Introduction to Environmental
Science
Before you read the chapter, answer each question with information you know. After
you complete the chapter, re-answer the questions using information you learned.

How Do Scientists Uncover, Research,

and Solve Environmental Problems?

1.1 How does

environmental science
help us understand
the natural world?

1.2 What does

it mean to do
science?

1.3 What happens

to a scientific study
after data have been
gathered and the
results are analyzed?

What I Know

What I Learned

Sample answer: Environmental science explains

relationships between the
environment and living
things.

Sample answer: By understanding the interaction

of living and nonliving
things, humans can reduce
their ecological footprint.

Sample answer: To do
science means to conduct an experiment in a
lab or out in the field.

Sample answer: Science

is a process that involves
observation, experimentation, and an analysis of
quantitative data.

Sample answer: After

data are gathered and
analyzed, others review
the findings to make sure
they are valid and support a scientific idea.

Sample answer: A scientific study must undergo

peer review, replication,
and self-correction before
its findings are widely
accepted by the scientific
community.

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1.1 Our Island, Earth

Key Concepts
Environmental scientists study how the natural world works, and how humans and the
environment affect each other.
In the last several hundred years, both human population and resource consumption
have increased dramatically.

SKILL BUILDER

Vocabulary Preview

Define each vocabulary term in your own words. Then, write yourself a quick note on
how you will remember each. One term has been done for you.
Term

Definition

How I Remember

Environment

All the living and nonliving things

with which organisms interact

Accept all reasonable responses

for How I Remember. A few
samples are provided.

Environmental
science

The study of how the natural

world works, how our environment affects us, and how we
affect our environment

I know that science refers to the

study of why and how things happen, so environmental science
must refer to the study of things
around us.

Environmentalism

A social movement dedicated to

protecting the natural world,
including people, from undesirable changes brought about by
human actions

Natural
resource

A material or energy source provided

by nature that people need to survive

I think of all the resources in my

school library and then think of what
that means in a natural environment.

Renewable
natural
resource

A resource that is naturally

replenished over a short period

The prefix re- means again, so

renewable must mean able to
make new again.

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Term

Definition

Date

How I Remember

Nonrenewable natural
resource

A natural resource that forms

much more slowly than it is used

Sustainable

Having the rate of use be equal

to the rate of replenishment for
resources now and into the foreseeable future

Fossil fuel

A nonrenewable energy resource

such as oil, coal, and natural gas

Ecological
footprint

The environmental effects of an

individual or population based
on the amount of land and water
needed for raw materials and for
disposing of or recycling waste

I know the word sustain means

to keep going for a long time,
so sustainable must mean able
to keep going for a long time.

Our Environment
1. List three examples of nonliving things in the environment.
Sample answer: oceans, buildings, mountains
2. Give two reasons why environmental science is important.
Sample answer: Environmental science reminds us that we are part of the natu ral world and that our interactions with that world matter, and it is the first step
toward solving environmental problems.
3. Name four of the disciplines that contribute to the study of our interactions with the
environment.
Sample answer: Ecology, biology, economics, political science
4. What is the difference between environmental science and environmentalism?
Sample answer: Environmental science is what we know about the workings of the
environment; environmentalism is a social movement dedicated to protecting the
natural world from the negative effects of human actions.
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Population Up, Resources Down

For Questions 510, write True if the statement is true. If the statement is false, replace
the underlined word to make the statement true. Write your changes on the line.
varied

5. Nature makes natural resources at similar speeds.

True

6. Fruit is an example of a renewable resource.

low

7. For most of human history, population has been high and

relatively stable.

nonrenewable

8. The Industrial Revolution marked a shift from a rural society to

an urban society powered by renewable resources.

True

9. Our ecological footprint is affected by the number of people on

Earth and how much we consume.

True

10. The tragedy of the commons refers to the overuse of unregulated

resources.

11. In what way is living on Earth similar to living on an island?

In both situations, the natural resources that people need to survive are limited.

12. Why are sunlight and oil on opposite sides of the renewability continuum?
Sunlight is on the renewable natural resources end of the continuum because it is
completely renewable and is essentially always available to us. Oil is on the other
end of the continuum because it is a nonrenewable resource that exists in limited
quantities that may one day be gone.
13. What could cause a renewable natural resource to become a nonrenewable resource?
If a renewable natural resource is not used at a sustainable rate, it could become a
nonrenewable resource.
14. How can a nonliving thing have an ecological footprint?
Sample answer: Even an object, whether natural or synthetic, uses up natural
resources when it is formed or manufactured and when it is disposed of or recycled.
15. What is one way the tragedy of the commons could be avoided?
Sample answer: People who share a common resource can organize, cooperate, and
enforce responsible use of the resource.
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Think Visually

Use the graph below to answer Questions 16 and 17.

7
6
5
Industrial
Revolution

Agricultural
Revolution

8000 B. C. 4000 B. C.

3
2

Bubonic
plague

2000 B. C.

Human population (billions)

World Population Growth

0
2000 A. D.

16. Which event shown on the graph signaled the biggest change in human population
growth? Industrial Revolution
17. Explain how understanding environmental science can help people solve problems related
to human population growth.
Sample answer: Because environmental science describes complex interactions
between people and the environment, it can help us understand the effects increased
human population will have on resources in the environment.
EXTENSION Choose two different organisms or objects. Think about the relationship
they have with other organisms or objects in their environment. Compare their ecological
footprints by listing the ways they affect the environment. Answers will vary.

1.1

SELF-CHECK

Answer the questions to test your knowledge of lesson concepts. You can check your
work using the answers on the bottom of the page.
18. Why is it important to remember that people are part of the environment, too?

19. Why is natural gas considered a nonrenewable resource?

18. Sample answer: Because people interact with, rely on, and affect the health of the environment 19. Because it forms much more slowly than humans use it
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1.2 The Nature of Science

Key Concepts
Science is both an organized and methodical way of studying the natural world and the
knowledge gained from such studies.
The process of science involves making observations, asking questions, developing
hypotheses, making and testing predictions, and analyzing and interpreting results
often many times and in many changing orders.

SKILL BUILDER

Vocabulary Preview

Define each vocabulary term in your own words. Then, write yourself a quick note on
how you will remember each. One term has been done for you.
Term

Definition

How I Remember

Hypothesis

A testable idea that attempts to

explain a phenomenon or answer
a scientific question

Accept all reasonable responses

for How I Remember. A few
samples are provided.

Prediction

A specific statement about what

will happen if a hypothesis is true

I think about how a weather

reporter makes a prediction
about tomorrows weather.

Independent
variable

The variable a scientist manipulates in an experiment

Dependent
variable

A variable that depends on the conditions set up in an experiment

Controlled
study

A study in which all variables are

controlled except for the one variable being investigated

Data

Information gathered from a

study

I think of how I am dependent on

something. For example, what I wear
depends on the weather.

I think of all the data I collected

when I did a survey on wearing
school uniforms.

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Reading Strategy

Fill in the chart to preview the lesson. Then, on the lines below the chart, write one
sentence to explain what you think this lesson will be about.
What is the title of this lesson?

The Nature of Science

Which vocabulary words are new

to you?

Sample answer: Independent variable, dependent

variable

Which key concept can help you

understand the definition of science?

Science is both an organized and methodical way

of studying the natural world and the knowledge
gained from such studies.

What do the photos show?

Sample answer: Most of the photos show scientists

working in different environments.

What do the diagrams show?

Sample answer: The diagrams organize information about the process of science.

Sample answer: I think this lesson will help me understand what science is and how
scientific studies are conducted.

What Science Is and Is Not

1. What are the two components of science?
Science is both a systematic process for learning about the natural world and a sum mary of what scientists already have learned.
2. What does the natural world include?
Sample answer: Every part of our physical environment, and the forces and energies
that operate on and within our environment
3. What is the goal of science?
To discover how the rules of the natural world operate and what effect they have

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4. How do scientists examine the workings of the natural world?

By collecting evidence
5. Explain the following statement: Nothing in science can be absolutely proven no matter
how much evidence is collected.
Sample answer: Even ideas that are generally accepted in science continue to be
rigorously tested, with the understanding that any idea in science can change or be
refuted if enough evidence is collected to do so.

The Process of Science

For Questions 69, circle the letter of the correct answer.
6. Which of the following statements best describes the process of science?
A. It is mysterious.
B. It is predictable.
C. It proceeds in a linear fashion.
D. It produces knowledge over time.
7. Which of the following plays an especially important role in the early stages of an
investigation?
A. making observations
B. gathering data
C. interpreting data
D. making predictions
8. Which of the following is NOT involved in testing ideas?
A. making predictions
B. making observations
C. making policy decisions
D. conducting experiments
9. What must scientists do if a large number of tests refute their hypothesis?
A. repeat each test
B. publish a report
C. reject the test results
D. reject the hypothesis
10. What is the relationship between hypotheses and predictions?
Hypotheses generate predictions.

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11. What do scientists use models for?

Sample answer: To generate predictions when they cannot observe a phenomenon
directly
12. Name two methods scientists use to test predictions.
Experiments, observational studies
13. What is the difference between an independent variable and a dependent variable?
An independent variable is manipulated by the scientist to see the effect of what is
being studied; a dependent variable is kept constant and depends on the conditions
set up in the experiment.
14. Briefly define correlation.
A meaningful and predictable relationship among variables
15. Why is it important to control all variables except one when studying cause-and-effect
relationships?
To be more confident that any differences observed were caused by the factor being
investigated
16. Why are quantitative data particularly helpful to scientists?
Because numbers are precise and easy to compare

1.2

SELF-CHECK

Answer the questions to test your knowledge of lesson concepts. You can check your
work using the answers on the bottom of the page.
17. Give an example of a rule of the natural world that a scientist can assume is always true.

18. What activities make up the process of science?


19. What is controlled in a controlled study?

17. Sample answer: The boiling point of water is always 100C at sea level. 18. Making observations, asking
questions, developing hypotheses, making and testing predictions, analyzing and interpreting data 19. All
variables except the one being studied
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1.3 The Community of Science

Key Concepts
The scientific community, through peer review and replication, helps to verify the
accuracy of results and contributes to the establishment of scientific theories.
Environmental ethics explores how environmental science interacts with, and is guided
by, a societys morals and principles.

SKILL BUILDER

Vocabulary Preview

Define each vocabulary term in your own words. Then, write yourself a quick note on
how you will remember each. One term has been done for you.
Term

Definition

How I Remember

Peer review

A formal review of an unpublished

report by other scientists who
specialize in the topic

Accept all reasonable responses

for How I Remember. A sample is
provided.

Theory

A broad explanation that applies

to a wide range of situations and
observations and that is supported by
several lines of evidence and broadly
accepted by the scientific community

I remember reading about the Big

Bang theory in a science magazine.

Ethics

A branch of philosophy that

involves the study of good and
bad, and of right and wrong; a
set of moral principles or values
held by a person or society

I think of the discussion we had in

my government class on ethics in
government.

Environmental
ethics

The application of ethical standards to relationships between

humans and their environment

Community Analysis and Feedback

1. How does peer review benefit the scientific community?
It guards against faulty science contaminating the literature on which all scientists
rely.

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2. What happens to a scientific article that is rejected by a panel of other scientists?

Scientific journals will refuse to publish it.
3. Why is the replication of results important?
A hypothesis must be tested repeatedly and those tests must produce the same
results before the scientific community will accept the hypothesis.
4. Explain the following statement: Science is self-correcting.
It means that science is a process that refines and improves itself over time.
5. Give an example of a self-correction in science.
Sample answer: In the sixteenth century, when Copernicus demonstrated that Earth
is not at the center of the universe, scientists abandoned their strongly held scientific
belief and accepted Copernicuss findings.
6. What is the difference between a hypothesis and a theory?
A hypothesis explains a fairly narrow set of phenomena; a theory is a broader expla nation that applies to a wider range of situations and observations.
7. How does popular use of the word theory differ from use of the word theory in science?
Popular use of theory suggests something is just an idea without much substance.
In science, theory means the opposite: It refers to an idea that effectively explains
a phenomenon, makes accurate predictions in a wide range of situations, and has
undergone extensive and rigorous testing.
8. Give one reason why an idea is not a theory.
Sample answer: Because an idea has not gone through extensive and rigorous testing
Think Visually Fill in the diagram by writing three ways the scientific community
9.
reviews scientific results.

Scientific Results

Sample answer:
Informal feedback at
conferences

Sample answer: Peer

review

Sample answer: Replication of results

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Benefits and Outcomes

10. Give an example of how ethics could impact a governments policy on science.
Sample answer: Policy makers might increase government funding for medical
research because they want to reduce peoples pain and suffering.
11. Briefly explain the relationship between culture and worldview.
Culturethe knowledge, beliefs, values, and learned ways of life shared by a group
of peopleinfluences how people perceive the world and their worldview.
12. What role do a societys beliefs play in an objective process like science?
A societys beliefs influence how it interprets and then acts on scientific findings.

13. What led to the application of ethical standards to relationships between people and their
environment?
Peoples awareness of the environmental changes brought about by industrialization

14. What does the environmental justice movement promote?
Fair treatment of all people with respect to environmental policies and practices,
regardless of income, race, or ethnicity
15.

Think Visually Anthropocentrism, biocentrism, and ecocentrism are ethical standards

in environmental ethics. Think about what they mean. Then, label each of the circles
below with the name of the ethical standard it represents and a description of what that
standard places the highest value on.
Ethical standard: Ecocentrism
Values most: Whole ecological systems

Ethical standard: Biocentrism

Values most: All living things

Ethical standard: Anthropocentrism

Values most: Humans and human welfare

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Organize Information

16. Write each term from the word bank in the correct column of the table below.
build knowledge develop technologies inform policy
peer review replication satisfy curiosity self-correction
Analysis and Feedback
of Scientific Knowledge
Peer review

Benefits and Outcomes

of Scientific Knowledge
Develop technologies

Replication

Inform policy

Self-correction

Satisfy curiosity
Build knowledge

EXTENSION Use the Internet to research a group or organization that works for environmental justice. On a separate sheet of paper, write a short report on the groups recent
environmental initiatives. Answers will vary.

1.3

SELF-CHECK

Answer the questions to test your knowledge of lesson concepts. You can check your
work using the answers on the bottom of the page.
17. How do peer review of scientific articles and replication of test results contribute to the
development of scientific theories?

18. Give an example of how ethical standards have been applied to a worldwide environmental
issue.

19. Give an example of an ethical question related to people and their interactions with the
environment.

20. Name three ethical standards that are applied to environmental issues.

17. Sample answer: Both peer review and replication are forms of testing, and an idea must be rigorously
tested before it is accepted as a theory. 18. Sample answer: In 1987, 93 nations signed the Montreal Protocol, agreeing to control the use and production of ozone-depleting substances. 19. Sample answer: Does the
present generation have an obligation to conserve resources for future generations? 20. Anthropocentrism,
biocentrism, ecocentrism
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Chapter Vocabulary Review

Match each term with its definition.
j

1. natural resource

2. ethics

3. independent variable

4. peer review

5. environment

6. dependent variable

7. sustainable

8. data

9. theory

10. environmentalism

11. hypothesis

12. ecological footprint

a. information gathered from a study

b. all living and nonliving things with
which organisms interact
c. a testable idea that attempts to explain a
phenomenon
d. the study of right and wrong
e. used at a rate equal to the rate of
replenishment into the foreseeable future
f. a factor scientists manipulate in an
experiment
g. the environmental effects of an
individual or group in terms of resources
used and waste produced
h. a social movement dedicated to
protecting the natural world
i. formal examination of a research report
by the scientific community
j. a material or energy source provided by
nature that people need to survive
k. a factor determined by the conditions set
up in an experiment
l. a broad explanation for a wide range of
situations and observations

Use each vocabulary term in a sentence.

13. controlled
study Sample answer: In my controlled study, I have to keep all the

variables constant except for the one Im testing.

14. environmental
ethics Sample answer: Governments apply environmental ethics when

they make policies and develop best practices concerning environmental issues.
EXTENSION Use ten or more vocabulary words to create a poster that explains the study
of environmental science. Add images to your poster that illustrate some aspect of the
environment. Answers will vary.

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Ecological Footprints

T
MA H

UP

POR

Name

Overshooting Ecological Resources

About 1.8 hectares of functioning ecosystem are available per person in the world. However,
the average person has an ecological footprint of about 2.2 hectares. In this activity, you will
calculate the percentage by which people in the world and people in various nations are using
more than the resources available per person.
uTo find the percentage by which people in the world are overshooting available
resources, use the steps shown below.
Step 1 Find the difference between the number
of hectares required per person and the
number of hectares available per person.

2.2 1.8 = 0.4 hectare

Step 2 Write a ratio that compares the difference

found in Step 1 to the number of hectares
available per person.

0.4 0.2222
1.8

Step 3 Write the ratio as a percentage, rounding

to the nearest tenth.

0.2222 = 22.2%

1. For each nation listed in the table below, calculate the difference between the ecological
footprint, or the number of hectares required per person, and the number of hectares
available per person. Write your answers in the third column.
Ecological Footprint
(hectares per person)

Hectares Required
Minus Hectares Available
(per person)

Bangladesh

0.5

1.3

Colombia

1.3

0.5

Mexico

2.6

0.8

44.4

Sweden

6.1

4.3

238.9

Thailand

1.4

0.4

United States

9.6

7.8

Nation

Percentage Over
Hectares Available
(per person)

433.3

Data from Living Planet Report 2006. WWF International, Zoological Society of London, and Global Footprint Network.

2. Which nations have an ecological footprint greater than the resources available per
person? Mexico, Sweden, United States
3. By what percentage are these nations overshooting available resources? Round your
answers to the nearest tenth and add them to the fourth column in the table.

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Fixing a HOLE in the SKY

Depletion of Ozone
Ozone is both harmful and beneficial. Ozone
near Earths surface is a damaging pollutant.
But in the stratosphere, ozone protects Earth
from harmful UV radiation. Depletion of
ozone in the stratosphere concerns scientists
because it allows too much UV radiation to
reach Earth.
Overexposure to UV radiation may harm
the bodys immune system and cause skin
cancer and cataracts. Scientists also believe
excess UV radiation reaching Earths surface
disrupts the reproductive cycle of phyto
plankton. These single-celled organisms are
found in the top 2 meters of ocean water and
are the bottom level of the food chain for
many other marine organisms. Scientists also
believe excessive ultraviolet radiation

disrupts the reproductive rates of young fish,

shrimp, crabs, frogs, and salamanders.
The Montreal Protocol was signed in
1987, with the goal of phasing out the
production and use of substances that
deplete the stratospheric ozone layer. Since
then, the worlds scientific community has
met several times to accelerate and adjust
its provisions. Targeted substances include
CFCs, halons, carbon tetrachloride, methyl
bromide, and methyl chloroform. Phaseout
schedules differ among nations and for
different substances. The ultimate goal,
however, is the worldwide elimination of
ozone-depleting substances by the middle of
the twenty-first century.

Tracking the Ozone Hole

in ozone in the stratosphere. In recent
years, NASA and the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have
worked together to monitor and understand
changes in global ozone levels though
images and other data collected by satellites
orbiting far above Earth.
Data from satellites provide evidence
that stratospheric ozone is definitely being
depleted, but scientists are not yet sure how
much of the depletion is due to human
activity and how much is the result of Earths
natural cycles. Tracking the ozone hole
remains an important scientific activity, one
that will yield vital scientific knowledge as
scientists continue to collect data from afar.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

collects data daily on ozone levels near
Earths surface. These data are carefully
monitored and studied to determine where
and how ozone levels near Earths surface are
changing. But how do scientists collect data
high up in Earths stratosphere10 to 40
kilometers above Earth?
The United States began monitoring
ozone levels in 1920 using ground-based
instruments at various places around the
globe. The instruments measured the
amount of UV radiation reaching Earths
surface. As valuable as these data were, they
did not tell scientists if a change in ozone
levels in one place meant a global reduction

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Use the information in Depletion of Ozone to answer the questions below.

1. Why are scientists concerned about the depletion of ozone levels in the stratosphere?
Sample answer: Ozone depletion increases the amount of UV radiation reaching
Earth, which can harm people and disrupt the reproductive cycle of phytoplankton
and other organisms.
2. How were ozone levels monitored in 1920?
Ground-based instruments monitored UV radiation at various places around the
globe.
3. How is information on ozone levels in the stratosphere tracked today?
Scientists use images and other data collected by satellites orbiting far above Earth.
4. The data collected over the years clearly confirm a depletion of ozone in the stratosphere.
What do scientists still need to learn about the ozone hole?
Sample answer: Scientists need more data to prove how much of the depletion is
due to human activity and how much is due to natural changes.
5.
How does the information in Depletion of Ozone affect your answer to the
Big Question: How do scientists uncover, research, and solve environmental problems?

Sample answer: Scientists use information gathered over time and from many
sources to uncover, study, and solve environmental problems.

Use the Internet to find out more about the ozone hole and how scientists track its status.
Work with a partner to research the ozone hole over Antarctica. Create a poster that explains
what you learned about the ozone hole. Your poster should include images of the hole when it
was first identified and at regular intervals since.
The 21st Century Skills used in this activity include Information Literacy, Initiative and
Self-Direction, and Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT) Literacy.

Case, Fixing a Hole In the Sky.

Log on for more information and activities on the Central

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