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Environmental Science Basics Explained

The document discusses key ecological concepts relevant to environmental science and engineering. It defines environmental science as the systematic study of our environment and proper human role in it. Environmental engineering aims to improve environmental quality and protect people from pollution. The document then covers the conservation of matter, explaining that all matter comes from somewhere and waste goes somewhere, as matter is neither created nor destroyed. It also discusses key elements that make up living organisms, including atoms, and defines ecology as the study of organism-environment relationships.

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11 views1 page

Environmental Science Basics Explained

The document discusses key ecological concepts relevant to environmental science and engineering. It defines environmental science as the systematic study of our environment and proper human role in it. Environmental engineering aims to improve environmental quality and protect people from pollution. The document then covers the conservation of matter, explaining that all matter comes from somewhere and waste goes somewhere, as matter is neither created nor destroyed. It also discusses key elements that make up living organisms, including atoms, and defines ecology as the study of organism-environment relationships.

Uploaded by

brunee
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

ENGG 413 Main Topic 1: Ecological Concepts

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND How does Conservation of Matter apply to


ENGINEERING Environmental Science?
The word environment is from the French environner All matter comes from somewhere, and all wastes goes
which means to encircle or surround. somewhere.
What is Environmental Science? Elements
The systematic study of our environment and our proper  Substances that cannot be broken down into
place on it. simpler forms.
What is Environmental Engineering?  There are 122 known elements: 92 are natural,
A branch of engineering that aims to improve the quality and 30 are created under special conditions.
of environment and promotes protection of people from  Oxygen, Carbon, Hydrogen, and Nitrogen are
adverse environmental effects like pollution. responsible for 96% of the mass of most living
organisms.
History of Environmental Engineering
Environmental engineers provided: Atoms
 clean water and managed wastes.  Smallest particles that exhibit the characteristics
 wells and aqueducts. of an element.
 city walls and moats.  It consists of protons (positively charged),
electrons (negatively charged), and neutrons
 catapults and other engines of war.
(electrically neutral).
ELEMENTS OF LIFE  Protons and neutrons have approximately the
same mass and they are clustered in the nucleus
 Ecology – scientific study of relationships
in the center of the atom
between organisms and their environment.
 Electrons are smaller compared to the other
 It is essential in ecology to understand the
particles. They orbit the nucleus at the speed of
function of nutrients and energy in a system
light.
(where they come from and where they go).
 We can understand life based on the movement
of matter and energy (from living organisms to
ecosystem).
 The foundations of organisms are the carbon-
based (organic) compounds.
Matter
 Everything that takes up space and has mass.
 Solid, Liquid, Gas, and Plasma
 Water is the best example of matter: solid (ice),
liquid (drinking water), or gas (water vapor).
 Plasma examples are sun, lightning, aurora,
fluorescent light, nuclear fireball, and very
hot flames. It occurs when matter is intensely
heated that causes electron released and particles
are ionized (electrically charged).

Conservation of Matter
“Matter is neither created nor destroyed, rather, it is
recycled over and over again.”

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