IB Environmental systems and societies Topic 2.2A First Law of Thermodynamics Revision Notes (SL/HL)

IB Environmental systems and societies Topic 2.2A First Law of Thermodynamics Revision Notes (SL/HL) | RevisionDojo

Written by official IB examiners

The First Law: Energy Is Conserved as It Flows Through Ecosystems

The First Law of Thermodynamics (also called the Law of Conservation of Energy) states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another.
In an ecosystem the total quantity of energy stays constant, even as its form changes while it moves through living things.

Definition

First Law of Thermodynamics

The First Law of Thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed. It only changes from one form to another, maintaining a constant total amount.

Ecosystems Are Open Systems With a One-Way Energy Flow

Ecosystems are open systems: they exchange both energy and matter with their surroundings.
Energy enters almost entirely as sunlight, which producers capture and convert into chemical energy by photosynthesis.
This chemical energy is stored as biomass and passes along the food chain as organisms feed on one another.
At every step some energy is lost as heat through respiration, so energy flows in one direction and is never recycled.
1. Matter behaves differently: nutrients such as carbon and nitrogen cycle and are reused, while energy makes a single pass and leaves as heat.

Tip

Energy flows, matter cycles.
Energy leaves the system as heat, while nutrients are reused.

Nice try, unfortunately this paywall isn't as easy to bypass as you think. Want to help devleop the site? Join the team at https://revisiondojo.com/join-us. exercitation voluptate cillum ullamco excepteur sint officia do tempor Lorem irure minim Lorem elit id voluptate reprehenderit voluptate laboris in nostrud qui non Lorem nostrud laborum culpa sit occaecat reprehenderit

Definition

Paywall

(on a website) an arrangement whereby access is restricted to users who have paid to subscribe to the site.

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Note

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam quis nostrud exercitation.

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit.

Tip

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum.

Unlock the rest of this chapter with a free account

The First Law: Energy Is Conserved as It Flows Through Ecosystems

The First Law of Thermodynamics (also called the Law of Conservation of Energy) states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another.
In an ecosystem the total quantity of energy stays constant, even as its form changes while it moves through living things.

Definition

First Law of Thermodynamics

The First Law of Thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed. It only changes from one form to another, maintaining a constant total amount.

Ecosystems Are Open Systems With a One-Way Energy Flow

Ecosystems are open systems: they exchange both energy and matter with their surroundings.
Energy enters almost entirely as sunlight, which producers capture and convert into chemical energy by photosynthesis.
This chemical energy is stored as biomass and passes along the food chain as organisms feed on one another.
At every step some energy is lost as heat through respiration, so energy flows in one direction and is never recycled.
1. Matter behaves differently: nutrients such as carbon and nitrogen cycle and are reused, while energy makes a single pass and leaves as heat.

Tip

Energy flows, matter cycles.
Energy leaves the system as heat, while nutrients are reused.

Definition

Paywall

(on a website) an arrangement whereby access is restricted to users who have paid to subscribe to the site.

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Note

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam quis nostrud exercitation.

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Tip

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum.

Topic 1: Foundation 3 subtopics

Topic 2: Ecology5 subtopics

Topic 3: Conservation and biodiversity3 subtopics

Topic 4: Water4 subtopics

Topic 5: Land2 subtopics

Topic 6: Atmosphere and climate change4 subtopics

Topic 7: Natural resources3 subtopics

Topic 8: Human populations and urban systems3 subtopics

HL lenses 3 subtopics

IB Environmental systems and societies 2.2A First Law of Thermodynamics Notes

Topic 1: Foundation 3 subtopics

Topic 2: Ecology5 subtopics

Topic 3: Conservation and biodiversity3 subtopics

Topic 4: Water4 subtopics

Topic 5: Land2 subtopics

Topic 6: Atmosphere and climate change4 subtopics

Topic 7: Natural resources3 subtopics

Topic 8: Human populations and urban systems3 subtopics

HL lenses 3 subtopics

The First Law: Energy Is Conserved as It Flows Through Ecosystems

Ecosystems Are Open Systems With a One-Way Energy Flow

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Unlock the rest of this chapter with a free account

The First Law: Energy Is Conserved as It Flows Through Ecosystems

Ecosystems Are Open Systems With a One-Way Energy Flow

anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit

Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident

Unlock the rest of this chapter with a free account