{"appState":{"pageLoadApiCallsStatus":true},"categoryState":{"relatedCategories":{"headers":{"timestamp":"2022-06-27T18:31:11+00:00"},"categoryId":33756,"data":{"title":"Science","slug":"science","image":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Academics & The Arts","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33662"},"slug":"academics-the-arts","categoryId":33662},{"name":"Science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33756"},"slug":"science","categoryId":33756}],"parentCategory":{"categoryId":33662,"title":"Academics & The Arts","slug":"academics-the-arts","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33662"}},"childCategories":[{"categoryId":34665,"title":"Biophysics","slug":"biophysics","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34665"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-2.fabfbd5c.png","width":0,"height":0}},{"categoryId":34592,"title":"Geography","slug":"geography","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34592"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-1.daf74cf0.png","width":0,"height":0}},{"categoryId":33757,"title":"Anatomy","slug":"anatomy","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33757"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-2.fabfbd5c.png","width":0,"height":0}},{"categoryId":33758,"title":"Astronomy","slug":"astronomy","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33758"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-1.daf74cf0.png","width":0,"height":0}},{"categoryId":33759,"title":"Biochemistry","slug":"biochemistry","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33759"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-2.fabfbd5c.png","width":0,"height":0}},{"categoryId":33760,"title":"Biology","slug":"biology","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33760"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-1.daf74cf0.png","width":0,"height":0}},{"categoryId":33761,"title":"Botany","slug":"botany","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33761"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-2.fabfbd5c.png","width":0,"height":0}},{"categoryId":33762,"title":"Chemistry","slug":"chemistry","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33762"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-1.daf74cf0.png","width":0,"height":0}},{"categoryId":33763,"title":"Environmental Science","slug":"environmental-science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33763"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-2.fabfbd5c.png","width":0,"height":0}},{"categoryId":33764,"title":"Forensics","slug":"forensics","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33764"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-1.daf74cf0.png","width":0,"height":0}},{"categoryId":33765,"title":"Genetics","slug":"genetics","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33765"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-2.fabfbd5c.png","width":0,"height":0}},{"categoryId":33766,"title":"Nanotechnology","slug":"nanotechnology","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33766"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-1.daf74cf0.png","width":0,"height":0}},{"categoryId":33767,"title":"Neuroscience","slug":"neuroscience","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33767"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-2.fabfbd5c.png","width":0,"height":0}},{"categoryId":33768,"title":"Origins","slug":"origins","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33768"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-1.daf74cf0.png","width":0,"height":0}},{"categoryId":33769,"title":"Physics","slug":"physics","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33769"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-2.fabfbd5c.png","width":0,"height":0}},{"categoryId":33770,"title":"Quantum Physics","slug":"quantum-physics","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33770"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-1.daf74cf0.png","width":0,"height":0}},{"categoryId":33771,"title":"General Science","slug":"general-science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33771"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-2.fabfbd5c.png","width":0,"height":0}},{"categoryId":34169,"title":"Kinesiology","slug":"kinesiology","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34169"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-1.daf74cf0.png","width":0,"height":0}},{"categoryId":34327,"title":"Geology","slug":"geology","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34327"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-2.fabfbd5c.png","width":0,"height":0}}],"description":"The universe is a strange and fascinating place, from the subatomic all the way up to the astronomical. Study and conduct experiments in any and every branch of science that calls to you.","relatedArticles":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles?category=33756&offset=0&size=5"}},"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33756"}},"relatedCategoriesLoadedStatus":"success"},"listState":{"list":{"count":10,"total":1485,"items":[{"headers":{"creationTime":"2022-04-21T19:59:06+00:00","modifiedTime":"2022-06-24T14:21:40+00:00","timestamp":"2022-06-24T18:01:03+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Academics & The Arts","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33662"},"slug":"academics-the-arts","categoryId":33662},{"name":"Science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33756"},"slug":"science","categoryId":33756},{"name":"Astronomy","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33758"},"slug":"astronomy","categoryId":33758}],"title":"The Magic of the Moon and the Total Lunar Eclipse","strippedTitle":"the magic of the moon and the total lunar eclipse","slug":"dont-miss-out-on-this-months-lunar-eclipse","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Learn what happens during a total lunar eclipse, as well as some interesting facts about the moon's significance in world culture.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"Every couple of years or so, we earthlings are treated to the beauty of a total lunar eclipse. The moon appears red as it passes into Earth's shadow, and for some, this elicits the wonder of our orbiting celestial friend and its significance to world culture.\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">A lunar eclipse is the cousin to a solar eclipse, albeit much less dramatic. Still, it makes for a great experience. As the full moon passes into the earth’s shadow, the moon can appear to darken and then change color, turning a dark red.</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">The moon looks red because the sun’s light gets bent (refracted) through the earth’s atmosphere. The red light gets bent the most, so that’s the light that illuminates the moon’s surface during a lunar eclipse. You could think of it as the light from every sunrise and sunset on Earth lighting up the moon’s surface!</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_292170\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-292170\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/matteo-grassi-7n5YLJb0ESs-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"phases of a lunar eclipse\" width=\"630\" height=\"421\" /> © Matteo Grassi / Unsplash.com[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">For more mind-bending astronomy facts about the moon and other celestial bodies, check out </span><em><a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/book/academics-the-arts/science/astronomy/astronomy-for-dummies-4th-edition-281963/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Astronomy For Dummies</a></em><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_292173\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-292173\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/mark-de-jong-B3BisFE09y8-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"two people stargazing\" width=\"630\" height=\"420\" /> © Mark de Jong / Unsplash.com[/caption]\r\n<h2 aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Stargazing a lunar eclipse</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559738\":40,\"335559739\":0,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span></h2>\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">Total lunar eclipses aren’t very common. But two things make them easier to observe than solar eclipses:</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li data-leveltext=\"\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">When a lunar eclipse happens, it’s often visible from anywhere on the night side of the earth.</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span></li>\r\n \t<li data-leveltext=\"\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Lunar eclipses are safe to observe with your eyes, binoculars and telescopes.</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">Want to learn how to best explore the distant wonders of the night sky? </span><em><a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/book/academics-the-arts/science/astronomy/stargazing-for-dummies-281602/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Stargazing For Dummies</a></em><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> offers readers a detailed starter guide for the future stargazer.</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >The moon in world culture</h2>\r\nBeyond its striking appearance during a total lunar eclipse, check out this interesting information about the moon's significance in world culture.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_292177\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-292177\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/manuel-nageli-NsgsQjHA1mM-unsplash-1.jpg\" alt=\"symphony rehearsing\" width=\"630\" height=\"420\" /> © Manuel Nägeli / Unsplash.com[/caption]\r\n<h2 aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">The moon in classical music: From Beethoven to Chopin</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559738\":40,\"335559739\":0,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span></h2>\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">Did you know classical music has a few sub-genres dedicated entirely to capturing the moon’s natural beauty and emotive characteristics?</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">For example, you’ve likely heard of Beethoven’s </span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Moonlight Sonata</span></i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> or, perhaps, Debussy’s </span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Clair de lune</span></i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. These timeless pieces of music take their listeners through a moonlight-draped journey full of evocative passages, foreboding moments and somewhat mysterious tones — all inspired by that lonely white marble above. </span>\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">Chopin’s </span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Nocturnes </span></i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">are another great example. As their name suggests, these are compositions centered entirely around the moon, nighttime, and dreaming.</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">For more on classical music and its many timeless compositions, check out </span><em><a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/book/academics-the-arts/music/general-music/classical-music-for-dummies-282084/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Classical Music For Dummies</a></em><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_292180\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-292180\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/micky-white-i9OTdLEl9Qo-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"zodiac symbols on a building facade\" width=\"630\" height=\"410\" /> ©Micky White / Unsplash.com[/caption]\r\n<h2 aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">The Moon in astrology: Emotions, instincts and habits</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559738\":40,\"335559739\":0,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span></h2>\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">Of course, no discussion about the moon would be complete without mentioning its significance in Western astrology. And yes </span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">— there’s more to it than the 12 zodiac signs.</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">The moon's nodes, for example, refer to where its path crosses the </span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ecliptic,</span></i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> which is the apparent path of the sun among the constellations over the course of a year. The north or ascending node marks the place where the moon crosses from south to north, seemingly ascending through the sky. The south, or descending node marks where the moon crosses from north to south, descending through the sky.</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">What does this mean for astrologers? Without getting into the nitty gritty details, the moon is often associated with the “emotional self” in our astrological charts, and can represent the mysterious, hidden, and spiritual self in the tarot.</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">To learn more about the moon’s significance in Western astrology, check out </span><em><a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/book/body-mind-spirit/religion-spirituality/astrology/astrology-for-dummies-3rd-edition-2-281962/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Astrology For Dummies</a></em><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":1,\"335551620\":1,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>","description":"Every couple of years or so, we earthlings are treated to the beauty of a total lunar eclipse. The moon appears red as it passes into Earth's shadow, and for some, this elicits the wonder of our orbiting celestial friend and its significance to world culture.\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">A lunar eclipse is the cousin to a solar eclipse, albeit much less dramatic. Still, it makes for a great experience. As the full moon passes into the earth’s shadow, the moon can appear to darken and then change color, turning a dark red.</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">The moon looks red because the sun’s light gets bent (refracted) through the earth’s atmosphere. The red light gets bent the most, so that’s the light that illuminates the moon’s surface during a lunar eclipse. You could think of it as the light from every sunrise and sunset on Earth lighting up the moon’s surface!</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_292170\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-292170\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/matteo-grassi-7n5YLJb0ESs-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"phases of a lunar eclipse\" width=\"630\" height=\"421\" /> © Matteo Grassi / Unsplash.com[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">For more mind-bending astronomy facts about the moon and other celestial bodies, check out </span><em><a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/book/academics-the-arts/science/astronomy/astronomy-for-dummies-4th-edition-281963/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Astronomy For Dummies</a></em><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_292173\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-292173\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/mark-de-jong-B3BisFE09y8-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"two people stargazing\" width=\"630\" height=\"420\" /> © Mark de Jong / Unsplash.com[/caption]\r\n<h2 aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Stargazing a lunar eclipse</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559738\":40,\"335559739\":0,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span></h2>\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">Total lunar eclipses aren’t very common. But two things make them easier to observe than solar eclipses:</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li data-leveltext=\"\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">When a lunar eclipse happens, it’s often visible from anywhere on the night side of the earth.</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span></li>\r\n \t<li data-leveltext=\"\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Lunar eclipses are safe to observe with your eyes, binoculars and telescopes.</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">Want to learn how to best explore the distant wonders of the night sky? </span><em><a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/book/academics-the-arts/science/astronomy/stargazing-for-dummies-281602/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Stargazing For Dummies</a></em><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> offers readers a detailed starter guide for the future stargazer.</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >The moon in world culture</h2>\r\nBeyond its striking appearance during a total lunar eclipse, check out this interesting information about the moon's significance in world culture.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_292177\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-292177\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/manuel-nageli-NsgsQjHA1mM-unsplash-1.jpg\" alt=\"symphony rehearsing\" width=\"630\" height=\"420\" /> © Manuel Nägeli / Unsplash.com[/caption]\r\n<h2 aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">The moon in classical music: From Beethoven to Chopin</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559738\":40,\"335559739\":0,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span></h2>\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">Did you know classical music has a few sub-genres dedicated entirely to capturing the moon’s natural beauty and emotive characteristics?</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">For example, you’ve likely heard of Beethoven’s </span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Moonlight Sonata</span></i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> or, perhaps, Debussy’s </span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Clair de lune</span></i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. These timeless pieces of music take their listeners through a moonlight-draped journey full of evocative passages, foreboding moments and somewhat mysterious tones — all inspired by that lonely white marble above. </span>\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">Chopin’s </span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Nocturnes </span></i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">are another great example. As their name suggests, these are compositions centered entirely around the moon, nighttime, and dreaming.</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">For more on classical music and its many timeless compositions, check out </span><em><a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/book/academics-the-arts/music/general-music/classical-music-for-dummies-282084/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Classical Music For Dummies</a></em><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_292180\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-292180\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/micky-white-i9OTdLEl9Qo-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"zodiac symbols on a building facade\" width=\"630\" height=\"410\" /> ©Micky White / Unsplash.com[/caption]\r\n<h2 aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">The Moon in astrology: Emotions, instincts and habits</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559738\":40,\"335559739\":0,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span></h2>\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">Of course, no discussion about the moon would be complete without mentioning its significance in Western astrology. And yes </span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">— there’s more to it than the 12 zodiac signs.</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">The moon's nodes, for example, refer to where its path crosses the </span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ecliptic,</span></i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> which is the apparent path of the sun among the constellations over the course of a year. The north or ascending node marks the place where the moon crosses from south to north, seemingly ascending through the sky. The south, or descending node marks where the moon crosses from north to south, descending through the sky.</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">What does this mean for astrologers? Without getting into the nitty gritty details, the moon is often associated with the “emotional self” in our astrological charts, and can represent the mysterious, hidden, and spiritual self in the tarot.</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">To learn more about the moon’s significance in Western astrology, check out </span><em><a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/book/body-mind-spirit/religion-spirituality/astrology/astrology-for-dummies-3rd-edition-2-281962/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Astrology For Dummies</a></em><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":1,\"335551620\":1,\"335559739\":160,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>","blurb":"","authors":[],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":33758,"title":"Astronomy","slug":"astronomy","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33758"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[{"label":"<span data-contrast=\"none\">Stargazing a lunar eclipse</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559738\":40,\"335559739\":0,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>","target":"#tab1"},{"label":"The moon in world culture","target":"#tab2"},{"label":"<span data-contrast=\"none\">The moon in classical music: From Beethoven to Chopin</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559738\":40,\"335559739\":0,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>","target":"#tab3"},{"label":"<span data-contrast=\"none\">The Moon in astrology: Emotions, instincts and habits</span><span data-ccp-props=\"{\"201341983\":0,\"335559738\":40,\"335559739\":0,\"335559740\":259}\"> </span>","target":"#tab4"}],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":246769,"title":"Skywatching for Artificial Satellites","slug":"skywatching-artificial-satellites","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","astronomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/246769"}},{"articleId":246764,"title":"Making Heads and Tails of a Comet's Structure","slug":"making-heads-tails-comets-structure","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","astronomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/246764"}},{"articleId":246761,"title":"Photographing Meteors and Meteor Showers","slug":"photographing-meteors-meteor-showers","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","astronomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/246761"}},{"articleId":246756,"title":"Viewing Meteor Showers","slug":"viewing-meteor-showers","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","astronomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/246756"}},{"articleId":246753,"title":"Spotting Sporadic Meteors, Fireballs, and Bolides","slug":"spotting-sporadic-meteors-fireballs-bolides","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","astronomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/246753"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":0,"slug":null,"isbn":null,"categoryList":null,"amazon":null,"image":null,"title":null,"testBankPinActivationLink":null,"bookOutOfPrint":false,"authorsInfo":null,"authors":null,"_links":null},"collections":[{"title":"Contemplating the Cosmos","slug":"theres-something-about-space","collectionId":294090}],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;academics-the-arts&quot;,&quot;science&quot;,&quot;astronomy&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[null]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b5fbdfeeb27\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;academics-the-arts&quot;,&quot;science&quot;,&quot;astronomy&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[null]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b5fbdfef415\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Articles","articleList":null,"content":null,"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Explore","lifeExpectancy":"Two years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2022-06-23T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":292167},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2017-11-14T05:44:54+00:00","modifiedTime":"2022-06-23T13:52:49+00:00","timestamp":"2022-06-23T18:01:10+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Academics & The Arts","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33662"},"slug":"academics-the-arts","categoryId":33662},{"name":"Science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33756"},"slug":"science","categoryId":33756},{"name":"Astronomy","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33758"},"slug":"astronomy","categoryId":33758}],"title":"What Are Star Parties?","strippedTitle":"what are star parties?","slug":"what-are-star-parties","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Star parties are gatherings for astronomy enthusiasts. Learn about the most popular events around the world and what to expect if you go.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"<em>Star parties</em> are outdoor conventions for amateur astronomers. They set up their telescopes (some homemade and some not) in a field, and people take turns skywatching. (Be prepared to hear plenty of \"Oohs\" and \"Ahs.\")\r\n\r\nJudges choose the best homemade telescopes and equipment, earning their owners esteem and sometimes even a prize. If rain falls in the evening, partygoers may watch slide shows in a nearby hall or a big tent. Arrangements vary, but often, some attendees camp in the field; others rent inexpensive cabins or commute from nearby motels.\r\n\r\nStar parties may last for a night or two, or sometimes as long as a week. They attract a few hundred to a few thousand (yes, thousand!) telescope makers and amateur astronomers. And the larger star parties have websites with photos of previous events and details on coming attractions. Some resemble <a href=\"http://www.cityofastronomy.org/astrofest2022\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AstroFests</a>, with exhibitors and distinguished speakers, as well as stargazing.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">The leading star parties in the United States include:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong><a href=\"http://stellafane.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Stellafane</a>:</strong> This Vermont star party has been going strong since 1926.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong><a href=\"https://texasstarparty.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Texas Star Party</a>:</strong> Commune with the stars on the mile-high Prude Ranch in the Lone Star State.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong><a href=\"http://enchantedskies.org/essp/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enchanted Skies Star Party</a>:</strong> Head to the desert for dark sky observing near Magdalena, New Mexico, and fine speakers.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong><a href=\"http://www.nebraskastarparty.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nebraska Star Party</a>:</strong> This party boasts \"a fantastic light pollution–free sweep of the summer night sky.\"</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nHere are some of the leading star parties in the United Kingdom:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>The <a href=\"http://las-skycamp.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LAS Equinox Sky Camp</a>:</strong> Held at Kelling Heath, Norfolk, this party bills itself as \"the largest star party in the U.K.\"</li>\r\n \t<li><strong><a href=\"http://sites.google.com/a/richarddarn.com/kielder-forest-star-camp-bookings/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kielder Star Camp</a>:</strong> This twice-yearly event in the Northumberland International Dark Sky Park occurs in a forest thought to be \"the darkest venue for any English star party.\"</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nIf you live in or plan to visit the Southern Hemisphere, check out these star parties:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong><a href=\"https://www.asnsw.com/spsp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">South Pacific Star Party</a>:</strong> It's held near Ilford, NSW, Australia, on a property reserved for skywatching by the <a href=\"http://www.asnsw.com/node/712\">Astronomical Society of New South Wales</a>.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong><a href=\"http://www.censtar.party/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Central Star Party</a>:</strong> Try this party on New Zealand's North Island, a bit off the beaten path.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nIn the long run, visit at least one of these star parties, but in the meantime, you can ask at a local astronomy club meeting about a similar, although perhaps smaller, event that may be planned in your own area.","description":"<em>Star parties</em> are outdoor conventions for amateur astronomers. They set up their telescopes (some homemade and some not) in a field, and people take turns skywatching. (Be prepared to hear plenty of \"Oohs\" and \"Ahs.\")\r\n\r\nJudges choose the best homemade telescopes and equipment, earning their owners esteem and sometimes even a prize. If rain falls in the evening, partygoers may watch slide shows in a nearby hall or a big tent. Arrangements vary, but often, some attendees camp in the field; others rent inexpensive cabins or commute from nearby motels.\r\n\r\nStar parties may last for a night or two, or sometimes as long as a week. They attract a few hundred to a few thousand (yes, thousand!) telescope makers and amateur astronomers. And the larger star parties have websites with photos of previous events and details on coming attractions. Some resemble <a href=\"http://www.cityofastronomy.org/astrofest2022\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AstroFests</a>, with exhibitors and distinguished speakers, as well as stargazing.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">The leading star parties in the United States include:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong><a href=\"http://stellafane.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Stellafane</a>:</strong> This Vermont star party has been going strong since 1926.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong><a href=\"https://texasstarparty.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Texas Star Party</a>:</strong> Commune with the stars on the mile-high Prude Ranch in the Lone Star State.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong><a href=\"http://enchantedskies.org/essp/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enchanted Skies Star Party</a>:</strong> Head to the desert for dark sky observing near Magdalena, New Mexico, and fine speakers.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong><a href=\"http://www.nebraskastarparty.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nebraska Star Party</a>:</strong> This party boasts \"a fantastic light pollution–free sweep of the summer night sky.\"</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nHere are some of the leading star parties in the United Kingdom:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>The <a href=\"http://las-skycamp.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LAS Equinox Sky Camp</a>:</strong> Held at Kelling Heath, Norfolk, this party bills itself as \"the largest star party in the U.K.\"</li>\r\n \t<li><strong><a href=\"http://sites.google.com/a/richarddarn.com/kielder-forest-star-camp-bookings/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kielder Star Camp</a>:</strong> This twice-yearly event in the Northumberland International Dark Sky Park occurs in a forest thought to be \"the darkest venue for any English star party.\"</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nIf you live in or plan to visit the Southern Hemisphere, check out these star parties:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong><a href=\"https://www.asnsw.com/spsp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">South Pacific Star Party</a>:</strong> It's held near Ilford, NSW, Australia, on a property reserved for skywatching by the <a href=\"http://www.asnsw.com/node/712\">Astronomical Society of New South Wales</a>.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong><a href=\"http://www.censtar.party/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Central Star Party</a>:</strong> Try this party on New Zealand's North Island, a bit off the beaten path.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nIn the long run, visit at least one of these star parties, but in the meantime, you can ask at a local astronomy club meeting about a similar, although perhaps smaller, event that may be planned in your own area.","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9879,"name":"Stephen P. Maran","slug":"stephen-p-maran","description":"Stephen P. Maran, PhD, is the retired assistant director of space sciences for information and outreach at the NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center. An investigator of stars, nebulae, and comets, he worked on the Hubble Space Telescope, Space Shuttle missions, Skylab, and other NASA projects.","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9879"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":33758,"title":"Astronomy","slug":"astronomy","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33758"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":246769,"title":"Skywatching for Artificial Satellites","slug":"skywatching-artificial-satellites","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","astronomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/246769"}},{"articleId":246764,"title":"Making Heads and Tails of a Comet's Structure","slug":"making-heads-tails-comets-structure","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","astronomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/246764"}},{"articleId":246761,"title":"Photographing Meteors and Meteor Showers","slug":"photographing-meteors-meteor-showers","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","astronomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/246761"}},{"articleId":246756,"title":"Viewing Meteor Showers","slug":"viewing-meteor-showers","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","astronomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/246756"}},{"articleId":246753,"title":"Spotting Sporadic Meteors, Fireballs, and Bolides","slug":"spotting-sporadic-meteors-fireballs-bolides","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","astronomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/246753"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":294095,"title":"Conspiracy Theory: Moon Landings Were Faked","slug":"conspiracy-theory-moon-landings-were-faked","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","astronomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/294095"}},{"articleId":292167,"title":"The Magic of the Moon and the Total Lunar Eclipse","slug":"dont-miss-out-on-this-months-lunar-eclipse","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","astronomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/292167"}},{"articleId":246769,"title":"Skywatching for Artificial Satellites","slug":"skywatching-artificial-satellites","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","astronomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/246769"}},{"articleId":246764,"title":"Making Heads and Tails of a Comet's Structure","slug":"making-heads-tails-comets-structure","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","astronomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/246764"}},{"articleId":246761,"title":"Photographing Meteors and Meteor Showers","slug":"photographing-meteors-meteor-showers","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","astronomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/246761"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":281963,"slug":"astronomy-for-dummies-4th-edition","isbn":"9781119374244","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","astronomy"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119374243/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119374243/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119374243-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119374243/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119374243/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/astronomy-for-dummies-4th-edition-cover-9781119374244-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Astronomy For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"https://testbanks.wiley.com","bookOutOfPrint":false,"authorsInfo":"<p><b data-author-id=\"35067\">Stephen P. Maran, PhD,</b> is the retired assistant director of space sciences for information and outreach at the NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center. An investigator of stars, nebulae, and comets, he worked on the Hubble Space Telescope, Space Shuttle missions, Skylab, and other NASA projects. </p>","authors":[{"authorId":35067,"name":"Stephen P. Maran","slug":"stephen-p.-maran","description":" <p><b>Stephen P. Maran, PhD,</b> is the retired assistant director of space sciences for information and outreach at the NASA&#45;Goddard Space Flight Center. An investigator of stars, nebulae, and comets, he worked on the Hubble Space Telescope, Space Shuttle missions, Skylab, and other NASA projects. 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Understanding biology begins with knowing some of the basics, such as eukaryotic cell structure and common Latin and Greek roots that will help you decipher the sometimes-tough vocabulary.","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9201,"name":"Rene Fester Kratz","slug":"rene-fester-kratz","description":" <p><b>Rene Fester Kratz</b>, PhD, is a biology instructor at Everett Community College in Everett, Washington.</p>","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9201"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":33760,"title":"Biology","slug":"biology","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33760"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":177301,"title":"Biology Basics: Important Components of Eukaryotic 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Workbook For Dummies, 2nd Edition","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"<p><b><b data-author-id=\"9201\">Rene Fester Kratz</b></b>, PhD, is a biology instructor at Everett Community College in Everett, Washington.</p>","authors":[{"authorId":9201,"name":"Rene Fester Kratz","slug":"rene-fester-kratz","description":" <p><b>Rene Fester Kratz</b>, PhD, is a biology instructor at Everett Community College in Everett, Washington.</p>","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9201"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = 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Vocabulary","slug":"common-latin-and-greek-roots-in-biology-vocabulary","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","biology"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/177272"}},{"articleId":177301,"title":"Biology Basics: Important Components of Eukaryotic Cells","slug":"biology-basics-important-components-of-eukaryotic-cells","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","biology"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/177301"}}],"content":[{"title":"Biology basics: Important components of eukaryotic cells","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>For biology students, knowing the components of eukaryotic cells and how they work is fundamental to understanding how organisms function. This table provides an overview of the most important eukaryotic cell structures and functions and how to recognize them.</p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Structure</th>\n<th>Function</th>\n<th>How to Recognize</th>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Cell wall</td>\n<td>Rigid boundary around some cells</td>\n<td>Outermost boundary in plant, algal, fungal, and bacterial<br />\ncells. Cells with a cell wall are usually very regular in shape,<br />\nlike they’ve been cut with a cookie cutter.</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Chloroplasts</td>\n<td>Make food, transferring energy from sun to food molecules</td>\n<td>Organelles with two membranes and internal stacks of membranes<br />\ncalled <i>grana,</i> which look like layers of stripes.</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Cytoskeleton</td>\n<td>Reinforces cell structures; helps move materials around<br />\ncell</td>\n<td>Looks like cables running through the cell.</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)</td>\n<td>Rough ER has ribosomes, makes proteins; smooth ER makes<br />\nlipids</td>\n<td>Folded sheets of membrane that ripple off of the nucleus of<br />\ncells. The rough ER has ribosomes stuck to it, so has a speckled<br />\nappearance. Smooth ER may look tubular, like coral, and has an<br />\nunspeckled surface.</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Golgi</td>\n<td>Receives molecules from ER and modifies, tags, and ships them<br />\nout</td>\n<td>Looks like a stack of pancakes surrounded by little membrane<br />\nspheres.</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Lysosomes</td>\n<td>Break down worn-out cell parts</td>\n<td>Small spheres within the cell; may contain partially broken<br />\ndown materials.</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Mitochondria</td>\n<td>Transfer energy from food to useful form for cells (ATP)</td>\n<td>Organelles with two membranes. The inner membrane is crinkled<br />\ninto folds called <i>cristae</i><i>.</i></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Nucleus</td>\n<td>Houses the genetic material</td>\n<td>Largest organelle, surrounded by a double membrane that has<br />\nlittle holes in it. May contain dark spots called<br />\n<i>nucleoli.</i></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Plasma membrane</td>\n<td>Selective boundary of cell</td>\n<td>Outermost boundary in animal cells. Cells that have only a<br />\nplasma membrane for their boundary may be variable in shape.</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ribosomes</td>\n<td>Where proteins are made</td>\n<td>Look like tiny dots in the cell. May be loose in the cytoplasm<br />\nor attached to the rough endoplasmic reticulum.</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n"},{"title":"Common Latin and Greek roots in biology vocabulary","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Students in introductory biology classes typically have to learn more new vocabulary words than students taking a foreign language! The good news is that many science vocabulary words use the same Greek and Latin roots. When you know these roots, you can figure out what a word means, even if you&#8217;ve never heard it before.</p>\n<p>This table shows you many roots to help you decipher words you hear in biology class.</p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Greek or Latin Root</th>\n<th>Meaning</th>\n<th>Examples</th>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>A-, An-</td>\n<td>Not, absent</td>\n<td>Abiotic: without life<br />\nAnoxygenic: without oxygen</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ab-, Abs-</td>\n<td>Away from</td>\n<td>Abscission: separation of leaves from tree</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Allo-</td>\n<td>Another</td>\n<td>Allosteric: another binding site</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Aqua-</td>\n<td>Water</td>\n<td>Aqueous: watery</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Bi-</td>\n<td>Two</td>\n<td>Bilayer: double layered</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Bio-</td>\n<td>Life</td>\n<td>Biology: the study of life</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>-cide</td>\n<td>Kill</td>\n<td>Bacteriocidal: kills bacteria</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Cyt</td>\n<td>Cell</td>\n<td>Cytoplasm: the fluid inside a cell</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Di-</td>\n<td>Two</td>\n<td>Disaccharide: a carbohydrate made of two simple sugars</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Dis-</td>\n<td>Apart</td>\n<td>Disjoin: separate</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Endo-</td>\n<td>Inside</td>\n<td>Endocytosis: a process that brings things into a cell</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Epi-</td>\n<td>Upon, over</td>\n<td>Epidermis: the uppermost layer of tissue covering an<br />\norganism</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Eu-</td>\n<td>True</td>\n<td>Eukaryotes have a true nucleus</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ex-</td>\n<td>Out</td>\n<td>Exocytosis: a process that puts things out of cells</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Geno-</td>\n<td>Give birth, beget</td>\n<td>Genetics: the study of heredity</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Hetero-</td>\n<td>Mixed, unlike</td>\n<td>Heterozygous: a cell that has two different versions of a<br />\ngene</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Homo-</td>\n<td>Same</td>\n<td>Homozygous: a cell that has two identical versions of a<br />\ngene</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Hyper-</td>\n<td>Above</td>\n<td>Hypertonic: has a greater concentration of solutes</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Hypo-</td>\n<td>Below</td>\n<td>Hypotonic: has a lower concentration of solutes</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Inter-</td>\n<td>Between</td>\n<td>Interphase: the cellular phase between cell divisions</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Iso-</td>\n<td>Same</td>\n<td>Isotonic: has same concentration of solutes</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Locus</td>\n<td>Place</td>\n<td>A locus on a chromosome is the place where a gene is<br />\nlocated</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Macro-</td>\n<td>Big</td>\n<td>Macrophage: a large phagocyte</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>-meter</td>\n<td>Measure</td>\n<td>Centimeter: a measurement that&#8217;s 1/100 of a meter</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Micro-</td>\n<td>Small</td>\n<td>Microbiology: the study of living things too small to see with<br />\nthe naked eye</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Mono-</td>\n<td>One</td>\n<td>Monosaccharide: a single simple sugar</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Olig-</td>\n<td>Few</td>\n<td>Oligosaccharide: a short chain of sugars</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ped-, Pod</td>\n<td>Foot</td>\n<td>Pseudopod: a &#8220;false foot&#8221; or projection of an amoeba</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Phago-</td>\n<td>Eat</td>\n<td>Phagocytosis: a process where a white blood cell engulfs and<br />\ndestroys bacteria and viruses</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>-phil</td>\n<td>Love</td>\n<td>Hydrophilic: mixes well with water</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>-phobia</td>\n<td>Fear</td>\n<td>Hydrophobic: doesn&#8217;t mix with water</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Poly-</td>\n<td>Many</td>\n<td>Polypeptide: a chain of many amino acids</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Pro-</td>\n<td>Before</td>\n<td>Prokaryotes: cells that evolved before nucleated cells</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Stom-</td>\n<td>Mouth</td>\n<td>Stomates: openings in the surfaces of leaves</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Zoo-</td>\n<td>Animal</td>\n<td>Zoology: the study of animals</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Zygo-</td>\n<td>Join</td>\n<td>Zygote: a cell formed from the joining of sperm and egg</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n"},{"title":"Organ systems in animals","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Animal bodies range in organization from the loose collections of cells of sponges, to animals that have some organ systems like flatworms, to complicated vertebrates that have many organ systems.</p>\n<p>Organ systems function by the coordinated effort of organs, which are composed of specialized groups of cells called tissues. This table shows the various organ systems and their functions.</p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\"><strong>Organ System</strong></td>\n<td width=\"208\"><strong>Organs</strong></td>\n<td width=\"208\"><strong>Function</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\">Integumentary</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Skin, hair, nails, glands</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Protection, thermoregulation</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\">Muscular</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Muscle fibers</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Movement</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\">Skeletal</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Bones, cartilage</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Movement and support</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\">Nervous</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Brain, spinal cord, nerves</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Signaling and regulation</p>\n<p>&nbsp;</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\">Endocrine</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Glands</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Signaling and regulation</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\">Circulatory</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Heart and blood vessels</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Movement of food, respiratory gases, and wastes</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\">Respiratory</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Lungs and respiratory tract</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Gas exchange</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\">Digestive</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestine, liver, pancreas, gallbladder</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Breakdown of food molecules</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\">Excretory</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Kidney, ureter, bladder, urethra</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Release wastes, regulate blood volume and composition</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\">Immune</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Bone marrow, thymus, and lymphoid organs</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Defense against pathogens</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\">Reproductive</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Gonads, genitals, glands and ducts</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Produce gametes (sperm and egg)</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n"},{"title":"The parts and types of plants","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Like animals, plants are made of cells and tissues, and those tissues form organs, such as leaves and flowers, that are specialized for different functions. Two basic organ systems exist in plants:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The shoot system</strong>, located above ground, helps plants capture energy from the sun for photosynthesis. Organs found within the shoot system include leaves, stems, cones, and flowers.</li>\n<li><strong>The root system</strong>, located below ground, absorbs water and minerals from the soil. Roots make up the root system.</li>\n</ul>\n<p>The structure of each type of plant organ is tailored to match its function:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Leaves</strong> capture light and exchange gases with the atmosphere while minimizing water loss.\n<ul>\n<li>Many leaves are flattened, so they have maximum surface area for light capture.</li>\n<li>Tiny holes called stomata in the surfaces of leaves open and close to allow plants to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen.</li>\n<li>Guard cells surround the stomata, ready to close them if water loss from the leaves becomes too great. The surface layer, or epidermis, of a leaf often has a coating of wax to further prevent water loss.</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n<li><strong>Stems</strong> support leaves and reproductive structures and also transport sugars and water throughout the plant.\n<ul>\n<li>Stems contain special types of tissues that give them strength. Woody plants have especially strong stems because they undergo secondary growth to thicken their stems and add layers of strong tissues.</li>\n<li>Stems contain tissues that specialize in transport. Xylem transports water from a plant’s roots up to the leaves. Phloem transports sugars from the leaves throughout the plant. Young stems contain little packages of xylem and phloem, called vascular bundles.</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Roots</strong> grow through the soil, anchoring the plant and absorbing water and minerals.\n<ul>\n<li>A root cap made of protective cells covers the tips of roots to prevent damage as they grow through the soil.</li>\n<li>The root’s surface layer — also called an epidermis — contains cells that grow out into the soil, forming thin extensions called root hairs. These root hairs increase the root surface area so that the roots have more contact with the soil, which helps improve the absorption of water and minerals.</li>\n<li>Roots contain a core of vascular tissue that carries water away from the roots and toward the shoots and brings sugars from the shoots toward the roots. Some roots, like those of a carrot, specialize in storing extra sugars for later use by the plant.</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<h3>Reproductive parts</h3>\n<p>In some plants, specialized reproductive structures like flowers and cones produce the egg and sperm and may create protective structures around the young embryo. Flower structure also helps with pollination, the distribution of pollen (which contains sperm) to the plant’s female parts.</p>\n<p>Stamens are the male parts of flowers. They consist of the anther, which makes pollen, and a thin stalk called a filament. Scientists call the ring of male parts within the flower the androecium (which literally means &#8220;man house&#8221;).</p>\n<p>The flower’s female parts are the carpels, which may be joined together to form a pistil. The stigma is the part of the carpel that catches pollen, and the ovary is the swollen base that contains eggs in ovules. Many flowers have an elongated tube between the stigma and ovary that is called the style. Scientists call the ring of female parts within the flower the gynoecium (&#8220;woman house&#8221;).</p>\n<p>The pretty parts of flowers are often showy petals, which help attract animals to flowers so they can help distribute pollen. Scientists call the ring of petals in the flower the <em>corolla</em>.</p>\n<p>Flowers may also have a ring of green, leaf-like structures called sepals. Sepals help protect the flower when it’s still in the bud. In some flowers, the sepals look just like the petals and help attract pollinators. Scientists call the ring of sepals in the flower the <em>calyx</em>.</p>\n<p>After fertilization of the eggs by sperm, the ovules within a flower become seeds, and the ovary becomes a fruit. Seeds protect the embryo, and fruits help scatter the seeds away from the parent plant.</p>\n<p>A stalk called the peduncle supports the flower, which may also have a swollen base called the receptacle.</p>\n<p>Based on the types of tissues they have and the reproductive structures they make, plants can be organized into four major groups:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Bryophytes</strong> are plants, such as mosses, that don’t have a vascular system and don’t produce flowers or seeds. Bryophytes also don&#8217;t have a true root system. Instead, many rely upon delicate anchoring structures called rhizoids.</li>\n<li><strong>Ferns and related plants</strong> have vascular tissue, but they don’t produce seeds.</li>\n<li><strong>Gymnosperms</strong> (also known as conifers) have vascular tissue and produce cones and seeds, but they don’t produce flowers.</li>\n<li><strong>Angiosperms</strong> (or flowering plants) have vascular tissue and produce both flowers and seeds. Scientists divide the most familiar flowering plants into two groups based on the number of cotyledons they contain in their seeds:\n<ul>\n<li>Monocots, like corn and lilies, have seeds that contain one cotyledon.</li>\n<li>Dicots — beans, oak trees, and daisies — have seeds that contain two cotyledons.</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Cotyledons, sometimes called seed leaves, supply nutrition to the embryo and then emerge as the first leaves begin to grow.</p>\n<h3>Differences between monocots and dicots</h3>\n<p>In addition to their difference in seed structure, monocots and dicots have distinct patterns in their structures and the way they grow.</p>\n<p>This table presents several of the key structural differences between monocots and dicots.</p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\"><strong>Feature</strong></td>\n<td width=\"208\"><strong>Monocots</strong></td>\n<td width=\"208\"><strong>Dicots</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\">Cotyledons in seeds</td>\n<td width=\"208\">One</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Two</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\">Bundles of vascular tissue in stem</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Scattered throughout</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Form definite ring pattern</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\">Root system</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Fibrous</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Taproot</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\">Leaf veins</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Run parallel</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Form a net pattern</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\">Flower parts</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Are in threes and multiples of threes</td>\n<td width=\"208\">Are in fours and fives and multiples of fours and fives</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n"}],"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Advance","lifeExpectancy":"Five years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2022-05-31T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":208348},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-27T16:47:11+00:00","modifiedTime":"2022-04-27T16:10:48+00:00","timestamp":"2022-06-22T19:37:39+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Academics & The Arts","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33662"},"slug":"academics-the-arts","categoryId":33662},{"name":"Science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33756"},"slug":"science","categoryId":33756},{"name":"General Science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33771"},"slug":"general-science","categoryId":33771}],"title":"Evolution For Dummies Cheat Sheet","strippedTitle":"evolution for dummies cheat sheet","slug":"evolution-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Understand the terms involved in this scientific theory, as well as a bit of the scientific method itself.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"Whether you're talking about evolution — or any other element of science — you should understand the process of scientific investigation, which proves or disproves a scientific theory. Take a look at a chart of our hominid ancestors as discovered through fossil records, and learn some key terms to grasp the course of evolution.","description":"Whether you're talking about evolution — or any other element of science — you should understand the process of scientific investigation, which proves or disproves a scientific theory. Take a look at a chart of our hominid ancestors as discovered through fossil records, and learn some key terms to grasp the course of evolution.","blurb":"","authors":[],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":33771,"title":"General Science","slug":"general-science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33771"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":208742,"title":"Einstein For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"einstein-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","general-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/208742"}},{"articleId":200503,"title":"Designing Experiments Using the Scientific Method","slug":"designing-experiments-using-the-scientific-method","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","general-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/200503"}},{"articleId":200193,"title":"Einstein Storms the Scientific World","slug":"einstein-storms-the-scientific-world","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","general-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/200193"}},{"articleId":200018,"title":"Getting to Know Einstein's Wives","slug":"getting-to-know-einsteins-wives","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","general-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/200018"}},{"articleId":199859,"title":"Making Interstellar Travel Possible","slug":"making-interstellar-travel-possible","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","general-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/199859"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":0,"slug":null,"isbn":null,"categoryList":null,"amazon":null,"image":null,"title":null,"testBankPinActivationLink":null,"bookOutOfPrint":false,"authorsInfo":null,"authors":null,"_links":null},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;academics-the-arts&quot;,&quot;science&quot;,&quot;general-science&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[null]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f8386c3f\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;academics-the-arts&quot;,&quot;science&quot;,&quot;general-science&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[null]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f8387599\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Cheat Sheet","articleList":[{"articleId":178721,"title":"The Scientific Process in Brief","slug":"the-scientific-process-in-brief","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","general-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/178721"}},{"articleId":178746,"title":"Understanding Evolution Terminology","slug":"understanding-evolution-terminology","categoryList":[],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/178746"}}],"content":[{"title":"The scientific process in brief","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Before scientists can identify something as theory, they have to gain overwhelming evidence through scientific investigation. And any good theory is only one good experiment away from being rejected. That is, scientists must be able to imagine some set of results that would cause them to reject, or <i>falsify</i>, the theory; then they must see that over and over again. The factor that makes a science a <i>science</i> is the adherence to the scientific process:</p>\n<ol class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Make observations about the natural world.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Formulate a hypothesis.</p>\n<p class=\"child-para\">The hypothesis serves as the scientist&#8217;s starting point; maybe it&#8217;s right, and maybe it&#8217;s wrong. They key is to do enough testing to find out.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Gather additional data to test this hypothesis.</p>\n<p class=\"child-para\">As your data accumulates, it either supports your hypothesis, or it forces you to revise or abandon the hypothesis. <b><i>Remember:</i></b> The hypothesis scientists come up with must be falsifiable. That is, scientists must be able to imagine some set of results that would cause them to reject the theory, and then they must test those ideas out.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Continue testing (if the data from Step 3 supports your hypothesis) or revise your hypothesis and test again.</p>\n<p class=\"child-para\">After an overwhelming amount of information accumulates in support of the hypothesis, you elevate the hypothesis to a theory.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">If, at anytime in the future, new data arises that causes you to revise or reject your theory, then you revise or reject it and start again at Step 1.</p>\n<p class=\"child-para\">Real scientists never ignore facts or observations in order to protect a hypothesis or theory, even one that they&#8217;re particularly fond of.</p>\n</li>\n</ol>\n"},{"title":"Understanding evolution terminology","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p class=\"Remember\">Evolution is the process by which populations and species change over time and the principles of evolution explain why life on Earth is so diverse and why organisms are the way they are. You need to understand evolution because it is <i>the </i>key scientific principle in biology (the study of living things), so study these evolution fundamentals:</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Adaptations:</b> Changes resulting from natural selection.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Allele (plural alleles):</b> The specific DNA sequence found at a given locus in an individual. A haploid individual has one allele at every locus while a diploid individual has two alleles at each locus (one on each set of chromosomes), which can be the same or different.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Artificial selection:</b> The process of selection when people control which characters are favored—for example selectively breeding cows that make the most milk to produce the next generation of dairy cows.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Chromosome:</b> The cellular structures that contain DNA. Humans, a diploid organism, have 23 pairs of chromosomes.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Diploid genome:</b> The genome of an organism that has of two sets of chromosomes. In sexually reproducing organisms, diploid parents each contribute one set of chromosomes to offspring, producing a new diploid individual whose genome is a combination of some of the DNA from each parent. Examples of diploid organisms include mammals, birds, many plants, and so on.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid):</b> A long molecule made up of four different subunits (or nucleotides, which you can think of as a four-letter alphabet). The sequence of the four different nucleotides governs the specific details of traits. While almost all organisms have DNA as the genetic material, a few (some viruses) use a slightly different molecule (RNA, ribonucleic acid) but the process is otherwise the same.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>DNA sequence:</b> The exact arrangement of the four nucleotides in a specific individual. The sequence information can be for the entire genome or just some location of interest.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Evolution:</b> A change in the percentage of inherited (heritable) traits in a group of organisms over time. For evolution, time is measured in generations, which is one of the reasons that bacteria evolve faster than elephants.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Evolutionary theory:</b> The field of scientific investigation that works to understand what processes are responsible for the evolutionary changes we observe and what the consequences of those changes are.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Fitness:</b> A measure of an organism&#8217;s ability to contribute offspring to the next generation.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Gene:</b> The classic unit of heredity that governs the traits that are passed from parent to offspring. The term predates an understanding of how the process of heredity actually works, which involves DNA. Therefore, in science articles, gene primarily serves as an easy-to-understand, if not exactly precise stand in for locus and allele, which more precisely identify the exact units of heredity.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Genetic drift:</b> Random factors—volcanoes erupting, trees falling, or airplanes crashing, for example—that impact the gene frequency in subsequent populations.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Genome:</b> The sum total of all of an organism&#8217;s DNA.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Genotype:</b> The specific combination of alleles that an individual organism has. Genotype does not map directly to phenotype (or physical traits) because of the effect of environmental factors.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Haploid genome:</b> The genome of an organism with a single set of chromosomes. Examples of haploid organisms include bacteria and fungi which produce asexually (new individuals simply divide from existing ones). Note: Diploid individuals produce haploid gametes (sperm and egg).</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Locus (plural loci ):</b> A particular location in an organism&#8217;s genome where the information for a particular trait resides. The eye color locus, for example, is the place in an individual organism&#8217;s genome that has the DNA sequence controlling eye color.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Mutations:</b> Changes in the DNA sequence caused by errors in DNA replication or such factors (like radiation) that can cause DNA damage.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Natural selection:</b> The process of selection when the natural environment is the selective force.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Neutral evolution:</b> Evolution as the result of genetic drift. When two different alleles are selectively neutral—that is, they don&#8217;t differ in fitness—changes in their relative frequencies can only be caused by random events.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Phenotype:</b> The physical traits that the organism has, including things like body structure, wing span, running speed, and so on. Phenotype is a product of both the genotype and the effects of the environment.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Selection:</b> When a particular character is favored such that organisms that possess that character are more likely to contribute offspring to the next generation. If the character under selection is heritable, then the frequency of that character in future generations increases. Selection acts on phenotypes rather than genotypes.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Speciation:</b> When a group of individuals in a species evolves differently from the rest of the species, leading to the accumulation of enough genetic differences to prevent the two groups from interbreeding.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n"}],"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Explore","lifeExpectancy":"One year","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2022-04-27T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":207510},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2022-04-19T14:16:54+00:00","modifiedTime":"2022-04-22T13:59:44+00:00","timestamp":"2022-06-22T19:37:38+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Academics & The Arts","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33662"},"slug":"academics-the-arts","categoryId":33662},{"name":"Science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33756"},"slug":"science","categoryId":33756},{"name":"Environmental Science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33763"},"slug":"environmental-science","categoryId":33763}],"title":"Find New Ways to Go Green this Earth Day","strippedTitle":"find new ways to go green this earth day","slug":"this-earth-day-find-new-ways-to-go-green","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Celebrate Earth Day with Dummies by connecting with nature, learning about the natural environment, or picking up a new eco-friendly habit.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"Celebrate everything that is beautiful about our planet by reconnecting with nature, learning more about the natural environment, or picking up a new eco-friendly habit or two.\r\n\r\nApril 22 marks the 52nd anniversary of Earth Day — a world-wide celebration commemorating everything that makes our blue-marble planet unique and beautiful, and all the things we can do to protect it.\r\n\r\nStarting all the way back during the environmental movement of the 1970s, Earth Day has grown to become a powerful motivator for individuals and companies alike to become more environmentally aware and responsible. From local volunteer cleanups to nation-wide conservation initiatives, this year is no different, with numerous events happening at both the grassroots and state levels.\r\n\r\nWant to join in on the celebration? Find Earth Day events in your area, by visiting <a href=\"https://www.earthday.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https://www.earthday.org/</a>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_292124\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"wp-image-292124 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/earthdayblog-1.jpg\" alt=\"Earth Globe Painting\" width=\"630\" height=\"355\" /> © Elena Mozhvilo / Unsplash.com[/caption]\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >The First Earth Day</h2>\r\nDid you know... In response to public outcry to the Santa Barbara Oil Spill of 1969, U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson organized a nationwide \"teach-in\" about environmental issues to take place on April 22, 1970. More than 2,000 colleges and universities, 10,000 public schools, and 20 million citizens participated.\r\n\r\nAside from volunteering or donating to an eco-friendly cause, there are plenty of other ways to celebrate Earth Day — here are just a few.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_292127\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"wp-image-292127 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/earthdayblog1.jpg\" alt=\"Meat-Free Sausages\" width=\"630\" height=\"473\" /> Vegan alternatives to meat-based products are a great first step towards a more plant-based diet.<br />©LikeMeat / Unsplash.com[/caption]\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Plant a healthy diet</h2>\r\nYou’ve probably already heard about the massive environmental impact that animal farming has on the planet. It is second only to fossil fuels in terms of contributing to human-made greenhouse gas emissions, the cause of climate change. And, while the jump from a traditional omnivorous diet to a full-blown vegan one is not something most people can accomplish overnight, cutting down on red meat is a great first step.\r\n\r\nSomething as simple as committing to meat-free Mondays can have a significant influence on your health and the environment. Get started by taking a crack at one or two of our favorite plant-based recipes found in <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/book/body-mind-spirit/physical-health-well-being/diet-nutrition/plant-based-diet/plant-based-diet-cookbook-for-dummies-289784\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Plant-Based Diet Cookbook For Dummies</a>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_292128\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"wp-image-292128 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/earthdayblog2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"354\" /> Gardening is an excellent way to teach kids environmental responsibility.<br />© Surya Prakash / Unsplash.com[/caption]\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Channel your inner green thumb</h2>\r\nYou don’t need to become an expert horticulturist to help save our planet. Simply buying local or better yet, growing some of your own food can help reduce your carbon footprint — not to mention, teach you valuable transferable skills like diligence and patience. Plus, there’s just something so satisfying about working with your hands, especially if you’re used to working in front of a screen all day.\r\n\r\nYou can start by growing some common herbs like rosemary or thyme. They are fairly resilient and, depending on where you live, can even be grown indoors. If you lack the space to garden, look for farmers markets in your area or, better yet, join a community garden, these gardens are becoming increasingly popular, even in the most urban of cities.\r\n\r\nDon't worry if you have no previous gardening knowledge — beginner-friendly resources, such as <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/book/home-auto-hobbies/garden-green-living/gardening/general-gardening/gardening-basics-for-dummies-3rd-edition-282222\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gardening Basics For Dummies</a>, will help you get there.\r\n\r\nYou can also find a farmers market near you using the <a href=\"https://www.ams.usda.gov/local-food-directories/farmersmarkets\">USDA National Farmers Market Directory</a>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_292129\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"wp-image-292129 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/earthdayblog3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"504\" /> © Viki Mohamad / Unsplash.com[/caption]\r\n<h2 id=\"tab4\" >Stay informed</h2>\r\nIt’s no secret that our planet is in grave danger as a result of climate change. But, contrary to what you may feel after reading all the increasingly worrisome headlines, you must remember — there’s still hope. And, while the biggest contributors of climate change, like animal farming and fossil fuel burning, may seem so far removed from your daily life, you’d be surprised how much of a difference you as an individual can make.\r\n\r\nStaying informed is perhaps the easiest way to help environmental causes. As an informed citizen, you have the power to choose more wisely what products to buy, what companies and practices to support, and even who you vote for in the next election.\r\n\r\nDon't know where to start? Check out <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/book/academics-the-arts/science/environmental-science/climate-change-for-dummies-290945\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Climate Change For Dummies</a> to help you navigate this complex topic.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_292130\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"wp-image-292130 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/earthdayblog4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"361\" /> © Noah Buscher / Unsplash.com[/caption]\r\n<h2 id=\"tab5\" >More ways to greenify your life</h2>\r\nThere’s always something more we can do to reduce our environmental impact on the planet, but that should not discourage us from taking action — after all, every little bit counts. One small change in your daily routine today will lead you to more and more lasting changes in the future.\r\n\r\nIf you’re ready to explore even more ways to go green, check out <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/book/home-auto-hobbies/garden-green-living/sustainability/general-sustainability/green-living-for-dummies-281576\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Green Living For Dummies</a> for a more comprehensive guide to sustainable living.\r\n\r\nFrom the team at Dummies, we wish all our fellow earthlings a happy and green Earth Day.","description":"Celebrate everything that is beautiful about our planet by reconnecting with nature, learning more about the natural environment, or picking up a new eco-friendly habit or two.\r\n\r\nApril 22 marks the 52nd anniversary of Earth Day — a world-wide celebration commemorating everything that makes our blue-marble planet unique and beautiful, and all the things we can do to protect it.\r\n\r\nStarting all the way back during the environmental movement of the 1970s, Earth Day has grown to become a powerful motivator for individuals and companies alike to become more environmentally aware and responsible. From local volunteer cleanups to nation-wide conservation initiatives, this year is no different, with numerous events happening at both the grassroots and state levels.\r\n\r\nWant to join in on the celebration? Find Earth Day events in your area, by visiting <a href=\"https://www.earthday.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https://www.earthday.org/</a>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_292124\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"wp-image-292124 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/earthdayblog-1.jpg\" alt=\"Earth Globe Painting\" width=\"630\" height=\"355\" /> © Elena Mozhvilo / Unsplash.com[/caption]\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >The First Earth Day</h2>\r\nDid you know... In response to public outcry to the Santa Barbara Oil Spill of 1969, U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson organized a nationwide \"teach-in\" about environmental issues to take place on April 22, 1970. More than 2,000 colleges and universities, 10,000 public schools, and 20 million citizens participated.\r\n\r\nAside from volunteering or donating to an eco-friendly cause, there are plenty of other ways to celebrate Earth Day — here are just a few.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_292127\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"wp-image-292127 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/earthdayblog1.jpg\" alt=\"Meat-Free Sausages\" width=\"630\" height=\"473\" /> Vegan alternatives to meat-based products are a great first step towards a more plant-based diet.<br />©LikeMeat / Unsplash.com[/caption]\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Plant a healthy diet</h2>\r\nYou’ve probably already heard about the massive environmental impact that animal farming has on the planet. It is second only to fossil fuels in terms of contributing to human-made greenhouse gas emissions, the cause of climate change. And, while the jump from a traditional omnivorous diet to a full-blown vegan one is not something most people can accomplish overnight, cutting down on red meat is a great first step.\r\n\r\nSomething as simple as committing to meat-free Mondays can have a significant influence on your health and the environment. Get started by taking a crack at one or two of our favorite plant-based recipes found in <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/book/body-mind-spirit/physical-health-well-being/diet-nutrition/plant-based-diet/plant-based-diet-cookbook-for-dummies-289784\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Plant-Based Diet Cookbook For Dummies</a>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_292128\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"wp-image-292128 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/earthdayblog2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"354\" /> Gardening is an excellent way to teach kids environmental responsibility.<br />© Surya Prakash / Unsplash.com[/caption]\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Channel your inner green thumb</h2>\r\nYou don’t need to become an expert horticulturist to help save our planet. Simply buying local or better yet, growing some of your own food can help reduce your carbon footprint — not to mention, teach you valuable transferable skills like diligence and patience. Plus, there’s just something so satisfying about working with your hands, especially if you’re used to working in front of a screen all day.\r\n\r\nYou can start by growing some common herbs like rosemary or thyme. They are fairly resilient and, depending on where you live, can even be grown indoors. If you lack the space to garden, look for farmers markets in your area or, better yet, join a community garden, these gardens are becoming increasingly popular, even in the most urban of cities.\r\n\r\nDon't worry if you have no previous gardening knowledge — beginner-friendly resources, such as <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/book/home-auto-hobbies/garden-green-living/gardening/general-gardening/gardening-basics-for-dummies-3rd-edition-282222\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gardening Basics For Dummies</a>, will help you get there.\r\n\r\nYou can also find a farmers market near you using the <a href=\"https://www.ams.usda.gov/local-food-directories/farmersmarkets\">USDA National Farmers Market Directory</a>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_292129\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"wp-image-292129 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/earthdayblog3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"504\" /> © Viki Mohamad / Unsplash.com[/caption]\r\n<h2 id=\"tab4\" >Stay informed</h2>\r\nIt’s no secret that our planet is in grave danger as a result of climate change. But, contrary to what you may feel after reading all the increasingly worrisome headlines, you must remember — there’s still hope. And, while the biggest contributors of climate change, like animal farming and fossil fuel burning, may seem so far removed from your daily life, you’d be surprised how much of a difference you as an individual can make.\r\n\r\nStaying informed is perhaps the easiest way to help environmental causes. As an informed citizen, you have the power to choose more wisely what products to buy, what companies and practices to support, and even who you vote for in the next election.\r\n\r\nDon't know where to start? Check out <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/book/academics-the-arts/science/environmental-science/climate-change-for-dummies-290945\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Climate Change For Dummies</a> to help you navigate this complex topic.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_292130\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"wp-image-292130 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/earthdayblog4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"361\" /> © Noah Buscher / Unsplash.com[/caption]\r\n<h2 id=\"tab5\" >More ways to greenify your life</h2>\r\nThere’s always something more we can do to reduce our environmental impact on the planet, but that should not discourage us from taking action — after all, every little bit counts. One small change in your daily routine today will lead you to more and more lasting changes in the future.\r\n\r\nIf you’re ready to explore even more ways to go green, check out <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/book/home-auto-hobbies/garden-green-living/sustainability/general-sustainability/green-living-for-dummies-281576\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Green Living For Dummies</a> for a more comprehensive guide to sustainable living.\r\n\r\nFrom the team at Dummies, we wish all our fellow earthlings a happy and green Earth Day.","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":8947,"name":"The Experts at Dummies","slug":"the-experts-at-dummies","description":"The Experts at Dummies are smart, friendly people who make learning easy by taking a not-so-serious approach to serious stuff.","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/8947"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":33763,"title":"Environmental Science","slug":"environmental-science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33763"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[{"label":"The First Earth Day","target":"#tab1"},{"label":"Plant a healthy diet","target":"#tab2"},{"label":"Channel your inner green thumb","target":"#tab3"},{"label":"Stay informed","target":"#tab4"},{"label":"More ways to greenify your life","target":"#tab5"}],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":291362,"title":"Climate Change For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"climate-change-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/291362"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":291362,"title":"Climate Change For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"climate-change-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/291362"}},{"articleId":284309,"title":"Check Out the Bones on Those Osteichthyes!","slug":"check-out-the-bones-on-those-osteichthyes","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/284309"}},{"articleId":284296,"title":"Elasmobranchii: Sharks, Skates, and Rays","slug":"elasmobranchii-sharks-skates-and-rays","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/284296"}},{"articleId":284288,"title":"Cephalopods: Head and Tentacles Above the Rest","slug":"cephalopods-head-and-tentacles-above-the-rest","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/284288"}},{"articleId":284282,"title":"Bivalves: Parts One and Two","slug":"bivalves-parts-one-and-two","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/284282"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":290945,"slug":"climate-change-for-dummies","isbn":"9781119703105","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119703107/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119703107/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119703107-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119703107/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119703107/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/9781119703105-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Climate Change For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"<p><p><b>Elizabeth May</b> is the former leader of the Green Party of Canada. She founded and served as the Executive Director of the Sierra Club Canada from 1989 to 2006. May has been the Member of Parliament in Canada since May 2011.</p> <p><B><b data-author-id=\"34718\">John Kidder</b></b> was a founding member of the Green Party in British Columbia. He has been a cowboy, miner, fisher, range management specialist, technology entrepreneur, small farmer, and governance practitioner since then. <p>The authors married on Earth Day 2019. <p><b><b data-author-id=\"9735\">Elizabeth May</b></b> is the former leader of the Green Party of Canada. She founded and served as the Executive Director of the Sierra Club Canada from 1989 to 2006. May has been the Member of Parliament in Canada since May 2011.</p> <p><B>John Kidder</b> was a founding member of the Green Party in British Columbia. He has been a cowboy, miner, fisher, range management specialist, technology entrepreneur, small farmer, and governance practitioner since then. <p>The authors married on Earth Day 2019.</p>","authors":[{"authorId":34718,"name":"John Kidder","slug":"john-kidder","description":" <p><b>Elizabeth May</b> is the former leader of the Green Party of Canada. She founded and served as the Executive Director of the Sierra Club Canada from 1989 to 2006. May has been the Member of Parliament in Canada since May 2011.</p> <p><B>John Kidder</b> was a founding member of the Green Party in British Columbia. He has been a cowboy, miner, fisher, range management specialist, technology entrepreneur, small farmer, and governance practitioner since then. <p>The authors married on Earth Day 2019. ","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/34718"}},{"authorId":9735,"name":"Elizabeth May","slug":"elizabeth-may","description":" <p><b>Elizabeth May</b> is the former leader of the Green Party of Canada. She founded and served as the Executive Director of the Sierra Club Canada from 1989 to 2006. May has been the Member of Parliament in Canada since May 2011.</p> <p><B>John Kidder</b> was a founding member of the Green Party in British Columbia. He has been a cowboy, miner, fisher, range management specialist, technology entrepreneur, small farmer, and governance practitioner since then. <p>The authors married on Earth Day 2019. ","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9735"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;academics-the-arts&quot;,&quot;science&quot;,&quot;environmental-science&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119703105&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f823e37d\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;academics-the-arts&quot;,&quot;science&quot;,&quot;environmental-science&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119703105&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f823eaa8\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Articles","articleList":null,"content":null,"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Explore","lifeExpectancy":"Six months","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2022-04-18T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":292097},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-27T16:54:14+00:00","modifiedTime":"2022-04-20T16:52:24+00:00","timestamp":"2022-06-22T19:37:37+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Academics & The Arts","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33662"},"slug":"academics-the-arts","categoryId":33662},{"name":"Science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33756"},"slug":"science","categoryId":33756},{"name":"Anatomy","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33757"},"slug":"anatomy","categoryId":33757}],"title":"Anatomy and Physiology For Dummies Cheat Sheet","strippedTitle":"anatomy and physiology for dummies cheat sheet","slug":"anatomy-physiology-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Become familiar with standard anatomical terms, as well as the various planes, cavities, and organ systems that make up the physical form.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"The human body is a beautiful and efficient system well worth study. In order to study and talk about anatomy and physiology, you need to start from an agreed-upon view of the human body. Anatomical position for the human form is the figure standing upright, eyes looking forward, upper extremities at the sides of the body with palms turned out.\r\n\r\nYou also need to be familiar with standard anatomical terms, as well as the various planes, cavities, and organ systems that make up the physical form.","description":"The human body is a beautiful and efficient system well worth study. In order to study and talk about anatomy and physiology, you need to start from an agreed-upon view of the human body. Anatomical position for the human form is the figure standing upright, eyes looking forward, upper extremities at the sides of the body with palms turned out.\r\n\r\nYou also need to be familiar with standard anatomical terms, as well as the various planes, cavities, and organ systems that make up the physical form.","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":10193,"name":"Maggie A. Norris","slug":"maggie-norris","description":"Maggie Norris is a veteran science and medical writer.","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/10193"}},{"authorId":9774,"name":"Donna Rae Siegfried","slug":"donna-rae-siegfried","description":" <p><b>Maggie Norris</b> is a freelance science writer. <b>Donna Rae Siegfried</b> has instructed anatomy and physiology courses at the college level. They are the coauthors of <i>Anatomy &#38; Physiology For Dummies, 2nd Edition.</i> ","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9774"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":33757,"title":"Anatomy","slug":"anatomy","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33757"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":240485,"title":"9 Chemistry Concepts Related to Anatomy and Physiology","slug":"9-chemistry-concepts-related-anatomy-physiology","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","anatomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/240485"}},{"articleId":240482,"title":"Programming Human Development","slug":"programming-human-development","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","anatomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/240482"}},{"articleId":240476,"title":"Dividing Fetal Development into Trimesters","slug":"dividing-fetal-development-trimesters","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","anatomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/240476"}},{"articleId":240473,"title":"Human Development before Birth","slug":"human-development-birth","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","anatomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/240473"}},{"articleId":240470,"title":"Taxonomy of Homo Sapiens","slug":"taxonomy-homo-sapiens","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","anatomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/240470"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":258561,"title":"What Your Blood Pressure Readings Can Tell You","slug":"what-your-blood-pressure-readings-can-tell-you","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","anatomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/258561"}},{"articleId":256333,"title":"How Our Innate and Adaptive Defenses Protect Us","slug":"how-our-innate-and-adaptive-defenses-protect-us","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","anatomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/256333"}},{"articleId":255784,"title":"4 Families of Organic Compounds with Important Biological Functions","slug":"4-families-of-organic-compounds-with-important-biological-functions-2","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","anatomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/255784"}},{"articleId":255779,"title":"How Lymph Nodes Work","slug":"how-lymph-nodes-work","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","anatomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/255779"}},{"articleId":255776,"title":"The Breathing Process","slug":"the-breathing-process","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","anatomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/255776"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":281946,"slug":"anatomy-physiology-for-dummies-3rd-edition","isbn":"9781119345237","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","anatomy"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119345235/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119345235/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119345235-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119345235/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119345235/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/anatomy-and-physiology-for-dummies-3rd-edition-cover-9781119345237-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Anatomy & Physiology For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":false,"authorsInfo":"<p><b data-author-id=\"11358\">Erin Odya </b>is an anatomy and physiology teacher at Carmel High School in Carmel, Indiana, one of Indiana’s top schools.</p>\n<p><b data-author-id=\"35040\">Maggie Norris</b> is a freelance science writer living in the San Francisco Bay Area.</p>","authors":[{"authorId":11358,"name":"Erin Odya","slug":"erin-odya","description":" <p><b>Erin Odya</b> teaches Anatomy &#38; Physiology at Carmel High School in Carmel, Indiana, one of Indiana&#39;s top schools. She is also the author of <i>Anatomy &#38; Physiology For Dummies.</i> <p><b>Pat DuPree</b> taught anatomy/physiology, biology, medical terminology, and environmental science. ","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/11358"}},{"authorId":35040,"name":"Maggie A. Norris","slug":"maggie-a.-norris","description":" <p><b>Maggie Norris</b> is a freelance science writer. <b>Donna Rae Siegfried</b> has instructed anatomy and physiology courses at the college level. They are the coauthors of <i>Anatomy &#38; Physiology For Dummies, 2nd Edition.</i> ","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/35040"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;academics-the-arts&quot;,&quot;science&quot;,&quot;anatomy&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119345237&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f818077b\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;academics-the-arts&quot;,&quot;science&quot;,&quot;anatomy&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119345237&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f8180ea5\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Cheat Sheet","articleList":[{"articleId":234558,"title":"The Anatomical Position","slug":"the-anatomical-position","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","anatomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234558"}},{"articleId":234555,"title":"Anatomical Terms","slug":"anatomical-terms","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","anatomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234555"}},{"articleId":188497,"title":"Anatomical Planes of the Body","slug":"anatomical-planes-of-the-body","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","anatomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/188497"}},{"articleId":188501,"title":"Anatomical Body Cavities","slug":"anatomical-body-cavities","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","anatomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/188501"}},{"articleId":188498,"title":"Anatomical Organ Systems","slug":"anatomic-organ-systems","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","anatomy"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/188498"}}],"content":[{"title":"Anatomical terms","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>When you&#8217;re talking anatomy in a scientific way, everyday words such as <em>front, back, side, above,</em> and <em>below</em> just aren&#8217;t precise enough. Instead use the terms in the following list:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Anterior or ventral:</strong> Toward the front of the body</li>\n<li><strong>Posterior or dorsal:</strong> Toward the back of the body</li>\n<li><strong>Superior:</strong> A part above another part</li>\n<li><strong>Inferior:</strong> A part below another part</li>\n<li><strong>Medial:</strong> Toward the <em>midline</em> (median plane) of the body</li>\n<li><strong>Lateral:</strong> Away from the midline of the body; toward the sides</li>\n<li><strong>Proximal:</strong> Toward the point of attachment to the body</li>\n<li><strong>Distal:</strong> Away from the point of attachment to the body</li>\n<li><strong>Deep:</strong> Toward the inside of the body</li>\n<li><strong>Superficial:</strong> Toward the outside of the body</li>\n<li><strong>Parietal:</strong> A membrane that covers an internal body wall</li>\n<li><strong>Visceral:</strong> A membrane that covers an organ</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Also remember that right and left are that of the patient, not the observer.</p>\n"},{"title":"Planes of the body","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>You may not think about the planes of your body much, but you have them nonetheless, and if you&#8217;re talking anatomy, knowing the names of the planes comes in handy. (Too bad <em>sagittal</em> and <em>transverse</em> don&#8217;t lend themselves to song as easily as <em>rain</em> and <em>Spain</em> do.) The main planes and their subplanes are in the following list:</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><strong>Sagittal:</strong> The plane that runs down through the body, dividing the body into left and right portions. Subsections of the sagittal plane include</p>\n<ul class=\"level-two\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><strong>Midsagittal: </strong>Runs through the median plane and divides along the line of symmetry</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><strong>Parasagittal: </strong>Parallel to the midline but does not divide into equal left and right portions</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><strong>Frontal (coronal):</strong> The plane that runs perpendicular to the sagittal plane and divides the body into anterior (front) and <em>posterior</em> (back) portions</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><strong>Transverse:</strong> Horizontal plane that divides the body into upper and lower portions; also called <em>cross-section</em></p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"Body cavities","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Medical and crime shows have made body cavities all too familiar, and anatomically speaking, these spaces are very important, providing housing and protection for vital organs. The following list identifies the cavities and subcavities of the human body:</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><strong>Dorsal cavity:</strong> Bones of the cranial portion of the skull and vertebral column, toward the posterior (dorsal) side of the body</p>\n<ul class=\"level-two\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><i></i><b>Cranial cavity:</b> Contains the brain</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><strong>Spinal cavity:</strong> Contains the spinal cord, which is an extension of the brain</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><strong>Ventral cavity:</strong> Anterior portion of the torso; divided by the diaphragm into the thoracic cavity and abdominopelvic cavity</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><strong>Thoracic cavity:</strong> The chest; contains the trachea, bronchi, lungs, esophagus, heart and great blood vessels, thymus gland, lymph nodes, and nerve,. as well as the following smaller cavities:</p>\n<ul class=\"level-two\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><strong>Pleural cavities:</strong> Surround each lung</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><strong>Pericardial cavity:</strong>  Contains the heart. The pleural cavities flank the pericardial cavity.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><strong>Abdominopelvic cavity: </strong>An imaginary line running across the hipbones and dividing the body into the abdominal and pelvic cavities:</p>\n<ul class=\"level-two\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><strong>Abdominal cavity:</strong> Contains the stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, small intestines, and most of the large intestine</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><strong>Pelvic cavity:</strong> Contains the end of the large intestine, rectum, urinary bladder, and internal reproductive organs</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"Organ systems","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>If you&#8217;re talking anatomy and physiology, you&#8217;re talking about the human body and its organs. The 11 systems in the following table provide the means for every human activity — from breathing to eating to moving to reproducing:</p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>System</strong></td>\n<td width=\"308\"><strong>What the System Includes</strong></td>\n<td width=\"264\"><strong>What the System Does</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"167\">Integumentary</td>\n<td width=\"308\">Skin and its accessories</td>\n<td width=\"264\">Protects underlying tissues, regulates body temperature</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Skeletal</td>\n<td width=\"308\">Bones and connective tissues</td>\n<td width=\"264\">Provides framework, protects underlying soft tissues, produces blood cells</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Muscular</td>\n<td width=\"308\">Skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscle</td>\n<td width=\"264\">Powers movement, maintains posture, generates heat</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Nervous</td>\n<td width=\"308\">Brain, spinal cord, nerves, sensory organs and cells</td>\n<td width=\"264\">Communicates via impulse, integrates functions of other body systems</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Endocrine</td>\n<td width=\"308\">Pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenals glands; pancreas; ovaries; and testes</td>\n<td width=\"264\">Communicates via hormones</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Cardiovascular</td>\n<td width=\"308\">Heart, blood vessels, and blood</td>\n<td width=\"264\">Transports materials throughout body</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Lymphatic</td>\n<td width=\"308\">Tonsils, spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, lymphatic vessels, and lymph</td>\n<td width=\"264\">Provides immunity, filters tissue fluid</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Digestive</td>\n<td width=\"308\">Mouth, esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines (alimentary canal), and accessory organs (including salivary glands, pancreas, liver, and gallbladder)</td>\n<td width=\"264\">Obtains nutrients from food</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Respiratory</td>\n<td width=\"308\">Nose and mouth, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs</td>\n<td width=\"264\">Performs gas exchange with blood (oxygen in, carbon dioxide out)</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Urinary</td>\n<td width=\"308\">Kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra</td>\n<td width=\"264\">Filters waste from the blood for excretion, retains water</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Reproductive</td>\n<td width=\"308\">Ovaries, uterine tubes, uterus, vagina, and vulva in females; testes, seminal vesicles, penis, urethra, prostate, and bulbourethral glands in males</td>\n<td width=\"264\">Produces offspring</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n"}],"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Advance","lifeExpectancy":"Five years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2022-01-27T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":208669},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-26T22:50:30+00:00","modifiedTime":"2022-04-18T13:42:07+00:00","timestamp":"2022-06-22T19:37:37+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Academics & The Arts","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33662"},"slug":"academics-the-arts","categoryId":33662},{"name":"Science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33756"},"slug":"science","categoryId":33756},{"name":"Environmental Science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33763"},"slug":"environmental-science","categoryId":33763}],"title":"Tornadoes: Really Twisted Winds","strippedTitle":"tornadoes: really twisted winds","slug":"tornadoes-really-twisted-winds","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Learn the interesting and even life-saving facts about one of nature's most dangerous phenomena, tornadoes. Know what to do in a warning.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"Tornadoes are nature's most violent storms. Nothing the atmosphere dishes out is more destructive. They can sweep up anything that moves. They lift buildings from their foundations. They make a swirling cloud of violently flying debris. They are very dangerous to all living things, not only because of the sheer power of their winds, but the missiles of debris they create.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_292069\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-292069\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/Tornado.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"419\" /> ©Minerva Studio / Adobe Stock[/caption]\r\n\r\nWind measuring instruments are destroyed by tornadoes, although according to reliable estimates, their winds can exceed 250 miles per hour. Flying at those speeds, pieces of straw can penetrate wood. According to most scientists, the top wind speeds in the strongest tornadoes are about 280 miles per hour.\r\n\r\nIn an average year, 1,200 tornadoes are reported in the United States, far more than any other place in the world.\r\n\r\nOn average, tornadoes cause 80 deaths in the U.S. every year and 1,500 injuries, although averages don't mean very much when it comes to these storms. In 1998, for example, 130 people died in tornadoes in the U.S., including 42 who were killed in an outbreak in central Florida and 34 who died in a single tornado in Birmingham, Alabama.\r\n\r\nMost human casualties are people in mobile homes and vehicles. The deadliest single tornado struck on March 18, 1925. In three and a half hours, it traveled 219 miles through Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana, killing 695 people.\r\n\r\nMost tornadoes, nearly 90 percent, travel from the southwest to the northeast, although some follow quick-changing zigzag paths. Weak tornadoes, or decaying tornadoes, often have a thin ropelike appearance. The most violent tornadoes have a broad, dark, funnel-shape that extends from a dark wall cloud of a large thunderstorm.\r\n\r\nThere have been reports of some tornadoes that practically stand still, hovering over a single field.\r\n\r\nOthers crawl along at 5 miles per hour. But the average tornado travels 35 miles per hour, and some have been clocked at more than 70 miles per hour. A tornado in 1917 traveled a record 293 miles. The average width of a tornado's path is about 140 yards, although some have been reported to be more than a mile wide.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips remember\">Most tornadoes occur between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., although they have been known to strike at all hours of the day or night. They usually last only about 15 minutes, although, some have been known to stay on the ground for hours.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Tornado Alley</h2>\r\nThe size of the place known as Tornado Alley expands through spring and summer as heating from the sun grows warmer and the flow of warm moisture from the Gulf of Mexico spreads farther north. An area that includes central Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas is the hard core of the season, but before it is over, as Figure 1 illustrates, Tornado Alley extends north to Nebraska and Iowa.\r\n<div class=\"figure\"><img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/0-7645-5243-0_0914.jpg\" border=\"0\" /></div>\r\n<span class=\"caption\"><b>Figure 1:</b> Tornado Alley.</span>\r\n\r\nIt shrinks and swells over time, but there is only one Tornado Alley. Nowhere else in the world sees weather conditions in a combination that is so perfect for these storms. Here's what makes the storms of Tornado Alley so bad:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Beginning in spring and continuing through summer, low-level winds from the south and southeast bring a plentiful supply of warm tropical moisture up from the Gulf of Mexico into the Great Plains.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>From down off of the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains or from out of the deserts of northern Mexico come other flows of very dry air that travel about 3,000 feet above the ground.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>From 10,000 feet, the prevailing westerly winds, sometimes accompanied by a powerful jet stream, race overhead, carrying cool air from the Pacific Ocean.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nSometimes, the winds form a convective cap lid of warm air over the Plains that the rising air is eventually able to break through and explode upward into the sky. These are the ingredients for the most severe thunderstorms and most powerful twisters — sharp differences in temperatures at different levels, big contrasts in dryness and moisture, and layers of powerful winds that are blowing from different directions at different speeds.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Forecasting</h2>\r\nWeather forecasters in Tornado Alley have a pretty good idea of the menu of conditions that are necessary to make severe thunderstorms, and they're pretty good at being able to forecast that severe thunderstorms are on the way. They can say that large hailstones and strong winds are likely, and a tornado is a possibility during the next several hours or the next day or two.\r\n\r\nBut they can't forecast a tornado. The question of which of the conditions on the menu for severe thunderstorms actually causes tornadoes to form in these storms remains one of the most difficult mysteries of weather science. A severe thunderstorm that causes a tornado can look exactly like a severe thunderstorm that does not cause a tornado. Weather researchers have been working on the problem for years, chasing tornadoes all over the countryside, and still it is one of those things that is not well understood.\r\n\r\nThe presence in the area of supercell thunderstorms really puts pressure on forecasters in local weather service field offices. The national Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, is on the phone giving advice, but the buck stops in the local office. The local forecasters know that a lethal tornado could come spinning down out of the dark cloud at any moment, but they can't be sure until they see it show up on a Doppler radar screen or a funnel is actually observed.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" ><strong>Warning the public</strong></h2>\r\nBillions of dollars have been spent in the last several years on research and computer modeling, radars and satellite technologies, and high-speed communications. Progress has been made. On average, when tornado warnings were issued in 1994, communities had six minutes to react. By 1998, the average lead time for warnings had stretched to 12 minutes.\r\n\r\nTelevision meteorologists and other media outlets play vital roles in such weather emergencies, continuously broadcasting the locations and predicted paths of tornadoes. Many lives are being saved by the increased public awareness and the lengthening time of advance warning that is available. In fact, the longer lead-time has reached the point where people are rethinking the idea of public shelters for tornadoes. As minutes are added to advance warnings, now it may be possible for people in harm's way to rush to a shelter before a tornado hits.\r\n\r\nMore than 15,000 severe storm and tornado watches and warnings are issued by the National Weather Service every year. Most of the time, they are accurate. Sometimes, they are missed. Occasionally there are false alarms. The successes are taken for granted and often overlooked in the details of a tornado disaster. The failures and the false alarms seem to be remembered forever. Perfectly reasonable people who will forgive you for missing the rain on their picnic now have a different attitude. When it comes to tornadoes, they want perfection.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab4\" >Lives and limbs</h2>\r\nWhat are the odds of a tornado crossing your path? Even in Tornado Alley, the odds are against such an unhappy occasion. When it happens, of course, it's a disaster — but still, the odds are high against it.\r\n\r\nPeople think about tornadoes in tornado country the way people in the Southeast think about hurricanes and people in California think about earthquakes. It's part of the background of daily life that you really don't give very much thought to, because chances are, it's not going to happen.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips remember\">The five-dollar word for this is complacency — a self-satisfied unawareness of danger — and somebody is always getting on their high horse about it. The truth is, day in and day out, most people have other things to worry about that just seem more real. And it's just human nature to be optimistic, and to think things are going to turn out for the best. But it leaves you open for some terrible surprises once in a while, which is kind of sad, when you think about it. Government people in the disaster business and American Red Cross relief workers who deal with victims of these storms see this sense of surprise on people's faces all the time.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab5\" >A tornado watch or a warning?</h2>\r\nDon't confuse a <em>watch</em> with a <em>warning</em>. There is a big difference. Here is what they are about:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><b>Tornado watch:</b> When National Weather Service forecasters issue a tornado watch, they are making a forecast that tornadoes are possible in your area. It's time to remain alert to signs of approaching storms and to make sure that you are prepared for an emergency.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><b>Tornado warning:</b> This is an emergency message. A tornado has been sighted in your area, or weather radar indicates one is present. Now is the time to get to safety, to put your emergency plan into action.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab6\" >Tornado dos — and don'ts!</h2>\r\nThe National Weather Service and the American Red Cross have put together these basic tips about tornado safety:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Seek shelter immediately, preferably underground in a basement or in an interior room on the lowest floor, such as a closet or bathroom.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Stay away from windows.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Get out of your car or your mobile home and seek shelter in a sturdy structure. In the open, lie flat in a ditch or depression.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Protect your head from flying debris.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Do not try to outrun a tornado in your car.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Do not seek shelter under a bridge over overpass. The idea that these are safe shelters is just plain wrong.</li>\r\n</ul>","description":"Tornadoes are nature's most violent storms. Nothing the atmosphere dishes out is more destructive. They can sweep up anything that moves. They lift buildings from their foundations. They make a swirling cloud of violently flying debris. They are very dangerous to all living things, not only because of the sheer power of their winds, but the missiles of debris they create.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_292069\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-292069\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/Tornado.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"419\" /> ©Minerva Studio / Adobe Stock[/caption]\r\n\r\nWind measuring instruments are destroyed by tornadoes, although according to reliable estimates, their winds can exceed 250 miles per hour. Flying at those speeds, pieces of straw can penetrate wood. According to most scientists, the top wind speeds in the strongest tornadoes are about 280 miles per hour.\r\n\r\nIn an average year, 1,200 tornadoes are reported in the United States, far more than any other place in the world.\r\n\r\nOn average, tornadoes cause 80 deaths in the U.S. every year and 1,500 injuries, although averages don't mean very much when it comes to these storms. In 1998, for example, 130 people died in tornadoes in the U.S., including 42 who were killed in an outbreak in central Florida and 34 who died in a single tornado in Birmingham, Alabama.\r\n\r\nMost human casualties are people in mobile homes and vehicles. The deadliest single tornado struck on March 18, 1925. In three and a half hours, it traveled 219 miles through Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana, killing 695 people.\r\n\r\nMost tornadoes, nearly 90 percent, travel from the southwest to the northeast, although some follow quick-changing zigzag paths. Weak tornadoes, or decaying tornadoes, often have a thin ropelike appearance. The most violent tornadoes have a broad, dark, funnel-shape that extends from a dark wall cloud of a large thunderstorm.\r\n\r\nThere have been reports of some tornadoes that practically stand still, hovering over a single field.\r\n\r\nOthers crawl along at 5 miles per hour. But the average tornado travels 35 miles per hour, and some have been clocked at more than 70 miles per hour. A tornado in 1917 traveled a record 293 miles. The average width of a tornado's path is about 140 yards, although some have been reported to be more than a mile wide.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips remember\">Most tornadoes occur between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., although they have been known to strike at all hours of the day or night. They usually last only about 15 minutes, although, some have been known to stay on the ground for hours.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Tornado Alley</h2>\r\nThe size of the place known as Tornado Alley expands through spring and summer as heating from the sun grows warmer and the flow of warm moisture from the Gulf of Mexico spreads farther north. An area that includes central Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas is the hard core of the season, but before it is over, as Figure 1 illustrates, Tornado Alley extends north to Nebraska and Iowa.\r\n<div class=\"figure\"><img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/0-7645-5243-0_0914.jpg\" border=\"0\" /></div>\r\n<span class=\"caption\"><b>Figure 1:</b> Tornado Alley.</span>\r\n\r\nIt shrinks and swells over time, but there is only one Tornado Alley. Nowhere else in the world sees weather conditions in a combination that is so perfect for these storms. Here's what makes the storms of Tornado Alley so bad:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Beginning in spring and continuing through summer, low-level winds from the south and southeast bring a plentiful supply of warm tropical moisture up from the Gulf of Mexico into the Great Plains.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>From down off of the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains or from out of the deserts of northern Mexico come other flows of very dry air that travel about 3,000 feet above the ground.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>From 10,000 feet, the prevailing westerly winds, sometimes accompanied by a powerful jet stream, race overhead, carrying cool air from the Pacific Ocean.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nSometimes, the winds form a convective cap lid of warm air over the Plains that the rising air is eventually able to break through and explode upward into the sky. These are the ingredients for the most severe thunderstorms and most powerful twisters — sharp differences in temperatures at different levels, big contrasts in dryness and moisture, and layers of powerful winds that are blowing from different directions at different speeds.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Forecasting</h2>\r\nWeather forecasters in Tornado Alley have a pretty good idea of the menu of conditions that are necessary to make severe thunderstorms, and they're pretty good at being able to forecast that severe thunderstorms are on the way. They can say that large hailstones and strong winds are likely, and a tornado is a possibility during the next several hours or the next day or two.\r\n\r\nBut they can't forecast a tornado. The question of which of the conditions on the menu for severe thunderstorms actually causes tornadoes to form in these storms remains one of the most difficult mysteries of weather science. A severe thunderstorm that causes a tornado can look exactly like a severe thunderstorm that does not cause a tornado. Weather researchers have been working on the problem for years, chasing tornadoes all over the countryside, and still it is one of those things that is not well understood.\r\n\r\nThe presence in the area of supercell thunderstorms really puts pressure on forecasters in local weather service field offices. The national Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, is on the phone giving advice, but the buck stops in the local office. The local forecasters know that a lethal tornado could come spinning down out of the dark cloud at any moment, but they can't be sure until they see it show up on a Doppler radar screen or a funnel is actually observed.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" ><strong>Warning the public</strong></h2>\r\nBillions of dollars have been spent in the last several years on research and computer modeling, radars and satellite technologies, and high-speed communications. Progress has been made. On average, when tornado warnings were issued in 1994, communities had six minutes to react. By 1998, the average lead time for warnings had stretched to 12 minutes.\r\n\r\nTelevision meteorologists and other media outlets play vital roles in such weather emergencies, continuously broadcasting the locations and predicted paths of tornadoes. Many lives are being saved by the increased public awareness and the lengthening time of advance warning that is available. In fact, the longer lead-time has reached the point where people are rethinking the idea of public shelters for tornadoes. As minutes are added to advance warnings, now it may be possible for people in harm's way to rush to a shelter before a tornado hits.\r\n\r\nMore than 15,000 severe storm and tornado watches and warnings are issued by the National Weather Service every year. Most of the time, they are accurate. Sometimes, they are missed. Occasionally there are false alarms. The successes are taken for granted and often overlooked in the details of a tornado disaster. The failures and the false alarms seem to be remembered forever. Perfectly reasonable people who will forgive you for missing the rain on their picnic now have a different attitude. When it comes to tornadoes, they want perfection.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab4\" >Lives and limbs</h2>\r\nWhat are the odds of a tornado crossing your path? Even in Tornado Alley, the odds are against such an unhappy occasion. When it happens, of course, it's a disaster — but still, the odds are high against it.\r\n\r\nPeople think about tornadoes in tornado country the way people in the Southeast think about hurricanes and people in California think about earthquakes. It's part of the background of daily life that you really don't give very much thought to, because chances are, it's not going to happen.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips remember\">The five-dollar word for this is complacency — a self-satisfied unawareness of danger — and somebody is always getting on their high horse about it. The truth is, day in and day out, most people have other things to worry about that just seem more real. And it's just human nature to be optimistic, and to think things are going to turn out for the best. But it leaves you open for some terrible surprises once in a while, which is kind of sad, when you think about it. Government people in the disaster business and American Red Cross relief workers who deal with victims of these storms see this sense of surprise on people's faces all the time.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab5\" >A tornado watch or a warning?</h2>\r\nDon't confuse a <em>watch</em> with a <em>warning</em>. There is a big difference. Here is what they are about:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><b>Tornado watch:</b> When National Weather Service forecasters issue a tornado watch, they are making a forecast that tornadoes are possible in your area. It's time to remain alert to signs of approaching storms and to make sure that you are prepared for an emergency.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><b>Tornado warning:</b> This is an emergency message. A tornado has been sighted in your area, or weather radar indicates one is present. Now is the time to get to safety, to put your emergency plan into action.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab6\" >Tornado dos — and don'ts!</h2>\r\nThe National Weather Service and the American Red Cross have put together these basic tips about tornado safety:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Seek shelter immediately, preferably underground in a basement or in an interior room on the lowest floor, such as a closet or bathroom.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Stay away from windows.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Get out of your car or your mobile home and seek shelter in a sturdy structure. In the open, lie flat in a ditch or depression.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Protect your head from flying debris.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Do not try to outrun a tornado in your car.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Do not seek shelter under a bridge over overpass. The idea that these are safe shelters is just plain wrong.</li>\r\n</ul>","blurb":"","authors":[],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":33763,"title":"Environmental Science","slug":"environmental-science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33763"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[{"label":"Tornado Alley","target":"#tab1"},{"label":"Forecasting","target":"#tab2"},{"label":"Warning the public","target":"#tab3"},{"label":"Lives and limbs","target":"#tab4"},{"label":"A tornado watch or a warning?","target":"#tab5"},{"label":"Tornado dos — and don'ts!","target":"#tab6"}],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":292097,"title":"Find New Ways to Go Green this Earth Day","slug":"this-earth-day-find-new-ways-to-go-green","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/292097"}},{"articleId":291362,"title":"Climate Change For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"climate-change-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/291362"}},{"articleId":284309,"title":"Check Out the Bones on Those Osteichthyes!","slug":"check-out-the-bones-on-those-osteichthyes","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/284309"}},{"articleId":284296,"title":"Elasmobranchii: Sharks, Skates, and Rays","slug":"elasmobranchii-sharks-skates-and-rays","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/284296"}},{"articleId":284288,"title":"Cephalopods: Head and Tentacles Above the Rest","slug":"cephalopods-head-and-tentacles-above-the-rest","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/284288"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":0,"slug":null,"isbn":null,"categoryList":null,"amazon":null,"image":null,"title":null,"testBankPinActivationLink":null,"bookOutOfPrint":false,"authorsInfo":null,"authors":null,"_links":null},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;academics-the-arts&quot;,&quot;science&quot;,&quot;environmental-science&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[null]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f81028fe\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;academics-the-arts&quot;,&quot;science&quot;,&quot;environmental-science&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[null]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f8103025\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Articles","articleList":null,"content":null,"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Explore","lifeExpectancy":"Two years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2022-04-14T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":200531},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2021-02-12T23:20:28+00:00","modifiedTime":"2022-04-12T20:18:57+00:00","timestamp":"2022-06-22T19:37:35+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Academics & The Arts","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33662"},"slug":"academics-the-arts","categoryId":33662},{"name":"Science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33756"},"slug":"science","categoryId":33756},{"name":"Environmental Science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33763"},"slug":"environmental-science","categoryId":33763}],"title":"Oceans For Dummies Cheat Sheet","strippedTitle":"oceans for dummies cheat sheet","slug":"oceans-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Explore the ocean world—physical characteristics, ecosystems and inhabitants, influence on climate, and sustainable resources.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"The ocean is big — really, really big — both as a body of water and as a topic. It encompasses physical characteristics, its ecosystems and inhabitants, its influence on climate and weather, the sustainable use of its resources, and much more. This Cheat Sheet touches on a few key topics.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_277582\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"556\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-277582\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/oceans-reef.jpg\" alt=\"coral reef scene\" width=\"556\" height=\"434\" /> © Jag_cz / Shutterstock.com[/caption]","description":"The ocean is big — really, really big — both as a body of water and as a topic. It encompasses physical characteristics, its ecosystems and inhabitants, its influence on climate and weather, the sustainable use of its resources, and much more. This Cheat Sheet touches on a few key topics.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_277582\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"556\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-277582\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/oceans-reef.jpg\" alt=\"coral reef scene\" width=\"556\" height=\"434\" /> © Jag_cz / Shutterstock.com[/caption]","blurb":"","authors":[],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":33763,"title":"Environmental Science","slug":"environmental-science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33763"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":292097,"title":"Find New Ways to Go Green this Earth Day","slug":"this-earth-day-find-new-ways-to-go-green","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/292097"}},{"articleId":291362,"title":"Climate Change For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"climate-change-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/291362"}},{"articleId":284309,"title":"Check Out the Bones on Those Osteichthyes!","slug":"check-out-the-bones-on-those-osteichthyes","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/284309"}},{"articleId":284296,"title":"Elasmobranchii: Sharks, Skates, and Rays","slug":"elasmobranchii-sharks-skates-and-rays","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/284296"}},{"articleId":284288,"title":"Cephalopods: Head and Tentacles Above the Rest","slug":"cephalopods-head-and-tentacles-above-the-rest","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/284288"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":282724,"slug":"oceans-for-dummies","isbn":"9781119654438","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119654432/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119654432/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119654432-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119654432/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119654432/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/oceans-for-dummies-cover-9781119654438-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Oceans For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"<p><b>Ashlan and <b data-author-id=\"34395\">Philippe Cousteau</b></b> are world-renowned environmental advocates, filmmakers, and authors with a passion for adventure. Philippe is the founder of EarthEcho International, a leading global voice for ocean conservation. Ashlan is a journalist and storyteller who has explored all seven continents.</p> <p><b>Ashlan and Philippe Cousteau</b> are world-renowned environmental advocates, filmmakers, and authors with a passion for adventure. Philippe is the founder of EarthEcho International, a leading global voice for ocean conservation. Ashlan is a journalist and storyteller who has explored all seven continents.</p> <p><B>Ralph R. Roberts</b> has been investing in foreclosed properties for over 30 years. He knows every step of the process, from scouting properties to cashing out after the sale, from helping distressed homeowners keep their homes to buying those homes when the owners can no longer afford them. He also has assisted homeowners who have been taken advantage of by unscrupulous investors.</p>","authors":[{"authorId":34395,"name":"Philippe Cousteau","slug":"philippe-cousteau","description":" <p><b>Ashlan and Philippe Cousteau</b> are world-renowned environmental advocates, filmmakers, and authors with a passion for adventure. Philippe is the founder of EarthEcho International, a leading global voice for ocean conservation. Ashlan is a journalist and storyteller who has explored all seven continents.</p> ","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/34395"}},{"authorId":34394,"name":"Ashlan Cousteau","slug":"ashlan-cousteau","description":" <p><b>Ashlan and Philippe Cousteau</b> are world-renowned environmental advocates, filmmakers, and authors with a passion for adventure. Philippe is the founder of EarthEcho International, a leading global voice for ocean conservation. Ashlan is a journalist and storyteller who has explored all seven continents.</p> ","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/34394"}},{"authorId":8993,"name":"Joseph Kraynak","slug":"joseph-kraynak","description":" <p><B>Ralph R. Roberts</b> has been investing in foreclosed properties for over 30 years. He knows every step of the process, from scouting properties to cashing out after the sale, from helping distressed homeowners keep their homes to buying those homes when the owners can no longer afford them. He also has assisted homeowners who have been taken advantage of by unscrupulous investors.</p> ","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/8993"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;academics-the-arts&quot;,&quot;science&quot;,&quot;environmental-science&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119654438&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f7fed6ea\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;academics-the-arts&quot;,&quot;science&quot;,&quot;environmental-science&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119654438&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f7fede46\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Cheat Sheet","articleList":[{"articleId":0,"title":"","slug":null,"categoryList":[],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/"}}],"content":[{"title":"Ocean ecosystems","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>An <a href=\"https://dummies-wp-content.dummies.com/education/science/biology/what-defines-an-ecosystem/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>ecosystem</em> </a>is like a neighborhood in which a variety of lifeforms adapt to the environment and to one another, developing complex interdependencies. If something changes, even a tiny change, it affects everything else. The ocean has a variety of ecosystems, including the following:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Tidal pools: </strong>These puddle- to pond-sized ecosystems form when seawater fills depressions near shore. They support a variety of marine life, including algae, crabs, barnacles, mussels, sea stars, urchins, snails, anenomes, and even small fish.</li>\n<li><strong>Sandy beaches: </strong>While they may seem barren at times, sandy beaches are home to sand dollars, crabs, shellfish, worms, seals, and a variety of birds, not to mention the many fish and other organisms that hang out in the shallow waters near shore. Sandy beaches also provide vital nesting areas for sea turtles and many birds.</li>\n<li><strong>Estuaries: </strong>These areas where freshwater from rivers and streams mixes with salty seawater, can host a variety of ecosystems, including mudflats, marshes, mangroves, and oyster and coral reefs, each of which is home to a unique community of marine organisms.</li>\n<li><strong>Mudflats: </strong>These flat, stinky, muddy areas, uncovered at low tide, are a favorite spot for mussels and clams that filter-feed on the abundance of plankton, along with birds that feed on the abundance of mussels and clams.</li>\n<li><strong>Salt marshes: </strong>These swampy areas are composed of salt-tolerant plants and have a variety of residents including crabs, snails, mussels, and worms, along with fish and shrimp, which visit to feed and breed. They also attract birds who come mostly to feed.</li>\n<li><strong>Mangrove forests: </strong>Mangroves are salt-tolerant trees and shrubs with roots that reach down from above the waterline into the substrate below, providing sheltered breeding areas for many species. Mangrove forests support a variety of marine life, including crabs, shrimp, oysters, sponges, fish, and manatees, along with reptiles and small mammals. They also play a vital role in protecting coastlines from storm surges.</li>\n<li><strong>Kelp forests: </strong>Kelp is a large plant-like algae that grows from the seafloor up to about 50 meters (160 feet) tall, providing food and shelter for large, diverse communities of marine species, including urchins, otters (which eat urchins), sea horses, baby sea turtles, crabs, sea cucumbers, and more.</li>\n<li><strong>The Sargasso Sea: </strong>This unique ecosystem consists of a massive mat of floating algae called <em>sargassum</em>, which is concentrated in one area of the Atlantic Ocean by four currents that surround it. It provides a habitat for shrimp, crab, fish, and many other marine species that have adapted specifically to it. It also serves as a vital spawning site for certain eels and fish.</li>\n<li><strong>Seagrass meadows: </strong>Seagrass is a salt-tolerant plant that grows and reproduces underwater. In addition to providing food and shelter for a variety of small marine species, these meadows are popular grazing sites for manatees, dugong, and sea turtles.</li>\n<li><strong>Coral reefs: </strong>Formed by polyps that build their homes out of calcium carbonate, coral reefs are some of the richest and most colorful ecosystems in the sea. They feed and shelter nearly every type of creature, from sponges and octopi to sharks, rays, and dolphins.</li>\n<li><strong>Oyster reefs: </strong>Formed by colonies of oysters, these reefs provide habitat and safe nurseries for diverse communities of marine life, including commercially valuable fish like anchovies.</li>\n<li><strong>Polar ecosystems: </strong>The Arctic (north) and Antarctica (south) are cold, icy areas with significant seasonal variations in temperature and sunlight. They’re home to: krill (tiny shrimp-like creatures); cold-water fish; a variety of birds, including penguins (Antarctica only); and a variety of mammals, including seals, walruses (Arctic only), whales, and polar bears (Arctic only).</li>\n<li><strong>Open ocean: </strong>Far from shore, the light-rich surface waters of the open ocean are home to photosynthetic plankton (<em>phytoplankton</em>) and zooplankton that anchor a complex food web. These plankton are eaten by fish, rays, squid, whales, and many other marine animals. Numerous predators, including sharks, dolphins, and seabirds, feed on those smaller marine animals and on other predators.</li>\n<li><strong>Deep ocean: </strong>At the bottom of the ocean are several extreme ecosystems that develop around <em>hydrothermal vents</em> (extremely hot and rich in chemicals), <em>cold seeps</em> (where hydrogen sulfide, methane, and other chemicals flow up through the seafloor), and whale carcasses (micro-ecosystems called <em>whale falls</em>). Except for whale falls, these ecosystems are possible thanks to <em>chemotrophs</em> (bacteria that feed on chemicals) — in contrast to <em>phototrophs</em>, such as algae, which use the sun’s energy to create food mostly from carbon dioxide and water.</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"Marine organisms","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Scientists have a formal system called a <em>taxonomy</em> for classifying all lifeforms on Earth. Organisms are classified first by domain, then kingdom, then into progressively smaller groups — phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species. The organism is then named using its genus and species, typically resulting in something that only someone with a PhD in Biology or Latin can pronounce; for example, the scientific name for the southern blue-ringed octopus is <em>Hapalochlaena maculosa. </em>Talk about a mouth full. Plus, these groupings can change and species can be scientifically re-assigned as scientists learn more and discover new things.</p>\n<p>In <em>Oceans For Dummies,</em> we simplify the groupings and use the Latin and Greek names only when necessary (they are their proper names of course) or when they have a nice ring to them (aka, it’s easy to pronounce). Accordingly, we classify marine organisms into the following groups:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Microbes:</strong> Mostly single-celled organisms that you can’t see without a microscope, such as bacteria, microscopic algae, and some fungi.</li>\n<li><strong>Plants:</strong> In this group, we include bona fide plants, along with other <em>photosynthetic</em> organisms, meaning they use the sun to create food from water and carbon dioxide (impressive trick) but aren’t technically plants. Seagrass, algae, seaweed (kelp), and mangroves are all plants or plant-ish.</li>\n<li><strong>Simple invertebrates: </strong>Anything without a backbone falls into this group, including sponges, jellyfish, sea anemones, sea stars, sea urchins, and a variety of slimy worms.</li>\n<li><strong>Mollusks: </strong>Anything with a hard shell and a soft body, though the hard shell may be optional. This group includes snails, sea slugs, bivalves (clams, oysters, mussels, scallops), octopus, squid, and cuttlefish.</li>\n<li><strong>Crustaceans: </strong>Think of a baguette (crusty on the outside, soft on the inside). Now, add legs, eyes, a mouth, and antennae, and you have something that looks like a crustacean. In this group are crabs, lobsters, shrimp, krill, and barnacles.</li>\n<li><strong>Fish: </strong>This one’s easy — anything with scales, gills, a tail, fins, and usually a swim bladder (to help it stay afloat without having to swim around like crazy all the time).</li>\n<li><strong>Reptiles: </strong>These guys and gals are cold-blooded, air-breathers with scales. The ocean is home to only a few reptiles — sea turtles (of course), sea snakes, saltwater crocodiles, and marine iguanas.</li>\n<li><strong>Birds: </strong>Another easy one — warm-blooded air breathers with two legs, feathers, and a beak. Flying is optional — case in point: penguins.</li>\n<li><strong>Mammals: </strong>Wow, another easy one — warm-blooded air breathers with a layer of insulation consisting of hair or fat (blubber). Members of this group include whales, dolphins (a type of whale), seals, sea lions, walruses, otters, manatee, and polar bears.</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"Ashlan and Philippe Cousteau’s 10 favorite sea creatures","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<ul>\n<li><strong>Nudibranchs (sea slugs): </strong>The name “sea slug” doesn’t do these creatures justice. They’re some of the most beautiful creatures in the ocean, they collect toxins from what they eat (for self-defense), they come in every color combination imaginable, and they’re some of the most graceful swimmers on earth. What more could you want in a slug?</li>\n<li><strong>Mantis shrimp: </strong>Imagine a creature that looks like a praying mantis in front and a lobster tail in back. Its front legs are like those of a praying mantis, but they end in spears (for impaling their prey) or hammers (for clubbing crabs and other prey into submission or bashing open oyster shells). Their punch can be faster than a speeding bullet and they have eyes that can move independently and see from the ultraviolet end of the spectrum through to the infrared. Oh, and the ones with the hammer hands are nicknamed “thumb splitters,” which is just cool.</li>\n<li><strong>Cone snail: </strong>A poison-tipped-harpoon-toting snail that swallows fish whole and comes in a gorgeous shell. What could be more awesome?</li>\n<li><strong>Dumbo octopus: </strong>Elephants can’t fly with their ears as depicted in Disney’s 1941 film <em>Dumbo</em>, but the dumbo octopus looks sort of like an elephant head (without the trunk) but with tentacles and prominent ear-like fins that enable it to “fly” through the water. And they’re gosh darn cute.</li>\n<li><strong>Giant pacific octopus: </strong>This largest of octopi grows up to nine meters (about 30 feet) long and weighs up to 50 kilograms (110 pounds). Like other octopi, the giant Pacific octopus is smart and talented — it can crawl and even walk on the seafloor, swim, find its way through a maze, pry open shellfish, twist the lid off a jar, recognize people’s faces, change its skin color <em>and texture</em> in seconds to camouflage itself, and more. (Full disclosure: we, especially Philippe, haven’t met an octopus we didn’t absolutely adore.)</li>\n<li><strong>Parrot fish: </strong>Numbering about 90 species, these very colorful tropical fish spend most of their day eating algae off coral reefs, which helps the corals stay healthy. Their teeth are cemented together to form a beak-like structure for chipping away at the rock-hard coral and grinding it up to get at the algae. In the process, they ingest a lot of coral, which comes out the other end as white sand poop. What’s not to love about a fish that cleans coral and contributes to the white sand beaches we love so much . . . with their fishy poopies.</li>\n<li><strong>Grouper: </strong>This diverse group accounts for more than 100 species of stocky fish with big mouths that can change color to blend in with their surroundings. They’re all born and mature as females but can change sex later (freaky but useful if your dating pool doesn’t leave you with a lot of choices). Speaking of size, the goliath grouper can grow up to 2.5 meters (about 8 feet) long and weigh up to 455 kilograms (1,000 pounds). Their size makes them unafraid of people, and they’re highly intelligent and possibly the friendliest of fish — kind of like the Labradors of the sea.</li>\n<li><strong>Great white shark: </strong>If you get into a fight in the ocean, you want one of these bad boys (or girls) on your side — the world’s largest predatory fish. The great white grows up to 6 meters (20 feet) long, weighs in at up to 2,200 kilograms (about 5,000 pounds), is shaped like a muscle-bound missile, and is equipped with powerful jaws lined with razor-sharp teeth (up to 3,000 of them). And yet, in spite of all that size and power, Great Whites move like graceful ballerinas under water.</li>\n<li><strong>Female Anglerfish: </strong>Living in the dark, deep ocean, these ladies of the night have a dorsal fin shaped like a fishing pole that protrudes from the center of their head and ends in a glow-in-the-dark lure that just happens to dangle down in front of their huge mouthful of teeth. And they can swallow fish twice their size.</li>\n</ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">What about the guys? This is where it gets really freaky. They’re usually much smaller than the females, and when a male finds one of these lovely ladies, he attaches himself to her, as a permanent parasite. After a while, he loses his eyes and all his organs except his testes, physically fusing his body with hers — a case in which moving in together is taken way too far. What’s more is that females can do this body meld thing with multiple mates at the same time (and why not?).</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Sea otter: </strong>Cuteness incarnate, that’s why we love sea otters . . . that and the fact that they eat lots of sea urchins, keeping urchin populations in check so that they don’t devour all the kelp forests. Sea otters use tools (rocks) to open their food, and even keep their favorite rock in a little fur pouch near their foot. They wrap themselves and their babies in kelp so they don’t float away while napping (so smart). They’re the furriest animals on Earth, with up to 1 million hairs per square inch (compare that with the average human who has 100,000 hairs on their <em>whole head!)</em> And come on, look at those adorable faces!</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"10 biggest threats to ocean health","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>The ocean that cares for us in so many ways is under serious threat from human activities. Here are the ten biggest threats to ocean health:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Greenhouse gasses: </strong>Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and other greenhouse gasses trap heat in the atmosphere, resulting in global warming and an increasing ocean temperature overall. In turn, global warming is impacting weather, precipitation, and currents; melting polar ice, and destroying entire ecosystems that have evolved over millions of years, such as coral reefs. Many of the ecosystems at risk are vital to feeding a growing human population.</li>\n<li><strong>Acidification: </strong>The ocean absorbs a huge portion of the excess carbon dioxide emitted by the burning of fossil fuels, but the chemical processes that occur when carbon dioxide reacts with water make the water more acidic. Ocean acidification is especially hard on corals, many forms of plankton, and mollusks that live in calcium carbonate homes, because the acidity dissolves the calcium they need to form their protective coverings. Ocean Acidification is eating away at many of the fundamental building blocks of ocean life, including planktonic organisms, which form the foundation of entire ocean food webs, and coral reefs which are the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth.</li>\n<li><strong>Overfishing: </strong>Harvesting too many fish and using methods that harm ecosystems and other wildlife is resulting in a situation in which the ocean is being fished out of fish. Right now, 90 percent of all fish stocks around the globe are fished to capacity or are over fished. Fortunately, over time, effective fisheries management and more marine protected areas can help to restore fish populations while increasing harvests.</li>\n<li><strong>Oil and gas drilling and pipelines: </strong>Drilling through the seafloor and laying gas and oil pipelines at the bottom of the ocean . . . hmmm, what could possibly go wrong? Mistakes happen. Equipment fails. Pipes leak. Risks rise considerably when countries like Venezuela experience political and economic instability that leads to poor maintenance and improper use of equipment. Nothing is more heartbreaking than to see than countless fishermen out of work, fish floating dead in a sea of oil, or birds and mammals choking on it.</li>\n<li><strong>Polluted runoff: </strong>Water carrying pesticides, chemical fertilizers, human and animal waste, and other harmful substances eventually makes its way from land to the ocean, killing wildlife directly or fueling harmful algae blooms that result in the death of large populations of fish and other marine creatures and pose a huge threat to human health.</li>\n<li><strong>Plastics: </strong>Plastics are synthetic products that <em>never</em> decompose They just break up into smaller pieces that pollute the water and kill wildlife. More than 300 million tons of plastic are produced every year, and at least 8 million of it ends up in the ocean. Marine animals get tangled up in it, or they eat it, sometimes starving to death on full stomachs (full of plastic, that is).</li>\n<li><strong>Inadequate protection: </strong>Only about 5 percent of the ocean is protected from abuse by being designated and managed as no-take Marine Protected Area. These areas provide a safe haven for marine life to live and reproduce, and the benefits extend far beyond the borders of the protected area.</li>\n<li><strong>Coastal development: </strong>Who doesn’t dream about living on a beach? About 37 percent of the world’s population live in coastal communities, and these same areas are hotspots for tourism. The problem is that coastal development can destroy the natural barriers, such as mangrove forests, saltwater marshes, and coral and oyster reefs, that protect the inland areas where humans tend to live. In addition, a great deal of wildlife depends on coastal habitats for their survival.</li>\n<li><strong>Shipping: </strong>Ninety percent of all goods shipped between countries crosses the ocean. Add to that cruise liners, personal boats and other watercraft, and you have a boatload of traffic. It negatively impacts ocean health in the form of oil spills, polluted ballast water (sometimes carrying invasive species), anchor damage, ship groundings and the massive amount of noise (sound pollution) created by all the vessels, which is devastating to animals like whales that use sound to communicate.</li>\n<li><strong>Aquaculture: </strong>Farming the ocean or raising aquatic animals in tanks near coastal areas can be a great solution to overfishing, as long as it’s done properly. However, when done improperly, it can be a source of: pollution; increased parasite infections in nearby wild fish populations; massive destruction of coastal areas like seagrass beds, mangroves, and more; the source of genetically engineered <em>frankenfish</em> that escape and throw the natural balance out of whack; and overfishing — caused when wild fish are used to make food for the farmed fish.</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"6 win-win opportunities in the blue economy","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>The concept of a Blue Economy encourages the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic development, job creation, and improving people’s lives, while at the same time preserving the ocean for future generations. In other words, it involves engaging in profitable activities that benefit the ocean — win-win opportunities. Here are six Blue Economy opportunities:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Fish less, catch more. </strong>This statement may seem counterintuitive, but it’s true. Ninety percent of the world’s fish stocks are overfished or fished to capacity. <em>Overfished</em> means not enough fish are left to rebuild the population. So, if we stopped overfishing (fished less) more fish would be left to rebuild fish stocks and <em>voila!</em> more fish to catch. Setting aside no-take marine reserves, reducing bycatch, and limiting fish catch are all ways to increase the amount of life in the ocean.</li>\n<li><strong>Harvest ocean energy. </strong>By harnessing the power of wind, waves, tides, and other sources of energy in and near the ocean, greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced, mitigating the effects of acidification and climate change on the ocean. In addition, this green energy could eliminate the need for offshore gas and oil drilling, which would mean fewer oil spills and related pollution. Yay!</li>\n<li><strong>Farm the ocean to increase its productivity. </strong>The ocean can support far more life than it currently does, enabling us to harvest more food from the ocean while reducing our dependence on marine wildlife for food. Done sustainably, this has a tremendous potential to help people and the planet.</li>\n<li><strong>Restore wetlands and mangrove forests to sequester carbon. </strong>Extracting carbon from the atmosphere and storing it (like forever) is complicated and expensive. Mangrove forests and wetlands can do the job for the cost of restoring them, while providing habitat for marine life to flourish.</li>\n<li><strong>Preserve ecosystems to profit from ecotourism. </strong>Instead of extracting resources from the ocean to sell, promote the beauty of these ecosystems through ecotourism without having to destroy them.</li>\n<li><strong>Restore natural coastal barriers to reduce costly property damage. </strong>A great deal of property damage inflicted by storms is due to coastal development, which has destroyed the natural coastal barriers such as reefs, wetlands, and mangrove forests. Restoring these barriers would significantly reduce the amount of damage and the costs of repairs related to coastal storms and flooding.</li>\n</ul>\n"}],"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Explore","lifeExpectancy":"Two years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2022-04-12T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":277581},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-27T16:52:01+00:00","modifiedTime":"2022-04-08T17:02:24+00:00","timestamp":"2022-06-22T19:37:35+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Academics & The Arts","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33662"},"slug":"academics-the-arts","categoryId":33662},{"name":"Science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33756"},"slug":"science","categoryId":33756},{"name":"Chemistry","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33762"},"slug":"chemistry","categoryId":33762}],"title":"Chemistry II For Dummies Cheat Sheet","strippedTitle":"chemistry ii for dummies cheat sheet","slug":"chemistry-ii-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Use this Cheat Sheet as a guide to how to solve various types of Chemistry II problems, including kinetics, thermodynamics, and equilibrium.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"Chemistry II is more than fires and smelly explosions. Chemistry II is more about solving calculations. In fact, Chemistry II has a lot more calculations and math than your Chemistry I class did. In your Chemistry II class, you need to master several formulas so you can calculate different mathematical problems, ranging from kinetics, different types of equilibrium, thermochemistry, and electrochemistry.\r\n\r\nThis Cheat Sheet can serve as a quick reference to how to solve kinetics, thermodynamics, and different types of equilibrium problems.","description":"Chemistry II is more than fires and smelly explosions. Chemistry II is more about solving calculations. In fact, Chemistry II has a lot more calculations and math than your Chemistry I class did. In your Chemistry II class, you need to master several formulas so you can calculate different mathematical problems, ranging from kinetics, different types of equilibrium, thermochemistry, and electrochemistry.\r\n\r\nThis Cheat Sheet can serve as a quick reference to how to solve kinetics, thermodynamics, and different types of equilibrium problems.","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9159,"name":"John T. Moore","slug":"john-t-moore","description":"John T. Moore, EdD, is regents professor of chemistry at Stephen F. 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Moore</b>, EdD, is regents professor of chemistry at Stephen F. Austin State University, where he teaches chemistry and is codirector of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Research Center. He is the author of <i>Biochemistry For Dummies</i> and <i>Chemistry For Dummies</i>, 2nd Edition.</p>","authors":[{"authorId":34785,"name":"John T. Moore","slug":"john-t.-moore","description":" <p><b>John T. Moore, EdD,</b> is Regents Professor of Chemistry Emeritus and Coordinator of STEM Activities at Stephen F. Austin State University. He is the author of <i>Chemistry For Dummies</i> and coauthor of <i>Biochemistry For Dummies.</i> ","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/34785"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;academics-the-arts&quot;,&quot;science&quot;,&quot;chemistry&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781118164907&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f7f0dd83\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;academics-the-arts&quot;,&quot;science&quot;,&quot;chemistry&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781118164907&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f7f0e4ce\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Cheat Sheet","articleList":[{"articleId":175668,"title":"How to Calculate Kinetics Problems","slug":"how-to-calculate-kinetics-problems","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","chemistry"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/175668"}},{"articleId":175669,"title":"How to Solve Homogeneous Equilibrium Problems","slug":"how-to-solve-homogeneous-equilibrium-problems","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","chemistry"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/175669"}},{"articleId":175665,"title":"Solving Acid-Base Equilibrium Problems","slug":"solving-acid-base-equilibrium-problems","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","chemistry"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/175665"}},{"articleId":175673,"title":"Calculating Solubility Equilibrium Problems","slug":"calculating-solubility-equilibrium-problems","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","chemistry"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/175673"}},{"articleId":175671,"title":"Tackling Thermodynamics Problems","slug":"tackling-thermodynamics-problems","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","chemistry"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/175671"}}],"content":[{"title":"How to calculate kinetics problems","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>The study of <i>kinetics, </i>the speed of chemical reactions, is essential to the study of chemistry and is a major topic in any Chemistry II class. Knowing the concepts of kinetics can help your understanding of why some reactions are fast and others slow and why some simple reactions are slow and other, more complex reactions are fast.</p>\n<p>The <i>reaction rate</i> (the speed of reaction) is the change in the concentration of a reactant or product per the change in time. You can write it as:</p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/323984.image0.jpg\" alt=\"image0.jpg\" width=\"227\" height=\"29\" /></p>\n<p>Chemists normally measure concentration in terms of molarity, M, and time is usually expressed in seconds, s, which means that the units of the reaction rate are M/s. You can express the number of units in other ways such as:</p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/323985.image1.jpg\" alt=\"image1.jpg\" width=\"174\" height=\"24\" /></p>\n"},{"title":"How to solve homogeneous equilibrium problems","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>The <i>equilibrium constant</i> describes the relationship between the amounts of the reactants and the products at a certain temperature. You&#8217;ll need to know the equilibrium constant as you study Chemistry II. For the general equilibrium:</p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/323988.image0.png\" alt=\"image0.png\" width=\"111\" height=\"13\" /></p>\n<p>the equilibrium constant expression is:</p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/323989.image1.jpg\" alt=\"image1.jpg\" width=\"81\" height=\"37\" /></p>\n<p>In the expression, K is the equilibrium constant, the subscript <i>c</i> indicates this constant is expressed in terms of concentrations (not pressures, p), the brackets (as usual) stand for molar (moles/L) concentration, the uppercase letters are the reactant and product species, and the lowercase superscripts are the coefficients in the balanced chemical equation.</p>\n"},{"title":"Solving acid-base equilibrium problems","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>The <i>acid and base equilibrium constant</i> expressions describe the relationship between the amounts of reactants and products in aqueous acid-base systems. For the following general weak-acid equilibrium:</p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/323992.image0.jpg\" alt=\"image0.jpg\" width=\"162\" height=\"16\" /></p>\n<p>the equilibrium constant expression is:</p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/323993.image1.jpg\" alt=\"image1.jpg\" width=\"89\" height=\"36\" /></p>\n<p>For a general weak-base equilibrium:</p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/323994.image2.jpg\" alt=\"image2.jpg\" width=\"235\" height=\"16\" /></p>\n<p>the equilibrium constant expression is:</p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/323995.image3.jpg\" alt=\"image3.jpg\" width=\"107\" height=\"36\" /></p>\n<p>The concentration of water (or any pure liquid or solvent or solid) does appear in the equilibrium constant expression. K is the equilibrium constant, the subscript <i>b</i> indicates that this is an equilibrium constant expression for a weak base, and the brackets indicate molar concentrations.</p>\n"},{"title":"Calculating solubility equilibrium problems","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>The <i>solubility product equation</i> is used to describe the equilibrium situation when a not-so-soluble salt is dissolving in water. For the general dissociation of a sparingly soluble salt:</p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/323998.image0.jpg\" alt=\"image0.jpg\" width=\"192\" height=\"16\" /></p>\n<p>In this equation, <i>x</i>+ and <i>z</i>– are the magnitude of the positive and negative charge, respectively; the equilibrium constant expression (solubility product expression) is</p>\n<p>K<sub>sp</sub> = [M<i><sup>x</sup></i><sup>+</sup>]<sup>a</sup>[X<i><sup>z</sup></i><i><sup>–</sup></i>]<sup>b</sup></p>\n"},{"title":"Tackling thermodynamics problems","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>The <em>Gibbs Free Energy</em> is the best indicator about whether a reaction will be spontaneous or nonspontaneous. You&#8217;ll need to know this as you study Chemistry II. It has the form:</p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/324001.image0.jpg\" alt=\"image0.jpg\" width=\"171\" height=\"15\" /></p>\n<p>In this equation ΔG° is the Gibbs Free Energy of a reaction under standard conditions of 1 atm (or 1 bar) for gases and 1 M for solutions at 25°C; ΔH° is the enthalpy of the reaction under standard conditions; T is the Kelvin temperature; and ΔS° is the entropy of the reaction under standard conditions.</p>\n<p>A spontaneous process has °G &lt; 0. A nonspontaneous process has ΔG &gt; 0. When °G = 0, the process is at equilibrium.</p>\n"}],"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Advance","lifeExpectancy":"Five years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2022-04-08T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":208297},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-27T16:52:00+00:00","modifiedTime":"2022-04-07T20:49:15+00:00","timestamp":"2022-06-22T19:37:34+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Academics & The Arts","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33662"},"slug":"academics-the-arts","categoryId":33662},{"name":"Science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33756"},"slug":"science","categoryId":33756},{"name":"Environmental Science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33763"},"slug":"environmental-science","categoryId":33763}],"title":"Environmental Science For Dummies Cheat Sheet","strippedTitle":"environmental science for dummies cheat sheet","slug":"environmental-science-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Learn about the study of environmental science, including important legislation, ecosystems, sustainable principles, and more.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"Environmental science is a field of study focused on Earth’s environment and the resources it provides to every living organism, including humans. Environmental scientists focus on studying the environment and everything in it and finding sustainable solutions to environmental issues. In particular, this means meeting the needs of human beings (and other organisms) today without damaging the environment, depleting resources, or compromising the earth’s ability to meet the resource needs of the future.\r\n\r\nA sustainable solution to an environmental problem must be ecologically sound, economically viable, and culturally acceptable.\r\n\r\nThis Cheat Sheet summarizes some key aspects of what environmental scientists study.","description":"Environmental science is a field of study focused on Earth’s environment and the resources it provides to every living organism, including humans. Environmental scientists focus on studying the environment and everything in it and finding sustainable solutions to environmental issues. In particular, this means meeting the needs of human beings (and other organisms) today without damaging the environment, depleting resources, or compromising the earth’s ability to meet the resource needs of the future.\r\n\r\nA sustainable solution to an environmental problem must be ecologically sound, economically viable, and culturally acceptable.\r\n\r\nThis Cheat Sheet summarizes some key aspects of what environmental scientists study.","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9804,"name":"Alecia M. Spooner","slug":"alecia-m-spooner","description":"Alecia M. Spooner is the author of Geology For Dummies and Environmental Science For Dummies. She teaches earth and environmental sciences at a community college and enjoys developing active-learning science curricula for adults. ","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9804"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":33763,"title":"Environmental Science","slug":"environmental-science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33763"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":175597,"title":"Long-Term Impact of Key Environmental Legislation in the U.S.","slug":"long-term-impact-of-key-environmental-legislation-in-the-u-s","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/175597"}},{"articleId":175589,"title":"What Defines an Ecosystem?","slug":"what-defines-an-ecosystem","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/175589"}},{"articleId":175588,"title":"Working toward a More Sustainable Environment","slug":"working-toward-a-more-sustainable-environment","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/175588"}},{"articleId":175590,"title":"How to Characterize a Population of Living Things","slug":"how-to-characterize-a-population-of-living-things","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/175590"}},{"articleId":173106,"title":"How Biological Communities Work Together","slug":"how-biological-communities-work-together","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/173106"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":292097,"title":"Find New Ways to Go Green this Earth Day","slug":"this-earth-day-find-new-ways-to-go-green","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/292097"}},{"articleId":291362,"title":"Climate Change For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"climate-change-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/291362"}},{"articleId":284309,"title":"Check Out the Bones on Those Osteichthyes!","slug":"check-out-the-bones-on-those-osteichthyes","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/284309"}},{"articleId":284296,"title":"Elasmobranchii: Sharks, Skates, and Rays","slug":"elasmobranchii-sharks-skates-and-rays","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/284296"}},{"articleId":284288,"title":"Cephalopods: Head and Tentacles Above the Rest","slug":"cephalopods-head-and-tentacles-above-the-rest","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/284288"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":282177,"slug":"environmental-science-for-dummies","isbn":"9781118167144","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1118167147/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1118167147/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1118167147-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1118167147/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1118167147/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/environmental-science-for-dummies-cover-9781118167144-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Environmental Science For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":false,"authorsInfo":"<b data-author-id=\"34881\">Alecia M. Spooner</b> teaches Earth and Environmental Sciences at a community college and enjoys developing active-learning science curriculums for adults. Alecia is also the author of <i>Geology For Dummies</i>.","authors":[{"authorId":34881,"name":"Alecia M. Spooner","slug":"alecia-m.-spooner","description":" <p><b>Alecia M. Spooner</b> has been teaching at the college level for more than 15 years. She currently teaches at Seattle Central College, where she is Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences. Alecia teaches earth science courses that are accessible and engaging, while stressing scientific literacy and critical thinking. ","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/34881"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;academics-the-arts&quot;,&quot;science&quot;,&quot;environmental-science&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781118167144&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f7ed3c1a\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;academics-the-arts&quot;,&quot;science&quot;,&quot;environmental-science&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781118167144&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-62b36f7ed4363\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Cheat Sheet","articleList":[{"articleId":175597,"title":"Long-Term Impact of Key Environmental Legislation in the U.S.","slug":"long-term-impact-of-key-environmental-legislation-in-the-u-s","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/175597"}},{"articleId":175590,"title":"How to Characterize a Population of Living Things","slug":"how-to-characterize-a-population-of-living-things","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/175590"}},{"articleId":175589,"title":"What Defines an Ecosystem?","slug":"what-defines-an-ecosystem","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/175589"}},{"articleId":175588,"title":"Working toward a More Sustainable Environment","slug":"working-toward-a-more-sustainable-environment","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","environmental-science"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/175588"}}],"content":[{"title":"Long-term impact of key environmental legislation in the U.S.","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>The peak of environmental legislation in the U.S. occurred in the 1960s and 1970s. In the 1970s in particular, Congress passed a number of important laws to repair environmental damage and protect the environment from further pollution. In fact, the relatively clean and healthy environment you enjoy today is a result of the laws passed during this period (some of which have been updated multiple times since their initial passing).</p>\n<p>Here are a few of the laws that continue to have a big impact today:</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Clean Air Act of 1970:</b> This law was the first to regulate air pollution on a national scale and set goals for improving air quality across the U.S. It was updated in 1990 to address ozone depletion and acid rain, in addition to overall air quality.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Clean Water Act of 1972:</b> Before this law, no rules mandated what type or amount of waste could be dumped into public waters. The Clean Water Act is viewed as one of the most successful pieces of environmental legislation because it led to dramatic improvement in water quality across the U.S.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Endangered Species Act of 1973:</b> The Endangered Species Act set up a process for legally recognizing and seeking to conserve plant and animal species in danger of extinction. As a result of this law, many species have recovered from near extinction, including the bald eagle, whooping crane, and grey wolf.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974:</b> This piece of legislation was aimed at improving public health by protecting public drinking water supplies from contamination. Amendments in 1986 and 1996 shifted the focus away from treating polluted water to protecting drinking water from pollution at its source.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>National Forest Management Act of 1976:</b> This law required that national forest resources be managed through an approach that considers how timber removal affects the ecosystem as a whole. One effect of this act is that forest management plans also evaluate non-timber land use (such as recreation).</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"How to characterize a population of living things","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Scientists who study living organisms examine them from different perspectives of complexity. The simplest level is the <i>individual.</i> Each individual is a member of a population. Each <i>population</i> is made up of a group of individuals of the same species that occupy the same environment and interact with each other.</p>\n<p>Many different populations together make up a <i>community,</i> and many different communities interact with one another in an <i>ecosystem.</i> A group of ecosystems that interact with one another is called a <i>biome</i>, and all the biomes on the globe make up the Earth’s <i>biosphere.</i></p>\n<p>Examining populations, specifically, is useful because they grow, decline, and respond to their environment together. Scientists use a few common measurements to characterize populations:</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Size:</b> The <i>size</i> of a population is the number of individuals that make it up.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Density:</b> The <i>density</i> of a population is the number of individuals (population size) in relation to the area they inhabit.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Distribution:</b> The <i>distribution</i> of a population indicates where the individuals are located across the environment they occupy. For example, although 1,000 honeybees may live in your backyard, most of them stay in the hive, while only a few fly around to the flowers.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Sex ratio:</b> The <i>sex ratio</i> of a population is the number of males versus females.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Age structure:</b> The <i>age structure</i> of a population describes how many individuals fall into different age classes. For example, some populations consist mainly of young individuals, while others include individuals spread across many ages.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"What defines an ecosystem?","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>The basic unit of study in environmental science is the ecosystem. An <i>ecosystem</i> consists of a biological community and its physical environment. Here are the most important things you need to know about ecosystems:</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">An ecosystem can be as small as a drop of water or as large as a forest.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Some ecosystems (such as caves) have clear boundaries, while others (such as forests) do not.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">An ecosystem provides the organisms that live in it what they need to survive: food (energy), water, and shelter.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">All the biological processes in an ecosystem run on energy captured from the sun.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Energy moves around an ecosystem through the food web.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">The number of producers (or plants) in an ecosystem determines that ecosystem’s productivity potential.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">An ecosystem recycles matter through the process of decomposition.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Ecosystems provide services, such as food production (farmland), water filtering (wetlands), carbon removal, raw material production (timber, rubber), and aesthetic value.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Because many modern human societies get their food, water, and other resources from all over the planet, you can consider the entire globe to be the human ecosystem.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"Working toward a more sustainable environment","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Environmental science is all about finding ways to live more sustainably, which means using resources today in a way that maintains their supplies for the future. Environmental sustainability doesn’t mean living without luxuries, but rather being aware of your resource consumption and reducing unnecessary waste.</p>\n<p>The following sustainability measures start small with what you can do individually to take better care of the Earth; the list then branches out to cover more far-reaching changes.</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Eating locally:</b> Depending more on locally available food reduces the amount of energy used in food transportation and supports your local food-producing economy.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Recycling:</b> Doing so reduces trash and conserves natural resources.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Conserving water:</b> <i>Water conservation</i> is the process of using less water to begin with and recycling or reusing as much water as possible. The goal of water conservation is to maintain a freshwater supply that can meet the needs of as many people as possible for as long as possible.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Taking steps toward smarter land use:</b> Both large-scale and small-scale possibilities include compact architecture and urban design to efficiently use land space, mixed-use planning that locates businesses close to where people live, and creation of parks and other green spaces to provide recreation for people and habitat for wildlife.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Creating a sustainable economy:</b> Environmental economists seek to include the cost of environmental damage in product pricing through taxes, fines, and regulations.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n"}],"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Advance","lifeExpectancy":"Six 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BYOB (Be Your Own Boss)
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Contemplating the Cosmos
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1,485 results
1,485 results
Astronomy The Magic of the Moon and the Total Lunar Eclipse

Article / Updated 06-24-2022

Every couple of years or so, we earthlings are treated to the beauty of a total lunar eclipse. The moon appears red as it passes into Earth's shadow, and for some, this elicits the wonder of our orbiting celestial friend and its significance to world culture. A lunar eclipse is the cousin to a solar eclipse, albeit much less dramatic. Still, it makes for a great experience. As the full moon passes into the earth’s shadow, the moon can appear to darken and then change color, turning a dark red. The moon looks red because the sun’s light gets bent (refracted) through the earth’s atmosphere. The red light gets bent the most, so that’s the light that illuminates the moon’s surface during a lunar eclipse. You could think of it as the light from every sunrise and sunset on Earth lighting up the moon’s surface! For more mind-bending astronomy facts about the moon and other celestial bodies, check out Astronomy For Dummies. Stargazing a lunar eclipse Total lunar eclipses aren’t very common. But two things make them easier to observe than solar eclipses: When a lunar eclipse happens, it’s often visible from anywhere on the night side of the earth. Lunar eclipses are safe to observe with your eyes, binoculars and telescopes. Want to learn how to best explore the distant wonders of the night sky? Stargazing For Dummies offers readers a detailed starter guide for the future stargazer. The moon in world culture Beyond its striking appearance during a total lunar eclipse, check out this interesting information about the moon's significance in world culture. The moon in classical music: From Beethoven to Chopin Did you know classical music has a few sub-genres dedicated entirely to capturing the moon’s natural beauty and emotive characteristics? For example, you’ve likely heard of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata or, perhaps, Debussy’s Clair de lune. These timeless pieces of music take their listeners through a moonlight-draped journey full of evocative passages, foreboding moments and somewhat mysterious tones — all inspired by that lonely white marble above. Chopin’s Nocturnes are another great example. As their name suggests, these are compositions centered entirely around the moon, nighttime, and dreaming. For more on classical music and its many timeless compositions, check out Classical Music For Dummies. The Moon in astrology: Emotions, instincts and habits Of course, no discussion about the moon would be complete without mentioning its significance in Western astrology. And yes — there’s more to it than the 12 zodiac signs. The moon's nodes, for example, refer to where its path crosses the ecliptic, which is the apparent path of the sun among the constellations over the course of a year. The north or ascending node marks the place where the moon crosses from south to north, seemingly ascending through the sky. The south, or descending node marks where the moon crosses from north to south, descending through the sky. What does this mean for astrologers? Without getting into the nitty gritty details, the moon is often associated with the “emotional self” in our astrological charts, and can represent the mysterious, hidden, and spiritual self in the tarot. To learn more about the moon’s significance in Western astrology, check out Astrology For Dummies.

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Astronomy What Are Star Parties?

Article / Updated 06-23-2022

Star parties are outdoor conventions for amateur astronomers. They set up their telescopes (some homemade and some not) in a field, and people take turns skywatching. (Be prepared to hear plenty of "Oohs" and "Ahs.") Judges choose the best homemade telescopes and equipment, earning their owners esteem and sometimes even a prize. If rain falls in the evening, partygoers may watch slide shows in a nearby hall or a big tent. Arrangements vary, but often, some attendees camp in the field; others rent inexpensive cabins or commute from nearby motels. Star parties may last for a night or two, or sometimes as long as a week. They attract a few hundred to a few thousand (yes, thousand!) telescope makers and amateur astronomers. And the larger star parties have websites with photos of previous events and details on coming attractions. Some resemble AstroFests, with exhibitors and distinguished speakers, as well as stargazing. The leading star parties in the United States include: Stellafane: This Vermont star party has been going strong since 1926. Texas Star Party: Commune with the stars on the mile-high Prude Ranch in the Lone Star State. Enchanted Skies Star Party: Head to the desert for dark sky observing near Magdalena, New Mexico, and fine speakers. Nebraska Star Party: This party boasts "a fantastic light pollution–free sweep of the summer night sky." Here are some of the leading star parties in the United Kingdom: The LAS Equinox Sky Camp: Held at Kelling Heath, Norfolk, this party bills itself as "the largest star party in the U.K." Kielder Star Camp: This twice-yearly event in the Northumberland International Dark Sky Park occurs in a forest thought to be "the darkest venue for any English star party." If you live in or plan to visit the Southern Hemisphere, check out these star parties: South Pacific Star Party: It's held near Ilford, NSW, Australia, on a property reserved for skywatching by the Astronomical Society of New South Wales. Central Star Party: Try this party on New Zealand's North Island, a bit off the beaten path. In the long run, visit at least one of these star parties, but in the meantime, you can ask at a local astronomy club meeting about a similar, although perhaps smaller, event that may be planned in your own area.

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Biology Biology Workbook For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Cheat Sheet / Updated 06-01-2022

Biology is the study of life, from tiny bacteria to giant redwood trees to human beings. Understanding biology begins with knowing some of the basics, such as eukaryotic cell structure and common Latin and Greek roots that will help you decipher the sometimes-tough vocabulary.

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General Science Evolution For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-27-2022

Whether you're talking about evolution — or any other element of science — you should understand the process of scientific investigation, which proves or disproves a scientific theory. Take a look at a chart of our hominid ancestors as discovered through fossil records, and learn some key terms to grasp the course of evolution.

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Environmental Science Find New Ways to Go Green this Earth Day

Article / Updated 04-22-2022

Celebrate everything that is beautiful about our planet by reconnecting with nature, learning more about the natural environment, or picking up a new eco-friendly habit or two. April 22 marks the 52nd anniversary of Earth Day — a world-wide celebration commemorating everything that makes our blue-marble planet unique and beautiful, and all the things we can do to protect it. Starting all the way back during the environmental movement of the 1970s, Earth Day has grown to become a powerful motivator for individuals and companies alike to become more environmentally aware and responsible. From local volunteer cleanups to nation-wide conservation initiatives, this year is no different, with numerous events happening at both the grassroots and state levels. Want to join in on the celebration? Find Earth Day events in your area, by visiting https://www.earthday.org/ The First Earth Day Did you know... In response to public outcry to the Santa Barbara Oil Spill of 1969, U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson organized a nationwide "teach-in" about environmental issues to take place on April 22, 1970. More than 2,000 colleges and universities, 10,000 public schools, and 20 million citizens participated. Aside from volunteering or donating to an eco-friendly cause, there are plenty of other ways to celebrate Earth Day — here are just a few. Plant a healthy diet You’ve probably already heard about the massive environmental impact that animal farming has on the planet. It is second only to fossil fuels in terms of contributing to human-made greenhouse gas emissions, the cause of climate change. And, while the jump from a traditional omnivorous diet to a full-blown vegan one is not something most people can accomplish overnight, cutting down on red meat is a great first step. Something as simple as committing to meat-free Mondays can have a significant influence on your health and the environment. Get started by taking a crack at one or two of our favorite plant-based recipes found in Plant-Based Diet Cookbook For Dummies. Channel your inner green thumb You don’t need to become an expert horticulturist to help save our planet. Simply buying local or better yet, growing some of your own food can help reduce your carbon footprint — not to mention, teach you valuable transferable skills like diligence and patience. Plus, there’s just something so satisfying about working with your hands, especially if you’re used to working in front of a screen all day. You can start by growing some common herbs like rosemary or thyme. They are fairly resilient and, depending on where you live, can even be grown indoors. If you lack the space to garden, look for farmers markets in your area or, better yet, join a community garden, these gardens are becoming increasingly popular, even in the most urban of cities. Don't worry if you have no previous gardening knowledge — beginner-friendly resources, such as Gardening Basics For Dummies, will help you get there. You can also find a farmers market near you using the USDA National Farmers Market Directory. Stay informed It’s no secret that our planet is in grave danger as a result of climate change. But, contrary to what you may feel after reading all the increasingly worrisome headlines, you must remember — there’s still hope. And, while the biggest contributors of climate change, like animal farming and fossil fuel burning, may seem so far removed from your daily life, you’d be surprised how much of a difference you as an individual can make. Staying informed is perhaps the easiest way to help environmental causes. As an informed citizen, you have the power to choose more wisely what products to buy, what companies and practices to support, and even who you vote for in the next election. Don't know where to start? Check out Climate Change For Dummies to help you navigate this complex topic. More ways to greenify your life There’s always something more we can do to reduce our environmental impact on the planet, but that should not discourage us from taking action — after all, every little bit counts. One small change in your daily routine today will lead you to more and more lasting changes in the future. If you’re ready to explore even more ways to go green, check out Green Living For Dummies for a more comprehensive guide to sustainable living. From the team at Dummies, we wish all our fellow earthlings a happy and green Earth Day.

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Anatomy Anatomy and Physiology For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-20-2022

The human body is a beautiful and efficient system well worth study. In order to study and talk about anatomy and physiology, you need to start from an agreed-upon view of the human body. Anatomical position for the human form is the figure standing upright, eyes looking forward, upper extremities at the sides of the body with palms turned out. You also need to be familiar with standard anatomical terms, as well as the various planes, cavities, and organ systems that make up the physical form.

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Environmental Science Tornadoes: Really Twisted Winds

Article / Updated 04-18-2022

Tornadoes are nature's most violent storms. Nothing the atmosphere dishes out is more destructive. They can sweep up anything that moves. They lift buildings from their foundations. They make a swirling cloud of violently flying debris. They are very dangerous to all living things, not only because of the sheer power of their winds, but the missiles of debris they create. Wind measuring instruments are destroyed by tornadoes, although according to reliable estimates, their winds can exceed 250 miles per hour. Flying at those speeds, pieces of straw can penetrate wood. According to most scientists, the top wind speeds in the strongest tornadoes are about 280 miles per hour. In an average year, 1,200 tornadoes are reported in the United States, far more than any other place in the world. On average, tornadoes cause 80 deaths in the U.S. every year and 1,500 injuries, although averages don't mean very much when it comes to these storms. In 1998, for example, 130 people died in tornadoes in the U.S., including 42 who were killed in an outbreak in central Florida and 34 who died in a single tornado in Birmingham, Alabama. Most human casualties are people in mobile homes and vehicles. The deadliest single tornado struck on March 18, 1925. In three and a half hours, it traveled 219 miles through Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana, killing 695 people. Most tornadoes, nearly 90 percent, travel from the southwest to the northeast, although some follow quick-changing zigzag paths. Weak tornadoes, or decaying tornadoes, often have a thin ropelike appearance. The most violent tornadoes have a broad, dark, funnel-shape that extends from a dark wall cloud of a large thunderstorm. There have been reports of some tornadoes that practically stand still, hovering over a single field. Others crawl along at 5 miles per hour. But the average tornado travels 35 miles per hour, and some have been clocked at more than 70 miles per hour. A tornado in 1917 traveled a record 293 miles. The average width of a tornado's path is about 140 yards, although some have been reported to be more than a mile wide. Most tornadoes occur between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., although they have been known to strike at all hours of the day or night. They usually last only about 15 minutes, although, some have been known to stay on the ground for hours. Tornado Alley The size of the place known as Tornado Alley expands through spring and summer as heating from the sun grows warmer and the flow of warm moisture from the Gulf of Mexico spreads farther north. An area that includes central Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas is the hard core of the season, but before it is over, as Figure 1 illustrates, Tornado Alley extends north to Nebraska and Iowa. Figure 1: Tornado Alley. It shrinks and swells over time, but there is only one Tornado Alley. Nowhere else in the world sees weather conditions in a combination that is so perfect for these storms. Here's what makes the storms of Tornado Alley so bad: Beginning in spring and continuing through summer, low-level winds from the south and southeast bring a plentiful supply of warm tropical moisture up from the Gulf of Mexico into the Great Plains. From down off of the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains or from out of the deserts of northern Mexico come other flows of very dry air that travel about 3,000 feet above the ground. From 10,000 feet, the prevailing westerly winds, sometimes accompanied by a powerful jet stream, race overhead, carrying cool air from the Pacific Ocean. Sometimes, the winds form a convective cap lid of warm air over the Plains that the rising air is eventually able to break through and explode upward into the sky. These are the ingredients for the most severe thunderstorms and most powerful twisters — sharp differences in temperatures at different levels, big contrasts in dryness and moisture, and layers of powerful winds that are blowing from different directions at different speeds. Forecasting Weather forecasters in Tornado Alley have a pretty good idea of the menu of conditions that are necessary to make severe thunderstorms, and they're pretty good at being able to forecast that severe thunderstorms are on the way. They can say that large hailstones and strong winds are likely, and a tornado is a possibility during the next several hours or the next day or two. But they can't forecast a tornado. The question of which of the conditions on the menu for severe thunderstorms actually causes tornadoes to form in these storms remains one of the most difficult mysteries of weather science. A severe thunderstorm that causes a tornado can look exactly like a severe thunderstorm that does not cause a tornado. Weather researchers have been working on the problem for years, chasing tornadoes all over the countryside, and still it is one of those things that is not well understood. The presence in the area of supercell thunderstorms really puts pressure on forecasters in local weather service field offices. The national Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, is on the phone giving advice, but the buck stops in the local office. The local forecasters know that a lethal tornado could come spinning down out of the dark cloud at any moment, but they can't be sure until they see it show up on a Doppler radar screen or a funnel is actually observed. Warning the public Billions of dollars have been spent in the last several years on research and computer modeling, radars and satellite technologies, and high-speed communications. Progress has been made. On average, when tornado warnings were issued in 1994, communities had six minutes to react. By 1998, the average lead time for warnings had stretched to 12 minutes. Television meteorologists and other media outlets play vital roles in such weather emergencies, continuously broadcasting the locations and predicted paths of tornadoes. Many lives are being saved by the increased public awareness and the lengthening time of advance warning that is available. In fact, the longer lead-time has reached the point where people are rethinking the idea of public shelters for tornadoes. As minutes are added to advance warnings, now it may be possible for people in harm's way to rush to a shelter before a tornado hits. More than 15,000 severe storm and tornado watches and warnings are issued by the National Weather Service every year. Most of the time, they are accurate. Sometimes, they are missed. Occasionally there are false alarms. The successes are taken for granted and often overlooked in the details of a tornado disaster. The failures and the false alarms seem to be remembered forever. Perfectly reasonable people who will forgive you for missing the rain on their picnic now have a different attitude. When it comes to tornadoes, they want perfection. Lives and limbs What are the odds of a tornado crossing your path? Even in Tornado Alley, the odds are against such an unhappy occasion. When it happens, of course, it's a disaster — but still, the odds are high against it. People think about tornadoes in tornado country the way people in the Southeast think about hurricanes and people in California think about earthquakes. It's part of the background of daily life that you really don't give very much thought to, because chances are, it's not going to happen. The five-dollar word for this is complacency — a self-satisfied unawareness of danger — and somebody is always getting on their high horse about it. The truth is, day in and day out, most people have other things to worry about that just seem more real. And it's just human nature to be optimistic, and to think things are going to turn out for the best. But it leaves you open for some terrible surprises once in a while, which is kind of sad, when you think about it. Government people in the disaster business and American Red Cross relief workers who deal with victims of these storms see this sense of surprise on people's faces all the time. A tornado watch or a warning? Don't confuse a watch with a warning. There is a big difference. Here is what they are about: Tornado watch: When National Weather Service forecasters issue a tornado watch, they are making a forecast that tornadoes are possible in your area. It's time to remain alert to signs of approaching storms and to make sure that you are prepared for an emergency. Tornado warning: This is an emergency message. A tornado has been sighted in your area, or weather radar indicates one is present. Now is the time to get to safety, to put your emergency plan into action. Tornado dos — and don'ts! The National Weather Service and the American Red Cross have put together these basic tips about tornado safety: Seek shelter immediately, preferably underground in a basement or in an interior room on the lowest floor, such as a closet or bathroom. Stay away from windows. Get out of your car or your mobile home and seek shelter in a sturdy structure. In the open, lie flat in a ditch or depression. Protect your head from flying debris. Do not try to outrun a tornado in your car. Do not seek shelter under a bridge over overpass. The idea that these are safe shelters is just plain wrong.

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Environmental Science Oceans For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-12-2022

The ocean is big — really, really big — both as a body of water and as a topic. It encompasses physical characteristics, its ecosystems and inhabitants, its influence on climate and weather, the sustainable use of its resources, and much more. This Cheat Sheet touches on a few key topics.

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Chemistry Chemistry II For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-08-2022

Chemistry II is more than fires and smelly explosions. Chemistry II is more about solving calculations. In fact, Chemistry II has a lot more calculations and math than your Chemistry I class did. In your Chemistry II class, you need to master several formulas so you can calculate different mathematical problems, ranging from kinetics, different types of equilibrium, thermochemistry, and electrochemistry. This Cheat Sheet can serve as a quick reference to how to solve kinetics, thermodynamics, and different types of equilibrium problems.

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Environmental Science Environmental Science For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-07-2022

Environmental science is a field of study focused on Earth’s environment and the resources it provides to every living organism, including humans. Environmental scientists focus on studying the environment and everything in it and finding sustainable solutions to environmental issues. In particular, this means meeting the needs of human beings (and other organisms) today without damaging the environment, depleting resources, or compromising the earth’s ability to meet the resource needs of the future. A sustainable solution to an environmental problem must be ecologically sound, economically viable, and culturally acceptable. This Cheat Sheet summarizes some key aspects of what environmental scientists study.

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