Discuss the natural environment, humans' impact on it, and the effects on humans. In your answer, identify the kind of systems into which the natural environment is organized and how this relates to humans
human impact in terms of use of resources and environmental threats, and how these affect humans and society.
What will be an ideal response?
The natural environment is organized into ecosystems, which are interdependent systems of organisms and their environment. People participate in ecosystems by breathing the air, drinking the water, eating the food, and using its resources. Humans impact the environment by using resources such as oil and natural gas for energy, and generate pollution in the air and water. We also use nuclear energy which generates nuclear waste. We are depleting forests,which leads to erosion, desertification, and loss of ground water, in addition to destroying plant species and the habit for animal species. Worldwide, 25% of mammals are threatened with extinction. Water is polluted from domestic waste, industrial waste, and agricultural runoff; air is polluted by gasses from cars, heaters, and industrial processes. Toxic gasses in the air return to the earth as acid rain, which can destroy ecosystems. Toxic gasses can rise up in the atmosphere and impact the ozone layer's ability to shield the earth from ultraviolet radiation, which causes health problems and contributes to global warming. Global warming is melting permafrost and causing glaciers to retreat, which could raise sea levels and cause flooding of major cities near the ocean. Other impacts on the environment include garbage, much of which is not biodegradable, and which takes up space in landfills. Nuclear waste can be radioactive for thousands of years. All of this affects humans and society in terms of health, where we can live, and if we can live.
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Answer the following statement true (T) or false (F)
Student researchers want to conduct an experiment on the general population. They step outside their classroom and interview 25 people – mostly students – asking three questions to collect data for their experiment. Explain the flaws in this design specific to generalizability and random sampling. How can they improve for the next attempt?
What will be an ideal response?