Matter, Energy, and Life

Environmental Science and Engineering

Elements of Life
Energy and Matter

Cao, Kay Cee

Isaga, Joanne Justine
Mentes, Kimia Nicole
Pan, Reu

September 2021
 INTRODUCTION

Matter is connected to numerous systems like life and energy.

As defined, energy is the ability to do work, it may exist in potential,
kinetic, chemical, or other various forms. Moreover, there is heat,
which is the transfer of energy from one body to another. After the
energy has been transferred, it is usually designated in keeping with
its nature to make the body function.

Additionally, energy is associated with how life works. Life is

defined as any system that is capable of performing functions like
eating, metabolizing, excreting, breathing, moving, growing,
reproducing, and responding to external stimuli. Although nonliving
things may show a number of these characteristics, only living things
show all of them. In the context of science, living things are highly
organized, meaning they contain specialized and coordinated parts,
which function together for them to survive.

Furthermore, all living organisms are made of one or more cells,

which are considered the building blocks of life. The physical and
chemical principles that govern the universe also affect the
composition and the metabolic processes of all living organisms.
Every organism uses matter and energy from its environment and
transforms them for its body to function well. Thus, energy and
matter are required by all living things to grow, reproduce, and
maintain their biological processes.

MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE 2

 Learning Objectives
A. Engineering the Environment
[1] Recognize the importance of the environment to life.
[2] Be aware of the impact of the environment and people on
each other.

B. Elements of Life
[1] Define matter and explain how it is composed of building
blocks known as "atoms".
[2] Explain why cells are the basic unit of life.

C. Energy and Matter

[1] Learn why organisms require a constant supply of energy.
[2] Be familiar with the types of energy and their importance.
[3] Describe how energy is transferred through the ecosystem.

Learning Outcomes
After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

ILO1- Gain knowledge and come into understanding on the essential

theory of Matter, energy, and life.

ILO2- Students are capable of collecting and analyzing data and

information

ILO3- Describe matter, elements, types and different stages and

understand how living organisms capture energy

ILO4- Be able to perform and participate in group/individual activities

MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE 3

 Environmental
Science and
Engineering

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

The Environment
ETYMOLOGY: The word environment is derived from the French
verb 'environner' which means to ‘encircle or surround'. Thus, everything
that surrounds an individual or the community; the physical, chemical, and
biological worlds, are all part of our environment.

According to the article of Regis College (n.d.) entitled “The Eight

Environmental Factors that Affect Health”, a number of specific
environmental issues can impede human health and wellness. These
issues include chemical pollution, air pollution, climate change, disease-
causing microbes, lack of access to health care, poor infrastructure, and
poor water quality.

An interdisciplinary study of our environment with a mission to seek

discoveries and valid knowledge about the world and our impacts on it is
called Environmental Science. It makes us aware and
knowledgeable about the environment and the problems associated with it;
and, enables us to research and think critically about how we can solve
these issues.

MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE 4

 Environmental Engineering
A branch of engineering that has a mission to improve the quality of the
environment by improving recycling, waste disposal, public health, and
protecting people against environmental effects of pollution.

Where did it all start?

This Photo by Unknown Author
is licensed under CC BY-NC

Engineers of Antiquity
(Ancient Cities)
Builders of wells, aqueducts, city walls, moats, catapults,
and other engines of war.

Civil Engineers
(Mid-1700s)
Built facilities for the civilian population, and
makes sure water would not cause diseases.

Public Health Engineers and Sanitary Engineers

(Late 19th Century)
Because water-borne diseases became rampant, public health
was prioritized. They specifically focused on providing clean
water and drainage in the cities.

Environmental engineering is concerned with

protecting people from the effects of adverse environmental
effects, such as pollution, as well as improving environmental
quality. The practice of environmental engineering dates back to
the dawn of civilization.
Jim Lucas (2014) on “What is Environmental Engineering”

MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE 5

 Elements of Life

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

ECOLOGY
The scientific study of relationships between organisms and their
environment by understanding the functions of nutrients, matter, and
energy and how they cycle on earth.

What is Matter?
Matter is anything that occupies
This Photo by Unknown Author
is licensed under CC BY-SA
space and has mass.

What are the classifications of matter?

Origin
According to State
Composition
Did you know that there are Four Laws of Ecology?
I. Everything is Connected to everything else.
II. There is strength & stability in the unity of differences.
III. Consumption must not exceed production.
IV. Everything has a purpose.

MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE 6

 Classification
of Matter
According to Origin:
Two Kinds of Matter

Organic Materials
which are commonly derived
from living things, and contain carbon.

Inorganic Materials
come from non-living things
and do not contain carbon.
These photo by https://sciencenotes.org/

According to State:
Matter Exists in Three States

This Photo by https://lsintspl3.wgbh.org/

MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE 7

 According to Composition:
The diagram below shows the classification of matter according to
composition:

MATTER
Does it have constant properties and composition?

This Photo by Unknown Author YES NO

is licensed under CC BY-SA

PURE SUBTANCES MIXTURE

It has definite of fixed composition Composition varies and does not
exhibit unique properties
Is it uniform throughout? Can it be simplified chemically?

ELEMENT HOMOGENEOUS

COMPOUND HETEROGENEOUS

These Photo by https://www.gograph.com/ These Photo by https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/

What are the Properties of Matter?

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES CHEMICAL PROPERTIES

These Photo by https://sciencenotes.org/

MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE 8

 What is an Atom?
Atoms are basic units of matter.
400 B.C. Greeks proposed that all
matter was composed of four
fundamental substances: earth, the
wind, water, and fire. Democritus
believes that all matter is made of very
small particles. He called these
particles “atoms”.

Did you know?

Atoms are derived in Greek word:

‘atomos’,
meaning ‘not to cut’.

This Photo by edu.rsc.org

What are the Fundamental

Chemical Laws?
This Photo by https://letstalkscience.ca/

Law of Conservation. The total mass present before a

chemical reaction is the same as the total mass after it.

Law of Definite Proportions.

In a chemical substance, the elements are always combined in the same
proportions by the mass of each element.

Law of Multiple Proportions. If two elements form

more than one compound between them, the masses of one element
combined with a fixed mass of the second element form in ratios of small
integers.
Fundamental Chemical Laws (2015) Retrieved September 10, 2021, from https://chem.libretexts.org/@go/page/15036

MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE 9

 This Photo by Unknown Author
is licensed under CC BY-NC

CELLS
The cell is the structural and functional unit of an organism. It is the
smallest structure capable of carrying out all the functions necessary
for life. Thus, the key response to what life is must lie within the cell.
The smallest living organisms are single-celled, while larger organisms
are multicellular—that is, composed of many cells (Windelspecht, 2017).

Two types of single-celled organisms currently exist:

EUKARYOTES PROKARYOTES

Science Primer (National Center for Biotechnology Information). Vectorized by Mortadelo2005.

Scientists posit that prokaryotes are the oldest form of life, first appearing
about 3.8 million years, while eukaryotes showed up about 2.7 billion years
ago. The taxonomy of single celled organisms falls into one of the three
major life domains: eukaryotes, bacteria and archaea (Brenner, 2018).

All species of animals, land plants and most fungi are multicellular, as
are many algae, whereas a few organisms are partially uni- and partially
multicellular, like slime molds and social amoebae such as the genus
Dictyostelium (Chimileski, Scott; Kolter, Roberto (2017) & Lyons, Nicholas
A.; Kolter, Roberto (2015)).

MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE 10

This Photo by Unknown Author is
licensed under CC BY-NC
and Matter
Energy is defined as the ability to do work.

Types of Energy

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Kinetic Energy Potential Energy

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This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

Chemical Energy Heat Energy

Kinetic Energy. A form of energy of an object or particle has by reason of its motion.
Potential Energy. A stored energy that depends upon the relative position of various
parts of a system.
Chemical Energy. The energy that is stored within the connections between tiny parts
of a substance (molecules).
Heat Energy. The result of the movement of tiny particles called atoms, molecules, or
ions in solids, liquids, and gases.

MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE 11

 High Energy. Energy that can be converted
into other forms of energy with great efficiency and can
be used to perform high-quality difficult tasks and low-
quality tasks. Some examples are electrical energy and
mechanical energy (Jensen, 1980).

Low Energy. Energy which is dispersed and

disorderly, and has less potential or ability to be utilized
for work. This energy indicates low-temperature heat.
Safeopedia (2017). Low-Quality energy. Retrieved from www.safeopedia.com

Thermodynamics is the study of

energy transformations
involving heat, mechanical
work, energy, and how these
transformations relate to the
properties of matter.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under https://stock.adobe.com/

The First law of

thermodynamics shows
how energy can neither be created nor
destroyed, only altered in form
(Zohuri, 2018).

The Second law of

thermodynamics states
that as energy is transferred or
transformed, more and more of it is
wasted (Lucas, 2015).
This Photo by Glenn Research Center is licensed under NASA

MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE 12

 Importance of Constant Supply of Energy

Needed to replace energy that is dissipated as used.

If there is no constant supply of energy, cells can’t perform
work, causing death.

How does organism get energy?

Chemosynthesis. It uses chemicals like sulfur to create

organic food compounds.
Example: The chemosynthetic bacteria near hydrothermal
vents in ocean; no sunlight in this ecosystem, no producers.

Photosynthesis. It uses radiation energy from sun to

create organic food compounds.
Example: Plants make glucose from sunlight.

Cellular Respiration. It uses ATP to breakdown glucose

to store energy in chemical bonds of more ATP
Example: all living organisms

Solar Energy
The sun provides warmth.
Almost all organisms on Earth’s surface depend
on solar radiation for life-sustaining energy.

MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE 13

 How life is organized?
Levels of Ecological Organization
The study of how organisms interact with each other and
with their environments. Scientists study ecology at various
levels of organization:

Species. All organisms that are genetically similar enough to

breed in nature and produce an offspring

Populations. All the members of a species living in a given

area at the same time

Biological Communities. All of the populations living in a

particular area

This Photo by https://eschooltoday.com/

Ecosystem. Consists of a biological community and its

physical environment, which includes abiotic and biotic factors

Abiotic. All non-living things like climate, water,

and minerals.
Biotic. Living things like organisms and their
products and effects in a given area.

MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE 14

 All Photos by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

The Ecosystem
A geographic area where plants, animals, and
other organisms, as well as weather and
landscape, work together to form a bubble of life
(Stanley, n.d.).
If there is no constant supply of energy, cells can’t
perform work, causing death.
How energy is transferred to the ecosystem?
Producer Organisms. Organisms that do photosynthesis
like plants and algae

Consumers

Carnivores. Eats meat such as lions and wolves.

Herbivores. Eat plants such as cows and horses.

Omnivores. Eat both plants and meat, such as

humans and dogs.

Scavengers. Clean up dead bodies of larger animals such as

crows and vultures.

Detritivores. Consume litter, debris, and animal manure such

as ants and beetles.

Decomposers. Break down and recycles organic materials

such as fungi and bacteria. It makes sure that nutrients are
available for other organisms.

MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE 15

 How can we show this transfer of energy?

This Photos by Math Chain Worksheets 4 Kids

Food Webs
are more
complex, it shows all the
feeding relationships in
ecosystem.

Food Chains show one

possible relationship on how
energy and nutrients move
through an ecosystem.

MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE 16

 All Photos by Math www.rspb.org.uk

Ecological Pyramids
Graphical representation in the form of pyramid showing
the relationships of groups of organisms.

Types of Ecological Pyramids

Pyramids of Numbers.
The number of organisms in
each trophic level is considered
as a level in the pyramid

Consumers

Pyramids of Biomass.
Each level considers the
amount of biomass produced by
each trophic level

Pyramid of Productivity.
Shows the production or turnover (the rate at which energy or mass
is transferred from one trophic level to the next) of biomass at each
trophic level

MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE 17

 Biogeochemical Cycles
any of the natural pathways by which essential elements of
living matter are circulated (The Editors of Encyclopedia
Britannica, n.d.)

This Photo by Carly Dodd (2019) in Environment

The Hydrologic Cycle. Water evaporates from the ocean,

then as it cools, water vapor condenses to form clouds. Water will
return to the surface through precipitation. When the water
reaches the ground, it may undergo different processes but will
eventually evaporate again (University of Illinois, n.d.).

MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE 18

 Phosphorus Cycle. Nitrogen Cycle.
Of all the elements recycled in the The circulation of nitrogen in
biosphere, phosphorus is the various forms through nature.
scarcest and therefore the one Nitrogen, a component of proteins
most limiting in any given and nucleic acids, is essential to
ecological system (Safe Opedia, life on Earth (Safe Opedia, n.d.)
n.d.)

MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE 19

 The Carbon Cycle
This Photo by https://www.sketchbubble.com/

Carbon Cycle. Humans release carbon dioxide, which plants intake to

undergo photosynthesis. Photosynthesis gives off oxygen, which humans
need to breathe. Also, when these plants are eaten, carbon is transferred to
the consumers. When these consumers die, their decays transfer carbon to
the soil (National Center for Atmospheric Research, n.d.).

Oxygen Cycle.
The movement of oxygen through the
atmosphere (air), Biosphere (plants
and animals) and the Lithosphere (the
earth's crust). The oxygen cycle
demonstrates how free oxygen is
made available in each of these
regions, as well as how it is used (Safe
Opedia, n.d.)

This Photo by shutterstock.com 641131924

MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE 20

 References
Brenner, L. (2018, August 9). List of Single-cell organisms. Sciencing. Retrieved
September 11, 2021, from https://sciencing.com/list-singlecell-organisms-8543654.html.

Chimileski, Scott; Kolter, Roberto (2017). Life at the Edge of Sight: A Photographic
Exploration of the Microbial World. Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674975910.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. (n.d.). Biogeochemical cycle. Encyclopædia Britannica.

Retrieved September 11, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/science/biogeochemical-
cycle.

Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Nitrogen cycle. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved

September 11, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/science/nitrogen-cycle.

Fundamental Chemical Laws. (2015, July 16). Retrieved September 9, 2021, from
https://chem.libretexts.org/@go/page/15036

Lucas, J. (2014, October 22). What is environmental engineering? LiveScience.

Retrieved September 11, 2021, from https://www.livescience.com/48390-environmental-
engineering.html.

Lucas, J. (2015, May 22). What is the second law of thermodynamics? LiveScience.
Retrieved September 11, 2021, from https://www.livescience.com/50941-second-law-
thermodynamics.html.

Lyons, Nicholas A.; Kolter, Roberto (April 2015). "On the evolution of bacterial
multicellularity". Current Opinion in Microbiology. 24: 21–28. doi:
10.1016/j.mib.2014.12.007. ISSN 1879-0364. PMC 4380822. PMID 25597443.

Mader, S. S., & Windelspecht, M. (2017). Inquiry into life. Library of Congress.
McGraw-Hill. Retrieved from http://lccn.loc.gov/2015044767.

Regis College. (2021, April 23). 8 Environmental Factors that Affect Health. Regis
College Online. Retrieved September 11, 2021, from
https://online.regiscollege.edu/blog/environmental-factors-that-affect-health.

Safeopedia. (2017, January 30). What is Low-Quality energy?. safeopedia.com.

Retrieved September 11, 2021, from https://www.safeopedia.com/definition/2734/low-
quality-energy.

Stanley, M. (n.d.). Ecosystem. National Geographic Society. Retrieved September 11,

2021, from https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/ecosystem/print/.

MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE 21

 References
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. (n.d.). Biogeochemical cycles. UCAR
Center for Science Education. Retrieved September 11, 2021, from
https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/earth-system/biogeochemical-cycles.

University of Illinois. (n.d.). A Summary of the Hydrologic Cycle. WW2010. Retrieved

September 11, 2021, from http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/hyd/smry.rxml.

Zohuri, B. (2018). First Law of Thermodynamics. In Physics of cryogenics: An ultralow

temperature phenomenon. essay, Elsevier. Retrieved from
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128145197000057.

MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE 22