Introduction to Environmental Science, 2017 edition

Parts of this chapter have been modified from Open Stax textbooks:

1.1 The Chemical and Biological Foundations of Life
      1.1.1 The Structure of the Atom
      1.1.2 Molecules
      1.1.3 Isotopes
      1.1.4 Carbon
      1.1.5 Hydrocarbons
1.2 Biological Molecules
1.3 Biological Organization
1.4 Environment and Environmental Science
1.4 The Process of Science
1. 5 Sustainability and Sustainable Development
1. 6 The IPAT Equation
1.7 The Precautionary Principle
1.8 What is the Environment Worth to You?
1.9 Global Perspective

By the end of this chapter students will be able to:

1. Describe, at an introductory level, the basic chemical and biological foundations of life on Earth
2. Define environment, ecosystems, and environmental sciences
3. Give examples of the interdisciplinary nature of environmental science
4. Define sustainability and sustainable development
5. Explain the complex relationship between natural and human systems, pertaining to environmental impact, the precautionary principle, and environmental justifications
6. Understand scientific approach and begin to apply the scientific method