Fire

Key Concepts
 No matter how substances within a closed system interact the total mass of the system remains the same. (eg. burning of log)

 An important kind of reaction between substances involves the combination of oxygen with something else (eg. combustion).

 Energy is the ability to do work, energy appears in different forms. Heat energy is in the disorderly motion of molecules, it can be transferred between materials by conduction, convection, and radiation.

 Atoms and molecules are perpetually in motion. Increased temperature means greater average energy of motion so most substances expand when heated.

 Most substances can exist as solid, liquid, or gas depending on temperature.

 In solids, the atoms or molecules are closely locked in position and can only vibrate. In liquids, they have higher energy, are more loosely connected and can side past one another; some atoms or molecules can get enough energy to escape into a gas. In gases the atoms/molecules have still more energy and are free of one another except during collisions.

 The elements (matter) that make up the molecules of living things pass through food webs and are combined and recombined in different ways. At each link in the food web, some energy is stored in newly made structures but much is dissipated into the environment as heat. Continual input of energy from sunlight keeps the process going.

 Most systems above the molecular level involve so many parts and forces and are so sensitive to tiny differences in conditions that their precise behavior is unpredictable even if all the rules for change are known.

 Biological diversity results from the interaction of living and nonliving environmental components such as air, water, climate and geologic features.

 In biological systems, energy flows and materials continually cycle in predictable and measurable patterns.

 Human societies and cultures throughout the world impact and are impacted by fire in diverse ecosystems.


Essential Questions
 What is fire and how does it impact the Earth systems?
o Earth Systems analysis of a fire event
o Nova Fire Wars video and question set

 What are the necessary components of fire?
o Fire triangle (Fuel, Oxygen, Heat)
o Environmental Fire triangle (fuels, weather, topography)
o Understanding Fire p 82 PTL Forest Ecology
o Cootie Catcher (fire triangle)
o Wildland Home Fire Risk Meter

 What affect does heat energy have on matter?
o Newton’s Apple fire demo video
o Kinetic Molecular theory
o Combustion reaction
o phase changes (vaporizaton)
o heat transfer (convection, radiation and conduction)
o Density (of gases and fuels)
o Pressure differences create winds and tornados
o Candle observations (observing phase changes, heat, light)
o Candle under the jar (timing oxygen consumption)
o Heat transfer (heat, light, fire)
o Endothermic and exothermic reactions (using calcium carbonate and ammonia chloride)
o CO2 lab (includes density and pH)
o Reading: This Thing Called Fire http://www.nifc.gov/pres_visit/whatisfire.html

 How do ecosystems influence fire regimes?
o Dendrochronology lab (evidence for fire patterns)
o Fire Management Plans: Remediation, Mitigation, and Prevention (Firewise materials)
Match Stick Forest (PLT)
Fuel load in the forest, testing ignition and surface area
Dust Can Explosion activity
Reading: How Plants Use Fire?
How are watersheds impacted fire?
Delinating watersheds using a topo map
Reading: The Story of Lemon Reservoir

 How do Ecosystems change over time?
o Succession Nothing Succeeds Like Succession
PLT Environmental Education #80 p 345
o Every Tree for Itself PLT Environmental Education #27 p 117
o Infestations, and diseases ( eg. bark beetle, invasive species)
Home Sweet Home PLT Environmental Education #4 p 59
o Reading: Yellowstone Reading