Question | Answer |
Absorb | to take in or soak up, dark objects _______ light and heat |
adaptation | a change in an organism that helps it survive in its environment |
air pressure | the weight of the air above an area, barometers measure ___ ________ |
algae | single-celled plantlike organism that produce huge amounts of oxygen |
amoeba | a single-celled blob-like member of Kingdom Protista |
amphibian | a group of vertebrates with moist skin, they spend part of their life underwater |
amplitude | measures how high or low a wave is |
anemometer | measures wind speed, "mom" says don't go out when its windy without a coat |
Aristotle | believed our solar system was "Earth-centered" |
atom | the smallest bit of matter, made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons |
bacteria | smallest, most primitive living things, single-celled, no organelles, Kingdom Monera |
balance | an instrument that compares the mass of two objects |
behavioral adaptation | a change in an organisms behavior to help it survive, porcupine rolling up in a ball when threatened, birds flying south for the winter |
Benjamin Franklin | discovered that lightening was a form of static electricity |
carbon dioxide | a compound needed by plants for photosynthesis: 1 carbon & 2 oxygen |
cell | the smallest unit of living things |
chemical change | a change that results in something new, cannot easily be undone: burnt toast |
chlorophyll | the green pigment in plants used for photosynthesis |
circumference | the distance (perimeter) around a circle |
cirrus | high wispy clouds |
climate | the average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time |
closed circuit | an electrical circuit must be closed for electricity to flow |
community | Populations of species that live in the same place at the same time together |
compound | two or more elements held together by chemical bonds: NaCl, CO2, H2O |
compression | the part of a sound wave where the molecules of matter are packed closely together |
concave | a lens or mirror that is wider on the edges and thinner in the middle |
conclusion | a summary statement based on the results of an investigation, they are based on facts |
condense | to change from a gas to a liquid |
conductor | a material that easily transmits electricity or heat |
constant | something in an experiment that does NOT change |
consumer | an organism that eats other organisms |
continental rise | part of the ocean floor just below the continental slope, it is there because of landslides |
continental shelf | the shallow part of the ocean floor near the shore, there is much life there because sunlight reaches the bottom there |
continental slope | the steep "drop-off" from the continental shelf to the deep ocean |
contract | to become smaller |
convergent boundaries | where two tectonic plates are moving together: trenches, mountains, and volcanoes from here |
convex | a lens or mirror that is wider in the middle and thicker at the edges |
Copernicus and Galileo | believed that the sun was the center of our solar system |
core | the center part of the earth made up of solid iron and nickel |
crust | the thin, rocky, outer layer of the earth |
cumulonimbus | dark, stormy clouds |
cumulus | clouds that are fluffy and white with flat bottoms. They usually indicate fair weather. |
current | the river-like movement of water in the ocean |
decomposer | organisms like bacteria, fungi, and worms that break down dead organisms |
density | how tightly or loosely packed matter is |
deposition | when sediment is placed by water, wind, or gravity |
dispersion | when light waves pass through a prism, the rays are spread out or dispersed |
dissolve | when a solid mixes completely in a liquid to form a solution |
divergent boundaries | when two tectonic plates move apart from each other: mid-ocean ridges are formed here |
dogwood | the state tree of Virginia |
dormancy | a period of inactivity: volcanoes and plants can be dormant |
earthquake | the shaking or moving of the earth's crust do to tectonic movement |
echo | a reflected sound wave bouncing off of a hard, smooth surface |
ecosystem | is a community of living organisms (plants, animals and microbes) together with the nonliving components of their environment (things like air, water and mineral soil), interacting as a system |
electromagnet | Wrapping wire around certain iron-bearing metals (iron nail) and creating a closed circuit is an example of a simple _____________. |
electron | the smallest subatomic particle, negative (-) charge |
element | the pure and simple substance that cannot be broken down any farther |
embryo | The embryo within the seed begins as a single cell, the zygote. The basic organs of the plant body can be found in the embryo. |
erosion | the carrying away of sediment due to weathering |
evaporation | the state change from a liquid to a gas without high heat |
expand | to become bigger, when water freezes into ice, it expands |
extinct | when a species of organisms finally die out |
Fahrenheit | the temperature scale for which 32 degrees is freezing and 212 degrees is boiling |
fault | a break in the earth's surface, earthquakes often occur here |
ferns | a group of plants that reproduce with spores instead of seeds |
filament | the thin metal wire in a light bulb that glows when hot |
focus | the place that an earthquake begins |
force | a push or pull on an object |
fossil | the ancient remains of a plant or animal |
frequency | the number of times a wave passes a certain point in a certain amount of time |
fresh water | water containing very little dissolved salt, found in lakes, streams and rivers |
friction | the force that creates heat when two objects rub against another |
front | the boundary between air masses of different temperature and humidity |
fungus | a kingdom of living things that absorb food from dead or dying organisms: mushrooms, molds, yeast, mildew |
Galileo | helped to invent and make the telescope better |
geologist | a scientist who studies the earth and rocks |
granite | an igneous rock found under the continents |
Gulf stream current | a warm water current that travels by the east coast of the U.S. |
habitat | the place, or kind of place, in which an animal or plant naturally lives. An organism’s _______ provides food, water, shelter, and space |
hibernate | when an organism sleeps for long periods of time in the winter months |
humidity | the amount of moisture in the air which is measured by a hygrometer |
hypothesis | a prediction about the relationship between variables. A hypothesis is an educated guess/prediction about what will happen based on what you already know and what you have already learned from your research. It must be worded so that it is ―testable.‖ |
igneous | Rock type formed from cooled lava or magma |
inference | a possible explanation based on background knowledge and available data |
instinct | something that an organism does without thinking, it is inborn |
insulator | a material that does not transmit electricity or heat easily |
invertebrate | an animal without a backbone |
kilogram | a metric measure of mass that is equal to about 2 pounds |
kinetic energy | the energy of motion |
lava | hot, molten rock that has been erupted to the surface of the earth |
leaf | the part of the plant where photosynthesis takes place |
lens | a curved glass object that bends, or refracts, light |
light | a form of energy that travels from the sun to earth in waves |
lightening | a form of static electricity found in the atmosphere |
limestone | a sedimentary rock formed from ancient sea shells |
liquid | one of the three states of matter that has a definite volume, but no definite shape |
magma | hot, molten rock that is found under the earth's surface |
mammal | a group of vertebrates that are warm-blooded, have fur, and produce milk |
manipulate | to change or alter |
mantle | the middle layer of the earth made mostly of molten rock |
marble | a metamorphic rock prized for its beauty, used in statues and countertops |
mass | the amount of matter in an object |
matter | anything that has mass and takes up space (volume) |
melting point | the temperature at which a solid becomes a liquid |
membrane | a thin covering that allows certain materials in and out |
mercury | the only element that is a metal and a liquid |
metamorphic | Rock type that has been "changed" by high heat and pressure under the earth's surface |
metamorphosis | when something undergoes a dramatic "change" |
meteorologist | a scientist who studies and reports the weather |
meter | a metric measure of length that is about equal to one yard |
Michael Faraday | invented the electric motor |
microscope | a scientific instrument that allows us to see very small objects |
mixture | a combination of two or more compounds that can be separated easily |
mold | a type of fungus that grows on living things, often found on old bread |
molecule | the very smallest bit of a compound |
molten | when something is hot and melted |
monera | the kingdom of living things that includes the bacteria |
moss | a non-vascular plant that grows near moisture |
nano | one billionth of something 1 / 1,000,000,000,000 |
nano-technology | the field of technology that specializes in very small devices |
neutron | the subatomic particle with no charge |
niche | the function that an organism performs in the food web of that community. A _____ also includes everything else the organism does and needs in its environment. No two types of organisms occupy exactly the same _____ in a community. |
observation | something that you can tell from your senses |
ocean | a major body of salt water |
opaque | an object that does not allow any light to pass through it |
open circuit | an circuit that electricity will not flow through because it is open, or broken |
orbit | a curved path an object takes through space |
organ system | a group of organs that work together to perform a job |
organism | an individual living thing |
parallel circuit | an electrical circuit in which if one light goes out, the others still work |
paramecium | a single-celled protist that has hair-like structures that beat like oars |
photosynthesis | the process by which plants make their own food using sunlight and chlorophyll |
phyto-plankton | plant like single-celled organisms in the ocean that provide most of earth's oxygen |
pistil | the female reproductive part of the plant: Pistil packing momma |
pitch | the highness or lowness of a sound that is related to frequency |
plankton | single-celled organisms that are the basis of the ocean food chain |
plant kingdom | organisms that do not move from place to place, and make their own food using photosynthesis |
pollen | produced by the stamen, it fertilizes the pistil |
pollination | the transfer of pollen to the pistil by wind or insects |
pollution | unwanted materials that can harm or damage the environment |
population | All the organisms of the same species that live in the same place at the same time |
potential energy | the energy an object has because of its position |
predict | to make an educated guess about what will happen in the future |
prism | a glass pyramid that separates light into the colors of the rainbow |
producer | organisms, such as plants, that make food and are consumed |
protist | organisms that are microscopic, single-celled, and can be animal-like or plant-like |
proton | the subatomic particle in the nucleus that has a positive (+) charge |
protozoa | animal-like protists |
rain gauge | a weather instrument that measures rainfall |
rainbow | a visual effect when drops of water disperse white light into the colors of the visible spectrum |
rarefaction | the part of a sound wave where the molecules of matter are loosely packed together |
reflect | when light bounces off of a shiny, smooth object |
refract | when light bends because it is passing through glass or water |
repel | to push apart |
reproduce | to create offspring |
reptile | a group of vertebrates that have dry, scaly skin |
revolution | to make a trip around |
revolve | to spin on its axis |
root | the part of the plant that takes in water and nutrients from the soil and anchors the plant to the ground |
roy g biv | red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet (the colors of the visible spectrum) |
salinity | the saltiness of water |
saltwater | water with many dissolved salts (sodium chloride) |
sediment | the tiny bits of rock and dirt that wash into streams and rivers |
sedimentary | Rock type formed by layers of sediment at the bottom of ancient lakes or oceans |
seed | the part of the plant that is produced in the ovary, and will become a new plant |
sepal | the protective leaflets at the base of the flower |
series circuit | an electrical circuit where if one light goes out, they all go out |
sodium chloride | NaCl, table salt |
solid | the state of matter with a definite shape and a definite volume |
solution | a mixture in which one substance is dissolved into another |
sound wave | a compressional wave in which matter vibrates and bumps into neighboring matter |
spore | the microscopic seed-like reproductive cell for fungi, ferns, and moss |
stamen | the male part of the flower that produces the pollen |
static electricity | an electrical charge created by rubbing two objects together |
stem | provides support for the plant and has tubes for transporting water and nutrients throughout the plant |
telescope | a scientific device using two or more lenses to make distant objects appear close |
thermal energy | energy felt as heat |
thermometer | an instrument that measures heat energy in the atmosphere |
tidal wave | another word for tsunami |
tides | the regular rise and fall of the ocean level due to the gravitational pull of the moon |
transform boundaries | a place where two tectonic plates slide past each other, often causing earthquakes |
translucent | matter that allows some light to pass through, but not all |
transparent | matter that allows all light to pass through it, you can see clearly through it |
trough | the low point on a wave |
variable | something that can change |
vascular plants | plants with tubes and ducts to carry water and nutrients throughout the plant |
vibration | the rapid back and forth motion of matter |
visible spectrum | all of the light energy that we get from the sun that we can see with our eyes (roy g biv) |
volcano | a place on earth where magma bubbles up from underneath the earth's crust |
watershed | an area of land drained by a particular river |
wave | the way in which energy moves |
wavelength | the distance on a wave measured from one crest to another |
weathering | the breaking down of rock by water, ice, wind |
weight | measures the pull of gravity on an object |
zoo-plankton | all the plankton that does not get its energy from photosynthesis, but by somehow eating other organisms |