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mr l vocab a-m
mr l vocab
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 (phytoplankton) | single-celled plantlike organism that produce huge amounts of oxygen |
amoeba | a single-celled bloblike 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 & Ptolemy | 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 thins, single-celled, no organelles, 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 |
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 |
convection | the circular motion of matter when heated: rice cooking on stove |
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 & 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 |
dependent variable | the factor in an experiment that changes as a result of the manipulation of the independent variable |
deposition | when sediment is placed by water, wind, or gravity |
dispersion | when light waves pass through a prism, the rays are spread out or dispered |
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 | 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 | rock formed from cooled lava or magma |
independent variable | the factor in an experiment that is altered by the experimenter. The independent variable is purposely changed or manipulated |
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, lighty |
light | a from of energy that travels from the sun to earth in waves |
lightning | 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 | rock 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 |
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 |