Term | Definition |
Accuracy | the ability to make a measurement that is as close to the actual value as possible. |
Classify | to put similar things into a group. |
Control Group | a standard against which change is measured. |
Design Process | a set of steps for developing products and processes that solve problems. |
Evidence | observations that make you believe something is true. |
Experiment | the use of the scientific method to test a hypothesis |
Hypothesis | a statement of what you think will happen during an investigation. |
Inference | a conclusion based on observations. |
Observation | something you find out about objects, events, or living things using your senses. |
Precision | the ability to consistently repeat a measurement. |
Procedures | step-by-step instructions for completing a task. |
Prototype | a version of a solution to a problem. |
Technology | the knowledge, processes, and products that solve problems and make work easier. |
Variable | something that can change in a test. |
Orbits | major planets revolve around the sun in nearly circular fashion. |
These 3 orbit the sun | comets, asteroids, and meteoroids |
Moons | orbit the planets along with debris. |
The largest star in the sky | the Sun appears to be the largest, because it is the closest to the Earth |
Other stars | some stars are larger and some stars are smaller than the sun |
The only star in our solar system | the Sun |
What size star is the Sun? | it is a medium sized star. |
How long is the Earth's revolution around the sun? | 365 days |
One rotation on the Earth's axis takes how long? | 24 hours and produces day and night |
What effect does the Earth's rotation have on the sun, stars, and moon? | They appear to change position in the sky. |
The Earth's axis is tilted... | 23.5 degrees |
What effect does the tilted axis and Earth's revolution have on the Earth | it affects the amount of direct sunlight the Earth receives in a single day and throughout the year. |
The average daily Temperature is related to... | the amount of direct sunlight received. |
Seasons | the changes in average temperature throughout the year. |
Telescope | a tool that can be used to magnify the appearance of objects in the solar system. |
Universe | a collection of many starts of different sizes. |
Asteroids | metallic, rocky bodies that orbit the sun but are smaller than planets. |
Meteor | appears when a particle or chunk of a meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere from outer space. |
Axis | an imaginary line around which an objects spins. |
Comets | frozen masses of ice and dust that orbit the sun. |
Constellation | a group of stars that forms a pattern. |
Dwarf Planet | a large, round object that revolves around the sun but has not cleared the region around it orbit. |
Moon | a natural object that revolves around a planet. |
Orbit | the path an object takes as it revolves around a star, planet, or moon. |
Planet | a large, round object that revolves around a star and has cleared the region around its orbit. |
Revolution | one full orbit around the sun. |
Rotation | one whole spin of an object on its axis. |
Space Probe | a spacecraft that gathers data without a crew. |
Populations are organized by... | how they acquire energy |
For Ecosystems, the major source of energy is | Sunlight |
Photosynthesis | the process where producers transform energy from the sun and make food. |
Consumers | Animals that get their energy from eating plants and other animals that eat plants. |
Community | the group of all populations in an area. |
Competition | the struggle among organisms for the same limited resources. |
Conservation | is an attempt to preserve or protect an environment from harmful changes. |
Decomposer | an organism that gets its energy by breaking down wastes and dead organisms. |
Ecosystem | all the living and non-living things in an area and their interactions. |
Environment | all of the conditions surrounding an organism. |
Food Chain | a diagram that combines many food chains into one picture. |
Food Web | a diagram that combines many food chains into one picture. |
Habitat | a place that provides all the things an organism needs to live. |
Pollution | any substance that damages the environment. |
Population | a group of organisms of one species that live in an area at the same time. |
Predator | a consumer that hunts and eats another animal. |
Prey | any animal that is hunted by others for food. |
Producer | an organism that makes its own food for energy. |
Consumer | an organism that cannot make its own food. |
Species | a group of similar organisms that can mate and produce offspring that can also produce offspring. |
Plants and some microorganisms are | Producers |
Bacteria and fungi are the main | Decomposers and return nutrients to the ecosystem. |
Food Web represents... | an intertwining of food chins within the same community. |
Symbiotic relationship | when individuals of one species depend upon individuals of another species for survival. |
Mutualism | a relationship where both species benefit. |
Commensalism | a relationship where one species benefits and the other is unaffected. |
Parasitism | a relationship where one species benefits and the other is harmed. |
Energy flows... | through an ecosystem in one direction, from producers, to consumers, to decomposers. |
Movement | is measured by speed (how fast or slow the movement is) |
Speed | is measured by time and distance traveled. |
Earth pulls down on all objects with... | gravitational force. |
Weight | is a measure of the gravitational force between an object and the Earth. |
Prism | bends white light and separates the different colors of light. |
Reflected colors... | are the only colors visible when looking at an object because the other colors are absorbed by the object. |
Light travels... | in a straight line until it interacts with another object or material. |
Sound must travel... | through a material (medium) to move from one place to another. |
Sound travels at... | different speeds through different objects (media). |
Light travels... | faster than sound. |
Visible light (white light) | a mixture of the rainbow colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet). |
The angle that light approaches a reflective surface... | affects the direction in which the light is reflected. |
Objects that move slowly produce... | low pitches |
Objects that move quickly produce... | high pitches |
Refraction | involves bending of light when passing into a new medium |
Acceleration | the rate at which the speed or direction of motion of an object changes over time. |
Contact force | requires two pieces matter to touch. |
Energy | the ability to do work or cause change. |
Force | a push or pull that acts on an object. |
Friction | the force that results when two materials rub against each other or when their contact prevents sliding. |
Gravity | the force of attraction between any two objects. |
Inertia | the tendency of an object to resist any change in motion. |
Kinetic energy | energy due to motion. |
Non-contact force | acts at a distance. |
Opaque | describes materials that do not let any light pass through them. |
Potential energy | not causing any changes now, but could cause changes in the future. |
Reflection | light bouncing off an object. |
Refraction | the bending of light. |
Translucent | describes materials that let some light pass through, but not all. |
Transparent | describes materials that let nearly all light pass through them. |
Vibration | the back and forth motion of an object. |