Vocabulary #1 Science Processes

Scientific Method a series of organized steps that scientists use as a guide for answering a question

Hypothesis a possible explanation to a question based on what is known and observed. The explanation MUST be testable.

Observation a part of the scientific method that uses the senses to gather information

Inference to make a deduction or assumption based on pre-experimental observations

Independent Variable the experimental variable that is changed

Dependent Variable the experimental variable that changes as a result of the independent variable

Constant a variable in an experiment that does not change

Control the part of an experiment where no variables are changed

Analysis the reviewing of all experimentation data and identifying patterns, trends or relationships

Conclusion a statement made after the experiment is tested, analyzed and the observations are made

Mass A measure of how much matter is in an object

Volume - The amount of space an object occupies

Vocabulary #2 Properties of Matter

Matter anything that has mass and takes up space

Physical Properties a characteristic of matter such as size, shape, or state that can be observed and measured

Chemical Properties the properties of a substance that can be used to identify it and that describes how the substance reacts
with other substances resulting in a new substance
Density a physical property that describes the mass per unit volume of a substance

Solubility the measure of how much substance dissolves in a given amount of another substance

Melting Point the temperature at which a solid becomes a liquid

Boiling Point the temperature at which a liquid becomes a gas

States of Matter solid, liquid and gas

Chemical Change a change in a substance that results in a different kind of substance and that cannot be reversed

Physical Change a change in the property of a substance that does not create a new kind of matter

Precipitate a solid that forms from a chemical reaction that takes place in a solution

Vocabulary #3 Atoms & Elements

Atom the smallest particle of an element that still has the properties of that element

Protons the positively charged particles located in the atoms nucleus, (have mass) *Same as the atomic number

Electrons the negatively charged particles orbiting the nucleus of the atom making up the electron cloud (almost no mass)

Neutrons the neutral (no charge) particles located in the atoms nucleus, (have mass)

Element a form of matter made up of only one kind of atom

Compound a substance produced when elements combine and whose properties are different from each of the elements in it

Mixture a combination of compounds and elements that has not formed a new substance and whose proportions can be
changed without changing the mixtures identity

Molecule - The smallest particle of a substance that retains the chemical and physical properties of the substance
Substance (pure) matter that has the same properties and composition throughout

Atomic Number number of protons in the nucleus of each atom of a given element

Atomic Mass average mass of an atom of an element

Vocabulary #4 Periodic Table

Metals elements that are malleable, ductile, good conductors of electricity, and generally have a shiny or metallic luster

Nonmetals- element that is usually a gas or a brittle solid at room temperature and is a poor conductor of heat and electricity

Metalloids elements that share some properties with both metals and nonmetals

Ductile - the ability of a metal to be drawn, stretched, or formed without breaking

Malleable - the ability of a metal to be shaped or formed, as by hammering or pressure

Insulator a substance that does not easily transfer heat or electricity

Conductor a substance that easily transfers heat or electricity

Periodic Table - a table in which elements are arranged in order of increasing atomic number

Group- family of elements in the periodic table that have similar physical and/or chemical properties

Period horizontal row of elements in the periodic table whose properties change gradually and predictably

Valence Electrons - an electron in the outer shell of an atom which can combine with other atoms to form molecules

Vocabulary #5 Chemical Reactions

Law of Conservation states that the mass of the products of a chemical change is always the same as the mass of the
reactants

Chemical Reaction process that produces chemical change, resulting in new substances that have properties different from
those of the original substances

Chemical Equation shorthand form of writing what reactants are used and what products are formed in a chemical reaction

Coefficient - A number or symbol multiplied with a variable (in a chemical equation)

Subscript a number after and slightly below an element in a chemical formula (in H20, 2 is a subscript)

Reactant substance that exists before a chemical reaction begins

Product substance that forms as a result of a chemical reaction

Endothermic chemical reaction in which thermal energy is absorbed

Exothermic chemical reaction in which thermal energy is released

Vocabulary # 6 Hydrosphere

Universal Solvent water is called the universal solvent because it dissolves more substances than any other solvent

Polarity the separation of electric charge leading a molecule to have a positive and negative part

Cohesion the force that causes molecules to stick to like molecules

Adhesion the force that causes molecules to stick to different molecules

Surface Tension the elastic like force existing on the surface of a body, especially a liquid

Density (H2O) 1 g/ml

Specific Heat amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kg of a substance by 1 C

River Basin the land that water flows across or under on its way to a river

Watershed all the land where water drains from streams to a river. Many watersheds make a river basin.

Hydrosphere all the water on, above and under the Earths surface

Surface Water water found at Earths surface

Ground Water the water found in cracks and pores in sand, gravel and rocks below the Earths surface

Aquifer a porous rock layer underground that is a reservoir for water and that can yield usable groundwater

Transpiration the part of the water cycle by which water vapor is released into the air by green plants

Infiltration a part of the water cycle in which water filters slowly into porous sand or rock

Vocabulary #7 Marine Ecosystems

Estuaries areas where freshwater mixes with salt water

Marine Ecosystems an ocean community of organisms and the non-living factors that affect them

Upwelling the movement of cold, nutrient rich waters from the deep ocean into shallow areas

Photosynthesis that process that plants use to make food in which carbon dioxide and water are changed to sugar and oxygen
in the presence of sunlight.

Chemosynthesis organisms that use sulfur and nitrogen compounds to produce food in the absence of sunlight

Hydrothermal Vent a crack in the ocean crust that releases mineral rich water that has been heated by the Earths interior

Salinity the concentration of salts in a liquid such as water

Nekton marine animals that can actively swim

Benthos marine plants and animals that live on or in the ocean floor

Plankton marine organisms that float in ocean currents

Vocabulary 8 Water Treatment

pH a measure of the acidity or basicity of a solution, from 1-14, 7 is neutral

Nitrates an inorganic compound composed of one atom of nitrogen and three atoms of oxygen, used in fertilizer

Phosphates an inorganic compound composed of one atom of phosphorus and four atoms of oxygen, used in fertilizer

Turbidity The measure of cloudiness in water, as the result of suspended particles or phytoplankton

Bio-indicator are species used to monitor the health of an environment or ecosystem

Temperature the amount of heat in a substance or object

Dissolved Oxygen the amount of oxygen in a liquid sample

Sewage waste water and excrement

Eutrophication natural process that eventually turns a lake into dry land over time through an increase in sediment, nutrients
and organisms.

Point Source pollution that enters the water from a specific location and can be controlled or treated before it enters a body
of water

Non-point Source pollution that enters water from a large area and cannot be traced to a single location

Pollution introduction of wastes to the environment, such as sewage and chemicals that can damage organisms
Water Quality physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water

Pesticides substance used for destroying insects or other organisms harmful to cultivated plants or to animals

Herbicides substance that is toxic to plants and is used to destroy unwanted vegetation

Stewardship the responsibility for environmental quality shared by all those whose actions affect the environment

Water Treatment - describes those processes used to make water more acceptable for use, such as drinking

Vocabulary # 9 Ecosystems

Producers an organism that can make its own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis

Consumers- organism that gets its energy from eating other organisms

Decomposers organism that breaks down tissue and releases nutrients back into the ecosystem

Abiotic Factor- any non-living part of the environment such as water, temperature, sunlight, air and soil that are factors that
influence the living parts of the environment

Biotic Factor any living or once-living organism in the environment

Habitat- the place where an organism lives

Limiting Factor- any abiotic or biotic factor that limits the number of individual organisms in a population

Ecosystem all the communities of organisms in an area and the abiotic factors they interact with

Community the populations of different organisms that interact in the same area

Population- all the individuals of one species that live in the same area

Species- group of organisms that reproduces only with other members of the same group
Population Density- number of individuals in a population that occupies an area of limited size

Vocabulary #10 Interactions of Organisms

Symbiotic Relationship a close interaction between two or more different species

Mutualism a symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit

Parasitism a symbiotic relationship between two species in which one species is harmed

Commensalism a symbiotic relationship that benefits one organism without affecting the other organism

Predation the act of one organism hunting, killing and feeding on another organism

Competition relationship between members of the same or different species interacting to acquire limited resources

Food Web model that describes how energy from food moves through a community; a series of overlapping food chains

Aquatic Food Chain a model describing the flow of food energy through an aquatic (water) community

Terrestrial Food Chain a model describing the flow of food energy through a terrestrial (land) community

Nitrogen Cycle - the movement and exchange of nitrogen atoms through living and nonliving parts of the environment

Carbon Cycle the movement and exchange of carbon atoms through living and nonliving parts of the environment

Autotroph - organisms that use energy from the sun or energy stored in chemical compounds to make their own food

Heterotroph organisms that cannot make their own food, and get their energy from consuming other organisms

Ecological Pyramids - A representation in the shape of a pyramid to show the feeding relationship of groups of organisms, and
the flow of energy in an ecosystem.

Vocabulary #11 Energy

Energy - the capacity of a physical system to do work

Solar Energy renewable energy source that uses the sun to generate electricity

Wind Energy- renewable energy source that uses wind power to generate electricity

Hydroelectric Energy renewable energy source that uses water power and gravity to create electricity

Geothermal Energy renewable energy from the heat in the interior of the earth

Biomass Energy renewable energy source that can be burned and used as a source of fuel

Nuclear energy - The energy released by the nucleus of an atom as the result of nuclear fission or nuclear fusion

Renewable Resource - energy sources that do not deplete, and are available indefinitely

Nonrenewable Resource energy sources that will eventually run out and are not replaceable

Natural Resource- Any type of matter or energy from Earths environment

Energy Conservation reducing the amount of energy used

Fossil Fuels - energy sources from the decomposition of organisms millions of years ago

Vocabulary #12 Geologic Time

Fossils remains, imprints, or traces of prehistoric organisms that can tell when and where organisms once lived and how they
lived

Geologic Time Scale division in Earths history into time units based on the types of life-forms that lived only during certain
periods

Precambrian Era longest part of Earths history, lasting from 4 billion years ago to 544 million years ago
Paleozoic Era era of ancient life, which began about 544 million years ago, when organisms developed hard parts, and ended
with mass extinctions about 245 million years ago

Mesozoic Era middles era of Earths history, during which Pangaea broke apart, dinosaurs appeared, and reptiles and
gymnosperms were dominant land life-forms

Cenozoic Era era of recent life that began about 66 million years ago and continues today

Fossil Record - the collective group of all fossils already discovered

Extinction - no longer in existence, no members of the species still living

Vocabulary #13 Geologic Layers

Age the age of something compared to other things

Law of Superposition states that in undisturbed rock layers, the oldest rocks are on the bottom and become progressively
younger towards the top

Index Fossils remains of a species that existed on Earth for a relatively short period of time, were abundant and
geographically widespread, and can be used by geologists to assign ages to rock layers

Trilobites organism with a three-lobed exoskeleton that was abundant in Paleozoic oceans and is considered an index fossil

Ice Cores - a core sample that is typically removed from an ice sheet, most commonly from polar ice

Fault a crack in the Earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other

Rock Cycle - a continuous process by which rocks are created and changed from one form to another

Absolute Age age, in years, of a rock or other object; can be determined using properties of the atoms that make up the
object
Half-Life time it takes for half the atoms of an isotope to decay

Radioactive Dating process used to calculate the absolute age of rock by measuring the ratio of parent isotope to daughter
product in a mineral and knowing the half-life of the parent.

Unconformity a discontinuity in rock layers indicating layers were deposited at different times, usually due to erosion

Vocabulary 14 Evolution

Biological Evolution - is the change in the inherited traits of a population of organisms

Natural Selection process by which organisms that are better suited to an environment are better able to survive and
reproduce than organisms that are not

Adaptation - adjustment to environmental conditions

Genetic Variation the differences that exist between members of the same species

Mutation - a change of the DNA sequence within a gene or chromosome of an

Species - group of organisms that reproduces only with other members of the same group

Taxonomy - biological classification that helps precisely describe organism, and helps show relation between organism, living and
extinct

Biodiversity - the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem

Analogous structures - equivalent structures in different organisms that do not come from a common ancestor, but perform the
same function

Homologous structures - the same part in different organisms in a variety of shapes and forms, showing a degree of relation
between organisms
Anatomy the study of the bodily structure of humans, animals and other organisms

Vestigial Structures a structure or organ (body part) that is either smaller in size or has no use left over from evolution

Embryology the studies of embryos and their development

Vocabulary 15 Microbes

Microbe - microorganism

Pathogen - bacterium, virus, or other microorganism that can cause disease

Virus - strand of hereditary material surrounded by a protein coating that can infect and multiply in a host cell

Host Cell - living cell in which a virus can actively multiply or in which a virus can hide until activated by environmental stimuli

Bacteria - very small, usually unicellular organisms, lacking chlorophyll

Fungi - members of the kingdom Fungi, including molds, mushrooms and some types of slime

Parasite - an organism that lives on or in an organism of another species and negatively affects the hosts health

Protist - free-living or colonial organisms with a variety of reproductive and feeding methods

Protozoa - comprises the single-celled microscopic animals, which include amoebas, flagellates, and ciliates; some can cause disease

Algae - simple nonflowering plant of a large group that includes the seaweeds and many single-celled forms; contain chlorophyll

Mutant - an organism that has characteristics resulting from chromosomal alteration, a mutation

Vocabulary 16 Treatment of Disease

Epidemic - An outbreak of a disease that affects a disproportionately large number of individuals within a population, community or
region at the same time

Pandemic - An epidemic of an infectious disease that is spreading through human populations across a large region, continent or
even worldwide

Antibiotic - a drug that kills or prevents the growth of bacteria

Vaccine - A form of an antigen that gives you immunity against a disease

Infectious Disease - one that can be passed from one generation to another.

Contagion - the communication of disease by direct or indirect contact

Vector - mechanisms that spread disease without getting sick itself

Carrier - an organism that transfers disease to another organism

Vocabulary 17 Cell Structure

Cell membrane protective outer covering of all cells that regulates the interaction between the cell and the environment

Cell wall rigid structure that encloses, supports, and protects the cells of plants, algae, fungi and most bacteria

Nucleus organelle that controls all the activities of the cell and contains hereditary material made out of proteins and DNA

Chloroplast green, chlorophyll containing, plant-cell organelle that uses light energy to produce sugar from carbon dioxide and
water

Mitochondria cell organelle that breaks down food and releases energy

Ribosome small cytoplasmic structure on which cells make their own proteins
Cytoplasm constantly moving gel-like mixture inside the cell membrane that contains hereditary material and is the location of
most of the cells life processes

Prokaryote cells without membrane bound structures

Eukaryote cells with membrane bound structures

Mitosis - cell division that results in two daughter cells each the same as the parent nucleus, typical of ordinary tissue growth

Meiosis - A type of cell division that results in two daughter cells each with half the chromosome number of the parent cell,
typical of reproduction

Vocabulary 18 Cellular Energy & Body Health

Glucose - the main type of sugar in the blood and is the major source of energy for the body's cells

Protein - essential in the diet of animals for the growth and repair of tissue

Sugar - Any of a class of water-soluble crystalline carbohydrates, including sucrose, lactose, and glucose

Carbohydrate - Any of a large group of compounds (including sugars, starch, and cellulose) which contain carbon, hydrogen, and
oxygen

Lipid organic compounds that contain the same elements as carbohydrates but in different proportions; fats and oils

ATP - adenosine triphosphate, transports chemical energy within cells for metabolism

Cellular respiration process by which producers and consumers release stored energy from food molecules

Photosynthesis process by which plants and many other producers use light energy to produce a simple sugar from carbon
dioxide and water and give off oxygen

Respiration - The act or process of inhaling and exhaling; breathing

Digestion - The process by which food is converted into substances that can be absorbed and assimilated by the body

Circulation - The continuous motion by which the blood travels through all parts of the body under the action of the heart

Metabolism - the total of all chemical reactions in an organism

Homeostasis - the tendency of a system, especially the physiological system of higher animals, to maintain internal stability