Abiotic Any Nonliving Part of the Environment, Like Rocks, Water, Air

abiotic – any nonliving part of the environment, like rocks, water, air,…
acceleration – the rate at which velocity changes; acceleration = (final velocity – starting velocity) / change in time
amplitude – the distance from the middle to the bottom (trough) or the top (crest) of a wave
aquifer – an underground layer of rock that holds water
asteroid – an object made of metal, rock, or ice smaller than a planet that orbits the sun
atom – the smallest particle of an element that has all the properties of that element
atomic mass – the mass of one atom of an element
atomic number – the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom
autotroph – an organism that can make its own food; it doesn’t need to eat
balanced forces – equal forces that go in opposite directions
beaker – a container with a pouring spout and measuring marks
biome – a geographic region with a specific climate and distinct types of plants and animals
biotic – something that is or was alive
black hole - a super dense object with gravity so strong not even light can escape
calorie – a unit of thermal energy (heat)
cell – the basic unit of a living organism
cell membrane – the protective outer covering of all cells
cell wall – the stiff outer covering of plant cells, gives structure and protection
chemical bond – the force that holds atoms together in a compound, ionic or covalent are the two types
chemical change – a change that happens when two or more substances change into something new
chemical energy – the energy stored in chemical bonds
chemical equation – a way of describing a chemical reaction

C + O2 CO2

chemical formula – a way of describing a substance using chemical symbols and numbers

H2O is the chemical formula for water.

chemical property – the characteristics of a substance when it reacts with other materials to make new materials
chemical reaction – a process where two or more substances react to make new materials
chemical weathering – the wearing away of rocks and minerals by chemical processes ( acid rain, oxidation, dissolving,..)
chlorophyll – the green pigment found in plants that absorbs sunlight to provide energy for photosynthesis
chloroplasts – the parts of a plant that contain chlorophyll
comet – an object in the solar system made of frozen gases, ice and dust that orbits the sun
compost – dead and decaying plant matter that can be decomposed
compound – is made of two or more elements that are chemically combined

Na + Cl NaCl

conduction – the transfer of heat (thermal energy) from a warmer material to a cooler material through direct contact (touching)
conservation – the protection and preservation of the environment and the wise use of resources
constellation – a group of stars that make a picture in your imagination
consumer - any organism that consumes (eats) other organisms for energy (anything except plants)
continental drift – the hypothesis that all continents drift and that once they were all connected long ago (Pangaea)
convection – the transfer of heat (thermal energy) through currents in liquids and gases
core – the central, spherical section of the Earth, below the mantle
crest - the highest point of a wave, the peak
crust – the top, outermost layer of the Earth, the ground we walk on
cytoplasm – the gel-like fluid inside cells that surrounds cell structures
decomposer – an organism such as bacteria or fungi that breaks down dead plant and animal matter, release nutrients back into the ecosystem to be reused
deposition – the process by which water, wind, ice and gravity deposit eroded sediments in new locations
DNA – the material found in the nucleus of cells that determines genetic traits
eclipse – happens when one object in space casts a shadow on another object
electromagnetic wave – energy wave that can travel through matter or empty space Examples: microwaves, visible light, radio waves, X-rays, …
electron – a negatively charged subatomic particle that moves around the nucleus of an atom
electron cloud – the area surrounding the nucleus of an atom where the electrons are
element – a pure substance, made of atoms, it cannot be broken down into simpler parts by physical or chemical methods
endothermic reaction – a chemical reaction that absorbs heat (it gets cooler)
energy – the ability to do work or cause a change Examples: thermal (heat), light, chemical, electrical, potential and kinetic,…
energy transformation – a change from one form of energy into another form
epicenter – the point on the surface of Earth directly above an earthquake’s starting point
equilibrium – being in balance; equal
exothermic reaction – a chemical reaction that gives off heat
extinction - the death of all members of a species
force – a push or pull
frequency – the number of wavelengths that pass a spot in one second
friction – a force that tries to stop the movement between two objects that touch each other
galaxy – a group of stars, gas and dust held together by gravity (We are in the Milky Way galaxy.)
gas giant – a large, gaseous planet like Jupiter or Saturn
gene – a section of DNA on a chromosome with genetic information
genetic trait – an inherited characteristic, like having the same color eyes
geologic fault – a break in the Earth’s crust, where earthquakes usually happen
gravity – the force of attraction between two objects, depends on their masses and distance
greenhouse effect – heating from gases in Earth’s atmosphere that trap heat
groundwater- water that percolates, or drains, through soil and rocks and collects in underground reservoirs.
group- a vertical column of elements on the periodic table with similar physical or chemical properties.

habitat – the place where an organism lives
heredity – passing genetic traits from parents to children
heterotroph – an organism that must eat to survive; it cannot make its own food
human organ systems- a group of organs that work together to perform body functions. Examples: the bones of the skeletal system; the arteries, veins, heart, and lungs of the circulatory system
hybrid – an object that has a combination of more than one trait
hydroelectric energy – electrical energy generated using the power of moving water
hypothesis – a reasonable prediction, based on knowledge, that can be tested

igneous rock - rock formed from lava that cooled
inertia – the tendency of an object to not change how it’s moving
inexhaustible resource – a resource that won’t run out
inherited trait – a genetic characteristic passed from the parent to the children
input force – the force applied to a machine by the person
interdependent – two objects that rely or depend on each other
ion – an atom that has a charge because the number of protons and electrons are not equal
isotope – an atom of the same element (so it has the same # of protons) but a different # of neutrons compared to another atom of that element
joule – a unit for measuring work in the metric system
kinetic energy – the energy an object has because it’s moving
lava – melted rock that has erupted from a volcano
light-year – the distance that light travels in one year (=186,000 miles per second times 60 times 60 times 24 times 365)
lithosphere – the part of the Earth that includes the crust and the outer mantle ( the top layer)
lunar cycle – the pattern of the phases of the moon as it orbits the Earth
magma – liquid, melted rock underground
magnitude – the brightness of a star as measured on a scale
mantle – the thick layer of rock under the crust
matter – anything that has mass and volume (takes up space)
mechanical energy – the sum of an object’s kinetic and potential energy
mechanical wave – energy wave that needs matter to travel (Example: sound waves are mechanical waves)
metalloid – elements that have properties of both metals and nonmetals, (semiconductors)
metals – elements that usually are good conductors of heat and electricity, ductile, malleable and shiny
metamorphic rock – rock that changed from one type to a new type through heat and pressure
meteor – a piece of space rock that burns upon entering Earth’s atmosphere

mitochondria – the parts of a cell that produce energy
molecule – the smallest unit of a compound
moon phases – the changes in the appearance of the moon as seen from Earth
motion – the change in position of an object relative to a reference point
mutation – a change in an organism’s genes
nebula – a large cloud of gas and dust in space, where most stars are created
net force – the total, combined force on an object
neutron – a particle in the nucleus of an atom, has no charge
newton – the unit for force in the metric system, abbreviated N
Newton’s Laws of Motion – the three laws that explain the movement of everything in the universe

Things won’t change how they’re moving unless a force acts on them.
F = ma
For every action force, there is an equal and opposite reaction force.

nitrogen – the gas that makes up ¾ of the air, an element with 7 protons

Noble gases – the elements in the last column on the Periodic Table, they almost never react with other elements
nonmetals – elements that usually are poor conductors of heat or electricity

nonrenewable resource – a natural resource that cannot easily be replaced, like fossil fuels
nucleus - a: the center of an atom with the protons and neutrons
b: the center of a cell with genes and chromosomes
orbit – the path of an object in space
organ – a part of the body made of tissues. Examples: heart, lungs, kidneys, …
organism – any living thing
oxidation – a chemical reaction where a substance combines with oxygen (rusting)

oxygen – a colorless gas, the element with 8 protons
percolation – the downward movement of water through soil and rock because of gravity
period – a: a horizontal row on the Periodic Table b: a long time in the Earth’s history (example: the Jurrasic Period)
Periodic Table of the Elements – the table showing all the elements arranged by their properties
petri dish – a flat cylinder with a cover used for growing cultures of mold, bacteria, etc.
photosynthesis – the process plants use to make their food from carbon dioxide, water and sunlight
physical change – a change in a material that does NOT change it to something different
physical property – a property you can use to describe or identify a material, Examples: color, shape, freezing point, luster, density,…..
plate tectonics – the theory that the crust is broken into huge plates that float and move
potential energy – energy that is stored in the position of an object
predation – the feeding relationship in which one species is the predator and another is the prey
primary consumer – an organism that eats plants
producer – a green plant
product – a substance made by a chemical reaction
proton - the positively charged particle in the nucleus of an atom
radiant energy – electromagnetic energy that travels in waves
rarefaction – a section of a wave where the particles are spread farther apart
reactant – a substance used in a chemical reaction, the starting materials
recessive trait – a characteristic that is only shown when two recessive alleles for that trait are inherited
renewable resource – a natural resource that can be used and can be replaced
resistance force – any force that opposes the motion of an object, it tries to stop the object from moving
Richter scale – a scale used to measure an earthquake’s strength
rock cycle – the slow, continuous process that changes rocks from one type to another type
runoff – water that flows over the surface of the ground into rivers and streams
satellite – a natural or man-made object that revolves around another object in space
scientific evidence – information that either supports or disputes a scientific theory or hypothesis
secondary consumer – an organism that eats primary consumers
sediment – small particles of rock, soil, sand, etc deposited by wind, water, ice or gravity
sedimentary rock – rock formed by layers of sediment pressed together and cemented by heat, pressure and dissolved minerals
seismic wave – a vibration that travels through Earth, usually caused by an earthquake; recorded by a seismograph
SI system of measurement (the metric system) – the worldwide system of measurement based on multiples of 10 using meters, liters, grams
simple machine – a device that makes work easier by changing the direction or size of the force needed (lever, wheel and axle, screw, pulley, inclined plane, wedge)
solar system – the Sun, the planets and moons, and all other bodies orbiting the Sun
species – organisms that can produce offspring (babies) that can produce more offspring (grandbabies)
specific heat – the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1 degree C
spring scale – a tool used to measure a force, such as gravity, on an object
stratosphere – the second layer of the atmosphere, above the troposphere, 16-50 km high
succession – the rebuilding in populations of organisms in an ecosystem after severe environmental change, such as volcanic eruption, fire, flood
surface water – usable freshwater on the Earth’s surface for drinking, animals, recreation, etc., such as lakes, rivers, ponds
symbiosis- a close ecological relationship between two or more species.
tectonic plates- giant, irregular pieces of Earth’s outermost layer that move around on the softer mantle below.
telescope- an instrument that magnifies distant objects and makes them appear closer.
test tube – a cylindrical glass tube used in science experiments
topographic map – a map that shows contour lines to show the elevation of the ground
triple beam balance – a scale that uses three bars (beams) and sliding weights to measure the mass of an object
tropism – a plant’s growth response to an external stimulus, such as light, water, or gravity
troposphere – the lowest layer of the atmosphere up to about 16 km
unbalanced force – a force that is stronger in one direction than the forces in the opposite direction
uplift – the pushing up of sections of the Earth’s crust by forces inside the Earth
vacuole – a fluid-filled storage sac within a cell
vacuum – a space that contains no matter
variable – a condition or factor that can be changed in an experiment, can be independent, dependent or the control
velocity – the speed and direction of a moving object
water cycle – the continuous movement of water between Earth and the atmosphere
water vapor – the invisible, gaseous state of water
watershed – the region of land drained by a river system
wave – a vibration that transfers energy from one place to another
wavelength – the distance between the same parts of two consecutive waves