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ACT Prep > Appendix of Scientific Terms > Flashcards

Appendix of Scientific Terms Flashcards

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1
Q

Absolute

A

“independent of arbitrary standards or of particular properties of substances or systems”

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2
Q

Absorbance

A

“The measure of the amount of light absorbed by a suspension of bacterial cells or a solution of an organic molecule with the use of a colorimeter or spectrophotometer”

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3
Q

Acceleration

A

“rate at which velocity changes with time, in terms of both speed and direction”

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4
Q

Acid

A
  1. “a substance with particular chemical properties including turning litmus red, neutralizing alkalis, and dissolving some metals; typically, a corrosive or sour-tasting liquid of this kind”
  2. “a molecule or other species which can donate a proton or accept an electron pair in reactions”
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5
Q

Adverse

A

“an abnormal or harmful effect to an organism caused by exposure to a chemical”

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6
Q

Aerobic

A

“requiring the presence of air or free oxygen for life”

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7
Q

Anaerobic

A

“living, active, occurring, or existing in the absence of free oxygen”

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8
Q

Analogue

A
  1. “a chemical compound that is structurally similar to another but differs slightly in composition”
  2. “One of two organs or parts in different species of animals or plants which differ in structure or development but are similar in function”
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9
Q

Analysis

A

“a detailed examination of anything complex in order to understand its nature or to determine its essential features”

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10
Q

Antioxidant

A

“A substance that protects cells from the damage caused by free radicals (unstable molecules made by the process of oxidation during normal metabolism)”

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11
Q

Approximately

A

“using a simpler process or model when the correct model is difficult to use”

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12
Q

Aqueous solution

A

“a solution is one in which the solvent is liquid water”

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13
Q

Arteries

A

“A blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to tissues and organs in the body”

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14
Q

Assumption

A

“any statement that is believed to be true”

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15
Q

Atom

A

“the smallest unit of ordinary matter that forms a chemical element”

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16
Q

ATP

A
  1. “adenosine triphosphate (ATP), energy-carrying molecule found in the cells of all living things”
  2. “ATP captures chemical energy obtained from the breakdown of food molecules and releases it to fuel other cellular processes”
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17
Q

Atria

A

“The two upper chambers in the heart, which receive blood from the veins and push it into the ventricles”

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18
Q

Base

A
  1. “a substance that in water solution is slippery to the touch, tastes bitter, changes the colour of indicators (e.g., turns red litmus paper blue), reacts with acids to form salts, and promotes certain chemical reactions (base catalysis)”
  2. “a molecule or other species which can accept a proton or donate an electron pair in reactions
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19
Q

Basic

A

“of, relating to, containing, or having the character of a chemical base”

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20
Q

Bacteria

A

“single-celled organisms with a unique internal structure”

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21
Q

Calibration

A

“the process of configuring an instrument to provide a result for a sample within an acceptable range”

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22
Q

Capillaries

A

“The smallest type of blood vessel. A capillary connects an arteriole (small artery) to a venule (small vein) to form a network of blood vessels in almost all parts of the body”

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23
Q

Carbon Dioxide

A
  1. “made up of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms”

2. “a colorless and non-flammable gas at normal temperature and pressure”

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24
Q

Catalyst

A

“a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction, or lowers the temperature or pressure needed to start one, without itself being consumed during the reaction”

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25
Q

Cell membrane

A

“found in all cells and separates the interior of the cell from the outside environment”

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26
Q

Cell wall

A

“the usually rigid nonliving permeable wall that surrounds the plasma membrane and encloses and supports the cells of most plants, bacteria, fungi, and algae”

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27
Q

Chloroplast

A

“plant cell organelles that convert light energy into relatively stable chemical energy via the photosynthetic process”

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28
Q

Chromosome

A

“A structure found inside the nucleus of a cell. A chromosome is made up of proteins and DNA organized into genes”

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29
Q

Component

A
  1. “A constituent element, as of a system”

2. “a part of a mechanical or electrical system”

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30
Q

Compound

A

“a substance made from two or more different elements that have been chemically joined”

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31
Q

Concentration

A

“The amount of a particular substance in a given amount of another substance, especially a solution or mixture”

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32
Q

Conclusion

A

“a statement based on experimental measurements and observations”

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33
Q

Concentric model

A

“A model on the internal structure of cities in which social groups are arranged spatially in a series of rings. The lower class lives closer to the center and the upper class lives farther away from the center”

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34
Q

Conductor

A

“an object or type of material that allows the flow of charge (electric current) in one or more directions”

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35
Q

Confirm

A

“whenever observational data and evidence “speak in favor of” or support scientific theories and everyday hypotheses”

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36
Q

Consequence

A

“a natural result that flows from something else, or importance in ranking”

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37
Q

Constant

A
  1. “a quantity that does not change”

2. “Experimental constants are values that do not change either during or between experiments”

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38
Q

Constellation

A

“a group of stars that looks like a particular shape in the sky and has been given a name”

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39
Q

Contradiction

A

“a proposition, statement, or phrase that asserts or implies both the truth and falsity of something”

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40
Q

Control (negative/positive/blank control)

A

“an element [in an experiment] that remains unchanged or unaffected by other variables”

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41
Q

Control (negative)

A

“particular samples included in the experiment that are treated the same as all the others but are not expected to change from any variable in the experiment”

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42
Q

Control (positive)

A

“a control group that is not exposed to the experimental treatment but that is exposed to some other treatment that is known to produce the expected effect”

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43
Q

Control (blank control)

A

“a sample that contains everything except for the analyte of interest”

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44
Q

Controlled variable

A

“an experimental element which is constant and unchanged throughout the course”

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45
Q

Correlation

A

“a relation existing between phenomena or things or between mathematical or statistical variables which tend to vary, be associated, or occur together in a way not expected on the basis of chance alone”

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46
Q

Current

A

“a flow of electrical charge carriers, usually electrons or electron-deficient atoms”

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47
Q

Cuticle

A

“the outer layer or part of an organism that comes in contact with the environment”

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48
Q

Cytoplasm

A

“the gelatinous liquid that fills the inside of a cell”

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49
Q

Cytoskeleton

A

“a structure that helps cells maintain their shape and internal organization”

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50
Q

Decibel

A
  1. “a unit for expressing the ratio between two physical quantities, usually amounts of acoustic or electric power”
  2. “a unit for measuring the relative loudness of sounds”
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51
Q

Declination

A

“angular distance north or south from the celestial equator measured along a great circle passing through the celestial poles”

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52
Q

Decompose

A

“to separate into constituent parts or elements or into simpler compounds”

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53
Q

Definitive

A

“having its fixed and final form; providing a solution or final answer; satisfying all criteria”

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54
Q

Density

A
  1. “mass of a unit volume of a material substance”

2. “mass divided by its volume”

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55
Q

Dependent variable

A

“the variable being tested and measured in an experiment, and is ‘dependent’ on the independent variable”

56
Q

Diminish

A

“to make smaller or lesser”

57
Q

Displacement

A
  1. “the change in position of”

2. “The average velocity of the object is multiplied by the time traveled”

58
Q

DNA

A

“deoxyribonucleic acid, the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms”

59
Q

Ecliptic

A

“the plane of Earth’s orbit around the Sun”

60
Q

Ecological niche

A

“the role an organism plays in a community”

61
Q

Effective

A

“capable of producing a desired result”

62
Q

Electric potential energy

A

“the energy that is needed to move a charge against an electric field”

63
Q

Glacier

A

“a large, perennial accumulation of crystalline ice, snow, rock, sediment, and often liquid water that originates on land and moves down slope under the influence of its own weight and gravity”

64
Q

Golgi apparatus

A
  1. “A stack of small flat sacs formed by membranes inside the cell’s cytoplasm”
  2. “prepares proteins and lipid (fat) molecules for use in other places inside and outside the cell”
65
Q

Gravitational force

A

“the universal force of attraction acting between all matter”

66
Q

Greenhouse effect

A

“a process that occurs when gases in Earth’s atmosphere trap the Sun’s heat”

67
Q

Heterogenous

A

“a mixture in which the composition is not uniform throughout the mixture”

68
Q

Heterozygous

A

“a state of having inherited different forms of a particular gene from each one of your biological parents”

69
Q

Homogenous

A

“a gaseous, liquid or solid mixture that has the same proportions of its components throughout a given sample”

70
Q

Homozygous

A

“having inherited the same versions (alleles) of a genomic marker from each biological parent”

71
Q

Hydrate

A

“any compound containing water in the form of H2O molecules”

72
Q

Hypothesis

A

“a testable statement about the relationship between two or more variables or a proposed explanation for some observed phenomenon”

73
Q

Igneous rock

A

“types of rocks that are formed when molten rock (rock liquefied by intense heat and pressure) cools to a solid state”

74
Q

Independent variable

A

“a variable that stands alone and isn’t changed by the other variables you are trying to measure”

75
Q

Indicator

A

“substances that change colour when they are added to acidic or alkaline solutions”

76
Q

Inertia

A

“a property of matter by which it continues in its existing state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line, unless that state is changed by an external force”

77
Q

Inorganic

A
  1. the bane of the crunchy mom

2. “being or composed of matter other than plant or animal”

78
Q

Ion

A

“a charged atom or molecule. It is charged because the number of electrons do not equal the number of protons in the atom or molecule”

79
Q

Isotopes

A

“members of a family of an element that all have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons”

80
Q

Kelvin

A

“the Standard International ( SI ) unit of thermodynamic temperature”

81
Q

Kinetic energy

A

“the energy of motion, observable as the movement of an object, particle, or set of particles”

82
Q

Latitude

A

“the measurement of distance north or south of the Equator. It is measured with 180 imaginary lines that form circles around the Earth east-west, parallel to the Equator”

83
Q

Longitude

A

“the measurement east or west of the prime meridian. Longitude is measured by imaginary lines that run around the Earth vertically (up and down) and meet at the North and South Poles”

84
Q

Longitudinal wave

A

“A wave that oscillates back and forth on an axis that is the same as the axis along which the wave propagates”

85
Q

Meiosis

A

“a type of cell division that reduces the number of chromosomes in the parent cell by half and produces four gamete cells. This process is required to produce egg and sperm cells for sexual reproduction”

86
Q

Mitochondria

A

is the powerhouse of the cell.

87
Q

Mitosis

A

“a process of nuclear division in eukaryotic cells that occurs when a parent cell divides to produce two identical daughter cells”

88
Q

Mixture

A

“a physical combination of two or more substances that aren’t chemically joined”

89
Q

Modify

A
  1. “a change or alteration”
90
Q

Molecular mass

A

“the mass of a molecule that is equal to the sum of the masses of all the atoms contained in the molecule”

91
Q

Molecule

A

“a group of atoms bonded together, representing the smallest fundamental unit of a chemical compound that can take part in a chemical reaction”

92
Q

Newton

A
  1. “the Standard International (SI) unit of force”
  2. “force required to cause a mass of one kilogram to accelerate at a rate of one meter per second squared in the absence of other force-producing effects”
93
Q

Non-renewable resources

A

“a natural substance that is not replenished with the speed at which it is consumed”

94
Q

Nucleolus

A

“An area inside the nucleus of a cell that is made up of RNA and proteins and is where ribosomes are made. Ribosomes help link amino acids together to form proteins”

95
Q

Nucleotide

A

“the basic building block of nucleic acids (RNA and DNA). A nucleotide consists of a sugar molecule (either ribose in RNA or deoxyribose in DNA) attached to a phosphate group and a nitrogen-containing base”

96
Q

Nucleus

A
  1. “the membrane-enclosed organelle within a cell that contains the chromosomes”
  2. “The positively charged central region of an atom, composed of one or more protons (for all atoms except hydrogen) one or more neutrons”
97
Q

Orbit

A

“a regular, repeating path that one object takes around another object or center of gravity”

98
Q

Organic

A

“Involving organisms or the products of their life processes”

99
Q

Oxidation

A
  1. “A chemical reaction that takes place when a substance comes into contact with oxygen or another oxidizing substance”
  2. “the loss of electrons during a reaction by a molecule, atom or ion”
100
Q

Period

A
  1. “A division of geologic time that is longer than an epoch and shorter than an era”
  2. “the name given to a horizontal row of the periodic table. The periodic table has seven periods”
101
Q

Photon

A

“the smallest discrete amount or quantum of electromagnetic radiation. It is the basic unit of all light”

102
Q

Photosynthesis

A

“the process by which plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create oxygen and energy in the form of sugar”

103
Q

Polymer

A
  1. “any of a class of natural or synthetic substances composed of very large molecules, called macromolecules, that are multiples of simpler chemical units called monomers”
  2. Ex. proteins, cellulose, nucleic acids, diamond, quartz, feldspar, concrete, glass, paper, plastics, rubbers
104
Q

Potential difference

A

“the amount of work energy required to move an electric charge from one point to another. The unit of potential difference is the volt”

105
Q

Potential energy

A

“the stored energy an object has because of its position or state”

106
Q

Precession

A

“a comparatively slow gyration of the rotation axis of a spinning body about another line intersecting it so as to describe a cone”

107
Q

Pressure

A

“a measure of the force applied over a unit area”

108
Q

Projectile

A

“an object upon which the only force is gravity”

109
Q

Qualitative observation

A

“a research method in which researchers collect data using their five senses, sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing”

110
Q

Quantitative observation

A

“an objective method of data analysis that measures research variables using numerical and statistical parameters”

111
Q

Radiation

A

“energy that comes from a source and travels through space at the speed of light. This energy has an electric field and a magnetic field associated with it, and has wave-like properties. You could also call radiation “electromagnetic waves””

112
Q

Reactant

A

“a substance that enters into and is altered in the course of a chemical reaction”

113
Q

Reduction

A

“a chemical reaction that involves the gaining of electrons by one of the atoms involved in the reaction between two chemicals”

114
Q

Renewable resource

A

“an energy source that cannot be depleted and are able to supply a continuous source of clean energy”

115
Q

Resistance

A
  1. “A force, such as friction, that operates opposite the direction of motion of a body and tends to prevent or slow down the body’s motion”
  2. “the opposition that a substance offers to the flow of electric current”
116
Q

Respiration

A

“The process by which organisms produce energy from sugars, usually by taking in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide”

117
Q

Reversible reaction

A

“a chemical reaction where the reactants and the products react together to give the reactants back”

118
Q

Ribosome

A

“an intercellular structure made of both RNA and protein, and it is the site of protein synthesis in the cell”

119
Q

RNA

A

“Ribonucleic acid (abbreviated RNA) is a nucleic acid present in all living cells that has structural similarities to DNA. Unlike DNA, however, RNA is most often single-stranded”

120
Q

Saturated

A
  1. “being a solution that is unable to absorb or dissolve any more of a solute at a given temperature and pressure”
  2. “In organic chemistry, a saturated compound has the maximum amount of hydrogens possible: i.e., no double or triple bonds”
121
Q

Solubility

A

“the maximum amount of a substance that will dissolve in a given amount of solvent at a specified temperature”

122
Q

Solute

A

“A substance that is dissolved in another substance (a solvent), forming a solution”

123
Q

Solution

A

“a homogeneous mixture of one or more solutes dissolved in a solvent”

124
Q

Solvent

A

“a substance, ordinarily a liquid, in which other materials dissolve to form a solution”

125
Q

Speed

A

“the time rate at which an object is moving along a path”

126
Q

Tension

A

“a force along the length of a medium, especially a force carried by a flexible medium, such as a rope or cable”

127
Q

Topography

A

“the study and description of the physical features of an area, for example, its hills, valleys, or rivers, or the representation of these features on maps”

128
Q

Torque

A

“a twisting or turning force that tends to cause rotation around an axis, which might be a center of mass or a fixed point”

129
Q

Transverse wave

A

“the transfer of energy in a motion that is perpendicular to the direction the wave is traveling”

130
Q

Trait

A

“a specific characteristic of an individual. Traits can be determined by genes, environmental factors or by a combination of both”

131
Q

Vector

A
  1. “used in science to describe anything that has both a direction and a magnitude”
  2. “a DNA molecule (often plasmid or virus) that is used as a vehicle to carry a particular DNA segment into a host cell as part of a cloning or recombinant DNA technique”
132
Q

Veins

A

“A blood vessel that carries blood to the heart from tissues and organs in the body”

133
Q

Velocity

A

“Velocity is defined as a vector measurement of the rate and direction of motion. Put simply, velocity is the speed at which something moves in one direction”

134
Q

Ventricles

A

“muscular chamber that pumps blood out of the heart and into the circulatory system”

135
Q

Voltage

A

“a quantitative expression of the potential difference in charge between two points in an electrical field”

136
Q

Voltmeter

A

“an instrument used for measuring the potential difference, or voltage, between two points in an electrical or electronic circuit”

137
Q

Xylem

A

“plant vascular tissue that conveys water and dissolved minerals from the roots to the rest of the plant and also provides physical support”

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