HS Science Words Flashcards
Accelerate
Change in velocity over time. The rate at which something speeds up or slows down.
Adaptation
Any change in the structure or functioning of an organism that is favored by natural selection and makes the organism better suited to its environment.
Air
The mixture of gases in the Earth’s atmosphere is commonly known as air. Earth’s atmosphere is a layer of gases surrounding our planet that is retained by Earth’s gravity. Dry air contains roughly 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% trace gases, primarily water vapor.
Allele
One member of a pair or series of different forms of a gene.
Analyze
To separate into separate parts or basic principles to determine the nature of the whole.
Apply
The skill of selecting and using information in new situations or problems
Aqueous Solution
solution in which the solvent is water
Asexual Reproduction
Involves the growth of a new organism by fission of cell nuclei. Asexual reproduction usually involves one parent and leads to offspring that are genetically identical to the parent and to one another.
Asteroid
A small rocky body orbiting the Sun, sometimes called minor planet or planetoid.
Atmosphere
A layer of gases that may surround the Earth and other material bodies of suffient mass
Atom
basic unit of matter consisting of a dense central nucleus surrounded by a cloud of negatively charged electrons.
Atomic mass number
The total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of a single atom.
Atomic number
The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.
Average acceleration
Change in velocity and/or direction with respect to time. Acceleration is a vector quantity, so both velocity and direction are required to define it.
Average speed
The measure of distance that an object travels in a given time interval.
Average velocity
Change in position and/or direction with respect to time. Velocity is a vector quantity, so both speed and direction are required to define it.
Biodiversity
The different kinds of organisms in a specific ecosystem or on the planet as a whole.
Biogeochemical cycle
circuit or pathway by which a chemical element moves through both living and non-living components of an ecosystem, including the Earth as a whole.
Biological classification
A method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. Biological classification is a form of scientific taxonomy.
Boiling Point
The temperature at which a liquid changes state and becomes a gas. The boiling point changes as pressure changes.
Anatomical feature
structure found in a living thing (e.g., heart, lung, liver, backbone).
Carbon Cycle
The biogeochemical cycle that describes the transformations of carbon and carbon-containing compounds in nature.
Cellular membrane
The biological membrane separating the interior of a cell from the outside environment. It is a semipermeable lip bilayer found in all cells.
Cellular respiration
he process by which molecules (glucose) are converted into useable energy in cells.
Challenges
Problems that can be solved using science concepts and principles, inquiry, and the technological design process.
Characteristics
A distinguishable trait, quality, or property.
Chemcial Change
chemical change occurs whenever compounds are formed or decomposed. During this type of reaction, there is a rearrangement of atoms that makes or breaks chemical bonds.
Chemical properties
Any of a material’s properties, such as color, pH, or ability to react with other chemicals, that becomes evident during a chemical reaction.
Chemical reaction
A process that results in the conversion of chemical substances (reactants) to other substances (products). Products generally have different chemical properties from the reactants.
Chloroplast
An organelle found only in plants and photosynthetic protists; contains chlorophyll, which absorbs the light energy used to drive photosynthesis
Chromosome
An organized structure of DNA and supporting regulatory proteins found in cells. Chromosomes contain many genes.
Claim
A proposition based on evidence and logical argument.
Classify
To arrange in some sort of order by categories or groupings.
Climate
Encompasses the temperatures, humidity, atmospheric pressure, winds, rainfall, atmospheric particle count, and numerous other meteorological elements in a given region over long periods of time.
Closed System
A system in which matter may circulate, but may not enter or leave.
Comet
A small Solar System body that orbits the Sun and, when close enough to the Sun, exhibits a visible coma (atmosphere) and/or a tail made of gas and/or dust.
Common:
Refers to materials and processes that most students have experienced.
Common ancestors
A group of organisms is said to have common descent if they have a common ancestor. In modern biology, it is generally accepted that all living organisms on Earth are descended from a common ancestor or ancestral gene pool.
Communicate
Participate in the discourse of science. Communication includes but is not limited to discussions, journaling, and sharing the results of investigations effectively and clearly in both written and oral forms.
Compare
To examine two or more objects or events to establish similarities and differences.
Comparison
An examination of two or more objects or events to establish similarities and differences.
Compound
A substance consisting of two or more different elements chemically bonded together in a fixed proportion by mass that can be split up into simpler substances through a chemical reaction.
Concept
An abstract, universal idea of phenomena or relationships among phenomena.
Conclusion
A statement of the findings of an investigative process that is supported by investigative evidence (data) and links to the current body of scientific knowledge.
Condensation
The change of the physical state of matter from a gas to a liquid.
Conduction
The transfer of heat energy through matter by kinetic energy from particle to particle with no net displacement of the particles.
Confidence
Assurance that the conclusions of an investigation are reliable and valid.
Conservation
To preserve. In physics, the Conservation Laws specify quantities that are preserved during transformations.
Conservation of Energy
A physical law stating that the total amount of energy in an isolated system remains constant. Also stated as: energy cannot be created or destroyed—only changed from one form to another.
Conservation of Mass
A physical law stating that the total amount of mass in a closed system remains constant. Also stated as: mass can be neither created nor destroyed during a chemical reaction—only rearranged.
Consider
Sustained purposeful concentration and attention to details in an attempt to reach the truth or arrive at a decision about the validity of evidence or a claim.
Constellation
A group of stars that appear to form a visible figure or picture as viewed by people in a particular culture
Constraint
The limitations imposed on possible solutions to problems or challenges. Constraints are often expressed in terms of available money, materials, or time.
Consumer
An organism that gets its chemical energy for growth and development from other organisms. Animals in a food web are consumers that obtain food energy by eating other animals or plants.
Contrast
To examine two or more objects or events to establish differences.
Control (or Experimental Control Setup)
A standard condition that other conditions can be compared to in a scientific experiment.
Controlled experiment
A laboratory investigation in which the values of all variables are kept the same except for one that is changed from trial to trial (manipulated or independent variable) and one that is measured (responding or dependent variable).
Convection
The physical movement of molecules within fluids (e.g., liquids, and gases). Convection is one of the major modes of heat transfer and mass transfer.
Core
Used literally, core refers to whatever is in the center of an object, as the core of an apple,
or Earth’s core. Used metaphorically, core refers to what is most important, as in “core content.”
Core of the Earth
Earth’s core is most likely a solid sphere about 1,220 km in radius. It is believed to consist of an iron-nickel alloy, and is likely surrounded by a liquid outer core, extending to about 3,400 km from the center of our planet.
Correlation
A known relationship between two variables in which it is not possible to infer whether or not a change in one variable caused a change in the other variable.
Covalent Bond
A form of chemical bond characterized by sharing of pairs of electrons between atoms, or between atoms and other covalent bonds.
Criteria
A standard on which to judge success (plural form: criteria).
Critique
A critical review of a specific topic, process, or investigation.
Crust
Earth’s outermost shell that is composed of a variety of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. Earth’s crust includes the oceanic crust, about 7-10 km thick, and the continental crust, about 35-40 km thick.
Crustal plate
The outermost part of the Earth’s interior mantle contains the lithosphere which is divided into eight major tectonic or crustal plates that float on the asthenosphere and move in relation to one another.
Culture
Refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activities significance and importance within a society.
Decompose
To break down tissue of a formerly living organism into simpler forms of matter.
Decomposers
Organisms that consume the remains of dead organisms and, in doing so, break down the tissues into simpler forms of matter that can be used as nutrients for other living organisms.
Dehydration synthesis
chemical reaction in which two molecules or functional groups combine to form one single molecule, with the accompanying loss of a small molecule. When this small molecule is water, it is known as a dehydration synthesis.
Density
Mass per unit volume
Dependent variable
The factor of a system being investigated that changes in response to the manipulated (independent) variable and is measured.
Deposition of sediments
Refers to the geologic process following erosion, in which particles of sand or soil are no longer transported from their source by wind or water and are added to a new landform.
Describe
The skill of developing a detailed picture, image, or characterization using diagrams and/or words, written or oral.
Design (Noun)
Either the final plan (proposal, drawing, or model) or the result of implementing that plan in the form of the final product of a design process.
Design (Verb)
The process of originating and developing a plan for a product, structure, system, or component to meet a human need or want.
Discriminate
The skill of distinguishing accurately between and among pieces of evidence
Diversity
Wide variety. Species diversity refers to the abundance of different species within an ecosystem
DNA
Large molecules inside the nucleus of living cells that carry genetic information. The scientific name for DNA is deoxyribonucleic acid.
Designed world
Systems or subsystems of the natural world built entirely or in part by people. Also called the constructed world.
Dwarf planet
A body gravitationally bound to the Sun with sufficient mass to be approximately spherical in shape, but not enough mass to have pulled in debris from the neighborhood of their orbit. Plutoids are dwarf planets that orbit further from the Sun than Neptune.
e.g.
Abbreviation meaning “for example” or “for instance.” Refers to examples given in Performance Expectations.
Eclipse
An astronomical event that occurs when one celestial object moves into the shadow of another. The term eclipse is most often used to describe either a solar eclipse, when the Moon’s shadow crosses Earth’s surface, or a lunar eclipse, when the Moon moves into the shadow of Earth.
Ecosystem
A natural unit consisting of all plants, animals, and microorganisms (biotic factors) in an area functioning together with all of the nonliving physical (abiotic) factors of the
environment.
Effect
The result or consequence of an action, influence, or causal agent.
Electric circuit
An interconnection of electrical elements such as resistors, inductors, capacitors, transmission lines, voltage sources, current sources, and switches that has a closed loop, giving a return path for the current.
Electromagnetic force
One of the four known fundamental forces in the universe; includes the forces between charged particles and between molecules and ions.
Electromagnetic spectrum
The array of electromagnetic waves, from the shortest and most energetic gamma rays to the longest radio waves. The visible light spectrum is a small part of the middle range of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Electromagnetic waves
self-propagating wave that includes visible light, radio waves, microwaves, infrared radiation, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, and gamma rays. EM radiation is composed of an oscillating electric and magnetic field that moves through empty space or transparent matter.
Electron
An elementary subatomic particle that carries a negative electrical charge.
Element
A pure chemical substance composed of all atoms that have the same number of protons.
Empirical
Based on actual measurements, observations, or experience rather than on theory.
Energy
The amount of work that can be done by a force.
Energy transfer
The movement of energy from one location to another
Energy transformation
Change of energy from one form to another
Environment
Natural surroundings, including living and nonliving components. May also refer to a region or to all natural systems on planet Earth.
Enzyme
Biological molecules that catalyze (increase the rates of) chemical reactions. Almost all enzymes are proteins.
Equilibrium
The condition of a system in which competing influences are balanced.
Erosion
The carrying away or displacement of solids (sediment, soil, rock, and other particles), usually by wind, water, or ice by down-slope movement in response to gravity or by living organisms.
Error
Mistakes of perception, measurement, or process during an investigation; an incorrect result or discrepancy.
Established
A proven or demonstrated inference or theory.
Evaluate
To make judgments or appraisals based on collected data
Evaporation
The change in state of a substance from liquid to gas.
Evidence
Observations, measurements, or data collected through established and recognized scientific processes.
Evolution
A series of gradual or rapid changes, some regular, some random, that account for the present form and function of phenomena both living and nonliving.
