MTTC: Science Flashcards
1
Q
acceleration
A
how quickly an object changes velocity
2
Q
acid
A
a compound that is able to contribute a hydrogen ion and has. pH lower than 7
3
Q
adaptations
A
adjustments to the environment
4
Q
agrology
A
the study of the relationship between soil and agriculture
5
Q
amphibians
A
a class of cold-blooded vertebrate animals that have gills when they hatch but develop lungs in adulthood
6
Q
anatomy
A
the study of the structure of living organisms
7
Q
asexual
A
does not require the union of sex cells to reproduce
8
Q
asteroid
A
a large rocky body, smaller than a planet, that orbits the sun
9
Q
atmosphere
A
the mass of gases that surround Earth
10
Q
atom
A
the smallest particle of a chemical element that retains the properties of the element
11
Q
atomic mass
A
the mass of an atom calculated by adding the number of protons and neutrons
12
Q
atomic number
A
the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom
13
Q
attraction
A
a force that draws objects closer
14
Q
base
A
a compound that is able to contribute a hydroxide ion and has a pH greater than 7
15
Q
biomass
A
plant-based fuel, usually burned, for generating heat, steam, or electricity
16
Q
biomes
A
large geographic areas that provide the environment condition in which certain organisms live
17
Q
black holes
A
a massive star that has collapsed and has a gravitational force so strong that light cannot escape
18
Q
cell
A
the smallest living part of an organism
19
Q
cell division
A
the separation of a cell into two cells with identical genes
20
Q
cell membrane
A
the outer covering of a cell
21
Q
chemical change
A
making of breaking chemical bonds between atoms in a chemical reaction
22
Q
classification
A
sorting according to characteristics
23
Q
climate
A
an area’s weather conditions over time
24
Q
combustion
A
a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide and water, usually from the burning of fuels
25
comet
a small object made of ice and dust that orbits the sun
26
communities
interdependent organisms living together in a habitat
27
compound
a combination of two or more elements
28
conclusions
inferences based on data collected in an experiment
29
condensation
the process when water vapor in the air comes in contact with a cold surface and turns into liquid water
30
conduction
the transfer of heat through physical contact
31
conductivity
a property that determines how well a material conducts electricity and heat
32
connections
linking prior knowledge with new information
33
conservation
protecting the environment and natural resources
34
controls
the parts of an experiment that stay the same
35
convection
transfer of heat that occurs in a circular motion caused by heat rising and cold sinking
36
core
the layer at the center of the earth
37
covalent bonding
a chemical bond in which electrons are shared
38
data presentation
an organized display of data
39
density
a property of matter that can be determined by dividing mass by volume
40
dependent variable
part of an experiment that responds to, or depends on, the independent variable
41
deposition
the laying down of sediment in a new location
42
disciplines
areas of science
43
DNA
deocyribonucleic acid (carries genetic information)
44
Doppler Effect
the change in wavelength when waves are compressed as an object approaches an observer and spread out as the object moves away from the observer
45
Earth system
the interaction of all physical, chemical, and biological components
46
earthquake
breaking of rock below the surface that releases energy
47
eclipse
when Earth, the moon, and sun, align so that light from one object is blocked
48
ecosystem
a community of organisms and their interaction with each other and the environment
49
edaphology
the study of how soils affect living things, especially plants
50
electricity
the energy of moving electrons
51
electron
subatomic particle with a negative charge found outside the nucleus of an atom
52
elements
substances make of one type of atom
53
energy conservation
controlling energy consumption
54
equilibrium
a state of balance
55
erosion
the movement of sediments from one place to another
56
evaporation
the process of changing from a liquid to a gas
57
evolution
the progressive changes of living things throughout Earth's history
58
experimental design
an experiment that includes an objective, standard protocols, a control group, and independent and dependent variables
59
experimental error
mistakes made during an experiment caused by limitations of the equipment or external influences
60
food chain
producers, consumers, predators, and decomposers that live interdependently in an ecosystem
61
force
any push or pull on an object
62
fossil fuels
nonrenewable fuels made from organisms that lived millions of years ago
63
friction
the force of one object resisting another
64
function
the activity of a part of an organism
65
geology
the study of Earth
66
geothermal
converting heat from below the earth's surface to make steam
67
galaxy
a large system of stars, gas, and dust held together by gravity
68
generator
a device that transforms mechanical energy into electrical energy
69
genetic
hereditary
70
genetic disorder
a hereditary abnormality that creates a health condition
71
genus
the level of taxonomic classification that ranks above species
72
glacier
a large mass of slowly moving ice and snow
73
gravity
the attraction of one mass to another mass
74
greenhouse gases
gases that trap heat in the atmosphere
75
groundwater
water that is stored underground in rock layers called aquifers
76
homeostasis
regulation and stabilization of internal conditions
77
hurricane
a large, violent storm with winds greater than 74mph
78
hydrology
the study of water
79
hydropower
transforms the energy of moving water into mechanical energy and then electricity
80
hydrosphere
the water found on and below Earth's surface and in the atmosphere
81
hypothesis
an educated guess
82
icebergs
a large chunk of ice that has broken off from a continental glacier and is floating in the ocean
83
independent variables
part of an experiment that is manipulated to test the effect on the dependent variable
84
inheritance
a feature passed down from one generation to the next
85
inquiry
questioning
86
interdependence
two or more things that rely on each other
87
ionic bonding
a chemical bond that involves the attraction between two ions with unlike charges
88
kinetic energy
the energy of motion
89
kingdom
the highest level of taxonomic classification
90
laws
descriptions of scientific phenomenon
91
leaves
the part of a plant where photosynthesis takes place
92
life cycles
the stages of life in an organism
93
loudness
the amplitude of a sound wave
94
mammals
a class of warm-blooded vertebrate animals that have hair, give birth to live young, and produce milk
95
mantle
the layer of earth below the crust
96
mass
the amount of matter in an object
97
matter
any substance that takes up space and has mass
98
measurement tools
equipment used to collect data
99
mechanics
the science of energy and force
100
medical technology
research and development for improving patient care
101
medicine
pharmaceuticals used to treat or prevent medical conditions
102
meteorlogy
the study of the atmosphere and weather
103
mixtures
two or more substances combined without a chemical reaction to bond them
104
models
representations of the real world
105
molecules
two or more atoms bonded together
106
moon
a large body that orbits a planet
107
mutation
a change in genetic information that may be passed on to future generations
108
natural selection
Darwin's theory that living things that adapt to their environment have a higher survival rate and produce more offspring
109
neutralization
a chemical reaction that occurs when an acid and a base react to form a salt and water
110
neutron
subatomic particle with no charge found within the nucleus of an atom
111
Newton's First Law of Motion
an object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion, unless a force acts on it
112
Newton's Second Law of Motion
force equals mass multiplied by acceleration; F=ma
113
Newton's Third Law of Motion
for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction
114
nonrenewable resources
resources that take millions of years to replenish (oil, natural gas, and coal)
115
nuclear power
energy stored in large atoms that is released when large atoms are broken into smaller atoms
116
nucleus
the center of a cell that contains DNA
117
oceanography
the study of oceans
118
optics
the study of light
119
organ
a body part that serves an important function in a system
120
organ systems
groups of organs that work together to perform one or more functions
121
organism
a living thing
122
oxidation
a chemical change in which a substance loses electrons
123
paleontology
the study of the history of life through fossils
124
parasitism
a relationship between two organisms when one organism benefits to the detriment of the other
125
pedology
the study of soils in their natural environment
126
the periodic table
a table of chemical elements listed in order by atomic number
127
pH scale
a standard measure of acidity or alkalinity where 7 is neutral
128
photosynthesis
the process by which energy from sunlight is used to make food (glucose) from carbon dioxide and water
129
physical change
change in a substance that does not change the composition of the substance
130
physiology
the study of the functions of living organisms
131
pitch
the frequency of vibrations
132
planet
a large body in space that orbits a star
133
plants
a kingdom or organisms that make food using photosynthesis
134
plate tectonics
a theory that Earth is made of large crustal plates that move over its surface
135
polar ice
regions at the North and South Poles covered in ice
136
poles
the ends of a magnet
137
populations
a group of organisms of the same species
138
potential energy
the amount of energy of an object due to its position
139
precipitation
any form of water that falls from the sky
140
predators
animals that kill other animals for food
141
prey
an organism that is hunted and killed for food
142
property
a characteristic
143
protons
subatomic particle with a positive electric charge found within the nucleus of an atom
144
radiation
transfer of heat without a medium
145
reflection
to change the direction of a wave by bouncing the wave off a surface
146
refraction
the bending of a wave as the wave travels through different media
147
reliability
the extent to which the results remain the same if an experiment is repeated
148
renewable resources
resources that replenish quickly
149
reproduction
the process of making a copy
150
reptiles
a class of cold-blooded vertebrates that have scales and lay eggs on land
151
repulsion
a force that pushes objects away
152
results
outcomes
153
rock record
a biological history of earth recorded in rocks
154
roots
the part of a plant that absorbs water and nutrients from the soil
155
sexual
requires the union of gametes (sex cells) to reproduce
156
solar energy
converts energy from the sun into electricity
157
solar system
a system that includes a star or stars, along with planets, moons, asteroids, meteoroids, and comets, that is held together by gravity
158
solubility
the amount of a solute that will dissolve in a solvent
159
solution
the answer to a problem
160
solutions
a mixture that is evenly distributed and thorougly dissolved
161
species
the most specific level of taxonomic classification in which organisms with similar genetics can breed
162
speed
distance divided by time
163
stars
large masses of gas
164
stem
the main stalk of a plant that carries the nutrients and water from the roots to other parts of the plant
165
structure
the organization of a part of an organism
166
sun
the star in our solar system
167
territoriality
animal behavior of defending a specific area
168
theories
principles explained by science
169
tides
the movement of large bodies of water caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun
170
tissue
groups of cells that have a similar function
171
traits
characteristics
172
units of measurement
nonstandard, metric, and us customary are systems of measurement; science uses the metric system
173
velocity
the rate at which an object changes position; change of distance divided by change of time
174
volcanoes
vents in Earth's crust that allow molten rock to reach the surface
175
water cycle
the circulation of water throughout Earth's surface, atmosphere, and hydrosphere
176
wave
a pulse of energy
177
weather
daily atmospheric conditions
178
weathering
the mechanical and/or chemical process by which rocks break down
179
weight
the force of the gravitational pull on an object
180
wind energy
energy from the wind is transformed into mechanical energy and then electricity
