VOCAB Flashcards
altimeter
an instrument that uses air pressure to record height, such as the height of a plane
anemometer
an instrument to measure wind speed
angiosperm
a group of plants that produce seeds enclosed within an ovary, which may mature into a fruit
annuals
plants that die after one growing season
asexual reproduction
reproduction involving only one parent
atmosphere
the earth’s atmosphere is primarily nitrogen and oxygen
aurora borealis (northern lights)
light emission from the upper atmosphere that appears in many shapes and colors
bacillus
a rod-shaped bacteria
blood
fluid that circulates throughout the body of an animal, distributing nutrients, usually oxygen
california current
a dry, north wind in late spring, summer, and early fall in north and central ca
canopy
a layer of tree branches and other vegetation elevated above the ground
co2
a colorless, odorless gas that is important in the earth’s atmospheric greenhouse effect. frozen co2 is dry ice
carcinogen
a substance that can lead to cancer
carcinoma
a malignant tumor, which forms in the skin and outside of the internal organs
carnivore
an organism that eats meat, which includes animals, fungi, and plants
ceilometer
an instrument that measures cloud height
cell
the fundamental unit of life. the cell consists of an outer plasma membrane, the cytoplasm, and genetic material (DNA)
celcius
a temperature scale in which water freezes at 0c and boils at 100c
chemotherapy
a cancer treatment that includes chemicals toxic to malignant cells
chinook wind
a warm, dry wind on the eastern side of the rocky mountains
chlorophyll
the green substance that absorbs light during photosynthesis
chromosome
a single DNA molecule, a tightly coiled strand of DNA, condensed into a compact structure
clone
an identical copy of a chromosome
cloud
a visible group of water or ice particles in the atmosphere
commensalism
a relationship between dissimilar organisms that is advantageous to one and doesn’t affect the other
continental divide
in the US, the part of the western mountains that separates water flowing toward opposite sides of the country
convection
the movement up in the atmosphere of heated moisture. hot fluids rise. thunderstorms are often caused by convection
heat is transferred via solid material (conduction), liquids and gases (convection), and electromagnetical waves (radiation)
core
the portion of earth from beneath the mantle to the earth’s center
cross-pollination
fertilization of one plant by pollen from a different plant species
diabetes
a disease related to lowered levels of insulin
diploid cell
a cell with two copies of each chromosome
DNA
primary component of chromosomes that carry an organism’s genetic code
carries all the information about how a living thing will look and function
double helix
a term used to describe the coiling strands of DNA molecule that resembles a spiral staircase
ecology
the student of the interactions of organisms with their environment and with each other
ecosystem
all the organisms in an area and the environment in which they live
el nino
warming of pacific ocean seawater along the coast of South America that leads to significant weather changes in the US
embryo
the stage of cellular divisions that develops from a zygote
enzyme
a protein that aids biochemical reactions
epicenter
the place on the surface of the earth immediately above the focus of an earthquake
esophagus
the part of the gut that connects the pharynx and stomach
estuary
a place where fresh water and sea water mix
flower
the reproductive parts of flowering plants
fossil
evidence of past life
fruit
the part of flowering plants that contain seeds
gamete
reproductive haploid cells that combine to create a zygote
genus
the level of plant and animal between the species and the family
difference between genus and species is that genus is a lower classification level that lies below family and above species, whereas species is the fundamental category of closely related organisms that lies below the genus.
germination
the process by which seeds develop into seedlings
gill
the tissues aquatic animals use to breathe in the water
glucose
a simple sugar and a product of photosynthesis
gut
the part of the body cavity between the mouth and anus including in most animals the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, intestine, and the anus
haploid cell
a cell with one set of chromosomes, which is half the regular (diploid) number
heart
a muscle that pumps to circulate the blood
herbivore
an organism that relies primarily on plants for food
hypothesis
a preliminary proposition that can be tested through scientific study
insulin
a hormone needed to transport glucose to cells
interferon
small proteins that stimulate viral resistance in cells
intestine
the digestive tract between the stomach and anus where most nutrients are absorbed
isotope
atoms of the same chemical element with a different number of neutrons but the same number of protons and have the same atomic number but may not have the same mass
jet stream
strong upper wind currents in a narrow stream that flow west to east in the US. weather patterns are related to the position of the jet stream, which changes often
kelvin
a temperature scale in which 1 kelvin equals 1c. 0 kelvin is about -273c
0 kelvin is called absolute zero because there is no movement of molecules
knot
one nautical mile per hour or about 1.15 mph
larva
in the metamorphosis of insects, the larva becomes a pupa before it becomes an adult
lenticular cloud
an almond-shaped cloud usually seen on windy days
lipids
compounds that are fats and oils
magma
molten rock formed in the earth that may appear on the surface
mantle
the part of earth located between the crust and the core
marsupial
a mammal whose young crawl into its mother’s pouch to complete development
ex. kangaroos
meiosis
the process in which a diploid cell divides to form haploid cells
metamorphosis
in most amphibians, a process in which larva goes through significant changes, perhaps including a pupa stage, before becoming an adult
mirage
the phenomenon when refraction of light makes objects appear where they are not
mitosis
cell division consisting of prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase, that usually creates in two new nuclei, each with a full set of choromosomes
moraine
material deposited by a glacier and often marking a glacier’s furthest advance
nebula
an interstellar cloud of dust and gas
nerve
a bundle of neurons, or nerve cells
neuron
a cell that reacts to stimuli and transmits impulses consisting of a body with a nucleus and dendrites to receive and axons to transmit impulses
niche
an organism’s unique place in the environment
nimbostratus
a dark cloud, but not a thundercloud, that frequently produces rain
nucleus
an organelle in a cell that contains chromosomes
nymph
the larval stage of an aquatic insect
paleontology
study and interpretation of fossils
parasitism
a relationship between organisms in which one organism benefits and the other does not die, even though the second organism may be harmed
perennials
plants that live through more than one growing season
permafrost
soil beneath the earth’s surface that stays frozen throughout the year
phloem
the tissue in plants that conducts nutrients
phylum
a level of plant and animal classification between class and kingdom
placenta
a tissue in the uterus through which nutrients pass from the mother to the fetus
plankton
floating aquatic plants (phytoplankton) and animals (zooplankton)
plate tectonics
the movement of plates and the interaction across the earth’s surface to form land masses
pollination
movement of pollen to a plant egg cell, often by wind, bees, or other animals
pupa
in metamorphosis, the stage between the larva and adult
radiocarbon dating
a way to date organic substances based on the carbon-14 remaining
rainbow
light refracted through raindrops to form colors of a spectrum from red to blue
reef
a ridge built in water by organisms such as coral
seed
in plants, a seed includes the embryo
sonic boom
a loud noise caused by a shock wave when an object exceeds the speed of sound
summer solistice
when the sun is highest in the sky and directly above the Tropic of Cancer 23 1/2 degrees North Latitude
this date usually falls on june 22nd
tree rings
rings that show how many years a tree has been growing. the thickness of the rings may reveal other information about climatic conditions
vernal equinox
when the sun is directly over the equator. this date usually falls on march 20th
virga
precipitation that evaporates before it reaches the earth’s surface
weathering
the physical, chemical, and biological processes by which rock is broken down into smaller pieces
wind chill
the combined cooling effect of wind and temperature. higher wind chills indicate that a body will cool more quickly to the air temperature
gravitation
objects with mass attract one another
