Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
SCIENCE VOCABULARY Fifth Grade SCIENCE INQUIRY Balance – A tool that measures the amount of matter in an object (the object’s mass.) Experiment – A procedure carried out under controlled conditions to test a hypothesis. Inquiry – An organized way to gather information and answer questions. Investigation – A procedure carried out to gather data about an object or event. Microscope – A tool that makes small objects appear larger. Scientific method – A series of steps that scientists use when performing an experiment. MATTER Density – The measure of how closely packed matter is in an object. Gas – The state of matter that does not have a definite shape or volume. Liquid – The state of matter that has a definite volume but no definite shape. Mass – The amount of matter in an object. Matter – Anything that has mass and takes up space. Mixture – A blending of two types of matter that are not chemically combined. Solid – The state of matter that has a definite shape and a definite volume. Solubility – The measure of how much of a material will dissolve in another material. Solution – A uniform mixture of two or more substances in a single state of matter. State of matter – One of the three forms (solid, liquid, and gas) that matter can exist in. Suspension – A kind of mixture in which particles of one ingredient are floating in another ingredient. Volume – The amount of space an object takes up. Atom – The smallest unit of an element that has all the properties of that element. 1 Change of state – A physical change that occurs when matter changes from one state to another, such as from a liquid to a gas. Chemical change – A reaction or change in a substance, produced by chemical means, that results in a different substance. Chemical property – A property that involves how a substance interacts with other substances. Chemical reaction – A chemical change. Compound – A substance made of two or more different elements. Element – A substance made up of only one atom. Matter – Anything that has mass and takes up space. Physical change – A change in matter from one form to another that doesn’t result in a different substance. Physical property – A property that involves a substance by itself. ENERGY Chemical energy – Energy that can be released by a chemical reaction. Conduction – The transfer of heat from one object directly to another. Conservation – The use of less of something to make the supply last longer. Convection – The transfer of heat through the movement of a gas or a liquid. Electric energy – Energy that comes from an electric current. Energy – The ability to cause changes in matter. Energy transfer – Movement of energy from one place or object to another. Fossil – The remains or traces of past life, found in sedimentary rock. Heat – The transfer of thermal energy between objects with different temperatures. Kinetic energy – The energy of motion. Light – Radiation that we can see. Mechanical energy – The combination of all the kinetic and potential energy that something has. 2 Nonrenewable resource – A resource that, once used, cannot be replaced in a reasonable amount of time. Pollution – Anything that dirties or harms the environment. Potential energy – The energy an object has because of its condition or position. Radiation – The transfer of energy by means of waves that move through matter and space. Reflection – The bouncing of heat or light off an object. Renewable resource – A resource that can be replaced within a reasonable amount of time. Solar energy – Energy that comes from the sun. System – A group of separate elements that work together to accomplish something. FORCE AND MOTION Balanced forces – Forces that act on an object but cancel each other out. Buoyant force – The upward force exerted on an object by water. Force – A push or a pull that causes an object to move, stop, or change directions. Friction – A force that opposes motion. Fulcrum – The balance point on a lever that supports the arm but does not move. Gravitational force – The pull of all objects in the universe on one another. Gravity – The force of attraction between objects. Inclined plane – A ramp or another sloping surface. Lever – A bar that makes it easier to move things. Magnetism – The force produced by a magnet. Net force – The combination of all the forces acting on an object. Pulley – A wheel with a rope that lets you change the direction in which you move an object. Simple machine – A device that makes a task easier by changing the size or direction of a force or the distance over which the force acts. Unbalanced forces – Forces that act on an object and don’t cancel each other out; unbalanced forces cause a change in motion. 3 Wheel-and-axle – A wheel with a rod, or axle, in the center. Work – The use of a force to move an object through a distance. Acceleration – The rate at which velocity changes. Frequency – The number of vibrations per second. Inertia – The property of matter that keeps it at rest or moving in a straight line. Pitch – A measurement of how high or low a sound is. Position – The location of an object in space. Speed – The distance an object travels in a certain amount of time. Velocity – A measure of an object’s speed in a particular direction. Vibration – A back-and-forth movement of matter. Volume – A measurement of how soft or loud a sound is. EARTH Deposition – The process in which sediment settles out of water or is dropped by wind. Erosion – The process of moving sediment by wind, moving water, or ice. Hardness – A mineral’s ability to resist being scratched. Igneous rocks – Rocks that form when melted rock cools and hardens. Luster – The way a mineral’s surface reflects light. Metamorphic rock – Rocks formed when high heat and great pressure change existing rocks into a new form. Mineral – A naturally occurring, nonliving solid that has a specific chemical makeup and a repeating structure. Rock – A natural substance made of one or more minerals. Rock cycle – The continuous process in which one type of rock changes into another type. Sedimentary rocks – Rocks formed when sediments are cemented together. Streak – The color of the powder left behind when you rub a mineral against a rough white tile or a streak plate. 4 Weathering – The process of wearing away rocks by natural processes. Delta – An area of new land at the mouth of a river, formed from sediments carried by the river. Earthquake – A movement of the ground, caused by a sudden release of energy in Earth’s crust. Epicenter – The point on Earth’s surface directly above the focus of an earthquake. Fault – A break in Earth’s crust. Glacier – A large, thick sheet of ice. Landform – A natural land shape or feature. Lava –. Molten (melted) rock that reaches Earth’s surface. Magma - Molten (melted) rock beneath Earth’s surface. Plate – A section of Earth’s crust and mantle that fits together with other sections like puzzle pieces. Sand dune – A hill of sand, made and shaped by wind. Sinkhole – A large hole formed when the roof of a cave collapses. Topography – All the kinds of landforms in a certain place. Volcano – A mountain made of lava, ash, or other materials from eruptions that occur at an opening in Earth’s crust. Air mass – A large body of air that has the same temperature and humidity throughout. Air pressure – The weight of the atmosphere pressing down on Earth. Atmosphere – The blanket of air surrounding Earth. Climate – The pattern of weather an area experiences over a long period of time. Condensation – The process of a gas changing into a liquid. Evaporation – The process of a liquid changing into a gas. Front – The border where two air masses meet. Humidity – A measurement of the amount of water vapor in the air. 5 Local winds – Movements of air that result from local changes in temperature. Precipitation – Water that falls from the air to Earth. Prevailing winds – Global winds that blow constantly from the same direction. Troposphere – The layer of air closest to Earth’s surface. Water cycle – The process in which water continuously moves from Earth’s surface into the atmosphere and back again. SPACE Axis – An imaginary line that passes through Earth’s center and its North and South Poles. Constellation – A pattern of stars, named after a mythological or religious figure, an object, or an animal. Crater – A bowl-shaped, low area on the surface of a planet or moon. Eclipse – An event that occurs when one object in space passes through the shadow of another object in space. Equator – An imaginary line around Earth equally distant from the North and South Poles. Galaxy – A grouping of gas, dust, and many stars, plus any objects that orbit those stars. Moon – Any natural body that revolves around a planet. Moon phase – One of the shapes the moon seems to have as it orbits the Earth. Orbit – The path one body takes in space as it revolves around another body. Planet – A body that revolves around a star. Refraction – The bending of light. Revolve – To travel in a closed path. Rotate – To spin on an axis. Solar system – A star and all the planets and other objects that revolve around it. Star – A huge ball of very hot gases in space. Sun – The star at the center of our solar system. Universe – Everything that exists, including such things as stars, planets, gas, dust, and energy. 6 LIFE Cell – The basic unit of structure and function of living things. Cell membrane – The thin covering that surrounds every cell. Circulatory system – The organ system – made up of the heart, blood vessels, and bloodthat transports materials throughout the body. Cytoplasm – The jellylike material inside a cell between the cell membrane and the nucleus. Digestive system – The organ system that turns food into nutrients that body cells need for energy, growth, and repair. Excretory system – The organ system, including the kidneys and bladder, that removes waste materials from the blood. Microscopic – Too small to be seen without using a microscope. Muscular system – The organ system that includes the muscles and allows the body to move. Nervous system – The organ system-including the brain, spinal cord, and nerves-that senses your surroundings and controls other organs. Nucleus – The part of a cell that directs all of the cells activities. Organ – A group of tissues that work together to perform a certain function. Organ system – A group of organs that work together to do a job for the body. Protist – A single-celled organism with a nucleus and organelles. Respiratory system – The organ system, including the lungs, that exchanges oxygen and carbon dioxide between the body and the environment. Skeletal system – The organ system, including the bones, that protects the body and gives it structure. Tissue – A group of cells that work together to perform a certain function. Chromosome – A threadlike structure in the nucleus, made up of DNA. Dominant trait – A Trait that appears even if an organism has only one factor for the trait. Environment – All the living and nonliving things that surround and affect an organism. Gene – The part of a chromosome that contains the DNA code for an inherited trait. Inherited trait – A characteristic passed from parents to their offspring. 7 Instinct – A behavior that an organism inherits. Learned behavior – A behavior that an animal acquires through experience. Life cycle – The stages that a living thing passes through as it grows and changes. Mitosis – The process by which most cells divide. Recessive trait – A trait that appears only if an organism has two factors for the trait. ENVIRONMENT Carnivore – An animal that eats other animals; also called a second-level consumer. Chlorophyll – A green pigment that allows a plant to absorb the sun’s light energy. Consumer – An animal that eats plants, animals, or both. Decomposer – A consumer that obtains food energy by breaking down the remains of dead plants and animals. Ecosystem – A community of organisms and the environment in which they live. Energy pyramid – A diagram that shows how much food energy is passed from each level in a food chain to the next. Food chain – The transfer of food energy between organisms in an ecosystem. Food web – A diagram that shows the relationships between different food chains in an ecosystem. Herbivore – An animal that eats only producers. Photosynthesis – The process in which plants make food by using water from the soil, carbon dioxide from the air, and energy from sunlight. Producer – A living thing, such as a plant, that makes its own food. Transpiration – The loss of water from a leaf through the stomach. Acid rain – A mixture of rain and acids that falls to Earth from air pollutions. Adaptation – A trait or characteristic that helps an organism survive. Community - A group of populations that live together. Competition – A kind of contest among populations that need to get a certain amount of food, water, and shelter to survive. 8 Conservation – The practice of saving resources. Extinction – The death of all the organisms of a species. Habitat – An area where an organism can find everything it needs to survive. Pollution – A waste product that damages an ecosystem. Population – A group of organisms of one kind that live in one location. Predator – An animal that kills and eats other animals. Prey – An animal that is eaten by a predator. Reclamation – The process of cleaning and restoring a damaged ecosystem. Succession – A gradual change in the kinds of organisms living in an ecosystem. Symbiosis – A relationship between different kinds of organisms. 9