Download the scientific method

THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Constant- something that a scientist makes sure to keep the
same during an experiment
Variable- something that a scientist changes during an
experiment
Question- what you are trying to find out in an experiment
Hypothesis- what you predict will happen in an experiment
Materials- all the equipment and supplies you need to do an
experiment
Procedure- a detailed description of everything you did in an
experiment
Observations- what you notice while conducting the experiment
1- comments (your words)
2- data (measurements)
Conclusion- what you discovered or learned by doing the
Experiment
THE ROCK CYCLE
rock- a non-living solid made up of a mixture of minerals
mineral- a naturally occurring, non-living solid that has a
specific makeup and a crystalline (pattern)
streak-
the color of the powder left behind when you rub a
mineral against a streak plate
luster-
the way a mineral’s surface reflects light
hardness- a mineral’s ability to resist being scratched (how
hard it is)
igneous rock-
rocks that form when melted rock cools and
hardens
deposition-
the process in which sediment settles out of
water or is dropped by wind
sedimentary rocks- rocks formed when sediments are
cemented together
metamorphic rocks- rocks formed when high HEAT and great
PRESSURE CHANGE existing rocks into a
new form.
weathering-
the process of breaking down and
wearing away rocks by natural processes
(wind, water)
erosion-
the process of wearing away and moving
sediment by wind, moving water, or ice
The Rock Cycle-
the continuous process in which one type
of rock changes into another type.
CHANGES TO EARTH’S SURFACE- ch. 7
landform-
a natural land shape or feature
(Example: mountain, hill)
topography-
ALL the kinds of landforms in a certain place
glacier-
a large, thick sheet of ice
sand dune-
a hill of sand, made and shaped by wind
moraine-
a long, low hill formed by materials carried by a
glacier
delta-
a new area of land at the mouth of a river
formed from sediments carried from the river
sinkhole-
a large hole formed when the roof of a cave
collapses
plates-
blocks of crust and upper mantle rock that fit
together like puzzle pieces
earthquakes-
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 (where the ground breaks in an
earthquake)
fault-
a break in Earth's crust
magma-
melted (also called molten) rock beneath
Earth's surface
lava-
melted (molten) rock that reaches Earth's
surface
volcano-
a mountain made of lava, ash, or other stuff
from eruptions
hot spot-
a hot column of magma under the ground
WEATHER & CLIMATE
atmosphere-
the blanket of air that surrounds Earth
troposphere-
the layer of air CLOSEST to Earth’s surface
air pressure-
the weight of the atmosphere pressing down on
Earth.
local wind-
movements of air that result from local (nearby)
changes in temperature
prevailing winds-
global winds that blow constantly from the
same direction
water cycle-
the process in which water continuously moves
from Earth’s surface into the atmosphere and
back again
evaporation-
the process of a liquid changing into a gas
condensation- when a gas turns to a liquid
humidity-
a measurement of the amount of water vapor in
the air
precipitation-
water that falls from the air to the Earth
air mass-
a large body of air that has the same
temperature and humidity throughout
front-
the border where two air masses meet
climate-
the pattern of weather an area experiences
over a long period of time
EARTH, MOON & BEYOND
sun-
a star at the center of the solar system
axis-
an imaginary line that passes through Earth’s center
and the North and South poles
rotates-
to spin on an axis
revolves- to travel in a circle around something
orbit-
the path something takes when it revolves
equator- an imaginary line around Earth equally distant from
the North and South poles
moon-
any natural body that revolves around a planet
crater-
a bowl-shaped, low area on the surface of a planet or
moon
moon phase-
eclipse-
one of the shapes the moon seems to have as it
orbits Earth
an event that occurs when one object in space
passes through the shadow of another object in
space.
refractionstar-
the bending of light
a huge ball of very hot gases in space
solar system-
a giant star and all the planets (and other
objects) that revolve around it
constellation-
a pattern of stars, named after a mythological
figure, an object, or an animal
planet-
a body that revolves around a star
galaxy-
a grouping of gas, dust, and many stars, plus any
objects that orbit those stars
universe- EVERYTHING that exists (including stars, planets,
gas, dust, and energy). It goes on forever and ever.
ENERGY AND ECOSYSTEMS
transpiration-
the loss of water from a leaf through the
stomata
photosynthesisthe process in which plants make food by
using water from the soil, carbon dioxide
from the air, and energy from sunlight.
chlorophyll-
a green pigment (color) that allows a plant to
absorb the sun’s light energy
producers -
a living thing, such as a plant, that makes its
own food inside itself.
consumers-
an animal that eats plants, other animals, or
both
ecosystem-
a community of organisms (living things) and
the environment in which they live.
herbivore-
an animal that eats only plants (producers)
carnivore-
an animal that eats other animals
(examples: bear, shark, human, lion)
food chain-
the transfer of food energy between organisms
in an ecosystem
decomposer-
a consumer that obtains food energy by
BREAKING DOWN the remains of dead plants.
food web-
a diagram that shows the relationships
between different food chains in an ecosystem
energy pyramid-
shows how much food energy is passed
from each level in a food chain
ECOSYSTEMS AND CHANGE
population-
a group of organisms of one kind that live in one
location
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.
adaptation-
a trait or characteristic that helps an organism
survive
symbiosis-
a relationship between different kinds of
organisms
predator-
an animal that kills and eats other animals
prey-
an animal that is eaten by a predator
succession-
a gradual change in the kinds of organisms
living in an ecosystem
extinction-
the death of all the organisms of a species
pollution-
anything that dirties or harms the environment
acid rain-
a mixture that falls to Earth; it is made of rain
and acids from air pollution
habitat-
an area where an organism can find everything
it needs to survive
conservation-
using less of something to make the supply last
longer
reclamation-
the process of cleaning and restoring a
damaged ecosystem
MATTER AND ITS
PROPERTIES
matter-
anything that has mass and takes up space
mass-
the amount of matter in an object
volume-
the amount of space an object takes up
density-
the measure of how closely packed matter is in
an object
state of matter- one of 3 forms (solid, liquid, and gas) that
matter can exist in
solid-
the state of matter that has a definite shape and
a definite volume
liquid-
the state of matter that has a definite volume
but no definite shape
gas-
the state of matter that does not have a definite
shape or volume
mixture-
a blending of two types of matter that are not
chemically combined—they can be separated
solution-
a uniform mixture of two or more substances in
a single state of matter
solubility-
the measure of how much of a material will
dissolve in another material
suspension-
a kind of mixture in which particles of one
ingredient are held floating in another
ingredient
CHANGES IN MATTER
atom-
the smallest unit of an element
molecule-
made up of 2 or more atoms joined together
element-
a substance made up of only one KIND of atom
change of state-
a physical change when matter changes
from one state to another
physical change-
a change in matter that does NOT result in
a different substance
physical property-
a property that describes a substance by
itself (color, shape, etc.)
chemical change-
a reaction (or change) in a substance
produced by chemical means, that results
in a DIFFERENT substance—it cannot go
back to the way it used to be.
chemical property-
a property that involves how a substance
interacts with other substances
chemical reaction-
another word for “chemical change”
compound-
a substance made of two or more different
elements (combined together)
ENERGY
energy-
the ability to cause change in matter
kinetic energy-
the energy of motion (movement)
potential energy-
the energy an object has because of its
position (stored energy)
energy transfer-
movement of energy from one place to
another
solar energy-
energy from the SUN
light-
radiation that we can see
mechanical energy- the combination of all the kinetic and
potential energy that something has
chemical energy-
energy that is released by a chemical
reaction
electric energy-
energy that comes form an electric
current
heat-
the transfer of thermal energy between
objects with different temperatures
system-
a group of separate elements that work
together to accomplish something
conduction-
the transfer of heat from SOLID to SOLID
convection-
the transfer of heat through the movement
of a GAS or LIQUID
radiation-
the transfer of energy be means of waves
that move through matter and space
reflection-
the bouncing of heat or light off an object
fossil-
the remains or traces of past life, found in
sedimentary rocks
resource-
any material that can be used to satisfy a
need
renewable resource- a resource that can be replaced within a
reasonable amount of time
nonrenewable resource- a resource that, once used, cannot
be replaced in a reasonable amount of
time