Download Good Ol` Science Vocabulary

Key Science Vocabulary
Scientific Inquiry
1. science-- the systematic study of everything
2. scientific method--a system for solving problems or questions
3. P.H.E.O.C.S--problem – hypothesis – experiment – observe – conclusion – share
4. Problem--A question the experiment should answer
5. Hypothesis—an educated guess or testable ‘If/Then’ prediction for an experiment
6. Experiment--the science activity that tests the hypothesis
7. Observe--to gather information using the 6 senses (common sense, sight, smell, taste, hearing, touch)
8. Conclusion --the summary of the experiment
9. Share--presenting your inferences about the experiment (an inference= tell what happened and why
you think it happened)
10. property-- a characteristic used to describe something
11. quantitative observation--(QN) to gather information that uses numbers or measurement
(6 legs, 23 centimeters) (N for ‘number’)
12. qualitative observation--(QL) to gather information that does NOT use numbers or
measurement (blue sky, scaly skin) (L for ‘love’)
13. inference-- Explain what happened (using facts based on data) and why you think it happened
(giving your opinion based on data)
14. variable--something that changes
15. independent variable--(I.V.) the ONE (and only one) change you test in an experiment
16. dependent variable--(D.V.) what we measure during an experiment; It changes ‘depending on’
the independent variable
17. experimental control--things that are kept the same so the experiment is ‘fair’
18. control group--the group tested without the independent variable
Key Science Vocabulary
Graphing
19. data-- recorded information
20. x-axis-- horizontal axis (independent variable)
21. y-axis-- vertical axis (dependent variable)
22. range—the difference between the largest data value, and the smallest data value
23. scale-- the spread of data beginning with zero
24. interval-- the value of each square (what you’re counting by)
25. bar graph-- a chart that compares groups of data using bars
26. line graph-- a chart that connects data points; often used to show change over time
Key Science Vocabulary
Measurement Terms
27. metric system--the worldwide system of measurement; based on powers of 10
28. linear--along a line (straight or curved)
29. meter-- the base metric unit of linear measurement (m)
30. centi--prefix, 1/100; (centimeter, one hundredth of a meter)
31. milli--prefix; 1/1000; (milliliter, one thousandth of a liter)
32. kilo--prefix; 1000, one thousand (kilometer, 1,000 meters)
33. matter-- ‘stuff’ that has physical properties
34. mass-- the amount of matter in an object has (not the same as weight)
35. gram-- the base metric unit of mass (g)
36. weight--how much gravity pulls on an object’s mass
37. volume-- the amount of space an object takes up (the size of an object as it appears visually)
38. liter-- the base metric unit of volume (l)
39. meniscus-- the curved surface of a liquid (we read the bottom of the meniscus)
40. density—how much mass is contained in a certain volume; mass divided by volume;
(‘the broken
heart) (the density of water is 1 gram per milliliter 1g/ml)
41. temperature-- the amount of movement (energy) of the particles in a substance (particles that
move fast are ‘hot’)
42. Celsius-- the metric scale for measuring temperature; water freezes at 0o and boils at 100o
Key Science Vocabulary
Physics Terms
43. physics-- the study of motion, forces, and energy
44. energy-- the ability to do work or cause change
45. potential energy-- stored energy that can be released later
46. kinetic energy-- the energy a mass has due to its motion
47. force-- a push or pull on an object
48. work--applying a force that causes an object to move
49. load--the object that a force is applied to
50. motion-- a change in position over time
51. inertia-- the tendency of a mass to resist changes in motion (objects with greater mass have greater
inertia)
52. friction-- a force that resists motion (caused when objects are in contact with each other)
53. speed-- how far something moves over time (distance divided by time; m/sec, km/hr )
54. velocity--speed and direction
55. momentum—mass times velocity momentum = m·v
56. acceleration--a change in velocity (a=Δv)
57. gravity-- the force of attraction between two objects (greater mass means stronger gravity; closer
objects means stronger gravity)
58. center of gravity-- the point in an object where there is equal mass in each opposite
direction. (also called the center of mass or the center balance of an object)
59. Newton’s First Law of Motion-- an object at rest stays at rest; an object in motion stays
in motion---unless acted upon by an unbalanced force; this is inertia
60. Newton’s Second Law of Motion-- Force = mass x acceleration F = ma
61. Newton’s Third Law of Motion-- for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction
62. energy transfer-- energy moving from high energy to lower energy (hot to cold; fast to slow)
63. energy conversion--one kind of energy changing into another kind of energy (electricity turning
into light)
Chemistry Terms
64.
chemistry-- the study of matter, its properties, interactions, and composition
65.
solid-- the state of matter that has a definite shape and volume
66.
liquid-- the state of matter that does not have a definite shape but does have a definite
volume
67.
gas-- the state of matter that does not have a definite shape or volume
68.
interface-- a boundary between two different substances
69.
physical property-- any characteristic of a substance that can be observed using the
senses
70.
physical change-- a change in the size, shape or state of matter (the original substance
remains the same)(water freezing into ice the original substance remains the same; it is still water)
71.
melting-- when a solid changes into a liquid
72.
freezing-- when a liquid changes into a solid
73.
evaporation-- when a liquid changes into a gas
74.
boiling-- when a liquid quickly changes into a gas
75.
condensation-- when a gas changes into a liquid
76.
solidification-- when any other state of matter changes into a solid
77.
liquefaction-- when any other state of matter changes into a liquid
78.
vaporization-- when any other state of matter changes into a gas (vapor is another word for
gas)
79.
sublimation-- when a gas changes directly into a solid or when a solid changes directly
into a gas (without going into a liquid state)
80.
chemical-- a substance with unique properties (bleach, salt, & water)
81.
chemical property-- a characteristic of a substance that describes how it behaves in a
chemical reaction (only discovered through a chemical reaction)
82.
chemical reaction (change)-- a change that results in a new chemical or chemicals (the
original substance(s) is changed into something new)
84.
reactant-- a chemical that is present when the chemical reaction begins (like an ingredient)
product-- a new substance (chemical) present at the end of a chemical reaction
85.
solution—the liquid formed when one substance is mixed completely with another
86.
solute-- the part of a solution that is dissolved (smaller amount/usually a solid)
87.
solvent-- the part of the solution that does the dissolving (larger amount/liquid)
88.
mixture-- any solution that can be easily separated (by screen, filter, evaporation etc.)
89.
element-- a pure substance made of only one kind of atom (approx. 92 natural elements)
90.
compound-- a substance made up of two or more different elements (water - H2O
83.
- is made of
hydrogen and oxygen)
91.
atom-- the smallest particle of an element that still has all the properties of that element
92.
molecule-- molecules are made up of two or more atoms (the smallest amount of a compound that
still has all the properties of the compound)
93.
nucleus-- the central part of an atom made up of protons and neutrons
94.
proton-- positively charged particle of the atom found in the nucleus (each positively charged
proton attracts 1 negatively charged electron)
95.
neutron-- particle of the atom with no charge found in the nucleus
96.
electron-- negatively charged particle of the atom found circling the nucleus (each
negatively charged electron is attracted by 1 positively charged proton)
97.
electron cloud-- is the area around the atom’s nucleus where the electrons are found
(also called: orbital, or energy level)
98.
periodic table-- a chart of all the known elements: it gives information about the atoms
of the different elements
99.
chemical symbol-- an abbreviation that represents each of the known elements on the
periodic table and is used in chemical formulas (C - carbon, Fe - iron)
100.
chemical formula-- a description of a compound using chemical symbols and numbers
(water’s chemical formula is H2O meaning 2 atoms of hydrogen and 1 atom of oxygen, glucose C6H12O6)
101.
atomic number-- the number of protons in an atom
102.
mass number (atomic mass)-- total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an
atom