Download Life and Earth Science Vocabulary 2015

EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCE VOCABULARY 2015
Renewable & Nonrenewable Resources &Conservation (4.7C); Fossil Fuels (5.7A); Alternative Energy Resources
(5.7C)
natural resources- resources found naturally on Earth that are useful to people
fossil fuels- formed from the remains of plants and animals buried in layers of sediment and subjected to heat and
pressure millions of years ago (coal, oil/petroleum, natural gas)
renewable resources- resources that can be replaced, renewed, or recycled (air, water, plants, & animals)
nonrenewable resources-resources that cannot be replaced within a life time; includes coal, oil, & natural gas
conservation- the practice of the careful use of natural resources in order to save them (reduce/reuse/recycle)
landfill- a system in which waste materials are buried under the ground
alternative energy- sources of energy other than fossil fuels & can be used to fulfill our energy needs
wind energy-uses moving air to spin turbines which generate electricity
solar energy- captures light energy from the sun with solar panels & can be used to produce electricity
geothermal energy - energy that comes from heat deep within the Earth; the heat is used to make steam to spin turbines &
generate electricity
hydroelectric energy - is created by collecting the energy of moving water as it falls over a dam
biofuels- fuels that come from organic matter- or materials that come from something that was once living (ex: ethanol-a
type of gasoline made from corn)
(5.10C) Life Cycles; Complete and Incomplete Metamorphosis
Life cycle: Stages of development of an organism as it grows into an adult
Metamorphosis: a change in the form as an organism grows into an adult
Stage: a period of growth or development
Molt: to lose the covering and replace it with new growth in the same place
Similar: almost the same
Exoskeleton: a hard supporting or protective structure (as of an insect, spider, or crustacean) on the outside of a body
Complete metamorphosis: occurs when an insect has 4 life stages (egg, larva, pupa, adult); the 4 stages of complete
metamorphosis are as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Egg: first stage in every insect’s life, it protects the developing insect until hatches
Larva: hatches from an egg, does not look like the adult, is worm-like, eats and grows rapidly
Pupa: the insect transforms inside the chrysalis and does not eat during this stage
Adult: the adult emerges from the pupa stage; the mature adult has the ability to reproduce offspring during this
stage
Incomplete metamorphosis: occurs when an insect has 3 life stages (egg, nymph, adult) the 3 stages are as follows:
1. Egg: first stage in every insect’s life, it protects the developing insect until hatches
2. Nymph: similar to adults only smaller and they lack wings, the nymph eats and grows rapidly, it sheds its
exoskeleton in a process called molting
3. Adult: the adult emerges from the last molting cycle, has ability to reproduce, adult insects usually have wings
Additional Information: Frogs go through metamorphosis as an egg, tadpole, froglet, and adult frog.
(5.9D) Carbon Dioxide-Oxygen Cycle
Cycle: a repeating series of events or actions
Carbon dioxide: a gas in the atmosphere that plants use during photosynthesis; animals exhale (breathe out) this gas
Oxygen: a gas in the atmosphere that people and animals use to breathe
Carbon dioxide-Oxygen cycle: a continuously occurring process whereby animals inhale oxygen and exhale carbon
dioxide and plants take in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen
Photosynthesis: the process in which plants use energy from the sun, chlorophyll, carbon dioxide and water to make their
own food
Survival: staying alive
(5.9B) Food Webs and Food Chains
Producers: green plants that use energy from the Sun to make their own food
Consumers: animals that eat other organisms and cannot produce their own food
Photosynthesis: the process in which plants use energy from the sun, chlorophyll, carbon dioxide and water to make their
own food
Herbivores: consumers that eat only plants
Carnivores: consumers that prey on other organisms and eat meat
Omnivores: consumers that eat both plants and animals
Decomposers: organisms such as bacteria or fungi that feed on decaying plant or animal matter and return nutrients to the
soil
Predators: animals that hunt other animals for food
Prey: animals that are hunted by predators
Food chain: the path of energy from the Sun to a producer to an animal to another animal
Food web: a group of overlapping food chains in an ecosystem
Transfer of energy: the passing of energy in a food chain or food web as one organism is consumed by another; the
original source of energy in a food web or food chain is the Sun; some energy is used up by an organism during growth,
movement or reproduction and is not available to its consumer
(5.9A) Ecosystems
Organism: living things such as people, animals, plants, bacteria
Survive: to continue to live
Ecosystem: all the populations of living and non-living things in an environment and the interactions among them; may be
as small as a puddle or as large as a rainforest
Habitat: a specific environment where organisms live; must meet the needs of organisms (food, water, shelter, correct
temperature, etc.)
Environment: the conditions that surround someone or something
Interaction: acting or coming together and having an effect on each other
Living: people, animals, plants, bacteria, or other organisms that can reproduce
Non-living: the elements of an environment that cannot reproduce such as climate, rocks, water, soil, and air
Species: a group of organisms that produce offspring like themselves
(5.9C) Effects of Changes to Ecosystems
Overpopulation: occurs when the population of a species exceeds the availability of resources that the ecosystem can
support
Pollution: the action or process of making land, air, water, etc. dirty and not safe or suitable to use
Destruction: the act or process of damaging something so badly that it no longer exists or cannot be repaired
Habitat loss: occurs when animals are displaced by man, over time, this can lead to endangered or extinct species
Balance: to make things equal or even
Grazers: animals that eat grass or other plants in a pasture or field such as horses, cattle, goats, etc.
Drought: a long period of time during which there is very little or no rain
Thrive: to grow or develop successfully
Perish: to die or be killed
(5.10A) Adaptations
Structure: refers to the form of a body part
Function: refers to the job the body part performs
Survive: to stay alive
Adaptations: certain body parts or behaviors that allow an organism to survive and thrive in their environment
Camouflage: an adaptation where a color or shape in the animal’s body covering helps it blend in with its environment
(5.10B) Inherited Traits and Learned Behaviors
Inherited traits: characteristics passed on from parents to offspring
Adaptations: certain body parts or behaviors that allow an organism to survive and thrive in their environment
Learned behaviors: behaviors that are learned, such as reading, dancing, performing tricks, riding a bicycle
Offspring: the young of person, plant, or animal
Hibernation: a state of deep sleep
Migration: the seasonal movement of animals from one place to another
Instinctive behaviors: behaviors that are inherited
Dormancy: a period in the life of an organism when growth and development temporarily stops
Acquired traits: traits that are developed during life and are NOT inherited such as scars, tattoos, piercings
Planet Order (3.8D); Characteristics of Sun, Earth, and Moon, and Patterns in Moon Phases and Tides (5.8C and
4.8C)
Sun: average sized star made of hot gases found at the center of our solar system
Earth: the only planet with life; Earth has an atmosphere, weather, and liquid water
Moon: Earth’s natural, rocky satellite; revolves/orbits the Earth in about 29½ days; reflects the light of the Sun
Asteroid belt: the area in space between Mars and Jupiter containing rocks and metal (separates inner & outer planets)
Feature: an interesting or important part; a characteristic
Atmosphere: a pocket of air or gases that surrounds a planet or star
Gravity: a force that pulls objects toward one another
Impact crater: a bowl-shaped depression in a surface made by the forceful strike (hit) of an object, such as a meteorite
Core: the center of a planet, star, or moon
Orbit: the path one object takes around another object in space (revolves/revolution)
Sequence: order or series of events
Tide: the continual rise (up) and fall (down) of water in seas and oceans caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon
Lunar cycle: the 29½ day process of the Moon appearing to change shape as it revolves around (orbits) the Earth
Memorize & practice order of planets!!!
My - Very - Eager - Mother - Just - Served - Us – Nachos
In order from Sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, (Asteroid Belt) Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
Day and Night Cycle and Patterns in Shadows and Seasons
Rotation: the spinning of a planet or moon on its axis
Orbit (revolve): the path one object takes around another object in space
Axis: an imaginary line running from the North Pole to the South Pole through the center of the Earth; the Earth is tilted on
its axis
Predict: to say that something will or might happen in the future
Pattern or cycle: repeating actions
Shadow: an area of darkness created when a source of light is blocked
Season: 4 periods of the year (spring, summer, winter, fall) caused by the Earth’s tilt and its orbit around the Sun
Apparent movement: caused by the spinning or rotation of the Earth, the Sun appears to move across the sky, however,
it is actually the Earth orbiting (revolving) around the Sun
Day and Night Cycle: as the Earth spins, the half of the Earth facing the Sun experiences daylight and the half facing away
from the Sun experiences night time; this cycle takes 24 hours, the amount of time for Earth to complete one rotation on its
axis (roDaytion)