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1. abiotic – any nonliving part of the
environment, like rocks, water,
air,…
2. acceleration – the rate at which
velocity changes;
acceleration = (final velocity –
starting velocity) / change in time
3. air mass – a large body of air with
similar temperature and humidity
4. allele – a pair of genes that
determine a specific inherited trait,
like eye color
5. amplitude – the distance from the
middle to the bottom (trough) or the
top (crest) of a wave
6. aquifer – an underground layer of
rock that holds water
7. asexual reproduction – reproduction
with only one parent producing
genetically identical offspring, like
bacteria, yeast and sweet potatoes
8. asteroid – an object made of metal,
rock, or ice smaller than a planet
that orbits the sun
9. atom – the smallest particle of an
element that has all the properties
of that element
10. atomic mass – the mass of one atom
of an element
11. atomic number – the number of
protons in the nucleus of an atom
12. balanced forces – equal forces that
go in opposite directions
13. beaker – a container with a pouring
spout and measuring marks
14. biomass – organic matter that
contains stored energy
15. biome – a geographic region with
a specific climate and distinct types of
plants and animals
16. biosphere – the part of the Earth
that supports life
17. biotic – something that is or was
alive
18. black hole - a super dense object
with gravity so strong not even light can
escape
19. Bunsen burner – a tool that burns
natural gas
20. calorie – a unit of thermal energy
(heat)
21. carbon cycle – the continuous
circulation of carbon in the environment
22. cell – the basic unit of a living
organism
23. cell membrane – the protective
outer covering of all cells
24. cell wall – the stiff outer covering
of plant cells, gives structure and
protection
25. centripetal force – the force
pulling toward the center on an object
that’s moving in a circle
26. chemical bond – the force that
holds atoms together in a compound,
ionic or covalent are the two types
27. chemical change – a change that
happens when two or more substances
change into something new
28. chemical energy – the energy
stored in chemical bonds
29. chemical equation – a way of
describing a chemical reaction
C + O2
CO2
30. chemical formula – a way of
describing a substance using chemical
symbols and numbers
H2O is the chemical formula
for water.
31. chemical property – the
characteristics of a substance
when it reacts with other materials
to make new materials
32. chemical reaction – a process
where two or more substances
react to make new materials
33. chemical weathering – the
wearing away of rocks and
minerals by chemical processes (
acid rain, oxidation, dissolving,..)
34. chlorophyll – the green pigment
found in plants that absorbs
sunlight to provide energy for
photosynthesis
35. chloroplasts – the parts of a plant
that contain chlorophyll
36. chromosome – a part of the
nucleus of a cell that contains
genes
37. comet – an object in the solar
system made of frozen gases, ice
and dust that orbits the sun
38. community – all the different
populations of plants, animals,
39.
40.
41.
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43.
and other organisms interacting
with each other in an environment
compost – dead and decaying
plant matter that can be
decomposed
compound – is made of two or
more elements that are chemically
combined
Na + Cl
NaCl
compression – a section of a wave
where the particles are pressed
together
conduction – the transfer of
thermal (heat) energy from a
warmer material to a cooler
material through direct contact
(touching)
conservation – the protection and
preservation of the environment
and the wise use of resources
44. constellation – a group of stars
that make a picture in your
imagination
45. consumer - any organism that
consumes (eats) other organisms
for energy (anything except
plants)
46. continental drift – the hypothesis
that all continents drift and that
once they were all connected long
ago (Pangaea)
47. convection – the transfer of heat
(thermal energy) through currents
in liquids and gases
48. core – the central, spherical
section of the Earth, below the
mantle
49. crest - the highest point of a
wave, the peak
50. crust – the top, outermost layer of
the Earth, the ground we walk on
51. cytoplasm – the gel-like fluid
inside cells that surrounds cell
structures
52. decomposer – an organism such
as bacteria or fungi that breaks
down dead plant and animal
matter, release nutrients back into
the ecosystem to be reused
53. deposition – the process by which
water, wind, ice and gravity
deposit eroded sediments in new
locations
54. dissect – to cut apart and expose
the internal organs for scientific
examination
55. DNA – the material found in the
nucleus of cells that determines
genetic traits
56. dominant trait – the characteristic
visible when at least one
57.
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59.
60.
61.
dominant allele for a trait is
inherited
eclipse – happens when one
object in space casts a shadow on
another object
ecosystem – a distinct
environment in which producers
(plants), consumers and
decomposers interact
electromagnetic wave – energy
wave that can travel through
matter or empty space Examples:
microwaves, visible light, radio
waves, X-rays, …
electron – a negatively charged
subatomic particle that moves
around the nucleus of an atom
electron cloud – the area
surrounding the nucleus of an
atom where the electrons are
62. element – a pure substance, made
of atoms, it cannot be broken
down into simpler parts by
physical or chemical methods
63. endothermic reaction – a chemical
reaction that absorbs heat (it gets
cooler)
64. energy – the ability to do work or
cause a change
Examples:
thermal (heat), light, chemical,
electrical, potential and kinetic,…
65. energy pyramid – a picture in the
shape of a triangle showing the
flow of energy through a food
chain
66. energy transformation – a change
from one form of energy into
another form
67. epicenter – the point on the
surface of Earth directly above an
earthquake’s starting point
68. equilibrium – being in balance;
equal
69. erosion – the movement of soil
and sediment by wind, water, ice,
gravity or living organisms
70. exosphere – the outermost layer
of the atmosphere
71. exothermic reaction – a chemical
reaction that gives off heat
72. external stimulus – a cue or
prompt that comes from outside
the organism Example: a light at
night is an external stimulus that
attracts moths.
73. extinction - the death of all
members of a species
74. feedback mechanism – the system
of adjusting to changes
75. food web – a system of
overlapping and connected food
chains in an ecosystem
76. force – a push or pull
77. frequency – the number of
wavelengths that pass a spot in
one second
78. friction – a force that tries to stop
the movement between two
objects that touch each other
79. function – the job an object is
supposed to do
80. galaxy – a group of stars, gas and
dust held together by gravity (We
are in the Milky Way galaxy.)
81. gas giant – a large, gaseous planet
like Jupiter or Saturn
82. gene – a section of DNA on a
chromosome with genetic
information
83. generation – the group of living
things that are about the same age
84. genetic trait – an inherited
characteristic, like having the
same color eyes
85. genotype – a written abbreviation
for a genetic trait (Upper case
letters represent dominant traits.
Example: Bb)
86. geologic fault – a break in the
Earth’s crust, where earthquakes
usually happen
87. gravity – the force of attraction
between two objects, depends on
their masses and distance
88. greenhouse effect – heating from
gases in Earth’s atmosphere that
trap heat
89. groundwater- water that
percolates, or drains, through soil
and rocks and collects in
underground reservoirs.
90. group- a vertical column of
elements on the periodic table
with similar physical or chemical
properties.
91. habitat – the place where an
organism lives
92. heredity – passing genetic traits
from parents to children
93. heterozygous- an organism that
carries both a dominant and a
recessive allele for a particular
trait (Example: Tt).
94. homeostasis- the process by
which an organism maintains a
stable internal environment.
95. homozygous- an organism that
carries two dominant or two
recessive alleles for a particular
trait (Example: TT tt).
96. human organ systems- a group of
organs that work together to
perform body functions.
Examples: the bones of the
skeletal system; the arteries,
veins, heart, and lungs of the
circulatory system
97. hybrid – an object that has a
combination of more than one
trait
98. hydroelectric energy – electrical
energy generated using the power
of moving water
99. hypothesis – a reasonable
prediction, based on knowledge,
that can be tested
100. igneous rock - rock formed from
lava that cooled
101. inertia – the tendency of an object
to not change how it’s moving
102. inexhaustible resource – a
resource that won’t run out
103. inherited trait – a genetic
characteristic passed from the
parent to the children
104. input force – the force applied to a
machine by the person
105. interdependent – two objects that
rely or depend on each other
106. internal stimulus – a cue or
prompt that comes from yourself,
Example: feeling thirsty is an
internal stimulus that your body
needs water.
107. ion – an atom that has a charge
because the number of protons
and electrons is not equal
108. isotope – an atom of the same
element (so it has the same # of
protons) but a different # of
neutrons compared to another
atom of that element
109. joule – a unit for measuring work
in the metric system
110. kinetic energy – the energy an
object has because it’s moving
111. land subsidence – the gradual
settling or sinking of land because
of changes that happen
underground
112. lava – melted rock that has
erupted from a volcano
113. light-year – the distance that light
travels in one year (186,000 miles
per second times 60 times 60
times 24 times 365)
114. lithosphere – the part of the Earth
that includes the crust and the
outer mantle ( the top layer)
115. longitudinal wave – a wave where
the vibration is in the same
direction as the wave goes
116. lunar cycle – the pattern of the
phases of the moon as it orbits the
Earth
117. magma – liquid, melted rock
underground
118. magnitude – the brightness of a
star as measured on a scale
119. mantle – the thick layer of rock
under the crust
120. matter – anything that has mass
and volume (takes up space)
121. mechanical energy – the sum of
an object’s kinetic and potential
energy
122. mechanical wave – energy wave
that needs matter to travel
(Example: sound waves are
mechanical waves)
123. mechanical weathering – breaking
rocks into smaller pieces by wind,
animals, plants, and ice wedging
124. meiosis – the cell division process
that produces egg and sperm cells
for reproduction
125. mesosphere – the middle layer of
the atmosphere, 50-90 km above
the Earth
126. metalloid – elements that have
properties of both metals and
nonmetals, (semiconductors)
127. metals – elements that usually are
good conductors of heat and
electricity, ductile, malleable and
shiny
128. metamorphic rock – rock that
changed from one type to a new
type through heat and pressure
129. meteor – a piece of space rock
that burns upon entering Earth’s
atmosphere
130. mitochondria – the parts of a cell
that produces energy
131. mitosis – the division of
chromosomes in a cell’s nucleus
to make two identical cells
132. molecule – the smallest unit of a
compound
133. moon phases – the changes in the
appearance of the moon as seen
from Earth
134. motion – the change in position of
an object relative to a reference
point
135. mutation – a change in an
organism’s genes
136. nebula – a large cloud of gas and
dust in space, where most stars
are created
137. net force – the total, combined
force on an object
138. neutron – a particle in the nucleus
of an atom, has no charge
139. newton – the unit for force in the
metric system, abbreviated N
140. Newton’s Laws of Motion – the
three laws that explain the
movement of everything in the
universe
a. Things won’t change how
they’re moving unless a force acts
on them.
b. F = ma
c.
For every action force,
there is an equal and opposite
reaction force.
141. niche – the role of an organism in
its ecosystem
142. nitrogen – the gas that makes up
¾ of the air, an element with 7
protons
143. nitrogen cycle – the circulation of
nitrogen between the parts of an
ecosystem
144. Noble gases – the elements in the
last column on the Periodic Table,
they almost never react with other
elements
145. nonmetals – elements that usually
are poor conductors of heat or
electricity
146. nonrenewable resource – a natural
resource that cannot easily be
replaced, like fossil fuels
147. nucleus a: the center of an atom with the
protons and neutrons
b: the center of a cell with genes
and chromosomes
148. orbit – the path of an object in
space
149. organ – a part of the body made of
tissues. Examples: heart, lungs,
kidneys, …
150. organism – any living thing
151. oxidation – a chemical reaction
where a substance combines with
oxygen (rusting)
152. oxygen – a colorless gas, the
element with 8 protons
153. percolation – the downward
movement of water through soil
and rock because of gravity
154. period – a: a horizontal row on the
Periodic Table
b: a long time in the
Earth’s history (example:
the Jurrasic Period)
155. Periodic Table of the Elements –
the table showing all the elements
arranged by their properties
156. petri dish – a flat cylinder with a
cover used for growing cultures of
mold, bacteria, etc.
157. phenotype – the actual physical
properties of an organism, such as
height, weight, color or texture
158. photosynthesis – the process
plants use to make their food from
carbon dioxide, water and
sunlight
159. physical change – a change in a
material that does NOT change it
to something different
160. physical property – a property you
can use to describe or identify a
material, Examples: color, shape,
freezing point, luster, density,…..
161. plate tectonics – the theory that
the crust is broken into huge
plates that float and move
162. population – all members of a
species living together in the same
general area
163. potential energy – energy that is
stored in the position of an object
164. predation – the feeding
relationship in which one species
is the predator and another is the
prey
165. primary consumer – an organism
that eats plants
166. producer – a green plant
167. product – a substance made by a
chemical reaction
168. proton - the positively charged
particle in the nucleus of an atom
169. Punnett square – a table showing
all the possible combinations for a
trait
170. radiant energy – electromagnetic
energy that travels in waves
171. rarefaction – a section of a wave
where the particles are spread
farther apart
172. reactant – a substance used in a
chemical reaction, the starting
materials
173. recessive trait – a characteristic
that is only shown when two
recessive alleles for that trait are
inherited
174. renewable resource – a natural
resource that can be used and can
be replaced
175. resistance force – any force that
opposes the motion of an object, it
tries to stop the object from
moving
176. Richter scale – a scale used to
measure an earthquake’s strength
177. rock cycle – the slow, continuous
process that changes rocks from
one type to another type
178. runoff – water that flows over the
surface of the ground into rivers
and streams
179. satellite – a natural or man-made
object that revolves around
another object in space
180. scientific evidence – information
that either supports or disputes a
scientific theory or hypothesis
181. secondary consumer – an
organism that eats primary
consumers
182. sediment – small particles of rock,
soil, sand, etc deposited by wind,
water, ice or gravity
183. sedimentary rock – rock formed
by layers of sediment pressed
together and cemented by heat,
pressure and dissolved minerals
184. seismic wave – a vibration that
travels through Earth, usually
caused by an earthquake; recorded
by a seismograph
185. selective breeding – the controlled
breeding of organisms to promote
a specific trait
186. sexual reproduction –
reproduction from egg and sperm
cells of the parents
187. SI system of measurement (the
metric system) – the worldwide
system of measurement based on
multiples of 10 using meters,
liters, grams
188. simple machine – a device that
makes work easier by changing
the direction or size of the force
needed (lever, wheel and axle,
screw, pulley, inclined plane,
wedge)
189. solar system – the Sun, the planets
and moons, and all other bodies
orbiting the Sun
190. species – organisms that can
produce offspring (babies) that
can produce more offspring
(grandbabies)
191. specific heat – the amount of heat
needed to raise the temperature of
1 gram of a substance by 1 degree
C
192. spring scale – a tool used to
measure a force, such as gravity,
on an object
193. stratosphere – the second layer of
the atmosphere, above the
troposphere, 16-50 km high
194. structure – the shape and
composition of part of an
organism or system
195. succession – the rebuilding in
populations of organisms in an
ecosystem after severe
environmental change, such as
volcanic eruption, fire, flood
196. surface water – usable freshwater
on the Earth’s surface for
drinking, animals, recreation, etc.,
such as lakes, rivers, ponds
197. symbiosis- a close ecological
relationship between two or more
species.
198. system- a group of structures,
cycles and processes that interact
and relate to each other.
199. tectonic plates- giant, irregular
pieces of Earth’s outermost layer
that move around on the softer
mantle below.
200. telescope- an instrument that
magnifies distant objects and
makes them appear closer.
201. tertiary consumer – an organism
that eats secondary consumers
Producers eaten by primary
consumers are eaten by
secondary consumers eaten by
tertiary consumers
202. test tube – a cylindrical glass tube
used in science experiments
203. thermosphere – the layer of
Earth’s atmosphere above the
mesosphere, starting
approximately 80 km high
204. tissue – a group of similar cells
that work together to perform a
specific function; examples:
muscle tissue, nerve tissue, blood
tissue
205. topographic map – a map that
shows contour lines to show the
elevation of the ground
206. transpiration – the loss of water
from plant leaves into the air
207. transverse wave – a wave in
which the vibration is
perpendicular to the direction the
wave travels
208. triple beam balance – a scale that
uses three bars (beams) and
sliding weights to measure the
mass of an object
209. tropism – a plant’s growth
response to an external stimulus,
such as light, water, or gravity
210. troposphere – the lowest layer of
the atmosphere up to about 16 km
211. trough – the lowest point of a
transverse wave
212. turgor pressure – the force applied
on the cell wall of plants from
water inside the cell, keeps plants
from wilting
213. unbalanced force – a force that is
stronger in one direction than the
forces in the opposite direction
214. uplift – the pushing up of sections
of the Earth’s crust by forces
inside the Earth
215. vacuole – a fluid-filled storage sac
within a cell
216. vacuum – a space that contains no
matter
217. variable – a condition or factor
that can be changed in an
experiment, can be independent,
dependent or the control
218. velocity – the speed and direction
of a moving object
219. water cycle – the continuous
movement of water between Earth
and the atmosphere
220. water vapor – the invisible,
gaseous state of water
221. watershed – the region of land
drained by a river system
222. wave – a vibration that transfers
energy from one place to another
223. wavelength – the distance
between the same parts of two
consecutive waves