Science Exam Vocab
Kanoy Science: Spring Exam Vocab (all)
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- contour interval
- The difference in elevation between any two given contour lines.
- volume of flow
- The volume of fluid passing through a given space in a certain amount of time.
- indicator species
- An organism whose presence or absence suggests that certain ecological conditions prevail.
- metric system
- A system of measurement.
- mass
- The amount of matter in an object.
- Acid
- Having more hydrogen ions than hydroxyl. 0-6 on the pH scale.
- rock cycle
- he interrelated sequence of events by which rocks are initially formed, altered, destroyed, and reformed as a result of magmatism, erosion, sedimentation, and metamorphism.
- mineral
- A naturally-occuring, inorganic solid with a crystal structure and orderly chemical composition.
- sedimentation
- The process of subsidence and deposition of suspended matter from a wastewater by gravity.
- respiration
- The process of inhaling oxygen and carbon dioxide, and exhaling carbon dioxide.
- degradation
- The process by which any given substance is broken down into smaller parts.
- unfoliated
- Random arrangement of grains in a metamorphic rock.
- metamorphic rock
- A type of rock formed by heat and pressure.
- topography map
- A map showing the differing elevations of an area, and sometimes including data on watersheds.
- species
- Organisms who are physically alike, and are able to mate and reproduce young.
- extrusive rock
- An igneous rock formed by lava that has flown out of the Earth. Characterized by small grains due to rapid cooling.
- hardness
- The resistance of a mineral to scratching.
- biotic
- Organic, living.
- stream index value
- A process using macroinvertebrates to determine the quality of river water.
- contour lines
- Lines on a topography map which indicate an elevation change.
- fracture
- Characteristic of a mineral that has broken apart in an irregular way.
- crystal system
- Any of the seven groups (cubic, hexagonal, rhombohedral, tetragonal, orthorhombic, monoclinic, and triclinic) of crystals
- lava
- Liquid magma that is propelled to the Earth's surface.
- qualitative analysis
- An analysis that involves adjective descriptions.
- sediment
- Material that settles to the bottom of a liquid
- alkaline
- Basic.
- base
- Having more hydroxyl ions that hydrogen. 8-14 on the pH scale.
- detritus
- Loose fragments or grains that have been worn away from rock.
- tributary
- A stream or smaller body of water that flows out of a larger body of water.
- gram
- A metric term of measurement used to describe mass.
- elevation
- The relative height of a place compared to sea level.
- phosphorus rock
- Sedimentary rock rich in calcium phosphate.
- lithification
- The process by which sediments compact under pressure, and become solid rock.
- cleavage
- Mineral that breaks cleanly, having an ice skating rink look.
- topographical map
- A detailed map showing the most important physical features of an area.
- hydrogen ion
- (H+) Many hydrogen ions result in an acidic substance.
- dependent variable
- The data of interest in an experiment. Relies on the independent variable for results.
- inorganic
- Abiotic.
- intrusive rock
- An igneous rock that is formed from magma.
- aquatic
- Related to water.
- dichotomous key
- A yes-or-no key that is used to identify plants, animals, rocks, etc.
- photosynthesis
- The process by which organisms converts sunlight into food.
- nonmetal
- Any element that isn't, physically or chemically, a metal.
- parts per thousand
- The amount of a given substance in a total amount of 1000 (regardless of units of measure as long as they are in the same category, eg., 1 g per kg, 1 km per m)
- magma
- Molten rock below the surface of the earth.
- gemstone
- A hard, and often colorful mineral with a vitreous luster.
- macroinvertebrate
- Aquatic organisms without a vertebrae who often act as indicator species.
- Adaptation
- A characteristic that allows an animal to be better suited to its environment. Can develop over several generations.
- nitrogen
- An element that is essential for the growth of plants, although it usually needs to be fixed before organisms can use it.
- igneous rock
- A type of rock formed from molten, and is classified by "extrusive" or "intrusive."
- organic
- Biotic
- sedimentary
- A rock formed by consolidated sediment deposited in layers.
- line level
- An instrument used in topography to measure whether there is a difference of elevation between two topography sticks.
- neutralize
- To change the pH of a substance from acidic or alkaline to a neutral pH (7)
- crystallization
- The process by which atoms are arranged to form a material with a crystal structure.
- milligram
- A metric term for the measurement of volume (.0001 of a gram)
- ion
- An atom or molecule with electric charge.
- quantitative analysis
- An analysis that involves numerical descriptions, and is easy to graph.
- chlorine
- A liquid chemical that destroys animals (such as freshwater mussels), plants, and is also detrimental to the environment.
- leaching
- The process by which a solution or mixture is extracted.
- kilogram
- A metric term for measurement of volume, or liquid. (1 kg = 1000 g)
- metal
- A substance that began as a mineral within Earth's crust, and evolved into aluminum, etc.
- graduated cylinder
- A tool that can be used to find the volume of an object through water displacement, or the volume of water, through marked and unmarked increments.
- meter
- A metric term for the measurement of distance.
- mechanical weathering
- The breakdown of rock into smaller fragments by physical processes such as frost wedging.
- cementation
- A process that turns sediment into sedimentary rock. Mineral-rich water soaks the sediment, and the mineral particles gradually fill spaces in the sediment, and bind it together, forming sedimentary rock.
- watershed
- A region containing small bodies of water, all who drain into single, other body of water.
- weathering
- The destructive processes that change the physical and chemical charateristics of rocks at the earth's surface.
- control
- In an experiment, the group that has not been affected by the substance in question.
- millimeter
- A metric term for the measurement of distance (.0001 of a meter)
- organic rock
- Sedimentary rock that was formed either directly or indirectly from material that was once alive.
- chemical rock
- A type of sedimentary rock forming when minerals crystallize through a solution.
- decomposition
- The breakdown of a substance into different parts or simpler compounds.
- hydroxyl ion
- (OH-) Many hydroxyl ions result in a basic substance.
- density
- M/V (mass/volume)
- volume
- The amount of space (3-D) that an object takes up.
- ore
- A mineral that contains metal that is valuable enough to be mined
- velocity
- Speed (distance travelled per a unit-of-time)
- turbidity
- The sediments settling at the bottom of a river (and resulting in "murkiness")
- chemical weathering
- The process that changes the chemical makeup of a rock or mineral at or near the Earth's surface.
- clastic rock
- Sedimentary rock composed of fragments of older rocks and fossils.
- metamorphism
- A change in the type of rock by pressure, heat, and/or water.
- iron
- A pure element that, when mixed with another substance, is called an alloy.
- rock
- A hard substance containing parts of a mineral and other substances.
- buffer
- A solution containing either a weak acid and its salt or a weak base and its salt, which is resistant to changes in pH.
- pH
- Stands for "Power of Hydrogen." Measures the acidity or basicity of a substance on a scale of 1-14.
- electronic balance
- A tool used to measure the mass of a certain object.
- kilometer
- A metric term for measurement of distance. (1 km = 1000 m)
- compaction
- The process by which minerals are pressed together, and lose porosity.
- foliation
- Parallel, sheet-like layers that are perpendicular to the flat rock plane. Characteristic of metamorphic rocks.
- surface area
- The sum of the area of the faces of a solid figure.
- limiting factor
- An environmental factor that is necessary for the survival of the species, and so can cause a population to decrease.
- transect
- A line along which one reads and records the object of study (elevation, animal/insect life, plants)
- water flow
- The force and volume of water flowing in any given area.
- Abiotic
- Inorganic.
- luster
- How a mineral reflects light.
- independent variable
- The variable the scientist changes to produce an effect.
- perpindicular
- Intersecting at a 90-degree-angle
- erosion
- The process by which wind, water, or ice displaces a solid.
- titration
- an operation in which a measured amount of one solution is added to a known quantity of another solution until the reaction between the two is complete. If the concentration of one solution is known, that of the other can be calculated
- ice wedging
- A process of mechanical weathering in which objects are broken when water, having infiltrated cracks or pores in the object, expands with great force.