Mr. Jays Science GED
Terms
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- acitvation energy
- the energy necessary to start a chemical reaction
- adaptaion
- a trait that makes a plant or an anmialbetter able to live in its environment
- adult
- the stage of an organism's life cycle in which it is fully grown and developed
- aerobic
- needing oxygen to live
- air mass
- a large body of air with certain temperature and moisture
- amniocentesis
- a test performed on pregnant women that detects certain birth disorders
- amplitude
- the height of a wave
- antibiotic
- a drug that fights bacteria
- antibody
- a protein made by white blood cells that attacks and kills invading germs
- antigen
- a foreign protein
- aqueduct
- a pipe or concrete channel that carries water from a reservoir
- artery
- a large blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart to parts of the body
- asphalt
- a black substance that is used for paving roads
- atmosphere
- the air surrounding a planet
- atom
- the smallest particle of an element
- bacteria
- simple one-celled organisms
- bar graph
- a type of illustration that is used to compares sets of information
- bark
- the woody outer part of a plant stem
- basal cell skin cancer
- a type of slow-growing cancer that often appears on the hands or face as an open sore, reddish patch, mole, or scar
- biome
- a large region with a certain climate and certain living things
- boiling
- the rapid change of matter from a liquid to gas
- bud
- on a plant, area of growth that develpo into leaves and flowers
- caption
- a short passage that accompanies a photograph or illustration
- carbon dioxide-oxygen cycle
- a process in which plants use carbon dioxide given off by other living things and make oxygen, which is in turn used by the other living things
- caterpillar
- the wormlike stage in the life cycle of a butterfly or moth
- cause
- something that makes another thing happen
- cell
- the smallest unit of a living thing that can carry on life processes
- cell membrane
- a layer around the cell that controls what can enter or leave the cell
- chart
- an organized list that gives information in a form that is easy to read
- chemical change
- a change in the property of matters; a chemical change makes new substances
- chemical equation
- a statement that shows the rectants and products of a reaction
- chemical formula
- a group of symbols used to describe a compound(example: H2Ois the chemical formula for water
- chemical reaction
- a process in which elements or compounds are changed into other substances
- chemical symbol
- a kind of shorthand that chemists use in which one or two letters stand for an element
- chemistry
- the study of matter and its changes
- cholesterol
- a fatlike substances found in all animals
- chromosome
- a strand of genetic material, or DNA
- circle graph
- a graph used to show parts of a whole; also known as a pie chart
- classifying
- grouping things that are similar to help understand how they work
- collision
- the result of a moving objects striking another object
- collid
- a mixture of fine particles suspended in another substances, usually a liquid
- combustion
- the chemical change also known as burning, in which oxygen reacts with fuel to create light and heat
- compare
- to tell how things are alike
- composting
- the breaking down of organic material in the soil by aerobic bacteria, fungi, insects, and worms
- compound
- two or more elements combined chemically
- compund machine
- a machine made up of two or more simple machines
- conclusion
- a logical judgement based on facts
- condensation
- the change from a gas to a liquid
- conglomerate
- a type of sedimentary rock formed from large pebbles and stones
- context
- surrounding material; you can often figure out the meaning of an unknown word by looking at its context-the rest of the words in the sentence
- continental polar air mass
- a cold, dry air mass; for example, one that forms over Canada and the northern United States
- continental shelf
- the nearly flat area of the ocean bottom where the ocean meets the continent
- continental slope
- the sloping area that extends from the edge of the continental shelf to the ocean basin
- continental tropical air mass
- a warm, dry air mass; for example, one that forms over the southwestern United States
- contrast
- to tell how things are different
- control group
- in an experiment, a group that is similar to the experimental group except for one feature
- convergence
- the independent evolution of similar parts of unrelated organisms as adaptations to the environment(example: wings in bats,birds,and butterflies)
- core
- the center of something such as the Sun or earth
- cystoplasm
- a jellylike material that makes up most of a cell
- density
- the quanity of matter in a given unit of volume
- details
- small pieces of information that explain or support a main idea
- diagram
- a picture that explains what something looks like or how it works
- diode
- an electreonic device that allows current to flow in one direction only
- distillation
- the process for separating liquid mixtures
- DNA
- the genetic material found in chromosomes
- dominant trait
- a trait that can override a recessive trait
- Down syndrome
- a disorder caused by an extra chromosomes; childres born with Down syndrome are mildy to severely mentally retarded and may also have other health problems
- Earth and space science
- the study of Earth and the universe
- echolocation
- a system in which sound waves are sent out and their echoes interpreted to determine the direction and distance of objects; certain animals, such as dolphins and bats, use this
- echosystem
- an area in which living and nonliving things interact
- effect
- something that happens as a result of a cause
- effort
- the force that is being used to do work
- egg
- in animals, the female reproductive cell
- egg mass
- a clump of eggs
- elastic
- able to be stretched or compressed and then returned to the original shape
- electrolysis
- the process of using electricity to produce chemical changes; water can be split into hydrogen and oxygen using electrolysis
- electromagnetic field(EM field)
- the energy field surrounding and created by an electric current
- electron
- a particle in atoms that has a negative electrical charge
- electronics
- a branch of engineering concerned with devices that use electric current
- element
- a substance that cannot be broken down into other substances by ordinary means, such as heating or crushing
- embryo
- an organism in the early stages of development; a developing baby from the third to eight week in mother's womb
- EM field
- see electromagnetic field
- endothermic reaction
- a process in which heat is taken in(example: photosynthesis)
- energy
- the ability of matter to do work
- equator
- the imaginary circle around Earth halfway between the North and South Poles
- erode
- to wear away
- evaporation
- the slow change of a liquid to a gas
- evolution
- the gradual change in a species over time
- exothermic reaction
- a process in which heat is produced (example:combustion)
- experiment
- a procedure used to test a hypothesis
- experimental group
- in an experiment, the group being tested
- external recycling
- the process in which individuals process waste materials so they can be made into new things
- fact
- a stement about something that actually happened or actually exists
- fat
- a substance that provides energy and building material for the body
- fetal alcohol syndrome(FAS)
- a group of birth defects that can occur when a pregnant womwan drinks alcohol
- fetus
- a developing baby from the third to ninth month
- filtration
- the process of seperating substances by passing a mixture through a screen or similar material
- flower
- in a plant, the reproductive organ that produces seeds and pollen
- flu
- influenza
- force
- a push or a pull
- forecast
- a prediction, as of the weather
- fossil
- the remains or imprint of a long-dead organism
- fossil fuel
- a fuel, such as coal,oil,or natural gas, that is formed from the remains of plants or animals that lived hundreds of millions of years ago
- freefall
- a condition in which an object is falling back to Earth
- freezing
- the change in matter from a liquid to a solid
- frequency
- the number of waves that pass a point in a certain amount of time
- friction
- a force between surfaces that tough
- front
- the leading edge of a moving air mass
- fuel
- a source of energy
- fusion
- see nuclear fusion
- gas
- a state of matter that does not have a definite size or shape and expands to fill its container
- gear
- a wheel with teeth; each gear turns on its own center
- genetic screening
- tests that can tell if certain diorders are likely to be inherited
- genetics
- the study of how traits are inherited
- glacier
- a mass of ice that forms when more snow falls than melts
- global warming
- a worldwide increase in average temperature
- glossary
- an alphabetical listing of important words and their definitions, located at the end of a text
- gravity
- the natural force of attraction between two objects(example: the pull of Earth on humans)
- greenhouse effect
- the warming of Earth caused by the absorption of infrared radiation into gases in the atmosphere
- groundwater
- water that is found underground(examples: springs and wells)
- heading
- the name of an article section that tells the topic or main idea of the text that follows
- hereditary
- capable of being passed from a parent to an offspring through a father's sperm or a mother's egg
- heridity
- the passing of traits from parents to their young
- humidity
- water vapor in the air
- hydrocarbon
- a compound made mostly of hydrogen and carbon
- hypothesis
- an explanation of how something work, based on many observations
- igneous rock
- rock formed when molten rock hardens
- implied
- not stated
- inclined plane
- a simple machine with a long, sloping surface that helps move an object(example: ramp)
- inference
- the use of information to figure out things that are not actually stated
- influenza(flu)
- an illness caused by a virus
- infrared radiation
- the energy Earth radiates back into the atmosphere
- inherit
- to acquire a trait or disease that is passed on from one's parents(exmples: hair color, Huntington's disease)
- inner planets
- the four planes closest to the sun: Mercury, Venus,Earth, and Mars
- integrated circuit
- tiny electronic components linked together to form a circuit
- internal recycling
- the process in which manufacturing business reuse their own waste materials
- ion
- an atom with a positive or negative electric charge
- joint
- the place where two or more bones come together
- key
- something that explains the symbols on a map or a graph
- kindling temperature
- the temperature at which a substance will burn
- landfill
- an area of open land that is filled with layers of garbage
- language
- a system of signs or sounds that refer to objects or ideas and that can be combined in different ways to produce different meanings
- laser
- a tool that produces a narrow, strong beam of light in which all the waves have the same frequency and wavelength and are in phase
- leaf
- the part of a plant that produces food from water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight
- lever
- a bar that turns on pivot
- life cycle
- the series of changes an animal goes through in its life
- life science
- the study of living things and how they affect one another
- ligament
- a strong band of tissue that connects bones at joints
- light
- a form of energy that travels in waves and makes vision possible
- linegraph
- a graph that shows how one thing changes as a second thing changes
- liquid
- a state of matter that takes up a definite amount of space but does not have a definite shape
- main idea
- the topic of a paragraph, passage, or diagram
- mammal
- an animal with a backbone, hair or fur, and milk-producing glands to feed its young
- map
- a drawing that shows places or features on Earth
- maritime polar air mass
- a cold, moist air mass; for example, one that forms over the northern Atlantic Ocean and northern Pacific Ocean
- mechanical advantage
- the number of times a machine multiplies your effort to do work
- melanoma
- a fast-growing skin cancer that may appear as oddly shaped blothes
- melting
- the change in matter from a solid to a liquid
- metamorphic rock
- rock formed in conditions of great heat and pressure
- meterologist
- a scientist who studies changes in Earth's atmosphere to forecast the weather
- microgravity
- apparent weightlessness experienced by objects that are falling or are in orbit around a body in space
- microprocessor
- an integrated circuit that functions as a computer's central processing unit
- mitochondria
- the part of cell that give the cell the energy it needs to grow and reproduce
- mitosis
- the process by which a celll's nucleus divides and therefore reproduces
- mixture
- a combination of two or more kinds of matter that can be seperated by physical means
- molecule
- the smallest particle of a compound
- momentum
- the property of a moving object that is a product of its mass and velocity
- monosaturated fat
- a type of fat found in some vegetable products
- mutation
- a change in gene
- mutualism
- a relationship in which two species help each other
- natural resources
- a natural material or space that humans need and use
- natural selection
- the survival of organisms best suited to their environment
- neutron
- a particle found in the nucleus of an atom that has no electrical charge
- nitrate
- a substance made by soil-dwelling bacteria using nitrogen from the air
- nucleus
- in life science, a cell's control center, which contains genetic material; in chemistry and physics, the protons and neutrons forming the core of an atom(plural:nuclei)
- observation
- the act of watching or using other senses to gather information and learn about something
- ocean basin
- the bottom of the sea
- opinion
- a statement that expresses what a person or group of people think, feel or believe about a fact
- ore
- a rock ar earth from which minerals are extracted
- osteoporosis
- a condition of brittle bones common to older people, especially women
- outer planets
- the five planets farthest from the sun:Jupiter, Saturn,Uranus,Neptune, and Pluto
- oxidation
- the process in which a substance reacts with oxygen, causing the formation of new compound called an oxide
- overtone
- a frequency of sound that is an exact multiple of another frequency produced at the same time
- ozone
- a form of oxygen
- paleontologist
- a scientist who studies ancient forms of life
- parapharse
- to restate information in a different way that keeps the original meaning
- parasite
- an organism that lives on or in another organism and harms it
- photosynthesis
- the process by which plants use carbon dioxide, energy from sunlight, and water to make food
- PH scale
- a measurement from 0 to 14 of the strength of an acid or a base
- physical change
- a change in the appearence of matter without a change in its properties(example: the dissolving of sugar in water)
- physics
- the study of energy and forces and their effect on matter
- pitch
- the perceived frequency of a sound
- pivot
- the point around which an object turns
- placenta
- a structure that attaches the embryo/fetus to the uterus and allows substances to pass between the embryp/fetus and mother
- plaque
- deposits of cholesterol on the inside walls of arteries
- pneumonia
- an infection of the lungs caused by viruses or bacteria
- pollute
- to make dirty or contaminate
- polyunsaturated fat
- a type of fat found in some vegetable foods and fish
- precipitation
- water falling from the atmosphere in the form of rain,snow, or sleet
- prediction
- a guess about what may happen
- printed circuit board
- a board to which electronic components that form circuits are attached
- process diagram
- a type of drawing that shows steps in a process, often with arrows showing how one step leads to another
- product
- a substance that forms in a chemical reaction
- proton
- a positively charged particle in the nucleus of an atom
- punnett square
- a diagram used to show all possible combinations of a trait among offspring of two parents
- pupa
- the nonfeeding stage in the life cycle of some insects when their adult tissues are formed
- pure tone
- a sound made up of a single frequency
- radiant energy
- energy that exists in the form of waves, such as light waves or radio waves
- raw material
- an unprocessed natural material or other material used to make something new
- reactant
- a substance that reacts in a chemical reaction
- recessive trait
- a trait that will not appear if it is paired with a dominant trait
- recycle
- to collect and process waste materials so they can be used again
- renewable resource
- a resource that does not get used up(example:water)
- reservoir
- a lske created by a dam
- resistance
- a force that must be overcome to do work
- resonance
- the process in which a vibrating object causes another object to vibrate at the same frequency
- resource
- a material that people need from Earth
- respiration
- the process by which living things take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide to obtain energy
- rhinovirus
- a virus that causes certain types of colds
- ribosome
- a part of cell that makes the proteins the cell needs in order to grow
- root
- the part of plant that holds it in the ground and absorbd water and nutrients from the soil
- saturated fat
- a type of fat that is solid at room temperature
- scan
- to look over something quickly to find details
- scientific methods
- organized ways of solving problems; the process scientists use for getting information and testing ideas
- sedimentary rock
- rock formed when particles are deposited and then harden over time
- sequence
- the order in which things happen
- silicon
- the most common element in Earth's crust
- simple machine
- a device to do work(example:lever)
- skim
- to look over something quickly to get the main ideas
- software
- instructions that tell a computer how perform a task
- solar cell
- a device that converts sunlight into electricity
- solar system
- a sun and the objects that revolve around it, such as planets and their moons
- solid
- a state of matter that has a definite shape and takes up a definite amount of space
- solubility
- the amount of a solute that will dissolve in a given temperture and pressure
- solute
- the substance in a solution that is present in the smaller amount
- solution
- a type of mixture in which the ingredients are distributed evenly throughout
- solvent
- the substance in a solution that is present in the greater amount
- sound
- a sensation caused by vibrations and perceived by hearing
- sound waves
- vibrations trasmitted through substances in waves with frequencies that can be heard
- space probe
- unmanned spacecraft used for the exploration of space
- spectrometer
- a device used to analyze what things are made of
- species
- a group of organisms with similar characteristics that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring
- sprain
- a joint injury in which the ligaments are stretched or torn
- squamous cell skin cancer
- a type of cancer that looks like raised, pink spots or growths that may be open in the center
- stationary front
- the zone between two air masses, caused when the masses stop moving
- stem
- the part of a plant that provides support and transports subatances
- substance
- matter that is of one particle type
- summarize
- to condense or shorten a larger amount of information into a few sentences
- table
- a type of chart that organizes information in rows and columns
- timbre
- the quality of a sound, which depends on the number and strength of overtones