Science Vocab

Question 1

acid

Answer 1

a compund taht releases hydrogen ions when dissolved in water; pH <7

Question 2

Absolute Zero

Answer 2

~273 deg. C; lowest possible temperature

Question 3

Algae

Answer 3

simple, one-celled plantlike organism found in water or damp places; includes seaweeds and pond scum

Question 4

Alloy

Answer 4

a substance composing of two or more metals

Question 5

atmosphere

Answer 5

layer of air around the earth

Question 6

atmospheric pressure

Answer 6

pressure exerted by the atmosphere on every part of the earth’s surface; ~10 newtons per sq. centimeter

Question 7

Atom

Answer 7

the smallest part of an element that is still recognized as that element

Question 8

barometer

Answer 8

an instrument that measures atmospheric pressure

Question 9

base

Answer 9

a compund that releases hydrogen ions in water; has pH>7; sometimes called an alkali

Question 10

boiling point

melting point

Answer 10

the temperature at which additional thermal energy causes a substance to change from a liquid to a vapor

the temperature at which additional thermal energy breaks chemical bonds holding a substance together and causes that substance to change from a solid state to a liquid state

Question 11

calorie

Answer 11

a quantitty of heat energy; the amount needed to raise the temperature of one gram 1 deg. C

Question 12

Carbohydrate

Answer 12

an organic compund like sugar or starch that contains carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in the ratio of 1:2:1; the human body’s main source of energy

Question 13

carcinogen

Answer 13

a cancer causing substance

Question 14

carnivore
herbivore
omnivore

Answer 14

meat-eater
plant-eater
both-eater

Question 15

catalyst

Answer 15

a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction without being used in the reaction

Question 16

cell

Answer 16

the lowest-level structure of any living organism that can perform all the functions of life, including reproduction

Question 17

chlorophyll

Answer 17

the main pigment in plants that captures light energy during photosynthesis

Question 18

compound

Answer 18

a substance composed of two or more chemically bonded elements

Question 19

concentration

Answer 19

the exact amount of substance dissolved in a given amount of solvent; refers to a solution

Question 20

condensation

Answer 20

the process whereby a decrease in energy causes vapor particles to return to a liquid state

Question 21

conductor

Answer 21

a material that allows heat or electricity to flow through it with minimal resistance

Question 22

control

Answer 22

a samle in which no variables are tested, thus serving as a basis for comparison

Question 23

control variable

Answer 23

a variable that stays constant in an experiment, allowing the affects of another variable to be measured

Question 24

convection

Answer 24

the circulation of fluid caused by warm fluid rising and cold fluid sinking

Question 25

density

Answer 25

in a physics sense, the amount of mass per unit volume; in a more general sense, the quntity per unit area volume P = m/V

Question 26

difussion

Answer 26

the scattering of light; the spreading of a liquid or gas from areas of higher concentration to areas of lower concentration

Question 27

DNA

Answer 27

Deoxyribonucleic acid | Nucleic acid in the cells of an organism; contains the genes of an organism and transmits these to future generations

Question 28

Ecological succesion

Answer 28

a sequence of changes in the plant and/or animal life of a region over time

Question 29

electron

Answer 29

a negatively charged fundamental atomic particle

Question 30

element

Answer 30

a substance consisting of exactly one type of atom

Question 31

erosion

Answer 31

wearing away; typically the washing away of sand or rock by running water or the wind

Question 32

evaporation

Answer 32

the changing of a fluid into a gas

Question 33

fossil

Answer 33

the preserved remains of a very old organism

Question 34

frequency

Answer 34

the number of cycles per unit time of a repeating phenomenon | F = 1/T

Question 35

Glucose

Answer 35

a simple sugar that is broken down to provide energy to an organism

Question 36

habitat

Answer 36

the part of an ecosystem where a plant or an animal naturally grows or lives

Question 37

hormone

Answer 37

a chemical substance secreted by a gland of the body that affects other parts of the body Endocrine System

Question 38

humidity

Answer 38

the amount of water vapor in the air

Question 39

hypothesis

Answer 39

a statement that is a proposed explaination of a scientific phenomenon

Question 40

infrared radiation

Answer 40

electromagnetic waves whose wavelength is LONGER than that of visible light

Question 41

insulator

Answer 41

a substance that blocks flow of heat or electricity

Question 42

ion

Answer 42

a molecule or atom that has become charged by either gaining or losing an electron

Question 43

isotope

Answer 43

a variety of an element with the same number of protons per atom but a different number of neutrons

Question 44

kinetic energy | potential energy

Answer 44

the energy of an object due to its motion

Question 45

molecule

Answer 45

the smallest unit of a chemical compound

Question 46

neutron

Answer 46

a fundamental atomic particle that has no charge

Question 47

Ore

Answer 47

a piece of rock from which metal can be profitably extracted

Question 48

Osmosis

Answer 48

the movement of liquid through a membrane

Question 49

Parasite

Answer 49

An organism that invades another organism and feeds off of it

Question 50

pH

Answer 50

1-6 acid 7 - neutral (water) 8-14 base

Question 51

Photosynthesis

Answer 51

the processs in which plants use the sun's energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose CO2 + H2O + light = glucose + O2

Question 52

Pressure

Answer 52

force per sq. unit area | P = F/A

Question 53

Protein

Answer 53

a complex molecule composed of amino acids that carries out a variety of processes in cells

Question 54

starch

Answer 54

a complex carbohydrate found in potatoes, rice, corn, and many other vegetables

Question 55

sympiosis

Answer 55

a close relationship between two organisms that is mutually beneficial

Question 56

ultraviolet radiation

Answer 56

electromagnetic waves with wavelength SHORTER than that of visible light

Question 57

Vapor

Answer 57

the gaseous form of a liquid

Question 58

X ray

Answer 58

electromagnetic wave with wavelength SHORTER than that of Ultraviolet Light