VOCAB Flashcards
(102 cards)
1
Q
altimeter
A
an instrument that uses air pressure to record height, such as the height of a plane
2
Q
anemometer
A
an instrument to measure wind speed
3
Q
angiosperm
A
a group of plants that produce seeds enclosed within an ovary, which may mature into a fruit
4
Q
annuals
A
plants that die after one growing season
5
Q
asexual reproduction
A
reproduction involving only one parent
6
Q
atmosphere
A
the earth’s atmosphere is primarily nitrogen and oxygen
7
Q
aurora borealis (northern lights)
A
light emission from the upper atmosphere that appears in many shapes and colors
8
Q
bacillus
A
a rod-shaped bacteria
9
Q
blood
A
fluid that circulates throughout the body of an animal, distributing nutrients, usually oxygen
10
Q
california current
A
a dry, north wind in late spring, summer, and early fall in north and central ca
11
Q
canopy
A
a layer of tree branches and other vegetation elevated above the ground
12
Q
co2
A
a colorless, odorless gas that is important in the earth’s atmospheric greenhouse effect. frozen co2 is dry ice
13
Q
carcinogen
A
a substance that can lead to cancer
14
Q
carcinoma
A
a malignant tumor, which forms in the skin and outside of the internal organs
15
Q
carnivore
A
an organism that eats meat, which includes animals, fungi, and plants
16
Q
ceilometer
A
an instrument that measures cloud height
17
Q
cell
A
the fundamental unit of life. the cell consists of an outer plasma membrane, the cytoplasm, and genetic material (DNA)
18
Q
celcius
A
a temperature scale in which water freezes at 0c and boils at 100c
19
Q
chemotherapy
A
a cancer treatment that includes chemicals toxic to malignant cells
20
Q
chinook wind
A
a warm, dry wind on the eastern side of the rocky mountains
21
Q
chlorophyll
A
the green substance that absorbs light during photosynthesis
22
Q
chromosome
A
a single DNA molecule, a tightly coiled strand of DNA, condensed into a compact structure
23
Q
clone
A
an identical copy of a chromosome
24
Q
cloud
A
a visible group of water or ice particles in the atmosphere
25
commensalism
a relationship between dissimilar organisms that is advantageous to one and doesn't affect the other
26
continental divide
in the US, the part of the western mountains that separates water flowing toward opposite sides of the country
27
convection
the movement up in the atmosphere of heated moisture. hot fluids rise. thunderstorms are often caused by convection
heat is transferred via solid material (conduction), liquids and gases (convection), and electromagnetical waves (radiation)
28
core
the portion of earth from beneath the mantle to the earth's center
29
cross-pollination
fertilization of one plant by pollen from a different plant species
30
diabetes
a disease related to lowered levels of insulin
31
diploid cell
a cell with two copies of each chromosome
32
DNA
primary component of chromosomes that carry an organism's genetic code
carries all the information about how a living thing will look and function
33
double helix
a term used to describe the coiling strands of DNA molecule that resembles a spiral staircase
34
ecology
the student of the interactions of organisms with their environment and with each other
35
ecosystem
all the organisms in an area and the environment in which they live
36
el nino
warming of pacific ocean seawater along the coast of South America that leads to significant weather changes in the US
37
embryo
the stage of cellular divisions that develops from a zygote
38
enzyme
a protein that aids biochemical reactions
39
epicenter
the place on the surface of the earth immediately above the focus of an earthquake
40
esophagus
the part of the gut that connects the pharynx and stomach
41
estuary
a place where fresh water and sea water mix
42
flower
the reproductive parts of flowering plants
43
fossil
evidence of past life
44
fruit
the part of flowering plants that contain seeds
45
gamete
reproductive haploid cells that combine to create a zygote
46
genus
the level of plant and animal between the species and the family
difference between genus and species is that genus is a lower classification level that lies below family and above species, whereas species is the fundamental category of closely related organisms that lies below the genus.
47
germination
the process by which seeds develop into seedlings
48
gill
the tissues aquatic animals use to breathe in the water
49
glucose
a simple sugar and a product of photosynthesis
50
gut
the part of the body cavity between the mouth and anus including in most animals the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, intestine, and the anus
51
haploid cell
a cell with one set of chromosomes, which is half the regular (diploid) number
52
heart
a muscle that pumps to circulate the blood
53
herbivore
an organism that relies primarily on plants for food
54
hypothesis
a preliminary proposition that can be tested through scientific study
55
insulin
a hormone needed to transport glucose to cells
56
interferon
small proteins that stimulate viral resistance in cells
57
intestine
the digestive tract between the stomach and anus where most nutrients are absorbed
58
isotope
atoms of the same chemical element with a different number of neutrons but the same number of protons and have the same atomic number but may not have the same mass
59
jet stream
strong upper wind currents in a narrow stream that flow west to east in the US. weather patterns are related to the position of the jet stream, which changes often
60
kelvin
a temperature scale in which 1 kelvin equals 1c. 0 kelvin is about -273c
0 kelvin is called absolute zero because there is no movement of molecules
61
knot
one nautical mile per hour or about 1.15 mph
62
larva
in the metamorphosis of insects, the larva becomes a pupa before it becomes an adult
63
lenticular cloud
an almond-shaped cloud usually seen on windy days
64
lipids
compounds that are fats and oils
65
magma
molten rock formed in the earth that may appear on the surface
66
mantle
the part of earth located between the crust and the core
67
marsupial
a mammal whose young crawl into its mother's pouch to complete development
ex. kangaroos
68
meiosis
the process in which a diploid cell divides to form haploid cells
69
metamorphosis
in most amphibians, a process in which larva goes through significant changes, perhaps including a pupa stage, before becoming an adult
70
mirage
the phenomenon when refraction of light makes objects appear where they are not
71
mitosis
cell division consisting of prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase, that usually creates in two new nuclei, each with a full set of choromosomes
72
moraine
material deposited by a glacier and often marking a glacier's furthest advance
73
nebula
an interstellar cloud of dust and gas
74
nerve
a bundle of neurons, or nerve cells
75
neuron
a cell that reacts to stimuli and transmits impulses consisting of a body with a nucleus and dendrites to receive and axons to transmit impulses
76
niche
an organism's unique place in the environment
77
nimbostratus
a dark cloud, but not a thundercloud, that frequently produces rain
78
nucleus
an organelle in a cell that contains chromosomes
79
nymph
the larval stage of an aquatic insect
80
paleontology
study and interpretation of fossils
81
parasitism
a relationship between organisms in which one organism benefits and the other does not die, even though the second organism may be harmed
82
perennials
plants that live through more than one growing season
83
permafrost
soil beneath the earth's surface that stays frozen throughout the year
84
phloem
the tissue in plants that conducts nutrients
85
phylum
a level of plant and animal classification between class and kingdom
86
placenta
a tissue in the uterus through which nutrients pass from the mother to the fetus
87
plankton
floating aquatic plants (phytoplankton) and animals (zooplankton)
88
plate tectonics
the movement of plates and the interaction across the earth's surface to form land masses
89
pollination
movement of pollen to a plant egg cell, often by wind, bees, or other animals
90
pupa
in metamorphosis, the stage between the larva and adult
91
radiocarbon dating
a way to date organic substances based on the carbon-14 remaining
92
rainbow
light refracted through raindrops to form colors of a spectrum from red to blue
93
reef
a ridge built in water by organisms such as coral
94
seed
in plants, a seed includes the embryo
95
sonic boom
a loud noise caused by a shock wave when an object exceeds the speed of sound
96
summer solistice
when the sun is highest in the sky and directly above the Tropic of Cancer 23 1/2 degrees North Latitude
this date usually falls on june 22nd
97
tree rings
rings that show how many years a tree has been growing. the thickness of the rings may reveal other information about climatic conditions
98
vernal equinox
when the sun is directly over the equator. this date usually falls on march 20th
99
virga
precipitation that evaporates before it reaches the earth's surface
100
weathering
the physical, chemical, and biological processes by which rock is broken down into smaller pieces
101
wind chill
the combined cooling effect of wind and temperature. higher wind chills indicate that a body will cool more quickly to the air temperature
102
gravitation
objects with mass attract one another
