Vocabulary
Review Answer Key
Use the word list provided to choose the correct term for each blank. Each word is used
only once.
Genetics
heredity - passing of traits from parent to offspring
genetics - scientific study of heredity
gene - location on a chromosome containing genetic instructions
dominant - trait that tends to show up most often in a population
recessive - form of trait that tends to recede or hide
BB - write an example of a homozygous genotype
Dd - write an example of a heterozygous genotype
chromosome - made of DNA; contains genes
DNA - chemical from which genes are made
nucleus - contains the chromosomes; “brains” of the cell
allele - form of a gene (dominant and recessive)
phenotype - physical appearance of a gene
genotype - two letters that represent a gene pair
trait - examples of this are blue eyes or brown hair
Gregor Mendel - Father of Genetics
Adaptations
competition - organisms fight for limited resources
symbiosis - a relationship where at least one organism benefits
adaptation - physical characteristic or behavior that helps survival
parasitism - one organism benefits; one is harmed
mutualism - both organisms benefit in this relationship
commensalism - one organism is helped; the other is not affected
natural selection - process of changes to organisms over time
migration - movement for a purpose
dormancy - plants do this to conserve energy
hibernation - animals do this to survive harsh winters
estivation - animals do this to survive harsh summers
Charles Darwin - supported the theory of evolution by natural selection
Force and Motion
force - a push or a pull
rate - change in a variable per unit time
speed - equals distance divided by time
velocity - speed plus direction
motion - change in position compared to a fixed point
inertia - resistance to change in motion
net force - combination of all forces on an object
mass - measurement of the amount of matter
weight - measurement of the force of gravity on an object
acceleration - increase or decrease in velocity
action - a force exerted on an object
reaction - equal and opposite force produced
Isaac Newton - discovered the laws of motion
Classification of Matter
period - row on the periodic table
group - column on the periodic table
atom - smallest particle of matter
element - simplest form of matter
compound - 2 or more elements chemically combined
mixture - 2 or more substances physically combined
heterogeneous - mixture with individual parts visible
homogeneous - mixture that looks the same throughout
periodic - happens at a regular interval
chemistry - the study of matter
Dmitri Mendeleev - created the Periodic Table of Elements
Properties of Matter
solution - mixture where solute is completely dissolved
states of matter - solid, liquid, gas
solid - definite volume and shape
liquid - definite volume, changeable shape
gas - changeable volume and shape
solubility - ability of a substance to dissolve in another
soluble - able to dissolve
insoluble - NOT able to dissolve
acid - pH less than 7, orange juice is an example
base - pH greater than 7, baking soda is an example
neutral - pH = 7, pure water is an example
oxidation - chemical reaction with oxygen
precipitate - new solid created from two reacting liquids
melting point - temperature causing solid to change to liquid
boiling point - temperature causing liquid to change to gas