Essential Vocabulary List
1. Scientific Method Notes
2. Bio-Life
3. Biotic—living parts of an ecosystem even
if they are dead, they are still biotic
4. Abiotic—nonliving parts of an ecosystem;
Dead does not equal abiotic
5. Organism-any living thing
6. Habitat—place an organism lives…has
four components—food, water, shelter,
and space.
7. Producer—an organism that makes its own
food—plant —uses photosynthesis to
make its food.
8. Consumer—an organism that eats other
organisms.
9. Primary Consumer—An organism that
eats only producers—plant eater.
10.
Secondary Consumer—An organism
that eats both producers and consumers.
11.
Tertiary Consumer-An organism that
eats both producers and consumers and
has no natural predators.
12.
Decomposer—An organism that eats
dead or decaying organisms.
13.
Scavenger—An animal that hunts
dead animals.
14.
Food chain—the transfer of energy
from one organism to another along
ONE pathway.
15.
Food Web—the transfer of energy
from organism to organism along MORE
THAN ONE overlapping pathway.
16.
Autotroph—an organism that makes
its own food. (Producer)
17.
Heterotroph—an organism that does
not make its own food. (consumers)
18.
Symbiosis—A relationship between
two organisms. There are three types of
symbiotic relationships—parasitism,
commensalism, and mutualism.
19.
Parasitism—a relationship in which one
organism benefits, but the other organism
is harmed. The harmed organism is called
the host. The organism that harms the
host is the parasite!
20.
Commensalism—a relationship in which
one organism benefits and the other, the
host organism, is not harmed.
21.
Mutualism—a relationship where both
organisms benefit and neither is harmed.
22.
Limiting Factors—things that control
the number of organisms in a particular
population found in a habitat. (Food,
Water, Shelter, Space, Predators, etc.)
23.
Carrying Capacity—the maximum
number of organisms that can live in
particular population within a habitat.
(EX. How many bears can live in a
particular forest?)
24.
Adaptation—a structure or behavior
that helps an organism survive in its
habitat. Two types of adaptations:
structural or behavioral.
25.
Water Cycle—refers to the
continuous movement of water on the
surface of the earth.
26.
Condensation—water changes from a
gas to a liquid. (Clouds)
27.
Melting—changing phase from a solid
to a liquid.
28.
Freezing—changing phase from liquid
to a solid.
29.
Evaporation—change of phase from a
liquid to a gas.
30.
Precipitation—water falling as sleet,
rain, snow, or hail.
31.
Sublimation—change of phase directly
from a solid to a gas.
32.
Transpiration—water vapor released
from plants through their stomata, pores
on the underside of leaves.
33.
Runoff—water moving due to force of
gravity. Usually referring to water on the
ground moving from a higher elevation to
a lower elevation.
34.
Storage—when water stays in one
place for an extended period of
time..example..glacier, water deep
underground, water deep in the ocean.
35.
Cell Theory—1. All living things are
made of cells. 2. Cells are the basic unit
of structure and function. 3. All Cells
come from other cells.
36.
Cell—The basic unit of structure and
function in all living things.
37.
Organelles--structures that make up
cells, means tiny organs.
38.
Cell Wall--made of cellulose, a
nonliving material; found in plant cells, but
not in animal cells; provides support and
protection.
39. Cell Membrane--provides protection
and support for the cell, helps control
movement of materials into and out of the
cell.
40.
Nucleus--the control center or brain
of the cell; regulates all activity in the cell.
41.
Nuclear Membrane—surrounds the
nucleus and allows materials to pass into
or out of the nucleus.
42.
Chromosomes:--thick , rod-like objects
floating in the nucleus; direct all activity in
a cell including growth and reproduction;
responsible for passing on traits of the
cell to new cells.
43.
Nucleolus: produces ribosomes.
Ribosomes are involved in the protein
making process in the cell. Small spot
found in the nucleus; "little nucleus"
44.
Cytoplasm--clear, jelly-like substance
found between the nucleus and the cell
membrane. Constantly moves or streams
throughout the cell.
45.
Endoplasmic Reticulum--Maze of
tubular passageways that work as a
transportation system. The
passageways spread throughout the cell,
carrying proteins from one part of the cell
to another.
46.
Ribosomes--tiny, protein making sites
in the cell manufactured by the nucleolus
and transported by the endoplasmic
reticulum.
47.
Mitochondria--supply most of the
energy for the cell, rod-shaped structures
are referred to as the powerhouse of the
cell. Cellular respiration happens here.
48. Vacuoles--act like storage tanks for
the cells, water-filled sacs floating in the
cytoplasm. Food and Waste products
can be stored in vacuoles. In plant cells,
vacuoles are the main water-storage
areas.
49.
Lysosomes--small, round structures
involved with the digestive activities of the
cell. Contain enzymes that break down
large food molecules into smaller ones.
Digest old unused cell parts. Cell's
cleanup crew.
50.
Golgi Bodies—prepare and package
cell materials for transport throughout the
cell. The Post office of the cell.
51.
Ingestion—Food Getting--how an
organism takes in or produces food.
52.
Respiration—Getting Energy from
our food—takes place in the mitochondria
found in cells. Uses Oxygen we breathe
to get energy from the food we eat.
53.
Excretion—Getting rid of waste—
pooping and peeing—all organisms don’t
have solid or liquid waste, however.
Plants only have waste in the form of gas.
54.
Secretion—Useful fluids used in body
activities—spit, sweat, snot are examples.
55.
Growth and Repair—all organisms
grow and can repair injuries. The more
complex the organism, the less it can
repair.
56.
Response and Adaptation—all
organisms respond to their environment
and adapt over long periods of time in
order to survive. Responses are short
term. Adaptations happen over long
periods of time.
57.
Independent Movement—all organisms
are able to move under their own power.
58.
Reproduction—all organisms are able
to make more of their species. Two
types: Sexual (Two Parents) and
Asexual (One Parent).
59.
Trait—any characteristic that can be
passed from parent to offspring.
60.
Heredity—Passing of traits from
parents to offspring.
61.
Genetics—the study of heredity.
62.
Circuit—a pathway through which
electricity can flow.
63.
Open Circuit--—a incomplete circuit
through which energy cannot flow.
64.
Closed Circuit—a complete circuit
through which electricity can flow.
65.
Current--the movement of electricity
through a circuit.
66.
Conductor--anything that allows
electricity to flow through (ex ample:
copper)
67.
Insulator—something that does not
allow electricity to flow through (example:
rubber or plastic or glass or wood)
68.
Simple Circuit--a circuit with only one
pathway and one load.
69.
Series circuit—a circuit with a single
pathway, but multiple loads
70.
Parallel Circuit—a circuit with multiple
pathways and multiple loads.
71.
Load- something that uses electricity.
62. Circuit-a pathway that electricity can flow
through.
63. Open Circuit—an incomplete circuit that
electricity cannot flow through.
64. Closed Circuit—A complete circuit that
electricity can flow through.
65. Current—a flow of electricity moving
through a circuit.
66. Conductor—anything that allows
electricity to flow through it. (Example:
Metal)
67. Insulator—anything that does not allow
electricity to flow through it. (Example:
Plastic, rubber, glass, wood)
68. Simple Circuit—a circuit with one load and
one pathway.
69. Series Circuit—a circuit with one pathway,
but multiple loads.
70. Parallel Circuit—a circuit with multiple
pathways and multiple loads.
71. Load—Something that uses electricity.
72. Matter—Anything that has mass and
volume.
73. Mass—the amount of matter in an object.
74. Volume—the amount of space an object
takes up.
75. Solid—matter that has a definite shape
and volume.
76. Liquid—matter that has a definite volume,
but takes on the shape of the container.
77. Gas—matter that has no definite shape or
definite volume.
78. Elements—the simplest forms of matter.
79. Compounds—substances made from
different elements that are chemically
combined.
80. Mixtures—substances that are made of
more than one substance that are physically
mixed together.
81. Solution—a well-mixed mixture, usually a
liquid.
82. Solvent—the bigger part of the solution,
usually a liquid, that the other part is dissolved
in.
83. Solute—the smaller part of the mixture,
often a solid, that is dissolved into the solvent
to make a solution.
84. Chemical Reaction—a reaction in which
different substances react together chemically
to form new substances.
85. Physical reaction—a reaction in which
different substances react together without
forming new substances.
86. Indicators of Chemical Reactions—
change in temperature, new product,
bubbling/fizzing, explosion, foaming, change in
smell, change in color, change in taste, smoke,
fire.
87. Phase Change—physical changes in
which matter changes from one phase to
another, but doesn’t change chemically.
88. Synthesis Reaction—a chemical reaction
in which two or more simple elements or
compounds combine to make a more complex
compound.
Example: A + B  AB
89. Decomposition—a chemical reaction in
which a compound breaks apart into two or
more simple substances.
Example: AB  A + B
90. Single Replacement Reaction—A
chemical reaction where one element replaces
another element in a compound.
Example: AB + C  AC + B
91. Double Replacement Reaction—A
chemical reaction in which two elements trade
places in two different compounds.
Example: AB + CD  AC + BD
92. Law of Conservation of Mass—You
cannot create or destroy mass. You cannot
create or destroy matter.
93. Atomic Number—tells us the number of
protons found in the nucleus of one atom of an
element.
94. Atomic Mass—tells us the number of
protons and neutrons found in the nucleus of
one atom of an element.
95. Periods—the groups of the periodic table
that go sideways (Sentences go sideways.
Periods are at the end of sentences)
96. Families—the columns going up and down
on the periodic table.
97. Heat—the amount of thermal energy an
object contains…always moves from hot to
cold…and it will stop moving when thermal
equilibrium is reached.
98. Thermal Energy—the amount of heat an
object contains.
99.Thermal Equilibrium—a state that is
reached when objects come to rest at the same
temperature. Heat exchange stops.
100. Conduction—a method of heat transfer
two objects in direct contact. Works best in
solids because the particles are tightly packed.
101. Convection—a method of heat transfer in
fluids (gas and liquids) are heated up, they
expand and become less dense. They rise and
are replaced by cooler fluid that is more dense.
102. Radiation—a method heat transfer that
travels through empty space. It is the only
method that does not require a medium to
travel through.
103. Law of Conservation of Energy—
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but
only changes from one type to another.
104. Types of Energy—Solar, Mechanical,
Wind, Nuclear, Kinetic, Potential, Chemical,
Electrical, Thermal/Heat, Hydraulic,
Sound.
105. Inertia—the tendency of a body to resist
a change in motion. Mass=Inertia. The more
mass something has the more inertia it has.
106. Force—a push or a pull.
107. Balanced Forces—forces that are equal,
but opposite. Forces are balanced when there
is no change in direction or speed.
108. Unbalanced Forces—forces that are not
equal and opposite…forces cause changes in
speed and direction.
109. Newton’s First Law of Motion (Law of
Inertia)—an object at rest will stay at rest and
an object in motion will stay in motion unless
acted upon by unbalanced forces.