Tennessee Academic Vocabulary – Seventh Grade Science
Curriculum Area:
WORD
DEFINITION
Asexual
reproduction
Asexual reproduction is the
formation of new individuals
from the cell(s) of a single
parent. It is very common in
plants; less so in animals.
Carbon cycle
The carbon cycle is the process
through which carbon is cycled
through the air, ground, plants,
animals, and fossil fuels. Large
amounts of carbon exist in the
atmosphere as carbon dioxide
(CO2).
Cell organelles
(ribosome,
mitochondria,
chloroplast,
vacuole,
lysosome)
Cell organelles: a structure (as a
mitochondrion) in a cell that
performs a special function
Ribosome: one of numerous small
RNA-containing particles in a cell
that are sites of protein synthesis
Mitochondria: one of the round or
long bodies found in the cytoplasm
CURRICULUM OPPORTUNITIES
NUMBER OF
EXPOSURES
of cells outside the nucleus that are
rich in fats, proteins, and enzymes
and are important centers of
metabolic processes which use
oxygen and produce energy
Chloroplast: a cellular part that
contains chlorophyll and is the
location of photosynthesis
Vacuole: a cavity in bodily tissues
or in the cytoplasm of a cell that is
usually filled with fluid
Lysosome: A membranebound organelle in the
cytoplasm of most cells
containing various hydrolytic
enzymes that function in
intracellular digestion.
chloroplast
a cellular part that contains
chlorophyll and is the location of
photosynthesis
chromosome
Pronunciation: 'krO-m&-"sOm, "zOm
Function: noun
: one of the rod-shaped or threadlike
DNA-containing bodies of a cell
nucleus that contain all or most of
the genes of an organism and can
be seen especially during cell
division
compound
Pronunciation: 'käm-"paund
Function: noun
1 : a word consisting of parts that
are words <"rowboat," "high school,"
and "light-year" are compounds>
2 : something formed by a union of
elements or parts; especially : a
distinct substance formed by the
union of two or more chemical
elements in definite proportion by
weight
concentration
Pronunciation: "kän(t)-s&n'trA-sh&n, -senFunction: noun
1 : the act or process of
concentrating : the state of being
concentrated; especially : direction
of attention on a single object <don't
disturb my concentration>
2 : a concentrated mass
3 : the amount of an ingredient or
part in relation to that of others :
STRENGTH <the concentration of
salt in a solution>
cytoplasm
Pronunciation: 'sIt-&-"plaz-&m
Function: noun
: the protoplasm of a plant or animal
cell except for the nucleus
density
Pronunciation: 'den(t)-s&t-E
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -ties
1 : the quality or state of being
dense
2 : the quantity of something per unit
volume, unit area, or unit length: as
a : the mass of a substance per unit
volume <density expressed in grams
per cubic centimeter> b : the
average number of individuals or
units in a unit of area or volume <a
population density of 500 per square
mile>
diffusion
Pronunciation: dif-'yü-zh&n
Function: noun
1 : a diffusing or a being diffused
2 : the mixing of particles of liquids,
gases, or solids so that they move
from a region of high concentration
to one of lower concentration
3 : the scattering of light by
reflection from a rough surface or by
passage through a translucent
material (as frosted glass)
element
Pronunciation: 'el-&-m&nt
Function: noun
1 a : one of the four substances air,
water, fire, or earth formerly believed
to make up the physical universe b
plural : forces of nature; especially :
stormy or cold weather c : the state
or place natural or suited to a person
or thing <at school she was in her
element>
2 : one of the parts of which
something is made up: as a plural :
the simplest principles of a subject
of study b : one of the basic
individual things that belong to a
mathematical set or class -- called
also member c : any of more than
100 fundamental substances that
consist of atoms of only one kind
and that cannot be separated by
ordinary chemical means into
simpler substances d : a distinct part
of a device used in the composing of
print matter
gene
Pronunciation: 'jEn
Function: noun
: a part of DNA or sometimes RNA
that is usually located on a
chromosome and that contains
chemical information needed to
make a particular protein (as an
enzyme) controlling or influencing an
inherited bodily trait or activity (as
eye color, height, or metabolism) or
that influences or controls the
activity of another gene or genes
mitochondria
Pronunciation: "mIt-&-'kän-drE&n
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural
mitochon·dria /-drE-&/
: one of the round or long bodies
found in the cytoplasm of cells
outside the nucleus that are rich in
fats, proteins, and enzymes and are
important centers of metabolic
processes which use oxygen and
produce energy
mitosis
Pronunciation: mI-'tO-s&s
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural mi·to·ses
/-'tO-"sEz/
1 : a process that takes place in the
nucleus of a dividing cell and that
results in the formation of two new
nuclei with the same number of
chromosomes as the parent nucleus
-- compare MEIOSIS
2 : a cell division in which mitosis
occurs
molecule
Pronunciation: 'mäl-i-"kyü(&)l
Function: noun
1 : the smallest particle of a
substance having all the
characteristics of the substance <a
molecule of water> <a molecule of
oxygen>
2 : a very small bit : PARTICLE
nucleus
Pronunciation: 'n(y)ü-klE-&s
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural nu·clei /klE-"I /; also -cle·us·es
from modern Latin nucleus "the
central part of something," from
Latin nucleus "kernel," derived from
nux "nut"
organ
2 : a part (as a kidney or leaf) of a
person, plant, or animal that consists
of cells and tissues and is
specialized to do a particular task --
compare SYSTEM 1b
Organ system
a group of bodily organs that
together carry on one or more vital
functions <the digestive system> c :
the body considered as a functional
unit <a system weakened by
disease> d : an orderly plan or
method of governing or arranging <a
democratic system of government>
e : a major division of rocks usually
larger than a series and including all
formed during a period or era
osmosis
Pronunciation: äz-'mO-s&s, äsFunction: noun
1 : the passage of material (as a
solvent) through a membrane (as of
a plant or animal cell) that will not
allow all kinds of molecules to pass
2 : a taking in (as of knowledge) as if
by the process of osmosis
- os·mot·ic /-'mät-ik/ adjective
product
A molecule which is formed as
a result of a chemical reaction.
reactant
Pronunciation: rE-'ak-t&nt
Function: noun
: a substance that enters into and is
changed by a chemical reaction
respiration
Pronunciation: "res-p&-'rA-sh&n
Function: noun
1 : the act or process of breathing
2 : the physical processes (as
breathing and diffusion) by which a
living thing obtains the oxygen it
needs to produce energy and
eliminate waste gases (as carbon
dioxide)
3 : any of various chemical reactions
(as oxidation) in cells that release
energy from food molecules (as
glucose)
Run-off
water from rain or snow that flows
over the surface of the ground and
finally into streams
Sexual
reproduction
(plant and animal)
tissue
The process where two cells
(gametes) fuse to form one
hybrid, fertilized cell.
a mass or layer of cells usually of
one kind together with the uniting or
enclosing substance around and
between them that form the basic
structural materials of a plant or an
animal -- compare CONNECTIVE
TISSUE
transpiration
Pronunciation: tran(t)s-p&-'rAsh&n
Function: noun
: the process by which plants give
off water vapor through the stomata
in their leaves
volume
The amount of space matter
occupies.
Weather data
Weight
(gravitational pull
on mass/SI unit is
Newton)
Data such as mean, median,
highs and lows, outliers that
describe the state of the
atmosphere at a given time
and place, with respect to
variables such as
temperature, moisture, wind
velocity, and barometric
pressure.
the force with which a body is
attracted toward the earth or a
heavenly body by gravitation