4th Grade Science Vocabulary
hardness the number on the Moh’s scale representing the hardness of a mineral
luster the way a mineral reflects light
mineral a naturally occurring substance, neither plant nor animal
Moh’s scale scale used to indicate the hardness of a mineral from 10 hardest to 1 softest
scratch test a test used to determine the color of the streak of a mineral
streak color the color of a mineral’s streak when using a streak plate
streak plate a plate used for testing a mineral’s hardness
igneous rock ‘fire made’ rock formed from melted rock material
metamorphic rock rock formed by heat and pressure
sedimentary rock rock formed by bits or layers of rocks cemented together
geologist a scientist that studies rocks and minerals
geological region a distinct region of geological features
geological formation rock unit distinguished from adjacent deposits by some common
character, as composition, origin, type of fossil, etc.
core the center layer of the Earth
crust solid rock that makes up the Moon’s and Earth’s outermost layers
inner core A sphere of solid material at the center of the Moon or Earth.
lava the molten, fluid rock that issues from a volcano or volcanic vent
magma molten material beneath or within the earth's crust, from which igneous rock is
formed
magma chamber an underground cavity containing molten rock, esp. below a volcano;
also called a magma reservoir
mantle the layer of rock lying below the crust
erosion the wearing away of soil and rock particles by waves, wind, running water, or
glaciers. See deposition
weathering to discolor, disintegrate, or affect injuriously, as by the effects of weather:
These crumbling stones have been weathered by the centuries
habitat the home of an organism
dependence the state of relying on or needing someone or something for aid, support,
or the like
trait a characteristic of a living thing
environment the air, water, minerals, organisms, and all other external factors
surrounding and affecting a given organism at any time
reptile a cold-blooded vertebrate that lives on land and has a backbone, an
endoskeleton, and waterproof skin with scales or plates
amphibians a cold-blooded vertebrate that spends part of its life in water and part of its
life on land
mammals a warm-blooded vertebrate with hair or fur; female mammals produce milk to
feed their young
fish any of various cold-blooded, aquatic vertebrates, having gills, commonly fins, and
typically an elongated body covered with scales
birds any warm-blooded vertebrate of the class Aves, having a body covered with
feathers, forelimbs modified into wings, scaly legs, a beak, and no teeth, and bearing
young in a hard-shelled egg
invertebrates an animal without a backbone
vertebrate an animal with a backbone
adaptation a special trait that helps an organism survive
warm-blooded said of an animal with a constant body temperature
cold-blooded said of an animal that cannot control its body temperature
exoskeleton a hard covering that protects an invertebrate’s body
endoskeleton an internal supporting structure
mimicry when one organism imitates the traits of another
camouflage an adaptation by which an animal can hide by blending in with its
surroundings
food chain the set of steps in which organisms get the food they need to survive
food web the pattern that shows how food chains are related
arthropod an invertebrate with jointed legs and a body that is divided into sections
cell the smallest unit of living matter
classification the placement things that share properties together in groups
fungi one-celled organisms that have cell walls but no nuclei
inherited traits traits that are inborn, not learned
kingdom the largest group into which an organism can be classified
scales one of the thin, flat, horny plates forming the covering of certain animals, as
snakes, lizards
learned behavior behavior that is not inborn
mollusk a soft-bodied invertebrate
organism a living thing that carries out five basic life functions on its own
protist any of the one-celled organisms that live in water. Some are plantlike and make
their own food. Some are animal-like and are capable of motion
carbon dioxide a colorless, odorless, incombustible gas formed during respiration
community the living part of an ecosystem
diversity the state or fact of being different; unlikeness
ecosystem the living and nonliving things in an environment, and all their interactions
endangered species a species at risk of extinction
hibernation to spend the winter in close quarters in a dormant condition, as bears and
certain other animals
instinct a pattern of behavior that requires no thinking because it is programmed into an
animal’s brain
metamorphosis a process of changes in form during an animal’s development
migration the act of movement from one region or climate to another
niche the position of an organism in a community of plants and animals
oxygen a part of the air that is needed by most plants and animals to live
population one type of organism living in an area
variation a difference in structure or behavior from others of the same species or group
pollution the adding of harmful substances to the water, air, or land
carbohydrates class of organic compounds that form the supporting tissues of plants
and are important food for animals and people
digestion process by which food is converted into substances that can be absorbed by
the body breakdown of foods into simpler chemical compounds
nutrients nourishing; providing nourishment or nutriment
small intestine the narrow, longer part of the intestines
starch a white, tasteless, solid carbohydrate
calorie unit of measurement of the amount of energy in food
grain a small, hard seed, esp. the seed of a food plant such as wheat, corn, rye, oats,
rice
water a transparent, odorless, tasteless liquid, a compound of hydrogen and oxygen
proteins considered as a food source supplying essential amino acids to the body
combination foods a basic component of optimal nutrition because it allows the body to
digest and utilize the nutrients in our foods to their full extent.
components any smaller, self-contained part of a larger entity. Component may refer to
electronic circuits.
oils any substances typically liquid at ordinary temperatures, and not soluble in water:
used for lubricating.
fats any greasy substances formed of tissue of animals and also occurring in plants,
that, when pure are colorless, odorless, and tasteless and are either solid or liquid,
vitamins any of a group of organic substances essential to normal metabolism, found in
minute amounts in natural foodstuffs
weight
the amount or quantity of heaviness or mass; amount a thing weighs.
parallel circuit a circuit in which each object is connected to the cell separately
series circuit a circuit in which the objects are connected in a single path.
lightning a discharge of static electricity from a thundercloud
discharge the sudden movement of an electric charge from the object where it built up
to another nearby object
friction a force between surfaces that slows objects down or stops them from moving
static electricity the buildup of an electric charge on a material
calories the unit of measurement of chemical energy in food
chemical energy the energy your body uses to walk, run, or lift things
energy the ability to do work, either to make an object move or to change matter
force any push or pull that makes an object start moving, stop moving, speed up, slow
down, or change direction
current electricity a moving electrical charge
attract to draw to itself
repel to force back
magnetism the power to attract iron and steel as a magnet does
magnetic pole 1. either of the poles of a magnet where the magnetic field is strongest
2. Either of two points on the surface of the earth near the North and South Poles,
where the earth’s magnetic field is the strongest
magnetic field a region of magnetic force around a magnet
magnetic force the force exerted between magnetic poles
electric circuit a complete path through which electricity can flow
open circuit a circuit which contains gaps or breaks so that it will not allow electricity to
flow
closed circuit a circuit which is complete and allows electricity to flow
conductor a material through which heat or electricity flows easily
insulator a material through which heat or electricity does not flow easily.
resistor a material through which electricity has difficulty flowing
switch a device that can open or close an electric circuit
electromagnet a temporary magnet created when current flows through wire wrapped
in coils around an iron bar
electromagnetism a temporary magnetic force created when current flows through
wire wrapped in coils around an iron bar
energy source materials such as coal, wood, gas, and oil that are used to generate
electricity
energy receiver a device used to receive the energy generated by various sources