Vocabulary Words
1.) Science: Ways to gather and organize information about the natural world.
2.) Quantitative Data: Numerical recorded data.
3.) Qualitative Data: Data collected by using your senses.
4.) Independent Variable: Variable that you control during the experiment.
5.) Dependent Variable: The measurement or data you take while doing the experiment.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Estimate: Make a guess on a measurement.
2.) Infer: When you try to explain something that you observe.
3.) Prediction: What you believe will happen.
4.) Hypothesis: Statement that is an educated guess that tries to explain what will happen and why.
5.) Scientific Method: Set of problem solving steps used by scientist to find out about the natural world around us.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Control Group: Group in a controlled experiment in which all factors stay the same.
2.) Experimental Group: Group in a controlled experiment in which all factors stay the same except for one, which is called the independent variable.
3.) Fact: Agreement made between scientists.
4.) Theory: Statement that explains why and how something happens.
5.) Law: When a theory has passed many tests.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Density: How much matter is in a given space
(mass per unit of volume).
2.) Scientific Notation: Used by scientist to save time when writing very small or very large numbers.
3.) Chemistry: Study of matter and it’s changes.
4.) Physics: Study of energy and how it effects matter.
5.) Technology: The application of science to solve practical problems.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Temperature: Measures average motion of the molecules.
2.) Heat: Form of energy that speeds up the motion of the molecules.
3.) Cold: Absence of heat.
4.) Significant Figures: Digits that carry meaning contributing to its precision.
5.) Graphs: Pictures of recorded data.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Motion: Occurs when an object changes it’s position when compared to a reference point.
2.) Reference Point: Fixed object that the motion is compared to.
3.) Speed: Distance an object travels per unit of time.
4.) Velocity: Speed and direction of a moving object.
5.) Acceleration: Change in the speed or direction of a moving object.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Force: Push or pull that causes an object to move.
2.) Net Force: Overall force acting on an object
(all forces added together).
3.) Unbalanced Forces: Forces that change an object’s motion.
4.) Balanced Forces: Forces that do not change an object’s motion.
5.) Inertia: An objects resistance to a change in motion.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Momentum: Product of an object’s mass and velocity (mom. = m x v).
2.) Newton: Unit used to measure force
(one N is equal to the force needed to accelerate 1 Kg of mass 1 m / sec.).
3.) Friction: Force that one surface exerts on another when two objects rub against each other.
4.) Projectile Motion: Path of an object that is thrown.
5.) Terminal Velocity: Greatest speed reached by a falling object (air resistance = gravity’s pull).

Vocabulary Words
1.) Density: Mass per unit of volume (determines if an object will sink or float).
2.) Buoyant Force: The force that works in an upward direction to oppose gravity.
3.) Energy: The ability to do work or cause a change.
4.) Kinetic Energy: Energy an object has because of motion.
5.) Potential Energy: Energy an object stores and hold in readiness.

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Vocabulary Words
Nuclear Fusion- Hydrogen molecule join together to form Helium. Only occurs under extreme heat and pressure.
Radiation Zone- Region of sun where tightly packed gas is transferred as electromagnetic radiation.
Convection Zone- Outer layer of sun’s interior. Hot gas rises from bottom and cools as it get to the top.
Photosphere- Inner layer of sun’s atmosphere. It gives off the visible light.
Chromosphere- Middle layer of sun’s atmosphere. Can only be seen when there is an eclipse. Reddish glow.

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Vocabulary Words
Gas Giant- Name often given to the outer planets.
Kuiper Belt- A doughnut shaped region that stretches from around Pluto to about 100 times earth’s distance from the sun.
Oort Cloud- A spherical of comets that surrounds the solar system.
Asteroid- Rocky objects revolving around the sun that are too small and numerous to be considered planets.
Meteoroid- A chunk of rock or dust in space.

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Vocabulary Words
Spectrograph- An instrument that separates light into colors and make an image of the spectrum.
Apparent Brightness- The brightness of a star as seen from earth.
Absolute Brightness- The brightness a star would have if it were a standard distance from earth.
Parallax-The apparent change in position of an object when seen from different places.
Nebula-A large cloud of gas and dust in space spread out an immense volume.

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Vocabulary Words
Protostar- A contracting cloud of gas and dust with enough mass to form a star.
Super Nova- The brilliant explosion of a dying supergiant star.
Neutron Star- The small dense remains of a high mass star after a supernova.
Main Sequence- Diagonal area on the H-R diagram that contains more than 90% of all stars.
Black Hole- An object whose gravity is so strong that nothing can escape.

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Vocabulary Words
Galaxy- A large group of stars, star clusters, dust and gas held together by gravity
Spiral Galaxy- A galaxy with a bulge in the middle and arms that spiral outward in a pinwheel pattern.
Elliptical Galaxy- A galaxy shaped like a round or flat ball, generally only containing older stars.
Irregular Galaxy- A galaxy that does not have a regular shape.
Quasar- An enormously bright distant galaxy with a giant black hole at the center.

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Vocabulary Words
Cosmic Background Radiation- Electromagnetic radiation leftover by the big bang.
Solar Nebula- A large cloud of gas and dust, such as the one that formed our solar system.
Planetesimals- One of the small asteroid-like bodies that formed the building blocks of the planets.
Dark Matter- Matter that does NOT give off electromagnetic radiation, but is quite abundant in the universe.
Dark Energy- A mysterious force that appears to be causing the expansion of the universe to accelerate.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Atom: Basic building block of all matter (building block of the universe).
2.) Nucleus: Positive charged center core of the atom.
3.) Protons: Positive charged subatomic particle found inside the nucleus.
4.) Neutron: Neutral subatomic particle that found inside the nucleus.
5.) Electron: Negative charged subatomic particle outside the nucleus in energy levels

Vocabulary Words
1.) Atomic Mass: Average mass of an atom
(also shows the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus).
2.) Periodic Table: Shows regular and repeating patterns of elements.
3.) Atomic Number: Shows the number of protons in the nucleus.
4.) Period: Horizontal rows on the periodic chart that shows the number of energy levels around the nucleus.
5.) Group: Vertical columns on the periodic chart made up of elements with similar properties
(also known as chemical families).

1.) Valence Electrons: Found in the outermost energy level. (2-8-8-*8*).
2.) Metals: Found left of the zigzag line on the chart. Have luster, malleability, ductility and good conductors.
3.) Reactivity: The ease and speed elements react to form compounds.
4.) Alloy: Mixture of metals.
5.) Alkali Metals: Group that has one electron over the stable number.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Alkaline Earth Metals: Group of elements that have two electrons over the stable number.
2.) Nonmetals: Found right of the zigzag line and lack properties of metals.
3.) Diatomic Molecule: When two identical atoms (nonmetals) form a chemical bond.
4.) Halogens: Group of elements that have one electron below the stable number.
5.) Metalloids: Elements found touching the zigzag line that have properties of both metal and nonmetals.

Vocabulary Words
Matter: Anything that has mass and takes up space.
Chemistry: The study of matter and how matter changes.
Element: Substance that cannot be broken down into any other substances by chemical or physical changes.
Compounds: Substance that is made up of two or more substances that chemically combine.
Mixture: Two or more substances that are in the same place but do not chemically combine.

Vocabulary Words
Ionic Bond: Forms because of an attraction between oppositely charged particles (forms between metals and nonmetals).
Polyatomic Ions: When atoms form a compound and then become ions.
Covalent Bond: Forms when both atoms attract the two shared electrons at the same time (forms between nonmetals).
Negative Ion: Occurs when an atom gains an electron.
Positive Ion: Occurs when an atoms losses an electron.

Vocabulary Words
Electron Dot Diagram: Shows how valance electrons are shared in covalant bonds.
Polar Molecule: When certain ends of the molecule become positive and negatively charged.
Non-polar Molecule: When valance electrons are shared equally in the molecule.
Physical Change: Occurs when a change in size, shape or phase takes place but no new substance forms.
Chemical Change: occurs when a change in matter takes place when one or more new substance forms.

Vocabulary Words
Chemical formulas: Combination of symbols and subscripts used to represent a compound.
Subscripts: Number found behind and below a chemical symbol that shows the number of atoms in a molecule or compound (H
2
O).
Coefficient: Number found in front of a chemical symbol that shows the number of molecules or compounds in a reaction (2H
2
O).
Synthesis: Chemical reaction when two or more substances combine to make a more complex substance. Example: 2H
2
+ O
2

2H
2
O
Decomposition: Chemical reaction that breaks down compounds into simpler products.
Example: 2H
2
O
2

2H
2
O + O
2

Single Replacement: Chemical reaction when one element replaces another in a compound.
Example: 2CuO + C

2 Cu + CO
2
Exothermic Reaction: Chemical reaction that releases energy in the form of heat or light.
Endothermic Reaction: Chemical reaction that absorbs energy in the form of heat or light.
Catalyst: Material that increases the reaction rate by lowering the amount of activation energy that is needed.
Inhibitor: Used to decrease the rate of a chemical reaction.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Solution: A well mixed mixture whose particles are to small to see and can not be separated by filtering.
2.) Solvent: Part of a solution that does the dissolving, or is the part that has the largest amount.
3.) Solute: Part of a solution that is dissolved, or the part that has the smaller amount.
4.) Dilute: A solution that contains very little solute in the solvent.
5.) Concentrated: A solution that contains a large amount of solute in the solvent.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Solubility: Measure of how well a solute can dissolve in a solvent at a certain temperature.
2.) Saturated: A solution that contains all the solute the solvent can hold.
3.) Unsaturated: A solution that can continue to dissolve more solute.
4.) Acid: Compound that produces hydrogen (H + ) in water, have a pH below 7.
5.) Base: Compound that produces hydroxide ions
(OH ) in water, have a pH above 7.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Indicator: Compound that changes color when it comes in contact with an acid or a base.
2.) Hydrogen Ion: Ion that is found in acids, created when an atom loses an electron and becomes a positive charged ion.
3.) Hydroxide Ion: Ion that is found in bases, created when atoms form a compound and then become a negative charged ion.
4.) pH Scale: A range of numbers used to express is a substance is an acid, base or neutral solution.
5.) Neutralization: The reaction between an acid and a base.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Genes: Factors that control traits.
2.) Alleles: Different forms of a gene.
3.) Dominant Allele: Trait that always shows up in an organism when present.
4.) Recessive Allele: Trait that is masked or covered up when a dominant allele is present.
5.) Hybrids: An organism that has two different alleles for a trait.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Organism: Any living thing (plant or animal).
2.) Genetics: The science of heredity.
3.) Traits: Physical characteristics that an organism can pass on to its offspring through genes.
4.) Heredity: The passing of traits from parents to offspring.
5.) Purebred: Organism that always produces offspring with the same form of a trait as the parent.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Punnett Square: Chart that shows all the possible combinations of alleles that can result from a genetic cross.
2.) Phenotype: An organism’s physical appearance.
3.) Genotype: An organism’s genetic makeup.
4.) Homozygous: Organism that has two identical alleles for a trait.
5.) Heterozygous: Organism that has two different alleles for a trait.

1.) Meiosis: Occurs in sex cells and is the process in which the number of chromosomes is reduced by half to form four new cells.
2.) Mitosis: Occurs in body cells and is the process in which the cell’s nucleus divides into two new nuclei.
3.) Chromosome: Part of the cell found in the nucleus that carries genetic information.
4.) DNA: Genetic material that carries information about the organism.
5.) RNA: Messenger that carries the genetic code from the
DNA inside the nucleus into the cytoplasm outside the nucleus.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Mutations: Change in a gene or chromosome.
2.) Carrier: Person who does not have the trait but can pass the trait on to offspring.
3.) Pedigree: Used by geneticists to trace the inheritance of traits in humans.
4.) Amniocentesis: Used by doctors to look for genetic disorders by studying the fluid surrounding a developing baby.
5.) Karyotype: Picture of all the chromosomes in a cell.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Habitat: A place where an organism lives and that provides the things the organism needs.
2.) Biotic Factors: The living parts of an ecosystem.
3.) Abiotic Factors: The nonliving parts of an ecosystem.
4.) Species: Group of organisms that are physically similar and can reproduce with each other to produce fertile offspring.
5.) Population: All the members of one species in a particular area.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Community: When different populations live together in an area.
2.) Ecology: the study of how living things interact with each other and with their environment.
3.) Estimate: Approximation of a number based on reasonable assumptions.
4.) Immigration: Moving into a population.
5.) Emigration: Leaving a population.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Limiting Factors: Environment conditions that prevent a population from increasing.
2.) Carrying Capacity: Largest population that an environment can support.
3.) Adaptations: Process that results in behaviors and physical characteristics of species that allow them to live successfully in their environment.
4.) Niche: An organism’s particular role, how it makes its living, obtains food, what eats it, how it reproduces and physical conditions it needs.
5.) Competition: Struggle between organisms to survive in a habitat with limited resources.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Predation: Interaction in which one organism kills and eats another.
2.) Symbiosis: Close relationship between two species that benefits at least one species.
3.) Mutualism: Relationship in which both species benefit.
4.) Commensalism: One species benefits and the other is neither helped or harmed.
5.) Parasitism: One organism lives on or inside another, harming it.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Tropism: Plant’s growth response towards or away from stimulus.
2.) Producer: Organisms that can make it’s own food, the source of all the food in an ecosystem.
3.) Consumer: Organisms that can not make their own food, obtains energy by feeding on other organisms.
4.) Food Chain: Series of events in which one organism eats another and obtains energy.
5.) Food Web: Consists of many overlapping food chains in an ecosystem.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Pathogens: Organisms that cause disease.
2.) Infectious Disease: A disease that can pass from one organism to another.
3.) Toxin: Bacterial pathogen that does not enter cells, but instead will produce a poison that damages the cell.
4.) Inflammatory Response: When fluid and certain types of white blood cells leak from blood vessels into nearby tissue. (cells will then fight the pathogen).
5.) Phagocyte: White blood cell that engulfs pathogen and destroys them by breaking them down.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Bacteria: One-celled microorganism that cause a wide variety of diseases (ear infection, food poisoning, strep throat).
2.) Viruses: Tiny particles much smaller than bacteria that cannot reproduce unless inside living cells (colds, flu, chicken pox, aids).
3.) T Cells: Identify pathogens and distinguish one kind of pathogen from another.
4.) Antigens: Molecules on cells that the immune system recognizes as part of your body or as something coming from outside your body.
5.) B Cells: Lymphocytes that produce chemicals that help destroy each kind of pathogen.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Antibodies: Lock onto pathogens and help destroy each kind of disease (each antibody has a different structure so it can bind with different antigens).
2.) Aids: Disease caused by a virus that attacks the immune system.
3.) Immunity: the body’s ability to destroy pathogens before they can cause disease.
4.) Vaccination: Process by which harmless antigens are introduced into a person’s body to produce active immunity.
5.) Vaccine: Substance that consists of pathogens that have been weakened or killed but can still trigger the immune system.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Active Immunity: When the immune system produces antibodies in response to the presence of a pathogen
(can last for many years).
2.) Passive Immunity: When needed antibodies must come from a source outside the body (last for a few months).
3.) Noninfectious disease: Disease that cannot spread from person to person.
4.) Allergies: Occur when a persons immune system is overly sensitive to an allergen (pollen, molds, foods, medicines, pets, poison ivy).
5.) Histamine: Chemical responsible for symptoms of an allergy.

Vocabulary Words
1.) Antibiotics: Chemicals that kill bacteria or slows their growth.
2.) Tumor: Abnormal tissue masses that invade and destroy healthy tissue.
3.) Carcinogen: Substances or factors that can determine if cells become cancerous.
4.) Aging: Physical changes that occur throughout life.
5.) Death: The end of all vital functions.