There are lots of new key terms that you need to make sure you understand in preparation for your exam. It’s really important that you recognise what each of the words mean and are able to use them correctly in a sentence. This will help you to explain ideas scientifically and ensure you pick up important marks in your exam.
Some tips for learning science vocabulary.
Tip 1 -Play some games with the keywords
You could play hangman with your friends or family using the words you need to learn. Make sure you explain what the word means when they have guessed it.
You could play Pictionary for some of the energy types or renewable energy sources. Ask someone to draw you a picture for one of these terms and see if you can guess which one they are drawing.
You could make a puzzle such as a crossword or a key word wordsearch http://www.armoredpenguin.com/crossword/
Tip 2 – Use flash cards
Write out the key word and the definition on separate cards, mix them up and see if you can match the keyword with the correct description.
Write the keyword on one side and the definition on the other. Look at the keyword side and see if you can remember the definition or read the definition and try to remember the keyword. Turn the card over to check, or ask someone else to read them out to you.
See if you can sort the keywords into groups of similar words. For example, you could group together all the words that give a different type of energy. Try to explain why you have grouped them together to a friend or family member.
Tip 3 – Spelling strategies
Use the spelling strategies that you talk about in tutor time to help with any words that you find difficult to spell.
Break it into sounds
Break it into syllables
Break it into word parts
Use a mnemonic
Refer to word in the same family
Say it as it sounds
Words within words
Make connections between words
Think about the meaning of words
Apply spelling rules
Learn by sight
(d-i-a-r-y)
(re-mem-ber, con-tin-ent)
(dis+satisfy)
(necessary—one collar, two sleeves, rhythm has your two hips moving)
(muscle—muscular)
(Wed-nes-day)
(Parliament—I AM parliament, GUM in argument)
(bright, light, night, etc)
(bi+cycle = two+wheels)
(writing, written)
(look—cover—write—check)

Lesson 1:- Waves
Amplitude
Compression
Crest/Peak
Energy
Frequency
Incident wave
Longitudinal
Oscillation
Rarefaction
Reflected wave
Reflection
Superpose
Transverse
Undulation
Vibrations
Wavelength
The distance between the middle to the top or bottom of a wave.
Where parts of a wave are squashed together.
The top of a wave.
Something that is transferred by a wave.
The number of waves which go past a particular point per second.
The wave hitting a barrier or surface.
A wave where the oscillations are in the same direction as the wave.
Movement back and forth in a regular rhythm
Spreading or directing away from a point.
The wave bouncing off a barrier or surface.
When a wave hits and bounces off of a surface.
When waves are put together and either add up or cancel out.
A wave where the oscillations are at 90 o to the direction of the wave
A wave on the surface of water.
Rapid movement back and forth.
The distance from one part of a wave to the same point on the next wave.
Lesson 2:- Sound
Medium
Molecules
Speed of light
Speed of sound
A material for sound to travel through, either a solid, liquid or gas.
Small particles which make up substances
The speed a light wave travels is 300,000,000 m/s, almost a million times faster than sound.
The speed at which a sound wave travels, 340 m/s in air, 1500 m/s in liquids and 5000 m/s through metal.
An area of empty space with no air molecules.
Rapid movement back and forth which can cause a sound.
Vacuum
Vibration
Lesson 3:- Loudness and Pitch
Audible Range
Hertz
Infrasound
Kilohetrz
Loudness
Oscilloscope
Pitch
Ultrasound
A particular range of frequencies you can hear between 20-20,000 hertz
The unit to measure frequency, 1 Hert is one wave passing a point per second.
Frequencies below 20Hz
1000 Hertz
How the amplitude affects a sound.
Device which can show what a sound wave looks like on a screen.
The tone of the sound (high or low) depending on the frequency of a wave.
Frequencies above 20,000Hz

Lesson 4:- Detecting sound
Amplify
Auditory Canal
Auditory Nerve
Cochlea
To make a sound louder.
Small passageway sound waves travel down into the ear.
Carries signals from the ear to the brain.
A liquid filled part of the ear filled with tiny hairs which detect vibrations and convert the movement to electrical impulses.
The measurement of sound intensity (dB)
A flexible plate inside a microphone.
Decibel
Diaphragm
Ear
Eardrum
Inner Ear
Middle Ear
The part of the body which allows us to hear sounds
Flexible film which vibrates when sound waves reach it.
Part of the ear containing the semi-circular canals and the cochlea
The ossicles.
Ossicles
Outer Ear
Tiny bones which vibrate and amplify the sound.
The pinna, auditory canal and eardrum.
Pinna The part of the ear you can see which directs sound into the auditory canal
Semi-circular canals These help you balance.
Lesson 5:- Echoes and Ultrasound
Echo
Receiver
Reverberation
Transmitter
When sound reflects off of a surface.
Something that detects reflected sound waves
When lots of echoes join together to make a longer sound
Something that sends out sound waves.