Glossary
A is for Ant. [Them!, 1954]
abiotic
word roots: a = not, bio = life
Something that is not (or never used to be) a living thing. Rocks, rain, and metals are all examples of things that are abiotic. In looking for evidence of possible life elsewhere in the universe (like Mars), scientists need to figure out if what they are analyzing comes from something abiotic or biotic.
related words: biotic
abiotic factors
word roots: a = not, bio = life
Non-living parts of an ecosystem. This can include things like rocks or chemicals that could somehow affect the living things in an ecosystem. For example, if a landslide blocks a river from flowing, scientists would then be studying the changes that occur to the animals and plants that are no longer living in a river ecosystem, but a lake ecosystem.
related words: biotic factors
absorb
absorb
word roots: ab = from, sorb = suck in
To take in or soak up. When you use a sponge to clean up a wet mess, the sponge will absorb liquid.
related words: absorbent
ammonia
ammonia
A really smelly gas made from nitrogen and hydrogen. You can smell ammonia in urine. Ammonia can build up in fish tanks if you don't change the water often. Fish pee too!
amplitude
animal cell
word root: atomos = cannot be divided up
A very small, basic part of matter.
A very small, basic part of matter.
ATP
balanced
biodiversity
biotic
word roots: bio = life
Something that is (or used to be) a living thing. Plants, animals, and bacteria are all examples of things that are biotic. In looking for evidence of possible life elsewhere in the universe (like Mars), scientists need to figure out if what they are analyzing comes from something abiotic or biotic.
related words: abiotic
biotic factors
word roots: bio = life
Living parts of an ecosystem. This can include things like plants, animals, and bacteria that are found in an ecosystem. In ecosystems, scientists study how these living things affect each other (like predator-prey relationships).
related words: abiotic factors
boundary
carbon cycle
carbon dioxide
cell
cellular respiration
Celsius (°C)
A way of measuring temperature, using the metric system. Water freezes at 0°C, and boils at 100°C.
centimeter (cm)
word roots: centi = hundred, meter = measurement
A metric unit used for measuring smaller distances. It is about as long as your pinky finger is wide. There are 100 centimeters in a meter.
chemical change
chemical compound
chemical equation
chemical formula
chemical properties
chemical reaction
chlorophyll
chloroplast
claim
Saying that something is true without providing evidence or proof. A good experiment should be able to test a claim to see if it is true or not.
coefficient
commensalism
competition
concentration
conservation of matter
constraint
A limitation. For example, plastic put on the soil in strawberry fields must be thick enough to keep weeds from growing through, and dark enough to heat the soil and kill unwanted bacteria. However, the plastic cannot make the soil so hot that the strawberry plants cannot grow. For scientists, constraints help to focus experiments upon a particular goal. consumer
convection
convection currents
convergent boundary
core
word roots: crite = judging
Rules or expectations that are used to decide if something meets or fails certain requirements. For example, drone inventors have to meet the criteria of designing flying machines that are both strong and lightweight. For scientists, criteria help to focus experiments upon a particular goal.
related words: criterion
crust
current
decomposer
divergent boundary
earthquake
ecosystem
ecosystem services
electromagnetic spectrum
element
energy
energy being used
erosion
evidence
word root: evident = obvious
Facts or information used to prove if something is true or not. Scientists use observations to collect evidence during an experiment.
Fahrenheit (°F)
One way of measuring temperature. Water freezes at 32°F, and boils at 212°F.
food chain
food web
forces
fossil fuels
gas
Something that can change both its shape and volume. One of the states of matter.
glucose
gram (g)
word root: gramma = a small weight
A metric unit used for measuring mass. It is about as heavy as a dime.
A metric unit used for measuring mass. It is about as heavy as a dime.
growth
heat
hydrocarbon
igneous rock
inner core
No entries at this time.
kilogram (kg)
word roots: kilo = thousand, gramma= small weight
A metric unit used for measuring larger masses. It is about as heavy as a textbook. There are 1000 grams in a kilogram.
A metric unit used for measuring larger masses. It is about as heavy as a textbook. There are 1000 grams in a kilogram.
kilometer (km)
word roots: kilo = thousand, meter = measurementA metric unit used for measuring larger distances. It is about as long as the distance you can walk in 15 minutes, or 3 times around a PE running track. There are 1000 meters in a kilometer.
kinetic energy
lava
light energy
limiting resources
liquid
Something that can change its shape but keeps its volume. One of the states of matter.
liter (L)
A metric unit used for measuring amounts of liquid or gas. It is about as much liquid as two small water bottles can hold.
magma
mantle
mass
The amount of stuff (matter) that something has. We can think of this as weight (which measures how much something can be pulled on by Earth's gravity).
matter
word roots: mater = mother, materia = wood or substance
Something that takes up space and has mass. Matter makes up everything in the universe.
metamorphic rock
meter (m)
word root: meter = measure
A metric unit used for measuring distances. It is about as long as a doorway is wide.
methane
milligram (mg)
word roots: milli = tiny thousands, gramma= small weight
A metric unit used for measuring tiny masses. It is about as heavy as a single grain of sand. There are 1000 milligrams in a gram.
A metric unit used for measuring tiny masses. It is about as heavy as a single grain of sand. There are 1000 milligrams in a gram.
milliliter (mL)
word roots: milli = tiny thousands
A metric unit used for measuring tiny volumes of liquid or gas. It is about as much liquid as a single drop of water. There are 1000 milliliters in a liter.
A metric unit used for measuring tiny volumes of liquid or gas. It is about as much liquid as a single drop of water. There are 1000 milliliters in a liter.
millimeter (mm)
word roots: milli = tiny thousands, meter = measurementA metric unit used for measuring tiny distances. It is about as long as a dime is thick or a pencil mark is wide. There are 10 millimeters in a centimeter, and 1000 millimeters in a meter.
mitochondria
modification
molecule
One or more atoms stuck together. The atoms can be the same type or different types.
mutualism
niche
nitrogen cycle
observation
word roots: ob = toward, serva = look at
Looking at or watching something carefully to get information. Usually done with sight, but other senses could be used as well. Scientists write down and record this information.
related words: observe, observing
organism
outer core
oxygen
parasitism
particle
word root: particula = little part
A tiny bit of matter.
periodic table
petroleum
phosphorous cycle
photosynthesis
physical change
physical properties
plant cell
plate
plate boundary
plate tectonics
population
potential energy
predator
prediction
word roots: pre = before, dict = say
What a scientist thinks is going to happen, based upon observations. This is written down before the experiment actually starts. It is usually in a sentence with the structure "if - then - because".
related words: predict
prey
producer
products
proposal
purification
No entries at this time.
reactants
recycling
renewable
reproduction
resource constraints
resources
rock cycle
scarcity
science
word root: scientia = know
Studying the natural world around us through observing and experimenting.
related word: scientific
sediment
sedimentary rock
solid
Something that keeps its shape and volume. One of the states of matter.
state of matter
One of the ways (forms) in which matter can exist. Usually, this means that something is solid, liquid, or gas.
stored energy
subscript
symbiotic
temperature
How much heat something has. It is usually measured using the Fahrenheit scale (°F) or the Centigrade scale (°C).
thermal energy
Heat. If enough is removed, gases become liquids, and liquids become solid. If enough is added, solids become liquids, and liquids become gases.
transform boundary
trophic levels
No entries at this time.
visible light
volcano
volume
How much space something takes up.
water
wavelength
weathering
No entries at this time.
No entries at this time.
No entries at this time.