General Science Flashcards

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from General Science lecture notes, including branches of science, scientific method, measurements, and Earth science.

Science

A systematized body of knowledge acquired through research.

Physical Sciences

Study of nature and properties of the universe and all its contents.

Astronomy

A branch of Physical Science.

Chemistry

A branch of Physical Science.

Meteorology

A branch of Physical Science.

Physics

A branch of Physical Science.

Geology

A branch of Physical Science.

Biological Sciences

Study of living organisms and life itself.

Botany

A branch of Biological Science.

Zoology

A branch of Biological Science.

Social Sciences

Study of humans as individuals, the human society, and human interactions.

Psychology

A branch of Social Science.

Sociology

A branch of Social Science.

Scientific Method

The systematic method of acquiring knowledge.

Observation

Making an observation using one's senses in the first step of the Scientific Method.

Hypothesis

A tentative solution to a problem or a prediction of the outcome.

Independent Variable

Factors that are NOT affected by other variables; usually predetermined.

Dependent Variable

Factors that are affected by other variables.

Controlled Variable

Factors that are kept the SAME for all setups.

Manipulated Variable

Factor that is DIFFERENT in each set-up; usually the variable under study.

Inductive Reasoning

A conclusion is made based on REPEATED OBSERVATION; basis of most experimental conclusions; specific to general.

Deductive Reasoning

A conclusion is made based on established PRINCIPLES and CONCEPTS; basis of most research conclusions; general to specific.

Significant Figures

Digits in a number that are considered important.

Scientific Notation

A shorthand representation of numbers using powers of 10.

Rounding Off

Method of reducing the digits in a number while keeping its value similar.

Equation

Representation of the relationship between quantities.

Direct Relationship

Variables A and X changes with the same proportion.

Inverse Relationship

Variables B and X changes with the opposite proportion.

Fundamental Quantities

Physical quantities that can be determined by using measuring devices.

Length

Fundamental Quantity that measures the distance between two points; measured in meters.

Mass

Fundamental Quantity that measures the amount of matter present in a substance; measured in kilograms.

Time

Fundamental Quantity that measures the temporal duration between two events; measured in seconds.

Temperature

Fundamental Quantity that measures the degree of heat present in a substance or object; measured in Kelvin.

Amount of Substance

Fundamental Quantity that measures the size of an ensemble of entities; measured in mole.

Electric Current

Fundamental Quantity that measures the rate at which charge flows through a surface; measured in Ampere.

Luminous Intensity

Fundamental Quantity that measures the rate of flow of light; measured in candela.

Derived Quantities

Physical quantities that can be determined by calculating fundamental quantities.

Measurement

A standard unit to express the size, amount, or degree of something.

English System

System of measurement evolved from the medieval systems of measurements; ex. foot, pound, Rankine.

Metric System

System of measurement based on multiples of 10 (except for time); ex. meter, gram, second, Kelvin.

Conversion Factor

A ratio of two measurements with different units that is equal to 1.

Geology

The study of the Earth's structure, history, and processes involved in it.

Geosphere

One of the parts of the Earth.

Hydrosphere

One of the parts of the Earth.

Atmosphere

One of the parts of the Earth.

Crust

Outermost layer of the Earth; up to 100 km below sea level.

Mantle

Layer of the Earth under the crust to 2900 km into the center; made mostly of molten rocks.

Outer Core

Made mostly of molten elements, mostly iron and nickel.

Inner Core

Made of solid light elements like iron and nickel.

Tectonic Plates

Rigid pieces of the Earth's crust and upper mantle.

Plate Tectonics

A scientific theory that describes the large-scale motions of the Earth's lithosphere.

Continental Drift Theory

Theorizes that the Earth had a single continent through most of geologic time.

Pangea

The singular super continent.

Panthalassa

The vast ocean surrounding Pangea.

Sea-floor Spreading

The process in which the ocean floor is extended when two plates move apart.

Divergent Boundary

Plates MOVE AWAY from each other; constructive (new crust is created).

Convergent Boundary

Plates MOVE TOWARDS each other; destructive (crust is destroyed as they submerge).

Transform Boundary

Plates MOVE ALONG OR SLIDE PAST EACH OTHER; conservative (crust is neither created nor destroyed).

Earthquake

Shaking of the ground caused by the release of tension built up in the plate boundaries.

Focus

Point beneath the Earth's surface where rocks break under stress and the plates shift causing an earthquake.

Epicenter

Center of the quake on the surface directly above the focus.

Body Waves

Seismic/energy waves that travel underground from the focus to the surface.

Primary Waves

Compressional; fast and can travel through all mediums; particles move in the direction of the wave.

Secondary Waves

Shear; slower than P waves and can only travel through solid rock; particles move perpendicular to the direction of the wave.

Surface Waves

Seismic waves that travel along the surface of the earth; slower than body waves.

Tsunami

Series of enormous waves caused by the sudden displacement of water, usually in oceans or large lakes; sudden upward movement of trenches cause most tsunamis.

Richter Scale

The numerical scale for expressing the magnitude of an earthquake on the basis of seismograph oscillations; has the same value for an earthquake despite the location of the reading.

Mercalli Scale

Uses the observations of the people who experienced the earthquake; not considered as scientific as the Richter Scale.

Volcano

An opening or rupture in the Earth's surface or crust where hot gases, lava, and rock fragments are released from the magma chamber below the surface.

Igneous Rocks

Formed when magma or lava solidifies.

Sedimentary Rocks

From rock residues that accumulates over time and hardens.

Metamorphic Rocks

Rocks that undergo physical and chemical changes due to intense pressure and temperature.

Minerals

Naturally occurring inorganic solids; defined by its specific chemical composition but it is easier to identify them in combination with their physical properties.

Mohs' Scale

A relative hardness scale was developed based on the scratch test, where 1 is the softest and 10 is the hardest.

Streak

Color of a mineral in its powdered form; shows the true color of the mineral.

Cleavage

Tendency of a mineral to break along a plane.

Luster

The way a mineral reflects light.

Soil

Fine fragments brought about by weathering that make up the ground; composed of mineral fragments, organic matter, water, and air.

Erosion

Term used to refer to the transfer of ground materials to another location; can be caused by natural or man-made events.

Oceanic Water

Covers 70% of the Earth's surface; composed of 96.5% water while the rest are dissolved gases and minerals.

Ground Water

Water that seeps underground through permeable rocks and accumulates differently at different depths.

Water Table

Region above the zone of saturation where water level changes depending on environmental conditions.

Unsaturated Zone

Region above the water table where water only passes through but not accumulate.