8th Grade Physical Science Midterm Exam Study Guide

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts from the 8th grade physical science curriculum for preparing for the midterm exam.

Matter

Anything that has mass and takes up space.

Mass

The measure of the amount of matter in an object, typically measured in grams.

Weight

The force exerted by gravity on an object, which can change based on the location in a gravitational field.

Volume

The amount of space an object occupies, usually measured in cubic units.

Density

A physical property defined as mass per unit volume.

Physical Property

A characteristic of matter that can be observed without changing its chemical identity.

Chemical Property

A characteristic of a substance that can only be observed during a chemical reaction.

Physical Change

A change that affects one or more physical properties of a substance without altering its chemical composition.

Chemical Change

A change that transforms a substance into a different substance with different properties.

Law of Conservation of Mass

A principle stating that mass cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction.

Atom

The basic unit of a chemical element, consisting of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Proton

A positively charged subatomic particle located in the nucleus of an atom.

Electron

A negatively charged subatomic particle that orbits the nucleus of an atom.

Neutron

A subatomic particle with no charge located in the nucleus of an atom.

Atomic Number

The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, which determines the element's identity.

Mass Number

The total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom.

Nucleus

The dense, central part of an atom, containing protons and neutrons.

Electron Cloud

The region surrounding the nucleus of an atom where electrons are likely to be found.

Periodic Table

A tabular arrangement of chemical elements, organized by atomic number, electron configuration, and recurring chemical properties.

Metal

Elements that are typically shiny, malleable, and good conductors of heat and electricity.

Nonmetal

Elements that are generally poor conductors of heat and electricity and can be gases, solids, or brittle.

Metalloid

Elements with properties intermediate between metals and nonmetals.

Chemical Reaction

A process where one or more substances are transformed into different substances.

Reactant

A starting material in a chemical reaction.

Product

A substance produced as a result of a chemical reaction.

Chemical Formula

A notation that uses chemical symbols to represent the composition of a substance.

Chemical Equation

A symbolic representation of a chemical reaction showing the reactants and products.

Viscosity

A measure of a fluid's resistance to flow.

Evaporation

The process by which liquid turns into vapor.

Condensation

The process by which vapor turns into liquid.

Sublimation

The process where a solid changes directly into a gas without going through the liquid phase.

Deposition

The process in which gas transforms directly into a solid.

Covalent Bond

A type of chemical bond that involves the sharing of electron pairs between atoms.

Ionic Bond

A type of chemical bond formed through the transfer of electrons from one atom to another.