General Science – Flashcard

ASVAB

Catalyst

A substance that reduces the activation energy of a chemical reaction, making it possible and increasing its speed

Enzyme

A protein that catalyzes a chemical reaction

What is DNA’s function?

DNA carries hereditary information that controls the protein synthesis in living organisms

Ions

Electrically charged atom or substances

Prokaryotic Cell

A cell that doesn’t have an enclosed nucleus

Eukaryotic Cell

A cell with a nucleus enclosed in a membrane

What are the three main parts of a eukaryotic cell?

Cell membrane, Cytoplasm, and Nucleus

The mathematical formula for gravity is _____.

Metric System/SI

The system of measuremnt that’s based on a decimal system of multiples and fractions of ten

Omnivores

Animals that eat plants and meat

The brain is part of the _____.

Nervous System

Bones, joints, tendons, and cartilage are part of the _____.

Skeletal System

Skeletal Muscle

The muscles that control your voluntary movements

Plants can reproduce in _____.

Sexually and Asexually

In human genetics, a healthy person has _____ pairs of chromosomes.

23

What is the method by which scientists develop and test theories called?

Scientific Method

What is the smallest part of an element that still retains the characteristics of the element?

Atom

Neutrons

Particles with no charge

Electrons

Negatively charged particles

Protons

Positively charged particles

An element’s atomic number corresponds with _____.

Number of protons it has

What are the states of matter?

Solid, liquid, and gas

When a substance transforms from a gas to a liquid, it goes through the process called _____.

Condensation

Compunds

Elements joined by chemical bonds in a specific ratio

Chemical Reaction

The process that rearranges a substance’s molecular structure

The pH scale ranges from _____.

0 to 14

What is the base unit of length in the SI system?

Meter

What unit measures force?

Newton

What unit measures energy, work, and quantity of heat?

Joule

The amount of matter an object contains is called its _____.

Mass

What is Newton’s first law of motion?

An object at rest and in motion tends to stay at rest, and in motion with the same speed and in the same direction, unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

Sound wares are measured in what two units?

Amplitude and Wavelength

All wavelengths and frequencies of radiation are on the _____.

Electromagnetic Spectrum

Refraction of Light

The bending of light as it passes from one medium to another

Reflection of Light

Occurs when light bounces off an object

Thermal Equilibrium

A condition in which no heat is flowing between objects

What are the three ways heat energy transfers between objects?

Through conduction, convection, and radiation

What foes the first law of thermodynamics say?

Energy can be neither created nor destroyed, but it can be transferred and converted

Product

An element or molecule that results from a chemical reaction

Geology

The study of Earth’s physical appearance

What is Earth’s surface called?

Crust

What is the solid rock below Earth’s crust called?

Mantle

What do scientists believe is in Earth’s core?

Contains iron and nickel

Hypothesis

A testable explantion of why something happens

How do scientists test a hypothesis?

By experimenting and observing outcomes

What does the prefix milli- mean in the metric system?

One-thousandth/0.001

What does the prefix centi- mean in the metric system?

One-hundredth/0.01

What does the prefix deci- mean in the metric system?

one-tenth/0.1

One foot is approximately equal to how many meters?

About 0.3 meters

Ecosystem

A biological community of interacting organisms and their environment

What do plants need to grow?

Sunlight, good soil or environmental nutrients, the right temperatures, and water to grow

Biodiversity

The term scientists use to talk about the variety of life within ecosystems

What are the clasifcations in the Linnaean taxonomix classification system?

Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species

What are the kingdoms in the Linnaean taxonomic classification system?

Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protists, Bacteria, and Achaea

What is the nervous system responsible for?

Receiving, Processing, and Responding to Physical Stimuli

What is the respiratory system responsible for?

Inhaling air, using oxygen from the air to release energy, and exhaling carbon dioxide

What is the purpose of the renal system?

Filters toxins out of the body

What are the three types of human muscles?

Cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, and skeletal muscle

What are the six major types of bone joints?

Hinge, ball and socket, pivot, fixed, saddle, condyloid, and gliding

What do ligaments and tendons do?

Ligaments join the bones, and tendons connect muscle tissue to bones and other structures in the body

What types of nutrients do animals need for fuel?

Carbohydrates, fats, fiber, minerals, protein, vitamins, and water for fuel

A plant’s root system includes _____.

Vascular tissue, primary roots, and secondary roots (branches)

What does a plant’s root system do?

A plant’s root system absorbs water and nutrients from the soil, holds the plant in place, and stores nutrients

What are the two stages of photosynthehsis?

Light-dependent reactions and Calvin cycle

Every cell has what four things in common?

A nucleus, cytoplasm, a membrane, and ribosomes

What is the function of a cell’s nucleus?

Controls cellular activity and holds the cell’s genetic material (DNA)

What do plant cells contain that animal cells do not?

Contain chloroplasts, which help plants create food with the help of sunlight

Osmosis

The movement of liquid throught the cell membrane (and the main way that water goes in and out of cells)

Photosynthesis

The conversion of electromagnetic energy from the sun to chemical energy that the cell can use

Kinetic Energy

The energy a body possesses by virtue of being in motion

What are the four general blood types?

A, B, AB, and O

What are the eight planets in order of their distance from the sun, starting with the closest?

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune

What is the function of White Blood Cells?

Fight infection

Crystal Lattice

The very rigid molecular structure of repeating patterns found in solids

What is water’s boiling point at sea level, in degrees ºC and ºF?

100ºC & 212ºF

Sublimation

When it takes place, a substance change from solid to gas without ever passing through a liquid phase

What is the rate of gravity on Earth?

9.8 m/s

What is the formula for work in physics?

W represents Work, F represents Force, and D represents Displacement

What are the layers of the Earth, beginning with the outermost layer?

Earth’s crust, followed by Mantle, Outer Core, and Inner Core

What are the layers of Earth’s mantle?

Mesosphere, Asthenosphere, and Lithosphere

What forms sedimentary rock?

Sediment, such as particles of sand, seashells, and bone fragments that harden over time

What causes metamorphic rock to form?

Intense heat and pressure below Earth’s surface

What is igneous rock made form?

Cooled Magma

Fault Line

Space between Earth’s tectonic plates

What are the five oceans classified by scientists?

Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, and Southern Oceans

How thick is Earth’s atmosphere?

Approximately 300 miles thick

In whcih layer of Earth’s atmosphere do mot weather changes occur?

Most of Earth’s weather changes happen in the troposphere

What is the most prevalent gas in Earth’s atmosphere?

Nitrogen at about 78%

Climate

Refers to patterns in weather overtime (usually 30 years or more)

What three scales do scientists use to measure temperature?

Fahrenheit, Celsius (Centigrade), and Kelvin

What formula converts ºC to ºF

What are the major ways scientists determine the ages of fossils?

Through radiometric dating, relative dating, paleomagnetism, and biochronology

What’s at the center of the Milky Way galaxy?

A supermassice black hole

What type of star is Earth’s sun?

Yellow dwarf star

Terrestrial planets

The inner four planets in Earth’s solar system are Earthlike planets comprised mainly of iron and rock

Meteoroid

A rock from space that hits Earth’s atmosphere and glows as it heats up

What does DNA do?

Determines an organism’s traits and genetic makeup

Gram

The basic unit of mass or weight in the metric system

Medium’s refractive index

The ratio by which light is slowed while passing through medium

Ribosome

An organelle that processes genetic instructions so the cell can create proteins