8th FSA Science Review Save

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. Located in the nucleus of a cell. Makes up all genes an organism needs.

GENE

Unit of inherited information in DNA

MITOSIS

Process by which the nucleus and duplicated chromosomes of a cell divide and are evenly distributed, forming two daughter nuclei. Makes identical body cells to allow organisms to grow and repair tissue.

MEIOSIS

Process by which cells divide twice to produce haploid gametes (sperm and egg).

CHROMOSOME

Condensed threads of genetic material formed from chromatin as a cell prepares to divide

PEDIGREE

A family tree that records and traces the occurrence of a trait in a family in multiple generations.

ALLELE

An alternative form of a gene (flavors)

GENOTYPE

The genetic makeup of an organism; an organism's combination of alleles

PHENOTYPE

The observable traits of an organism. How each gene is expressed.

HETEROZYGOUS

Having different alleles for a gene (hybrid).

HOMOZYGOUS

Having identical alleles for a gene (purebred)

DOMINANT

Descriptive of an allele in a heterozygous individual that appears to be the only one affecting a trait. Indicated by a capital letter.

RECESSIVE

An allele that can be masked by a dominant gene form. Indicated by a lowercase letter.

erosion

the transport of fragments of rock by water, wind, ice, or gravity.

Igneous rock

rock formed from the cooling of molten rock; can be extrusive or intrusive depending on if it cooled outside (extrusive) or inside (intrusive) the earth.

Metamorphic rock

rock that has been changed by heat and pressure.

Rock cycle

a continuous series of events through which a rock is transformed from one type to another.

Sediment

rock fragments that have been transported to a different location.

Sedimentary rock

rock formed from sediments (clastic), plant or animal remains (organic), or chemical precipitates (chemical).

Weathering

the breakdown of rock due to rain, wind, ice, sunlight, and plants.

fossils

-Traces of ancient life preserved in the layers/strata as shells, footprints, and bones.

symbiosis

A close relationship between two species .

mutualism

A relationship between two species in which both species benefit

commensalism

A relationship between two organisms of different species where one benefits and the other is neither harmed nor benefited

parasitism

A relationship between two organisms of different species where one benefits and the other is harmed

predation

An interaction in which one organism kills another for food.

energy

Is the ability to do work

kinetic energy

Energy of motion

thermal energy

energy due to temperature

mechanical energy

energy associated with the motion and position of an object

vibration

a quick back and forth motion that causes sound to travel through air, water, and even metal or rock

Electrical Energy

a form of energy created by the movement of electrons

Insulator

a material that does not allow heat energy or electricity to pass through it easily

Conductor

a material that allows heat energy or electricity to pass through it easily

Law of Conservation of Energy

Energy is neither created nor destroyed but changed from one form to another

Potential Energy

Stored Energy due to an object's position or arrangement

Energy transformation

A change from one form of energy to another

predator

An organism that eats other animals to live.

prey

The organism that gets eaten.

ecosystem

The living and non-living parts of the environment in a specific area. (Ecosystems can be really small or really large!)

community

The interaction of all organisms (more than one population) living in an area.

population

A group of the same type of organisms living in an area.

environment

Everything that surrounds an organism and influences it.

ecology

The study of how living things are related each other and to their natural environment.

biotic factors

The living parts of an ecosystem such as plants and animals.

abiotic factors

The non-living parts of an ecosystem such as soil, climate and rainfall.

habitat

The physical place where an organism lives.

niche

The position of an organism in a community of plants and animals.

photosynthesis

The chemical process in which plants make their own food.

adaptation

An inherited structure or behavior that increases an organism's chances of survival and reproduction.

producer

An organism that makes its own food

Consumer

An organism that eats other organisms

Decomposer

An organism that breaks down wastes and dead organisms

Outcome Variable

(Results)

-Variable in an experiment that represents the measurable response or behavior of the subjects in the experiment.

Test Variable

(Change, not everyone is exposed to)

-Variable in an experiment that is manipulated by the experimenter.

scientific theory

An explanation of observations supported by many tests and accepted by a general consensus of scientists.

scientific law

a rule that describes a pattern in nature

reflection

occurs when a wave strikes an object or surface and bounces off

refraction

the bending of a wave as it passes from one medium to another

Asexual Reproduction

reproduction by which offspring comes from a single organism, and inherit the genes of that parent only

Chemical Weathering

process by which rocks are broken down by chemical reactions

Competition

an interaction between individuals within a community that both or all need a limited resource

Conduction

the transfer of thermal energy through solid particles that are touching

Convection

the transfer of thermal energy through the currents within a fluid

Radiation

the transfer of thermal energy between objects that are not touching; thermal energy transfers over a distance

Density

amount of matter in a given volume;

calculated by:

Density = Mass / Volume

Deposition

the geological process in which sediments, soil and rocks are added to a landform or land mass

Evolution

a theory that the differences between modern plants and animals are because of changes that happened by a natural process over a very long time

Extinction

the end of a group of organisms on Earth

Food Web

a series of organisms related by predator-prey and consumer-resource interactions showing the flow of energy through the ecosystem

friction

a force that resists the motion of objects when they rub or slide against each other

Gravity

an attractive force between any two objects; force that pulls objects downward on Earth

Law of Superposition

law of geology, stating that in any undisturbed sequence of rocks deposited in layers, the youngest layer is on top and the oldest on bottom, each layer being younger than the one beneath it and older than the one above it

mass

amount of matter in an object;

measured in grams (g)

model

research method scientists use to replicate real-world systems that are either very large or very small

Punnett Square

diagram that is used to predict an outcome of a particular cross

Repetition

when a scientist completes multiple trials of their own experiment to ensure more valid and accurate results

Replication

When a scientist copies/completes another scientist's experiment to attempt to validate the results

Sexual reproduction

reproduction by which offspring comes two parents, and inherit the genes from both parents equally

Sound Energy

form of energy caused by vibrations or disturbance of matter

transform boundary

where two tectonic plate meet and slide past each other

convergent boundary

where two tectonic plates collide and push against each other, often resulting in mountain ranges

subduction

the process that takes place at convergent boundaries by which one tectonic plate moves under another tectonic plate and sinks into the mantle as the plates converge

divergent boundary

where two tectonic plates are moving away from each other, often resulting in mid-ocean ridges

wavelength

distance between two corresponding parts of a wave

planet

orbis a star, clears its own orbit and is round

moon or satellite

orbits a planet

Star

Large mass creates it's own light through fusion reactions in it's core.

Light Year

Measurement of distance- used for distance between stars and galaxies.

Astronomical Unit

Average distance from the earth to the sun. Used to measure distance between bodies in the solar system ( planets, moons, asteroids, comets)

Solar Eclilpse

When the moon shadows part of the earth

Lunar Eclipse

When the Earth shadows the moon causing it to have a red or orange reflection.

Neap Tide

Low range of tides due to Moon and Sun being 90 degrees from each other.

Spring Tide

High Ranges of tides due to Moon, Sun and Earth being in a straight line.

Equinox

When all of the earth recieves about 12 hours of light.