Science vocabulary : Lesson 1-3

Condensation

Process of a gas changing to a liquid

Evaporation

Process of a liquid changing to a gas at the surface of the liquid

Hydrosphere

All the water on and below Earth’s surface and in the atmosphere

Specific heat

Amount of thermal energy needed to raise the temperature of 1kg of a material by 1 degrees Celsius

Transpiration

Evaporation of water from plants

Water cycle

Natural processes by which water continually moves throughout

Adhesion

Attraction among molecules that are not alike

Cohesion

Attraction among molecules that are alike

Density

Mass per unit volume of a material

Establish

To make or put in place

Polarity

Condition in which opposite ends of a molecule have slightly opposite charges ;overall charge is neutral

Bioindicator

Organism that is sensitive to environmental conditions and one of the first to respond to changes

Nitrate

Nitrogen based compound often used in fertilizers

Nonpoint-source pollution

Cannot be traced to one location

Point-source pollution

Can be traced to one location

Remote sensing

Collection of data from a distance

Turbidity

Measure of the cloudiness of water, from sediments, microscopic organisms, or pollutants

Water quality

Chemical, biological, and physical status of a body of water