Science Notes Review: Electricity & Magnetism, Plate Tectonics, Immune System, Survival of the Species, Atoms & The Periodic Table

A set of vocabulary-style flashcards covering key concepts from Electricity & Magnetism, Plate Tectonics, Immunology, Evolution/Adaptations, and Atoms & Periodic Table.

Define: Electricity

Flow of electric charge through a conductor, typically carried by electrons.

What is static electricity

Buildup of electric charge on the surface of objects.

What is current electricity

Continuous flow of electric charge through a conductor.

What is a series circuit

A circuit with a single path for current; devices share the same current and the total voltage is divided.

What is a parallel circuit

A circuit with multiple paths for current; devices receive the same voltage and current is divided among paths.

Explain the difference between a parallel and a series circuit

A parallel circuit has multiple paths for current flow, devices receive the same amount of voltage, and the current is shared among paths. While a series circuit is the opposite, there is a single path for current flow, devices share the same current, and the total voltage is divided among paths.

Define: current (electricity)

A measure of how many electrons are moving through the circuit

Voltage (potential difference)

a measure of how much energy the electrons receive from the battery.

Convergent boundary

Plates move toward each other; results include subduction and earthquakes.

Divergent boundary

Plates move apart; often forms mid-ocean ridges.

Transform boundary

Plates slide past one another; earthquakes common.

Plate tectonics

Theory that Earth’s outer shell is broken into moving tectonic plates.

Disease

A disease is caused by a pathogen (like a virus, bacteria, or fungus) that can spread from one person to another.

Pathogen

Living or non-living organism that causes disease (viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, protozoa, prions).

Infectious disease

Disease that can spread between people via pathogens.

Non-infectious disease

Disease not spread between people (e.g., cancer, diabetes).

Transmission routes

Direct contact, contaminated objects, airborne droplets, and vector transmission.

Phagocytosis

Process by which phagocytes engulf and digest pathogens.

First line of defence

Non-specific barriers (skin, mucus, stomach acid, tears) preventing entry of microbes.

Second line of defence

Non-specific internal response (phagocytes, inflammation, fever) to invading pathogens.

Third line of defence

Adaptive and specific response; B-cells produce antibodies, T-cells destroy infected cells; memory cells form.

Antigen

Molecule or part of a pathogen recognized by the immune system.

Antibody

Protein produced by B-cells that binds to an antigen.

B-cells

Lymphocytes that produce antibodies.

T-cells

Lymphocytes that destroy infected cells and coordinate immune response.

Memory cells

Long-lived cells that enable faster responses on re-exposure to the same pathogen.

Immune defence: immunity

Body’s ability to resist pathogens; involves multiple defence systems.

Vaccine

Preparation containing dead or weakened pathogen to trigger immunity and memory.

Herd immunity

When most of a population is immune, reducing disease spread and protecting non-immune individuals.

Active immunity

Immunity involving the body producing antibodies in response to antigens.

Passive immunity

Immunity obtained by receiving antibodies (temporary or long-term).

Natural immunity

Immunity developed through exposure and immune response without medical intervention.

Artificial immunity

Immunity acquired via medical intervention (e.g., vaccines or antibodies).

Sexual reproduction (animals)

Involves joining of sperm and egg; produces genetically diverse offspring.

Asexual reproduction (animals)

Reproduction without fertilization (fission, budding, fragmentation, parthenogenesis); offspring genetically identical.

Sexual reproduction (plants)

Involves flowers, seeds, and fertilization; offspring genetically diverse.

Asexual reproduction (plants)

Runners, tubers, cuttings, cloning; offspring genetically identical.

Survival of the fittest

Organisms best suited to their environment survive longest and reproduce most.

Adaptations

Traits that help an organism survive; three types: behavioural, physiological, structural.

Behavioural adaptation

Actions that help survival (e.g., nocturnal activity, hibernation).

Physiological adaptation

Internal body processes aiding survival (e.g., temperature regulation, venom production).

Structural adaptation

Body parts or shapes aiding survival (e.g., camouflage, body shape).

Atoms

Fundamental units of matter composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Subatomic particles

Protons (+) and neutrons (neutral) in the nucleus; electrons (-) orbit around the nucleus.

Atomic number

Number of protons in the nucleus (and equal number of electrons in a neutral atom).

Mass number

Total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.

Isotopes

Atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons; same atomic number, different mass.

Radioisotopes

Isotopes that emit radiation.

Period (Periodic Table)

Horizontal rows on the periodic table (7 periods).

Group (Periodic Table)

Vertical columns on the periodic table (18 groups).

Alkali metals

Group 1 elements; highly reactive metals.

Alkaline earth metals

Group 2 elements; reactive metals with two valence electrons.

Halogens

Group 17 elements; highly reactive non-metals.

Noble gases

Group 18 elements; inert gases with full outer electron shells.

Electronic configuration and group/period

The arrangement of electrons determines the element’s group; the last shell determines the period.

Ions

Charged atoms formed by losing or gaining electrons.

Cation

Positively charged ion (loss of electrons).

Anion

Negatively charged ion (gain of electrons).

Properties of metals

High density, malleable, solid, good conductors of electricity and heat.

Properties of non-metals

Low density, brittle, poor conductors; good insulators.

Binary fission

Asexual reproduction in bacteria where a cell divides into two identical cells.

Virus

A non-living infectious agent that requires a living host to replicate.

Virus replication

Viruses cannot replicate outside a living host; they depend on host cells.

How can radiation be used in everyday life

Radiation can be used in everyday life through radiotherapy(for treating cancer) and diagnosing a diease.