Grades 6–8 Science Study Notes Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts across Life Science, Earth Science, Physical Science, and Engineering based on Grades 6-8 study notes.

Respiratory System

The human body system that brings oxygen into the body and removes carbon dioxide.

Alveoli

Tiny air sacs in the lungs where oxygen passes into the blood and $CO_2$ passes out.

Diaphragm

The muscle located below the lungs that helps you breathe in and out.

Neuron

A nerve cell that serves as the basic structural and functional unit of the nervous system.

Small Intestine

The organ in the digestive system that absorbs most nutrients into the blood.

Kidneys

Organs in the urinary system that filter blood, removing waste and extra water.

Eradication

Completely wiping out a disease everywhere in the world (e.g., smallpox).

Endemic

A disease that is regularly found in a certain area or population at a steady, expected level.

Epidemic

A disease that spreads faster than expected in a specific region or community.

Pandemic

An epidemic that has spread across multiple countries or continents, affecting large numbers of people.

Placebo

A fake treatment (like a sugar pill) containing no active medicine, used to compare against a real treatment in clinical trials.

Prokaryotic Cells

Smaller, simpler cells that have no nucleus (DNA floats freely in the cytoplasm) and lack membrane-bound organelles.

Eukaryotic Cells

Larger, more complex cells that contain a nucleus enclosing their DNA and have membrane-bound organelles like mitochondria.

Trophic Cascade

A ripple effect throughout an ecosystem's food chain caused by a change in population at a lower level.

Insect Bodyplan

The body structure of an adult insect consisting of 3 segments: Head, Thorax (with 6 legs and wings), and Abdomen.

Simple Leaf

A leaf type consisting of one single leaf blade attached to the stem.

Compound Leaf

A leaf type where the leaf blade is divided into multiple smaller leaflets.

Monocot vs. Dicot Leaf Venation

Monocots feature parallel leaf venation (veins run side-by-side), whereas dicots feature net/branched (pinnate or palmate) venation.

Communicable Disease

A contagious disease that can spread from person to person.

Mutation

A change in a virus's genetic material (DNA/RNA) that can affect how easily it spreads or impacts the body.

Chloroplast

The green organelle in plant cells where photosynthesis occurs, containing the pigment chlorophyll.

Photosynthesis Equation

The process described by the chemical equation: $\text{carbon dioxide} + \text{water} + \text{sunlight} \rightarrow \text{glucose} + \text{oxygen}$

Stamen

The male reproductive part of a flower, composed of the pollen-producing anther and the supporting filament.

Physical Change

A change in size, shape, or state of matter that does not form a new substance and can usually be reversed.

Chemical Change

A change that forms a new substance and usually cannot be reversed; indicated by color change, gas formation, temperature change, smell, or precipitate formation.

Jupiter

The largest planet in the solar system, famous for its Great Red Spot giant storm and many moons.

Uranus

An ice giant outer planet that rotates on its side (tilted almost $90^\text{o}$) and appears pale blue-green due to methane gas.

Convergent Boundary

A tectonic plate boundary where two plates collide, forming mountains, volcanoes, or deep ocean trenches.

Divergent Boundary

A tectonic plate boundary where two plates pull apart from each other, creating new crust, rift valleys, or mid-ocean ridges.

Transform Boundary

A tectonic plate boundary where two plates slide past each other sideways, causing earthquakes.

Mold Fossil

An imprint or impression left in rock after an organism decays, leaving a hollow space in its shape.

Cast Fossil

A 3D copy of an original organism formed when minerals fill in a mold fossil.

Trace Fossil

Preserved evidence of an organism's activity, such as footprints, burrows, nests, or droppings, rather than the organism itself.

Anemometer

A weather instrument used to measure wind speed.

Barometer

A weather instrument used to measure atmospheric (air) pressure.

Hygrometer

A weather instrument used to measure humidity or moisture in the air.

Ohm

The standard unit of measurement for electrical resistance, represented by the symbol \text{̐} or $Ω$.

Reflection

A light behavior where light bounces off a surface.

Refraction

A light behavior where light bends as it passes from one material into another.

Structural Forces

Types of mechanical forces on structures including tension (pull), compression (push), shear (slide/cut), and torsion (twist).

Series Circuit

An electrical circuit with only one path for current to flow; if one component breaks, the entire circuit stops working.

Parallel Circuit

An electrical circuit with multiple paths for current to flow; if one component breaks, other branches continue working.

Voltage

The push or energy that moves electric charge through a circuit.

Electrical Resistance

Anything that slows down the flow of electric charge, measured in ohms ($Ω$).