Grade 9 Science: Astronomy and Ecology Review

Practice vocabulary flashcards for Grade 9 Science Term 2, covering meteor showers, space exploration technologies, ecosystem stability, and endangered Philippine wildlife.

Meteoroid

A small rock or particle in space.

Meteor

The streak of light seen when a meteoroid burns in Earth's atmosphere.

Radiant

The point or direction in the sky from which meteors seem to come.

Debris Trail

A stream of dust and particles left behind by a comet or asteroid.

Atmosphere

The layer of gases around Earth where meteors burn up.

Perseids

A meteor shower visible in July–August originating from Comet Swift-Tuttle, peaking in mid-August in the constellation Perseus.

Geminids

A meteor shower visible in December originating from Asteroid 3200 Phaethon, peaking in mid-December in the constellation Gemini.

Leonids

A meteor shower visible in November originating from Comet Tempel-Tuttle, peaking in mid-November in the constellation Leo.

Optical Telescopes

Telescopes that use visible light to form images of distant objects.

Radio Telescopes

Telescopes that detect radio waves to study cold clouds, pulsars, and galaxies.

Space Telescopes

Telescopes that operate above Earth's atmosphere for sharper, clearer views without atmospheric blur or light pollution.

Flyby Probes

Space probes that pass by an object to take measurements and photos.

Orbiter Probes

Space probes that orbit an celestial object to map its surface and atmosphere over time.

Lander Probes

Space probes that land on a surface to measure the environment in one place.

Rover Probes

Space probes that move across a planetary or lunar surface to collect data and search for clues about geology or life.

Producers

Organisms that make their own food, such as plants and algae.

Consumers

Organisms that get their energy by eating other organisms.

Decomposers

Organisms that break down dead matter and return nutrients to the ecosystem.

Pollinators

Organisms that help flowering plants reproduce.

Predators

Organisms that help control prey populations and maintain balance within an ecosystem.

Critically Endangered (CR)

A conservation status signifying an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

Endangered (EN)

A conservation status signifying a high risk of extinction in the wild.

Vulnerable (VU)

A conservation status signifying a moderate risk of extinction in the wild.

Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi)

A Critically Endangered bird of prey native to the Philippines.

Tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis)

A Critically Endangered dwarf buffalo endemic to the island of Mindoro in the Philippines.

Philippine Crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis)

A Critically Endangered freshwater crocodilian species native to the Philippines.

Dugong (Dugong dugon)

A herbivorous marine mammal classified under the Vulnerable risk level in the Philippines.

Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus)

A large filter-feeding carpet shark classified under the Endangered risk level.

Waling-waling (Vanda sanderiana)

An Endangered species of orchid native to the Philippines.

Invasive Species

Non-native species that outcompete and displace native organisms within an ecosystem.