Science - Take the Plunge Terms

credits to @elizabethteoh Year 8 science, term 1, 2024. Unit 1: Take the Plunge

Abiotic

Non-living features of an ecosystem. Eg. humidity, temperature, salinity

Acidic

The amount of hydrogen ions in a substance. Has a pH less than 7

Adaptation

An adaptation is any inherited characteristic that helps an organism survive and reproduce in its environment

Apex predator

A predator who has no natural enemies in its ecosystem; nothing else is acting as a predator towards it

Behavioural adaptation

Refers to the way and organism behaves that allows it to survive.

Eg. fish swimming in a school for greater protection.

Biome

a large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat

Biosphere

The regions of the surface and atmosphere of the Earth occupied by living organisms

Biotic

Living features of an ecosystem. Eg. vegetation, insects 

Calcium carbonate

A chemical compound which makes up the solid exoskeleton of coral

Carbonic acid

A very weak acid formed in solution when carbon dioxide dissolves in water  

Carnivore

A consumer that only eats other consumers

Commensalism

Relationship between organisms where one benefits while the other is neither harmed nor advantaged.

Communities

All of the populations of species that live in the same place at the same time (example: tigers, giraffes, lions).

Competition

When 2 or more organisms are competing for the same resource

Consumer

An organism which must eat food to obtain energy 

Convection

Heat transfer causes by movement of particles from one place to another.

Coral polyp

A soft body animal that lives inside coral. It has a columnar boy and a mouth surrounded by tentacles 

Decomposer

An organism that breaks down dead organisms into simpler components. Recycles matter for use by other living organisms. 

Density

The mass to volume ratio of a substance - how much matter can be packed into a certain volume. 

Environment

The living and non-living things that affect organisms in a particular place that is, the surroundings of a living thing

Ecology

Interactions between organisms as well as the interactions between organisms and their environment.

Ecosystem

All the interacting organisms that live in an environment and the abiotic parts of the environment that affect the organisms. 

Exoskeleton

A rigid external covering of an animal 

Food web/chain

A diagram which shows the flow of energy through organisms in an ecosystem. 

Habitat

Natural environment of a living organism 

Herbivore

A consumer that eats only plants

Mutualism

Relationship between organisms where both benefit

Neap tide

Occurs when the moon is perpendicular to the Sun; the smallest difference in height between high and low tides. 

Niche

This is the function or role an organism performs in the food web or the community. It includes everything the organism does or needs in its environment. 

Omnivore

A consumer that eats both plants and other consumers 

Parasitism

Relationship between organisms where one benefits while other is harmed

pH

A numerical scale which tells us how acidic (or basic) a substance is.

Photosynthesis

The process green plants use carbon dioxide and water, in the presence of sunlight, to make glucose and oxygen

Physiological adaptation

Refer to the working of an organism’s body that allows it to survive Eg. camels' kidneys produce highly concentrated urine to save water.

Population

All the organisms of the same species that live in the same place at the same time are called this (e.g. tigers).

Predator

An animal that hunts and kills other consumers for food 

Pressure

Amount of force exerted on a certain area of surface. 

Prey

An animal that is hunted and killed for food

Producer

An organism that produces its own food/energy using photosynthesis 

Scavenger

An organism that eats carrion (dead organism)

Species

A group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of reproducing with each other.

Spring tide

Occurs when the moon is aligned parallel with the Sun; the greatest difference in height between high and low tides.

Structural adaptation

Refer to the shape and size of the organism and how the various parts of its body are put together to allow for its survival.

Eg. polar bear has thick fur for insulation in cold Arctic environment. 

Symbiotic relationship

A close relationship between two species in which at least one species benefits.

Volume

Amount of space occupied 

Zooxanthellae

A golden brown algae that lives symbiotically inside the tissue of another organism

Solstice

The longest and shortest days of the year - 22 December and 21 June respectively

Equinox

When day and night are equal lengths - 22 September and 20 March

Buoyancy

Upwards force on an object applied by a fluid (gas or liquid)

Postive Buocancy

An object floats because it exerts less downwards force on a fluid than the fluid exerts upwards force on it.

Negative Buoyancy

An object sinks because it exerts more downwards force on a fluid than the fluid exerts upwards force on it.

Neutral Buoyancy

An object neither floats nor sinks because it exerts the object and fluid it is submerded in exert equal forces upon each other.