Comprehensive Vocabulary for Science Courses

A set of comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering essential science terms and definitions from the lecture notes.

Matter

Anything that has mass and takes up space.

Physical Property

A characteristic of a substance that can be measured or observed.

Physical State

The states of matter such as solids, liquids, and gases.

Mixture

A combination of two or more different types of matter that keep their own physical properties.

Solution

A type of mixture in which one substance dissolves in another.

Conductor

A material that allows electricity or heat to pass through it easily.

Insulator

A material that does not allow electricity or heat to pass through it easily and slows or stops the flow of energy.

Boiling Point

The temperature at which a liquid changes into a gas.

Melting Point

The temperature at which a solid changes into a liquid.

Freezing Point

The temperature at which a liquid changes into a solid.

Soluble

Able to be dissolved in water.

Solubility

A measure of how much of a certain substance will dissolve in another substance.

Dissolve

To form a solution with another substance.

Mass

The amount of matter in an object.

Volume

The amount of space an object takes up.

Relative Density

The density compared to water; sink = more dense, float = less dense.

Texture

How an object feels to the touch.

Magnetism

A force that can attract or repel magnetic materials.

Flexibility

The ability to bend without breaking.

Thermal Energy

Energy of heat.

Force

A push or pull on an object that may change the motion of the object.

Motion

Any change in the location of an object.

Friction

A force that resists motion when two surfaces are touching each other.

Gravity

A force that pulls all objects with mass toward one another.

Air Resistance

The frictional force air exerts against a moving object.

Distance

How far an object has traveled.

Energy

The ability to do work.

Potential Energy

Stored energy or energy of position.

Kinetic Energy

Energy of motion.

Sound Energy

Energy from vibrations in matter.

Electrical Energy

Energy of moving electrons or electric charges.

Electric Current

The flow of electricity.

Light Energy

Energy in the form of waves that can travel through empty space.

Chemical Energy

Energy stored in chemicals such as food and batteries.

Mechanical Energy

Energy of motion or position.

Thermal Energy

Energy of heat.

Circuit

A complete path that an electric current can flow through.

Prism

A triangular glass bar that separates white light into the colors of the rainbow.

Lens

A curved piece of clear glass or plastic that bends or refracts light.

Reflection

The bouncing back of light waves off of a surface.

Refraction

The bending of light waves as they move through one material into another.

Shadow

A dark area formed when light waves cannot pass through an object.

Generator

A device that uses magnets to change mechanical energy into electricity.

Fossil

The remains or traces of an organism from a past geologic age.

Fossil Fuel

A type of fuel that forms from the ancient remains of decomposed plants and animals.

Biofuel

Energy from living organisms or their waste.

Fuel

A substance that is used for energy.

Alternative Energy

An energy resource used instead of fossil fuels.

Geothermal Energy

Heat from within the Earth.

Hydroelectric Energy

Electricity generated from the movement of water.

Solar Energy

Energy from the Sun.

Wind Energy

Energy generated from the movement of wind.

Natural Resource

A resource found in nature that is useful to humans.

Renewable Resource

A resource that can be replaced over time.

Nonrenewable Resource

A resource that exists in limited supply and is used up faster than it is replaced.

Conservation

Limiting the amount of resources used; protecting natural resources.

Sediment

Small bits of rock, soil, sand, and shells.

Sedimentary Rock

Rock formed from the compacting and cementing of sediments.

Weathering

The breaking down or wearing away of rock over time.

Erosion

The process of moving sediment from one place to another.

Deposition

The process of dropping sediment in a new location.

Landform

A physical feature on the surface of Earth.

Delta

Forms from deposited land at the mouth of a river.

Canyon

An area between two cliffs formed by erosion from a river or glacier.

Valley

Formed by a fast moving river or glacier over thousands of years.

Plain

A large area of flat land.

Glacier

A large, slow-moving mass of ice.

Sand Dune

A mound of sand created by the wind depositing sand in a new location.

Fertile

Soil that is good for growing many plants.

Rotation

Turning or spinning on an axis.

Revolution

The action of one object moving completely around another in an orbital path.

Axis

An imaginary line that runs through both poles of a planet.

Orbit

The path an object takes as it revolves around another object.

Satellite

An object that orbits another object in space.

Telescope

A science tool used for observing very distant objects in space.

Solar System

The eight planets, their moons, and other objects that orbit the Sun.

Seasons

Each of the four divisions of the year marked by specific weather patterns and daylight hours.

Tides

The rise and fall of sea levels caused by the gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun.

Eclipses

The partial or total blocking of light of one object by another.

Moon Phases

The shape of the lit part of the moon as seen from Earth.

Crater

A large hole in the ground caused by an asteroid.

Weather

The conditions of the atmosphere at a particular time and place.

Climate

The weather conditions in a particular place over a long period of time.

Temperature

A measure of heat.

Atmosphere

The air that surrounds Earth.

Water Cycle

The continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth.

Precipitation

Any form of water, liquid or solid, that falls from clouds and reaches the ground.

Evaporation

The process of changing from a liquid to a gas.

Condensation

The process of changing from a gas to a liquid.

Organism

Any living thing.

Producer

An organism that can make its own food through photosynthesis.

Consumer

An organism that gets its energy from eating other organisms.

Predator

An organism that hunts and kills another organism for food.

Prey

An organism that is hunted and eaten by a predator.

Decomposer

An organism that breaks down dead organisms and waste.

Decomposition

The process in which dead organisms are broken down and returned to the soil.

Food Chain

Shows the path of energy from one organism to another.

Food Web

Many overlapping food chains linked together.

Habitat

The environment where an organism lives.

Environment

The surroundings/area where an organism lives.