Science Lecture Review Flashcards

Weather

Rain: Water that falls from clouds.
Sleet: Rain that freezes into ice pellets before hitting the ground.
Snow: Rain that freezes into ice crystals before hitting the ground.
Low Pressure System: Represented as a big, red L.
High Pressure System: Represented as a big, blue H.
Weather: The condition of the air at a certain time and place.
Clouds: Condensed water vapors in the atmosphere.
Rain Gauge: An instrument used to measure the amount of rain or other forms of precipitation.
Anemometer: An instrument used to measure wind speed.
Wind Vane: An instrument used to tell which direction the wind is blowing.
Barometer: An instrument used to tell if the pressure in the air is going up or down.
Thermometer: An instrument used to measure temperature in degrees on a Fahrenheit or Celsius scale.
Wind: Movement of air across Earth's surface.
Humidity: The amount of moisture in the air.
Precipitation: Rain, sleet, snow, or hail.
Cold Front: Cold air replaces warm air (blue line with teeth).
Warm Front: Warm air replaces cold air (red line with circles).

Scientific Tools and Processes

Goggles: Used to protect the eyes, especially when working with liquids or powders.
Graduated Cylinder: Used to measure the volume of a liquid in mL.
Microscope: Used to make things bigger.
Magnifying Glass: A lens that enlarges the image of an object.
Thermometer: A tool used to measure temperature.
Meter Stick: A measuring stick one meter long that is marked off in centimeters and millimeters.
Inference: A conclusion (opinion) about something based on observations (facts).
Conclusion: Communicates what you have learned and tells if your hypothesis was correct or not.

Earth Science

Continental Drift: The slow process of Earth's continents moving as the Earth's plates shift.
Core: The solid inner surface of the Earth.
Fault: A crack in Earth's crust along which movement occurs.
Global Mid-Ocean Ridge: An underwater mountain range that zigzags between all the continents.
Lava: Liquid rock that reaches the surface.
Magma: Melted rock that rises from the mantle and lies beneath the surface.
Mantle: The semi-solid layer of the Earth between the outer crust and the outer core.
Pangea: A single continent made up of all of the Earth's land mass long ago.
Ring of Fire: The ring of volcanoes along the edges of the continents that border the Pacific Ocean.
Volcano: A vent in a planet's crust from which molten or hot rock and steam come out; also, a hill or mountain made up of the material that comes out of the vent.
Crust: The solid outer surface of the Earth.
Bedrock: Solid rock found under the soil.
Inner Core: Solid center of the Earth that is very hot and under great pressure.
Hot Spot: A location on the Earth's surface that has experienced active volcanism for a long period of time.
Active Volcano: A volcano that has had at least one eruption during the past 10,000 years.
Dormant: Not doing anything at this time; not active but able to become active.
Shield Volcano: A volcano with gently sloping sides that are made up of hardened lava.
Composite Cone Volcanoes: Tall volcanoes with steep sides; the most common type.

Soil Science

Humus: Nutrient-rich decayed plants and animals.
Decayed: Dead and rotten.
Nutrient-rich: Full of healthy vitamins and minerals.
Topsoil: The uppermost soil layer that contains humus.
Subsoil: Middle soil layer that contains minerals washed out of topsoil.
Weathering: To break into smaller pieces.
Substratum: Deepest soil layer where rocks are weathering to form new soil.

Space and Astronomy

Solar System: Our sun and the planets that move around it.
Rotation: One complete turn of the Earth on its axis (24 hours).
Orbit: The curved path of the Earth around the sun.
Constellations: A group of stars that forms a particular shape in the sky and has been given a name.
Eclipse: When our view of one object in the sky is blocked by another object or the Earth's shadow.
Equinox: March 20th or 21st and September 21st or 22nd. Twice a year when the day and night are the same amount of time all around the world.
Galaxy: A group of stars, gas, and dust held together by gravity.
Planet: An object moving around a star.
Star: An object that shines through the release of energy produced by nuclear reactions at its core.
Astronomy: The study of stars and outer space.

Scientific Observation

Quantitative Observation: An observation that includes measurements or numbers.
Qualitative Observation: An observation that does not involve measurements or numbers.
Graph: A grid with lines that have meaning. Used to organize observations and data.

Other Scientific Studies

Geology: The study of rocks, minerals, and the history of the Earth.
Meteorology: The study of weather and atmospheric air.
Oceanography: The study of the non-living aspects of water.
Paleontology: The study of fossil records.
Botany: The study of plants.
Ecology: The study of the environment.
Marine Biology: The study of life in bodies of water.
Microbiology: The study of cells and microscopic organisms.
Chemistry: The study of matter and how it's put together.

States of Matter and Organic vs Inorganic

Organic: Materials that were once alive.
Inorganic: Materials that were never alive.

General Lab Safety

Wear goggles when working with liquids or powders.
Never run in the lab.
Always follow directions.
Never inhale an unknown liquid or powder; waft it.
Clean up your station when the experiment is complete.
Use caution with toxic chemicals, animals, fire, electricity, and sharp objects.
Protect your eyes! Wear goggles.

The Scientific Method

Problem: Written in the form of a question.
Research: Gathered information about the problem.
Hypothesis: A proposed solution to your problem.
Experiment: Includes materials needed and the steps written in number order.
Rising: Ascending or going upward
Surface: An outside part or layer of something
Explodes: To move with sudden speed and force
Air Resistance: The pushing force of friction that opposes gravity or motion (also called drag).
Oxygen : A gas that has no color, taste, or smell that most plants and animals need to survive
Change : To become different
Carbon Dioxide : An invisible gas that is absorbed by plants during photosynthesis
Life Cycle : The stages of change that a living thing goes through during its life
Underground : Beneath the surface of the Earth