Organisms: all living things
Chlorophyll: a green substance in plant leaves that captures energy from the sun
Carbon Dioxide: a gas in the atmosphere that plants use during the process of photosynthesis Carbon Dioxide is taken in by plant Oxygen is released Plant
Stomata: tiny holes in the leaves of a plant that allow gases to enter or leave the plant
Photosynthesis: the process in which plants use energy from the sun to make their own food Sunlight Oxygen is released Carbon Dioxide Water
Producer: an organism that makes its own food
Traits: characteristics of an organism SPOTS
Inherited Traits: characteristics passed down from parents to offspring HAIR COLOR EYE COLOR SKIN COLOR
Offspring: children
Adapt: change
Perish: die
Adaptation: a change an organism undergoes in order to survive FEET ARE WEBBED
Reproduce: to make more of the same kind of organism as the adult
Instinctive Behaviors: behaviors that are inherited HIBERNATION
Learned Behaviors: behaviors that are learned
Habitat: the specific environment where an organism lives
Species: a group of organisms that produce offspring like themselves
Population: all the organisms of the same species that live in the same area at the same time
Community: populations of different species that live in the same area at the same time
Ecosystem: all the populations of organisms and the nonliving things in an environment, and the interaction among them
Biome: one of the six major land areas of the world that is home to specific plant and animal populations and is defined by its climate EXAMPLES: TUNDRA, TAIGA, DECIDUOUS FORREST, GRASSLAND, DESSERT, TROPICAL RAINFORREST
Life Cycle: the stages of development of an organism as it grows into an adult
Thrive: to grow in a strong and healthy way
Pollution: anything in the environment that can harm living organisms or damage the natural resources
Unique Niche: an organism s role in an ecosystem based on how it gets its food
Consumers: animals that eat other organisms Primary Secondary
Herbivores: animals that eat only plants
Carnivores: animals that eat only other animals
Omnivores: animals that eat both plants and animals
Predators: animals that hunt other animals for food
Prey: animals that are hunted by predators
Decomposers: organisms that feed on dead plants and animals, as well as animal wastes WORMS MUSHROOMS
Food Chain: the path of energy from the sun to a plant to an animal to another animal
Food Web: a group of overlapping food chains Sun Plant Sheep Fox Wolf Rabbit
Weathering: the breaking down of rock on the surface of the Earth usually by the force of water, wind, or ice
Erosion: the movement of weathered particles by water, wind, or ice
Deposition: the process in which materials that have been eroded are dropped in a new place by wind or water
Landform: a natural structure found on the surface of the Earth
Glacier: a huge piece of ice that slowly moves across the surface of the Earth and remains frozen during the entire year
Fault: A crack in the Earth s crust
Earthquake: the shaking of the Earth s crust caused by large pieces of rock underneath the Earth s surface moving against each other
Volcano: a mountain made from hardened lava, rocks, and ash that erupted out from underneath the Earth s surface
Magma: melted rock below the Earth s surface
Lava: magma that has flowed out onto the surface of the Earth
Lithosphere: the rocky surface of the Earth
Atmosphere: the pocket of air that surrounds the Earth
Hydrosphere: all the water on the surface of the Earth and underground, including ice and water vapor
Axis: an imaginary line running from the North Pole to the South Pole through the center of the Earth
Rotation: the spinning of a planet or moon on its axis
Orbit: the path one object takes around another object in space
Tide: the rise and fall of the water level of the ocean near the shore that is caused by the pull of gravity of the moon
Source: the place where something begins or comes from
Sunspot: a cool spot on the sun s surface that occurs for a short time
Solar Flare: an eruption of flame off of the sun s surface
Corona: the outer edge of the sun s atmosphere
Solar Energy: energy from the sun
Wind: moving air caused by the sun
Natural Resources: materials in the environment that are useful to people
Fuels: material burned to produce heat energy
Nonrenewable Resources: natural resources such as fossil fuels that will eventually be used up and can never be replaced
Renewable Resources: natural resources that nature can produce again such as trees, plants, water, oxygen, and soil
Inexhaustible Resources: resources that humans can use and never use up such as solar energy and wind
Water Cycle: the change of water from one state to another as it travels from the Earth s surface to the atmosphere and back condensation evaporation precipitation Lake
Evaporation: the process of changing from a liquid to a gas, usually caused by energy from the sun Gas Liquid
Condensation: The process of changing from a gas to a liquid, such as water vapor changing into water
Precipitation: Water falling to the surface of the Earth in the form of rain, hail, sleet, or snow
Transpiration: the process of water vapor leaving a plant and entering the atmosphere
Soil a material made up of tiny pieces of weathered rock
Humus: decaying plant and animal material in the soil
Loam: soil rich in nutrients that is good for plant growth
Nitrogen Cycle: the movement of nitrogen between organisms and the environment
Decomposers: organisms that break down dead materials and wastes
Sedimentary Rock: rock formed when sediments are pressed together in layers
IGNEOUS ROCK: rock formed when lava cools
Metamorphic Rock rock that formed when another kind of rock was squeezed and heated deep inside the Earth s crust
Fossil: the remains of a plant or animal that lived long ago
Comet: a ball of ice and dirt that orbits the sun
Meteor: a small rock that burns as it enters Earth s atmosphere
Asteroid: a large rock in outer space
Galaxy: a group of stars
Constellation: a group of stars that ancient people thought formed a picture in the sky
Astronomer: a scientist who studies bodies in outer space
Climate: the usual weather in a place
Air Pressure: the weight of the air pressing on everything in the environment
Barometer: a device that measures air pressure
Precipitation: water falling to the Earth
Humidity: water vapor in the air
Nimbus Clouds: rain clouds
Front: the place where one air mass meets another air mass
Air Mass: a large pocket of air
Matter: anything that has mass and takes up space
Mass: the amount of matter an object has
Weight: the measure of the amount of gravity acting on an object s mass
Volume: the amount of space taken up by matter
Density: the amount of mass an object has in a known volume Example: Objects with more density than water will sink. ROCK Objects with less density than water will float. POPSICLE STICK
State: one of the three main forms of matter
Solid: a state of matter that has a fixed shape and volume
Liquid: a state of matter that has a fixed volume, but its shape changes to match the shape of its container
Gas: a state of matter that does not have a fixed shape or volume
Physical Change: a change in the appearance of matter without actually changing the matter itself Snowman changes from ice to water.
Physical Property: a characteristic of matter that can be observed or measured and can be changed without changing the matter itself Example: Hammering a penny until it was very flat. The penny looks different, but it is still made up of the same type of matter
Property: a characteristic used to describe matter Example: The color of a plant. The texture of a certain type of soil. The boiling point of a certain liquid.
Texture: how a substance feels or looks Example: Sandpaper has a rough texture. Glass has a smooth texture.
Odor: how a substance smells
Conductor: a substance that allows electricity to easily travel through it Metal wires
Insulator: a substance that does not let electricity pass through it easily Rubber Gloves
Magnetic: a description of substances attracted to magnetic force
Boiling Point: the temperature at which a substance changes from a liquid to a gas WATER BOILING POINT IS 100 CELCIUS
Melting Point: the temperature at which a substance changes from a solid to a liquid ICE MELTING POINT IS 0 CELCIUS
Mixture: a combination of two or more substances that do not join together to form a new substance
Solution: a mixture in which the substances are spread out evenly between one another and cannot be told apart SALT AND WATER WHEN MIXED TOGETHER BECOMES A SOLUTION
Dissolve: to form a solution with another substance
Invisible: cannot be seen
Force: a push or pull
Motion: movement
Friction: a force that works against motion BETWEEN THE TIRE AND THE ROAD THERE IS FRICTION
Gravity: the force that pulls objects toward one another GRAVITY FORCES RAIN TO THE EARTH S SURFACE
Inertia: the tendency of an object to resist a change in motion EXAMPLE: A BALL WILL ROLL STRAIGHT UNTIL SOMETHING STOPS IT OR CHANGES ITS DIRECTION
Light: a form of energy that travels in waves and can move through empty space
Reflection: the bouncing back of light waves off of a surface
Refraction: the bending of light waves as they travel from one surface to another
Convex Lens: a lens that is thicker in the center and thinner at the edges, a shape that bends light inward
Concave Lens: a lens that is thinner in the center and thicker at the edges, a shape that bends light outward
Sound: a form of energy produced by vibrating objects
Vibrate: move back and forth rapidly
Energy: the ability to do work EXAMPLES: HEAT (sun), LIGHT (light bulb), SOUND (radio), ELECTRICAL (lightning), CHEMICAL (foods), MECHANICAL (moving objects), and MAGNETIC (north/south poles)
Solar Energy: energy from the sun
Kinetic Energy: the energy of motion
Potential Energy: energy that is stored in an object
Electricity: a form of energy produced inside particles of matter
Current: the movement (flow) of electricity in a certain path
Source of Energy: where the energy comes from
LIFE SCIENCE WORDS EARTH SCIENCE WORDS PHYSICAL SCIENCE WORDS