FCAT Vocab. Set 2
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30 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 isotope | The form of an element with the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons. |
| Kelvin | Fundamental SI unit of temperature where zero degrees Kelvin is equal to absolute zero (One degree Kelvin equals one degree Celsius.) |
| mass number | The total number of protons and neutrons in a nucleus. |
| membrane | A thin layer of tissue that surrounds or lines a cell, a group of cells, or a cavity; any barrier separating two fluids. |
| mid-ocean ridge | A continuous, seismic mountain range extending across the floor of the world's major oceans; area where two oceanic plates are moving away from each other; area where new crustal material may be released. |
| molecule | The smallest unit of matter of a substance that retains all the physical and chemical properties of that substance; consists of a single atom or a group of atoms bonded together. |
| momentum | A vector quantity that is the product of an object's mass and velocity; the general effect of ongoing motion. |
| mutation | The process by which a gene undergoes a change in DNA sequence or a structural change. |
| natural selection | The theory stating every organism displays slight variations from other organisms of its kind, and the struggle for limited natural resources results in individuals with certain natural variations adapted to their specific environments. |
| niche | The unique position occupied by a particular species in terms of the area it inhabits and the function it performs within the community. |
| nuclear fission | The process by which an atomic nucleus splits into two or more large fragments of comparable mass, simultaneously producing additional neutrons and vast amounts of energy. |
| nuclear fusion | The process by which two lighter atomic nuclei combine at extremely high temperatures to form a heavier nucleus and release vast amounts of energy. |
| permeability | The capability of a porous substance or membrane to allow a fluid or gas to enter it; the measure or degree to which a substance can be penetrated by a liquid or gas. |
| pH | A symbol for the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. |
| phenotype | The appearance or other observable characteristic of an organism resulting from the interaction of its genetic makeup and its environment. |
| precision | The degree of accuracy or exactness of a measurement or tool. |
| product | A substance or compound resulting from a chemical reaction. |
| protein | A biological macromolecule composed of one or more chains of amino acids. |
| rate of reaction | The speed at which reactants are consumed and products are produced in a given reaction. |
| reactant | Any substance or molecule that participates in a chemical reaction. |
| rift valley | A long, narrow valley in Earth's crust where two continental plates are separating or between two faults. |
| RNA | A single-stranded nucleic acid consisting of a phosphate group and one of four nitrogenous bases that encodes information needed to synthesize proteins. |
| second law of thermodynamics | A law that states all natural processes proceed in a preferred direction (e.g., heat flows from high temperatureregions to low temperature regions). |
| solar mass | The quantity equal to the mass of the Sun. |
| solubility | The ability or tendency of one substance to dissolve in another at a given temperature and pressure. |
| species | A group of organisms of common ancestry able to reproduce only among themselves and usually geographically distinct. |
| stimulus | A condition that produces a response. |
| succession | The progressive replacement, on a single site, of one type of community by another. |
| vector | A physical quantity with both a magnitude and direction. |
| velocity | The time rate at which a body changes its position vector; quantity whose magnitude is expressed in units of distance over time. |
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