Science Terminology for the TExES EC-6 Generalist Test

Terms in this set (170)

conduction:
the transfer of thermal energy caused by particles of matter bumping into each other.
conductor:
a material that an electric current can pass through easily.
conservation:
the careful management and wise use of natural resources.
constellation:
the pattern formed by a group of stars in the sky.
convection:
the transfer of thermal energy by particles of a liquid or gas moving from one place to another.
core:
the dense center of Earth; a ball made mostly of two metals, iron and nickle.
crater:
a large basin formed at the top of a volcano when it falls in on itself.
crust:
Earth's outer layer, including the rock of the ocean floor and large areas of land.
decomposer:
a living thing that feeds on the wastes of plants and animals or on their remains after they die.
deep ocean:
current formed when cold water flows underneath warm water.
density:
the property of matter that compares the amount of matter to the space it takes up.
dissolve:
when one material forms a solution with another material.
ecosystem:
groups of living things and the environment they live in.
effort force:
the force put on one part of the bar when you push or pull on a lever.
epicenter:
the point on the surface of Earth that is right above the focus of an earthquake.
erosion:
the process by which winds and moving water carry away bits of rock.
esophagus:
the tube that connects your mouth with your stomach.
evaporation:
the process in which liquid changes to a gas.
fault:
a break in Earth's crust along which rocks move.
fibrous root:
long roots that grow near the surface.
force:
A push or pull.
fossil:
The preserved remains of an organism that lived in the past.
friction:
a force that keeps objects that are touching each other from sliding past each other easily.
front:
the border where two air masses meet.
fulcrum:
the fixed point, or point that doesn't move, on a lever.
fungi:
living things such as mushrooms that look like plants, but cannot make their own food.
gas:
the state of matter that has no definate shape and takes up no definate amount of space.
gas giants:
the planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, which are large spheres made up mostly of gases.
genus:
the second smallest name grouping used in classification.
germinate:
to sprout; grow from a seed.
gravity:
a force that pulls all objects toward the earth.
greenhouse effect:
the warming of Earth caused by the atmosphere trapping thermal energy from the sun.
habitat:
an environment that meets the needs of an organism.
hardness:
a mineral's ability to resist being scratched.
heart:
the muscle that pumps blood through your blood vessels to all parts of your body.
heat:
the transfer of thermal energy from one piece of matter to another; speed of the molecules.
hibernation:
a period when an animal goes into a long, deep "sleep".
humidity:
the amount of water vapor in the air.
igneous rock:
a rock that forms when completely melted rock hardens.
inclined plane:
a flat surface with one end higher than the other.
infrared radiation:
the bundles of light energy that transfer heat, the bundles of light energy that transfer heat.
inner planets:
the planets closest to the sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
insulator:
a material that a current cannot pass through easily.
invertebrate:
an animal without a backbone.
Kingdom:
the largest group into which living things can be classified.
large intestine:
the largest part of the digestive system where water is removed from food
lava:
a melted rock that reaches Earth's surface.
magma:
melted rock inside the earth.
magma chamber:
an underground pool below a volcano that holds magma.
magnet:
an object that attracts certain materials, such as iron or steel.
magnetic field:
the space all around a magnet where the force of the magnet can act.
magnetic pole:
the end of a magnet.
mammal:
an animal that has hair and produces milk for its young.
mantel:
the thickest layer of Earth; found just below the crust.
mass:
the amount of matter something contains.
matter:
everything in the universe that has mass and takes up space.
metamorphic rock:
a rock changed by heat or pressure, but not completely melted.
metamorphosis:
the process of change; for example, from an egg to an adult butterfly.
migration:
the movement of a group of one type of animal from one region to another and back again.
mimicry:
an adaptation in which an animal looks very much like another animal or object.
mineral:
a natural, solid material with particles arranged in a repeating pattern.
mollusk:
an invertebrate that may or may not have a hard outer shell.
moneran:
the kingdom of clasification for organism that have only one cell
motion:
a change in position.
nerve:
a group of neurons that carries signals from the brain to the body and from the body to the brain.
neuron:
a nerve cell.
newton:
the metric, or System International, (SI) unit of force.
niche:
the role or part played by an organism in its habitat.
nonvascular plant:
the plants that do not have tubes.
nutrient:
substances, such as minerals, which all living things need in order to grow.
orbit:
the path that an object such as a planet makes as it revolves around a second object.
organ:
a group of tissues of different kinds working together to perform a task.
outer planets:
the planets farthest from the sun; Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
oxygen:
one of many gases in air.
parallel circuit:
a circuit that has more than one path along which current can travel.
photosynthesis:
the process by which a plant makes its own food.
pitch:
a measure of how high or low a sound is.
planet:
a large object that moves around a star.
plate:
continent-sized slab of Earth's crust and upper mantle.
precipitation:
water that falls to Earth as rain, sleet, snow, or hail.
preservation:
the protection of an area.
producer:
living things such as plants that produce their own food.
protist:
the kingdom of classification for organisms that have only one cell and also have a nucleus or cell control center.
pulley:
a simple machine made up of a rope or chain and a wheel around which the rope fits.
radiation:
the bundles of energy that move through matter and through empty space.
reclamation:
the repairing of some of the damage done to an ecosystem.
reptile:
an animal that has dry, scaly skin.
resistance:
the force put out by the other end of the bar on a lever; the force that does work for you.
resistor:
an electrical device that resists the flow of electrical current.
rock:
a material made up of one or more minerals.
rock cycle:
the slow, never-ending process of rock changes.
salinity:
the amount of salt in water.
screw:
an inclined plane wrapper around a pole.
sedimentary rock:
a rock formed by layers of sediments squeezed and stuck together over a long time.
seismography:
an instrument that records earthquake waves.
series-circuit:
a circuit that has only one path for current.
shelter:
a place where an animal is protected from other animals or from the weather.
simple machine:
one of the basic machines that make up other machines.
small intestine:
a long tube of muscle where most food is digested.
smooth muscle:
a type of muscle found in the walls of some organs such as the stomach.
solar system:
a group of objects in space that move around a central star. The order of the planets from the sun is: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
solid:
the state of matter that has a definite shape and takes up a definite amount of space.
solubility:
a measure of the amount of material that will dissolve in another material.
solution:
a mixture in which the particles of different kinds of matter are mixed evenly with each other and particles do not settle out.
sonic boom:
a shock wave of compressed sound waves produced by an object moving faster than sound.
sound:
a series of vibrations that you can hear.
sound waves:
a moving pattern of high and low pressure that you can hear.
space probe:
a space vehicle that carries cameras, instruments, and other research tools.
species:
the smallest name grouping used in classification.
speed:
a measure of an object's change in position during a unit of time; for example, 10 meters per second.
speed of sound:
the speed at which a sound wave travels through a given material.
spinal cord:
the tube of nerves that runs through your spine, or backbone.
spore:
a tiny cell that ferns and fungi use to reproduce.
stabilty:
the condition that exists when the changes in a system over time cancel each other out.
star:
a huge, burning sphere of gases; sun.
static electricity:
an electric charge that stays on an object.
stomach:
a bag made up of smooth muscles that mixes food with digestive juices.
storm surge:
a very large wave caused by high winds over a large area of ocean.
stratosphere:
the layer of atmosphere that contains ozone and is located above the troposphere.
streak:
the color of the powder left behind when you rub a mineral against a white tile called a streak plate.
striate muscles:
a muscle with light and dark stripes; a muscle you can control by thinking.
strip cropping:
the practice of planting one or more crops between rows of other crops to control erosion.
succession:
the process that gradually changes an existing ecosystem into another ecosystem.
surface current:
an ocean current formed when steady winds blow over the surface of the ocean.
symmetry:
the condition in which each feature on one half of an object has a matching feature on the other half.
system:
a group of parts that work together as a unit.
taproot:
a plant's single main root that goes deep into the soil.
telescope:
a devise people use to observe distant objects with their eyes.
temperature:
a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in a sample of matter.
terracing:
a farming method used on steep hillsides to control erosion.
thermal energy:
the energy of the motion of particles in matter.
tide:
the daily changes in the local water local of the ocean.
tissue:
a group of cells of the same type.
trace fossil:
a fossil that shows changes that long dead animals made in their surroundings.
transpiration:
the giving off of water vapor by plants.
troposphere:
the layer of atmosphere closest to the earth.
tuber:
a swollen underground stem.
vascular plant:
a plant that has tubes.
vein:
a large blood vessel that returns blood to the heart.
vertebrate:
an animal with a backbone.
volcano:
a mountain that forms when red hot melted rock flows through a crack onto Earth's surface.
volume:
the amount of space that matter takes up.
water cycle:
the constant recycling of water on Earth.
wave:
the up and down movement of water.
weathering:
the process by which rocks are broken down into smaller pieces.
wedge:
a machine made up of two inclined planes placed back-to-back.
weight:
a measure of the force of gravity upon an object.
wheel and axle:
a simple machine made up of a larger wheel attached to a smaller wheel or rod.
work:
that which is done on an object when a force moves the object through a distance.
acceleration:
an increase in speed.
adaptation:
(physiology) the responsive adjustment of a sense organ (as the eye) to varying conditions (as of light).
air mass:
a large body of air with uniform characteristics horizontally.
air pressure:
the weight of air pressing down on an area.
amphibian:
cold-blooded vertebrate typically living on land but breeding in water; has moist skin and no scales.
anemometer:
a gauge for recording the speed and direction of wind.
atmosphere:
the mass of air surrounding the Earth.
axis:
an imaginary line that passes through Earth's center and its North and South Poles.
barometer:
an instrument that measures atmospheric pressure.
buoyancy:
the ability to float in a liquid or rise in a gas.
camouflage:
to hide by blending in with surroundings.
capillary:
smallest blood vessel; brings nutrients and oxygen to the tissues and absorbs carbon dioxide and waste products.
carbon dioxide:
a heavy odorless colorless gas formed during respiration and by the decomposition of organic substances.
charge:
a measure of the extra positive or negative particles that an object has.
cell:
the basic structural and functional unit of all organisms; building blocks of life.
circuit:
an electrical device that provides a path for electrical current to flow.
classification:
the division of organisms into groups, or classes, based on specific characteristics.
climate:
the weather in a location averaged over some long period of time.
comet:
a relatively small extraterrestrial body consisting of a frozen mass that travels around the sun in a highly elliptical orbit.
compression:
the part of a sound wave in which air is pushed together.
condensation:
the process of changing from a gaseous to a liquid or solid state.
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