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179 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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bacillus
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bacillus a rod-shaped bacterium
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back emf
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back emf the voltage that is produced in a circuit because of a changing current
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background radiation
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background radiation the nuclear radiation that arises naturally from cosmic rays and from radioactive isotopes in the soil and air
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Bacteria
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Bacteriain a modern taxonomic system, a domain made up of prokaryotes that usually have a cell wall and that usually reproduce by cell division; this domain aligns with the traditional kingdom Eubacteria
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bacteria
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bacteria extremely small, single-celled organisms that usually have a cell wall and that usually reproduce by cell division (singular, bacterium)
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bacteriophage
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bacteriophage a virus that infects bacteria
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baleen
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baleen the horny plates that hang from the mouth of some whales; used to filter out water but to retain solids when whales feed
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ball-and-socket joint
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ball-and-socket jointa joint in which the head of one bone is inserted into a hollow in another bone; examples include the hip and the shoulder
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band gap
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band gap the minimum energy separation between the highest occupied state and the lowest empty state
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barb
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barb a branch of a vane in the feather of a bird
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barbule
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barbule a branch of a barb in the feather of a bird
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bark
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bark a tissue of dead cells that forms on the exterior of woody plants for protection
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barometer
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barometer an instrument that measures atmospheric pressure
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barometric pressure
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barometric pressure the pressure due to the weight of the atmosphere; also called air pressure or atmospheric pressure
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barred spiral galaxy
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barred spiral galaxy a type of spiral galaxy that has a bar of stars that runs through the galaxy's center
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barrier island
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barrier island a long ridge of sand or narrow island that lies parallel to the shore
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barrier reef
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barrier reef a type of coral reef that grows parallel to the shore of a continent or volcanic island but that is separated from the land by a lagoon
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basal disk
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basal disk an area on cnidarians, such as hydras, jellyfish, and corals, that enables them to adhere to surfaces
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basal slip
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basal slip the process that causes the ice at the base of a glacier to melt and the glacier to slide
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base
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base any compound that increases the number of hydroxide ions when dissolved in water; bases turn red litmus paper blue and react with acids to form salts
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base pairing rules
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base pairing rules the rules stating that cytosine pairs with guanine and adenine pairs with thymine in DNA, and that adenine pairs with uracil in RNA
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base unit
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base unit one of the fundamental units of measurement that describes length, mass, time, and other quantities and from which other units are derived
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basidiocarp
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basidiocarp the part of a basidiomycete that produces spores
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basidiospore
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basidiospore an asexual spore formed by a basidium
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basidium
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basidium a structure that produces asexual spores in basidiomycetes
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batesian mimicry
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batesian mimicry a change in the form or color of an organism to resemble another organism that is less likely to be attacked
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batholith
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largege pluton that, when exposed on Earth's surface, covers an area of at least 100 km2
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bathyal zone
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bathyal zone the region of the ocean at depths between 200 m and 4,000 m
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bathyscaph
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bathyscaph a self-propelled, free-moving submersible used for deep-ocean research
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bathysphere
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bathysphere a spherical submersible that remains attached to a research ship for communications and support
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battery
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battery a device that is made of one or more cells and that converts chemical energy into electrical energy
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B cell
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B cell a white blood cell that matures in bones and makes antibodies
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beach
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beach an area of the shoreline that is made up of deposited sediment
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beat
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beat the interference of waves of slightly different frequencies traveling in the same direction
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bacillus
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bacillus a rod-shaped bacterium
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back emf
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back emf the voltage that is produced in a circuit because of a changing current
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background radiation
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background radiation the nuclear radiation that arises naturally from cosmic rays and from radioactive isotopes in the soil and air
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Bacteria
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Bacteriain a modern taxonomic system, a domain made up of prokaryotes that usually have a cell wall and that usually reproduce by cell division; this domain aligns with the traditional kingdom Eubacteria
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bacteria
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bacteria extremely small, single-celled organisms that usually have a cell wall and that usually reproduce by cell division (singular, bacterium)
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bacteriophage
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bacteriophage a virus that infects bacteria
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baleen
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baleen the horny plates that hang from the mouth of some whales; used to filter out water but to retain solids when whales feed
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ball-and-socket joint
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ball-and-socket jointa joint in which the head of one bone is inserted into a hollow in another bone; examples include the hip and the shoulder
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band gap
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band gap the minimum energy separation between the highest occupied state and the lowest empty state
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barb
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barb a branch of a vane in the feather of a bird
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barbule
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barbule a branch of a barb in the feather of a bird
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bark
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bark a tissue of dead cells that forms on the exterior of woody plants for protection
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barometer
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barometer an instrument that measures atmospheric pressure
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barometric pressure
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barometric pressure the pressure due to the weight of the atmosphere; also called air pressure or atmospheric pressure
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barred spiral galaxy
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barred spiral galaxy a type of spiral galaxy that has a bar of stars that runs through the galaxy's center
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barrier island
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barrier island a long ridge of sand or narrow island that lies parallel to the shore
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barrier reef
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barrier reef a type of coral reef that grows parallel to the shore of a continent or volcanic island but that is separated from the land by a lagoon
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basal disk
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basal disk an area on cnidarians, such as hydras, jellyfish, and corals, that enables them to adhere to surfaces
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basal slip
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basal slip the process that causes the ice at the base of a glacier to melt and the glacier to slide
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base
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base any compound that increases the number of hydroxide ions when dissolved in water; bases turn red litmus paper blue and react with acids to form salts
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base pairing rules
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base pairing rules the rules stating that cytosine pairs with guanine and adenine pairs with thymine in DNA, and that adenine pairs with uracil in RNA
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base unit
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base unit one of the fundamental units of measurement that describes length, mass, time, and other quantities and from which other units are derived
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basidiocarp
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basidiocarp the part of a basidiomycete that produces spores
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basidiospore
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basidiospore an asexual spore formed by a basidium
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basidium
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basidium a structure that produces asexual spores in basidiomycetes
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batesian mimicry
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batesian mimicry a change in the form or color of an organism to resemble another organism that is less likely to be attacked
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batholith
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largege pluton that, when exposed on Earth's surface, covers an area of at least 100 km2
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bathyal zone
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bathyal zone the region of the ocean at depths between 200 m and 4,000 m
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bathyscaph
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bathyscaph a self-propelled, free-moving submersible used for deep-ocean research
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bathysphere
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bathysphere a spherical submersible that remains attached to a research ship for communications and support
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battery
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battery a device that is made of one or more cells and that converts chemical energy into electrical energy
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B cell
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B cell a white blood cell that matures in bones and makes antibodies
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beach
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beach an area of the shoreline that is made up of deposited sediment
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beat
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beat the interference of waves of slightly different frequencies traveling in the same direction
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bedding plane
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bedding plane
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bedrock
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the boundary between two stratified rock layers
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behavior
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bedrock the layer of rock beneath soil
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bell curve
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bell curve a symmetrical frequency curve
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benign tumor
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benign tumor an abnormal but noncancerous cell mass or growth
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benthic zone
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benthos
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benthos organisms that live at the bottom of oceans or bodies of fresh water
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benzene
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benzene the simplest aromatic hydrocarbon
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berm
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berm a temporary bench, shelf, or terrace formed by the waves in a beach
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Bernoulli's principle
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Bernoulli's principle the principle that states that the pressure in a fluid decreases as the fluid's velocity increases
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beta decay
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beta decay the release of a negatively or positively charged electron from a nucleus of an atom, which changes the atomic number
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beta particle
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beta particle a charged electron emitted during certain types of radioactive decay, such as beta decay
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biennial
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biennial a plant that has a two-year life cycle
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big bang theory
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big bang theory the theory that all matter and energy in the universe was compressed into an extremely small volume that 13 billion to 15 billion years ago exploded and began expanding in all directions
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bilateral symmetry
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bilateral symmetry a condition in which two equal halves of a body mirror each other
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bile
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bile a fluid that is secreted by the liver and that emulsifies fats in digestion
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bimetal thermometer
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bimetal thermometer an instrument that is used to measure temperature and that consists of a bar that bends when heated or cooled because the bar is made of two strips of different metals
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binary acid
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binary acid an acid that does not contain oxygen, such as hydrofluoric acid
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binary fission
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binary fissiona form of asexual reproduction in single-celled organisms by which one cell divides into two cells of the same size
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binary star
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binary star a pair of stars that revolve around each other
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binding energy
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binding energy the energy that holds the protons together in the nucleus of an atom
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binomial nomenclature
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binomial nomenclature a system for giving each organism a two-word scientific name that consists of the genus name followed by the species name
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biochemical pathway
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biochemical pathway a series of chemical reactions that convert one biological material into another
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biochemicals
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biochemicals an organic compound that is made by living things
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biodegradable
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biodegradable capable of being broken down by biological processes, such as the action of bacteria
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biodegradable material
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biodegradable material a material that can be broken down by biological processes
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biodiversity
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biodiversity
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Biodiversity Treaty
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Biodiversity Treaty an international agreement aimed at strengthening national control and preservation of biological resources; associated with the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED or Earth summit) in 1992
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biogenesis
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biogenesis the theory that living organisms come only from other living organisms
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biogeochemical cycle
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the variety of organisms in a given area, the genetic variation within a population, the variety of species in a community, or the variety of communities in an ecosystem
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biogeography
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biogeography the study of the geographical distribution of living organisms and fossils on Earth
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biological clock
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biological clockan internal mechanism that controls biological rhythms, such as metabolic changes, sleep cycles, and photosynthesis
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biological magnification
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biogeochemical cycle the circulation of substances through living organisms from or to the environment
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biological pest control
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biological pest control the use of certain organisms by humans to eliminate or control pests
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biological species
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biological species a group of organisms than can reproduce only among themselves and that are usually contained in a geographic region
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biological species concept
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biological species concept the principle that defines a species as a group of organisms whose members can interbreed to produce offspring
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biology
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biology the scientific study of living organisms and their interactions with the environment
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bioluminescence
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bioluminescence the production of light by means of a chemical reaction in an organism
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biomagnification
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biomagnification the accumulation of pollutants at successive levels of the food chain
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biomass
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biomass plant material, manure, or any other organic matter that is used as an energy source
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biomass fuel
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biomass fuel plant material, manure, or any other organic matter that is used as an energy source
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biome
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biome
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bioremediation
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bioremediation the biological treatment of hazardous waste by natural or genetically engineered microorganisms
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biosphere
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biotic
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biotic describes living factors in the environment
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biotic factor
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a large region characterized by a specific type of climate and certain types of plant and animal communities
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biotic potential
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biotic potential the rate at which a population grows under optimal environmental conditions
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bipedal
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bipedal describes the ability to walk on two feet
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bipedalism
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the part of Earth where life exists; includes all of the living organisms on Earth
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bipinnaria
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bipinnaria the larva of starfish
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bird of prey
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bird of prey a bird that hunts and eats other animals
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birth rate
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birth rate the number of births that occur in a period of time in a given area
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bituminous coal
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bituminous coal soft coal
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bivalve
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bivalve an aquatic mollusk that has a shell divided into two halves connected by a hinge, such as a clam, oyster, or mussel
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blackbody radiation
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blackbody radiation the radiation emitted by a blackbody, which is a perfect radiator and absorber and emits radiation based only on its temperature
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black hole
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black hole an object so massive and dense that even light cannot escape its gravity
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blade
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blade the broad, flat portion of a typical leaf
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blastocoel
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blastocoel the central cavity of a blastula
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blastocyst
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blastocyst the modified blastula stage of mammalian embryos
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blastopore
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blastopore an opening that develops in the blastula
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blastula
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blastula the stage of an embryo before gastrulation
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bleach
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bleach a chemical compound used to whiten or make lighter, such as hydrogen peroxide or sodium hypochlorite
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blight
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blight a plant disease characterized by the browning of leaves, stems, and flowers
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blood
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blood the fluid that carries oxygen and nutrients to the body and that is made up of platelets, white blood cells, red blood cells, and plasma
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blood alcohoconcentration
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a measurement of the amount of alcohol in a person's blood (abbreviation, BAC)
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blood pressure
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blood pressure the force that blood exerts on the walls of the arteries
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blood type
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blood type a classification of blood that depends on the type of antigen present on the surface of the red blood cell; A, B, AB, or O
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body cavity
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any cavity that houses organs, such as the thoracic, abdominal, or pelvic cavity
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body plan
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body plan an animal’s shape, symmetry, and internal organization
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body wave
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body wavein geology, a seismic wave that travels through the body of a medium
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boiling
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boiling the conversion of a liquid to a vapor within the liquid as well as at the surface of the liquid at a specific temperature and pressure; occurs when the vapor pressure of the liquid equals the atmospheric pressure
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boiling point
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boiling point the temperature and pressure at which a liquid and a gas are in equilibrium
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boiling-point elevation
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boiling-point elevation the difference between the boiling point of a liquid in pure state and the boiling point of the liquid in solution; the increase depends on the amount of solute particles present
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bolting
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bolting the premature production of flowers and seeds, especially during the first year of a biennial plant
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bolus
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bolus a small lump of food that has been chewed and swallowed
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bond
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bond angle
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bond angle the angle formed by two bonds to the same atom
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bond energy
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bond energy the energy required to break the bonds in 1 mol of a chemical compound
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bond length
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bond length the distance between two bonded atoms at their minimum potential energy; the average distance between the nuclei of two bonded atoms
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bone marrow
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bone marrow soft tissue inside bones where red and white blood cells are produced
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book lung
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book lung in spiders and scorpions, an organ for respiration that has parallel folds that resemble the pages of a book
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bora
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bora a violent, cold, and dry wind that blows from the north or northeast
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botany
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botany the branch of biology that is the study of plants
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Bowen's reaction series
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Bowen's reaction seriesthe simplified pattern that illustrates the order in which minerals crystallize from cooling magma according to their chemical composition and melting point
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Bowman's capsule
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Bowman's capsule the cup-shaped structure of the nephron of a kidney that encloses the glomerulus and in which filtration takes place
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Boyle's law
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Boyle's law the law that states that for a fixed amount of gas at a constant temperature, the volume of the gas increases as the pressure of the gas decreases and the volume of the gas decreases as the pressure of the gas increases
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braided stream
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braided streama stream or river that is composed of multiple channels that divide and rejoin around sediment bars
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brain
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brain the mass of nerve tissue that is the main control center of the nervous system
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brainstem
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brainstem the stemlike portion of the brain that connects the cerebral hemispheres with the spinal cord and that maintains the necessary functions of the body, such as breathing and circulation
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breaker
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a heightened water wave that breaks into foam near the shore or against a rock or other object
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breccia
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breccia a clastic rock composed of angular fragments cemented together by minerals
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bright-line spectrum
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bright-line spectruma spectrum having the pattern of a series of lines, which results from emission of electromagnetic radiation by atoms, ions, and molecules following excitations of their electrons
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broad-spectrum antibiotic
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broad-spectrum antibiotic an antibiotic that is effective against a wide range of bacteria
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bronchiole
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bronchiole a small air passage that branches from the bronchi within the lungs
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bronchus
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bronchus one of the two tubes that connect the lungs with the trachea
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Brønsted-Lowry acid
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a substance that donates a proton to another substance
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Brønsted-Lowry acid-base reaction
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Brønsted-Lowry acid-base reaction the transfer of protons from one reactant (the acid) to another (the base)
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Brønsted-Lowry base
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Bright Angel Shale a rock layer of the Grand Canyon deposited during the Cambrian period
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brooding
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brooding to sit on and cover eggs to keep them warm until they hatch; to incubate
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bryophyte
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a plant that has no vascular tissue and absorbs nutrients and water from the soil through rootlike hairs; examples include mosses and liverworts
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bud
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bud a shoot or flower that has immature leaves folded in the growing tip
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budding
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budding asexual reproduction in which a part of the parent organism pinches off and forms a new organism
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bud scale
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bud scale a modified leaf that forms a protective covering for a bud until it opens
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buffer
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buffer a solution made from a weak acid and its conjugate base that neutralizes small amounts of acids or bases added to it
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buffered solution
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a solution that can resist changes in pH when an acid or a base is added to it; a buffer
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bulbourethral gland
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bulbourethral gland one of the two glands in the male reproductive system that add fluid to the semen during ejaculation
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buoyancy
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buoyancy the upward force that acts on objects immersed in or floating on a liquid
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buoyant force
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the upward force that keeps an object immersed in or floating on a liquid
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butte
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butte a flat-topped hill
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