Science Explorer Grade 6 Chapter 1

Front 1

Science

Back 1

A way of learning about the natural world through observations and logical reasoning; leads to a body of knowledge. (p. 7)

Front 2

Inferring

Back 2

The process of making an inference, an interpretation based on observations and prior knowledge. (p. 7)

Front 3

Observing

Back 3

The process of using one or more of your senses to gather information. (p. 7)

Front 4

Predicting

Back 4

The process of forecasting what will happen in the future based on past experience or evidence. (p. 7)

Front 5

Scientific inquiry

Back 5

The ongoing process of discovery in science; the diverse ways scientists study the natural world and propose explanations based on evidence they gather. (p. 8)

Front 6

Hypothesis

Back 6

A possible explanation for a set of observations or answer to a scientific question; must be testable. (p. 8)

Front 7

Variable

Back 7

A factor that can change in an experiment. (p. 9)

Front 8

Controlled experiment

Back 8

An experiment in which only one variable is manipulated at a time. (p. 9)

Front 9

responding variable

Back 9

The factor that changes as a result of changes to the manipulated, or independent, variable in an experiment; also called dependent variable. (p. 9)

Front 10

manipulated variable

Back 10

The one factor that a scientist changes during an experiment; also called independent variable. (p. 9)

Front 11

data

Back 11

Facts, figures, and other evidence gathered through observations. (p. 10)

Front 12

scientific theory

Back 12

A well-tested concept that explains a wide range of observations. (p. 12)

Front 13

energy

Back 13

The ability to do work or cause change. (p. 14)

Front 14

atmosphere

Back 14

The envelope of gases that surrounds Earth. (p. 15)

Front 15

lithosphere

Back 15

A rigid layer made up of the uppermost part of the mantle and the crust. (p. 15)

Front 16

hydrosphere

Back 16

Earth's water and ice. One of the four spheres into which scientists divide Earth. (p. 15)

Front 17

biosphere

Back 17

All living things. One of the four spheres into which scientists divide Earth. (p. 15)

Front 18

matter

Back 18

Anything that has mass and takes up space. (p. 16)

Front 19

wave

Back 19

A disturbance that transfers energy from place to place. (p. 16)

Front 20

heat

Back 20

The transfer of thermal energy from one object to another because of a difference in temperature. (p. 17)

Front 21

thermal energy

Back 21

The total energy of motion in the particles of a substance. (p.17)

Front 22

Earth Science

Back 22

The science that focuses on planet Earth and its place in the universe. (p.18)

Front 23

meteorologist

Back 23

A scientist who studies the causes of weather and tries to predict it. (p. 18)

Front 24

geologist

Back 24

A scientist who studies the forces that make and shape planet Earth. (p. 18)

Front 25

environmental scientist

Back 25

A scientist who studies the effects of human activities on Earth's land, air, water, and living things and also tries to solve problems relating to the use of resources. (p. 18)

Front 26

topography

Back 26

The shape of the land determined by elevation, relief, and landforms. (p. 21)

Front 27

landform

Back 27

A feature of topography formed by the processes that shape Earth's surface. (p. 21)

Front 28

relief

Back 28

The difference in elevation between the highest and lowest parts of an area. (p. 21)

Front 29

elevation

Back 29

Height above sea level. (p. 21)

Front 30

plain

Back 30

A landform made up of flat or gently rolling land with low relief. (p. 22)

Front 31

plateau

Back 31

A landform that has high elevation and a more or less level surface. (p. 23)

Front 32

mountain

Back 32

A landform with high elevation and high relief. (p. 23)

Front 33

scale

Back 33

Used to compare distance on a map or globe to distance on Earth's surface. (p. 24)

Front 34

map

Back 34

A flat model of all or part of Earth's surface as seen from above. (p. 24)

Front 35

degree

Back 35

A unit used to measure distances around a circle. One degree equals 1/360 of a full circle. (p. 25)

Front 36

latitude

Back 36

The distance in degrees north or south of the equator. (p. 26)

Front 37

longitude

Back 37

The distance in degrees east or west of the prime meridian. (p. 26)

Front 38

topographic map

Back 38

A map that shows the surface features of an area. (p. 28)

Front 39

contour line

Back 39

A line on a topographic map that connects points of equal elevation. (pg. 29)

Front 40

contour interval

Back 40

The difference in elevation from one contour line to the next. (p. 29)

Front 41

index contour

Back 41

On a topographic map, a heavier contour line that is labeled with elevation of that contour line in round units. (p. 29)