8Th Grade Science Taks Vocab

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Species

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an interbreeding group of plants or animals that produces offspring populations

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Producer

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an organism that makes its own food

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primary consumer

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a plant eating animal (an herbivore)

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secondary consumer

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an animal that eats primary consumers (carnivores) decomposers

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survivability

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to remain alive especially when faced with life threatening danger interdependence

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endangered

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species that are in danger of extinction or dying out

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abiotic

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the physical, or nonliving, part of the environment, including water, rocks, light, and temperature

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biotic

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the part of the environment made up of organisms and the organic matter they produce

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extinction

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the state of a species when it no longer exists

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environment

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all living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) things that influence the development and survival of people

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feedback mechanism

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an adjustment that an organism's system makes that allows it to maintainequilibrium (body temperature, Turgor Pressure, etc.)

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Turgor Pressure

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the balance of fluids in plants that keeps them rigid

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equilibrium

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a state in which balance and stability are attained

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Tissue

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a group of similar cells performing the same function

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Bioengineering

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the use of engineering techniques to solve medical problems

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inherited trait

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a characteristic that has been passed on genetically

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gene

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the basic unit that determines inherited traits

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DNA

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contains all hereditary info; found in a cell's nucleus

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Cilia

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tiny projecting hairs on one-celled organisms that aid in movement

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Atom

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the smallest particle of an element having the properties of that element

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Nucleus

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the central core of an atom containing protons and neutrons

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Charges

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electrical energy (either positive or negative)

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Protons

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positively charged particles in the nucleus of an atom

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Electrons

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negatively charged particles surrounding and orbiting the nucleus

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Neutrons

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non-charged particles in the nucleus of an atom

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Elements

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pure substances that can not be separated into simpler substances by chemical or physical means

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Compounds

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pure substances formed by the chemical combination of elements

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atomic number

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the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom

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atomic mass

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the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom

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ion

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an atom that has acquired an electrical charge by losing or gaining electrons

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isotope

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a different form of an atom containing the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons

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chemical change

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a change in a substance that creates a new substance with different properties from the original substance

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physical change

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a change in a substance that doesn't affect the substance itself (ex: ice melting)

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catalyst

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a substance that speeds up a reaction but does not get used in the reaction

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specific heat

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the amount of energy needed to change one kg of a substance by 1° C

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pH

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the measure of acidity or alkalinity of a substance

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acid

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sour tasting compound with a pH of less than 7; gives up or donates electrons

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base / alkali

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a water soluble chemical that reacts with acids to form salts; accepts electrons - pH above 7

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biotechnology

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the practical use of biological processes

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motion

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movement or not sitting still

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acceleration

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the speeding up, slowing down, or change in direction of an object in motion

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force

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a push or pull in a direction

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friction

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the force that opposes motion

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unbalanced forces

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combined forces exerted on an object causing a change in speed or direction of the object

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energy

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the ability to cause change

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transformation

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a change in the form of energy

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potential energy

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stored energy

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kinetic energy

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the energy an object has because of its motion

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heat energy

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energy perceived as temperature

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electrical energy

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energy caused by the application of electricity

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wave

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a rippling motion traveling through a medium that transmits energy

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media / medium

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a substance through which a wave can travel

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crest

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the highest point of a wave

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trough

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the lowest point of a wave

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wavelength

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the distance between two consecutive crests or troughs of a wave

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amplitude

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the height of a wave from resting to its highest or lowest point

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radiant energy

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the energy transmitted by electromagnetic waves

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frequency

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the number of waves passing a point in a given amount of time

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sound

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vibrations carried through a medium that can be heard by the ear

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renewable resources

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resources that nature can produce again and again in a relatively short period of time such as lumber

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nonrenewable resources

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resources that nature can not replace quickly enough to meet people's needs such as fossil fuels

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inexhaustible resources

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resources that are never used up as they are being used such as sunlight, wind or waves

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surface water

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any water on the ground that meets the atmosphere

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aquifer

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an underground permeable rock layer through which water flows freely

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ground water

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water found below the surface of land; a source of drinking water

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watershed

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the total land area from which water drains into a stream, river, or lake

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climate changes

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long-term alteration in global weather patterns, including increases in temperature and storm activity

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cycle

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a period of time during which one complete sequence of a recurring series of events occurs . weathering

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metamorphosis

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a change in form .

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galaxy

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a large grouping of stars and planets in space

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light year

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the distance that light travels in one year; used to measure vast distances (1 light year = just under one trillion kilometers)

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lunar cycle

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the continuous waxing and waning phases of the moon

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competition

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the struggle between organisms for limited resources such as food or light (ex: between weeds and flowers for the same nutrient supply)

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characteristics

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features or qualities that distinguish something

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qualilty

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an essential identifying nature or character of something

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outcome

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a result

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modify

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to make small changes to something