| A | B |
|---|
| Independent Variable | The one thing being tested in an experiment. |
| Dependent Variable | The result of an experiment (what is being measured.) |
| Constant | The parts of an experiment that stay the same. |
| Control | Something used for a comparison in an experiment. |
| Evaporation | When water changes from a liquid to a gas due to increased heat energy |
| Condensation | When water changes from a gas to a liquid as it cools |
| Precipitation | Any form of water falling from the sky |
| Transpiration | The passage of water vapor from the pores of plants |
| Runoff | Precipitation that joins surface water |
| Cold front | Cold air is moving forward. Cold air sinks, pushing warm air up. Cumulus clouds form. |
| Warm front | Warm air is moving forward. Warm air rises, sliding over the cold air. Stratus clouds form. |
| High Pressure | Cold air sinks. Produces clear skies and fair weather. |
| Low Pressure | Warm air rises. Produces cloudy skies. |
| Abiotic | Nonliving parts of the environment |
| Biotic | Living or once living organisms in the environment |
| Mutualism | Symbiosis where two different organisms cooperate and both benefit |
| Commensalism | Symbiosis that benefits one organism without affecting the other |
| Parasitism | Symbiosis where one organism benefits and the other is harmed |
| Kinetic energy | The energy of motion |
| Potential energy | Energy stored in an object due to its position or composition |
| Scientific Question | A question that can be answered or a problem that can be solved using the scientific method. |
| Hypothesis | A good guess based on prior knowledge and observations. Should be written as an ?If/Then? statement |
| Food chain | A simple model showing how energy passes from one organism to another |
| Food web | A series of overlapping food chains (a more complete model than a food chain) |
| Carrying capacity | the maximum number of organisms of a particular species that can be supported in a given environment |
| Groundwater | Water within the Earth (wells, springs) |
| Surface Water | Water on the surface of the Earth (lakes, rivers, oceans, creeks, etc.) |
| Humidity | The amount of water vapor in the air. |
| Limiting Factor | Any biotic or abiotic factor that limits the number of individuals in a population |
| Predation | The act of one organism hunting, killing and feeding on another organism |
| Hydrosphere | All the water of the Earth |
| Atmosphere | All the air of the Earth |
| Lithosphere | All the land of the Earth |
| Biosphere | All of Earth that supports life |
| Aquifer | A water-bearing soil or rock formation that is capable of yielding enough water for human use. |
| Water Table | The top level of groundwater. |
| Population | All the members of one species that live together |
| Community | The different populations of a given area that interact with each other in some way and depend on one another for food, shelter and other needs. |
| Law of Conservation of Energy | Energy can change its form but it is never created or destroyed. |
| Law of Conservation of Matter | Matter is neither created nor destroyed. |
