| A | B |
|---|
| abiotic | environmental factor not associated with the activities of living organisms |
| acceleration | rate of change in velocity |
| air resistance | force of air on moving objects |
| allele | any of 2 or more alternate forms of a gene that an organism may have for a particular trait |
| amplitude | in a wave, the maximum variation of the function |
| asexual reproduction | form of reproduction in which new individuals are formed without the involvement of sex cells |
| biodiversity | wide range of different species in a given area or specific period of time |
| biotic | factors in an environment relating to living organisms |
| calorie | unit of energy; the amount of heat needed to raise one gram of water one degree Celsius at standard atmospheric pressure |
| chemical weathering | breakdown of rocks at or near Earth's surface as a result of chemical processes |
| circuit | complete path for the flow of current |
| conduction | direct transmission of heat through a medium |
| conservation of energy | energy cannot be created nor destroyed but only changed from one form to another |
| convection | heat transfer in a gas or liquid by the circulation of currents |
| crest | peak or highest point on a wave |
| crust | outermost layer of Earth |
| dependent variable | factor being measured or observed in an experiment |
| deposition | process by which sediment is carried and left in a certain area |
| diffraction | change in direction of a wave caused by traveling through an opening |
| dominance | tendency of certain (dominant) alleles to mask the expression of their corresponding (recessive) alleles |
| ecosystem | ecological community together with its environment, functioning as a unit |
| efficiency | relative effectiveness of a system or device determined by comparing input and output |
| electromagnetic radiation | emission of the entire range of electromagnetic spectrum including: gamma rays, x-ravs, ultraviolet radiation, visible light, microwaves, and radio waves |
| electron | stable elementary particle that is negatively charged and orbits the nucleus of an atom |
| entropy | measure of randomness or disorder of a closed system |
| erosion | combination of natural processes in which materials from Earth's surface are loosened, dissolved, or worn away and transported from one place to another |
| fossil fuels | animal or plant remains used for fuel |
| frequency | number of cycles or waves per unit time |
| gene | specific part of a chromosome or sequence of DNA that determines a particular feature or characteristic in an organism |
| heterozygous | cell or organism that has two different alleles for a particular trait |
| homozygous | cell or organism that has identical rather than different alleles for a particular trait |
| independent variable | factor that is changed in an experiment in order to study changes in the dependent variable |
| inertia | property of an object, due to its mass, by which it resists any change in its position unless overcome by force |
| magnetic field | region where magnetic force exists around magnets or electric currents |
| mass | amount of matter an object contains |
| meiosis | process of nuclear division in cells during which the number of chromosomes is reduced by half |
| mitosis | process of nuclear division in eukaryotic cells during which the nucleus of a cell divides into two nuclei, each with the same number of chromosomes |
| neap tide | twice monthly tide of minimal range that occurs when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are at right angles to each other, thus decreasing the total tidal force exerted on Earth |
| neutral | particle, object. or system that lacks a net charge |
| neutron | subatomic particle having zero charge. found in the nucleus of an atom |
| nucleus | center region of an atom where protons and neutrons are located: also a cell structure that contains the cell's genetic material |
| ocean basin | depression on the surface of Earth occupied by large body of water |
| plate tectonics | theory of global dynamics in which Earth's crust is divided into a smaller number of large, rigid plates whose movements cause seismic activity along their borders |
| potential energy | energy stored in an object due to the object?s configuration and position |
| pressure | force exerted per unit area |
| prism | piece of glass with polished plane surfaces that disperses a beam of white light into its component colors |
| proton | subatomic particle having a positive charge and which is found in the nucleus of an atom |
| Punnett square | graphic table used to determine results from a particular genetic cross |
| radiation | emission of energy in the form of rays or waves |
| recessive | allele for a trait that will be masked unless the organism is homozygous for this trait |
| screw | type of simple machine that consists of an inclined plane wrapped around a cylinder |
| sexual reproduction | reproduction involving the union of gametes producing an offspring with traits from both parents |
| spectroscope | instrument that uses a prism to separate and catalog light wavelengths |
| speed | amount of distance traveled divided by time taken: the time-rate at which any physical process takes place |
| spring tide | tide of increased range that occurs twice monthly, at the new and full phases of the Moon |
| thermal energy | internal energy found by adding the kinetic energy of particles making up a substance |
| tropism | motion of an organism or part of an organism toward or away from an external stimulus |
| trough | lowest point on a wave |
| variable | event, condition, or factor that can be changed or controlled in order to study or test a hypothesis in a scientific experiment |
| velocity | time-rate at which a body changes its position; defined as displacement divided by the time of travel |
| vibration | repetitive movement around an equilibrium point |
| virus | non-cellular, disease-causing particle that uses the genetic material from its host to reproduce |
| wavelength | distance between crests of a wave a type of simple machine that consists of an inclined plane used to separate two objects |
| wedge | type of simple machine that consists of an inclined plane used to separate 2 objects |
| wheel and axle | type of simple machine that consists of a rod driven through the center of a cylinder that is allowed to rotate freely, yielding a mechanical advantage equal to the cylinder?s diameter |
