1. Heredity – the passing of genetic traits from parent organisms to offspring

2. Habitat – the place in an ecosystem where an organism lives

3. Genotype – the written code that expresses the inherited combination of alleles in an organism

4. Mitosis – the division of genetic material in a cell nucleus which produces two nuclei with identical genetic makeup

5. Hybrid – an organism that has both a dominant and recessive allele for the same trait

6. Human Organ System – a group of organs that are interdependent and work together to perform body functions

7. Symbiosis – a close ecological relationship between two or more species

8. Succession – the rebuilding of populations in an ecosystem following changes such as fire, flood, farming, etc

9. Sexual Reproduction – reproduction that produces a new organism from the egg and sperm cells of parent offspring

10. Selective Breeding – the controlled breeding of organisms that have a desired trait

1. Generation – a group or level of offspring exhibiting traits inherited from parent organisms

2. Food Web – a system of overlapping and connected food chains found in an ecosystem

3. Feedback Mechanism – the messaging system and response of an organism to a change

4. Energy Pyramid – a triangular diagram that shows the flow of energy through a food chain in an ecosystem

5. Mitochondria – structures in a cell that produce energy for the cell

6. Meiosis – cell division that produces egg and sperm

7. Inherited Trait – a genetic characteristic passed from the parent organisms to the offspring

8. Turgor Pressure – the outward force of water applied to a plant cell wall

9. Tropism – a plant’s growth response to an external stimuli (like growing toward the sunlight or heat)

10. Consumer – an organism that gets its energy from eating other plants or animals

1. Cytoplasm – gel-like liquid within a cell that contains cell structures

2. Chromosome – a structure within the nucleus of a cell that contains DNA

3. Chloroplast – structure in plant cells and algae that contains chlorophyll

4. Biotic – and living OR once living organism in an ecosystem

5. Asexual Reproduction – reproduction in which one parent organism produces genetically identical offspring

6. Punnett Square – a table showing all possible combinations of alleles for a trait resulting from a genetic cross

7. Producer – an organism that uses sunlight to make its own food

8. Predation – the feeding relationship in which one (prey) becomes a food source for another (predator)

9. Population – all members of a species living together in the same general area at a given time

10. Photosynthesis – the process by which plants use light energy to transform water and carbon dioxide into food

1. Deposition – the process by which water, ice, wind, and gravity deposit eroded sediments in new location

2. Light Year – the distance light travels in one year

3. Epicenter – the point on the surface of the Earth directly above an earthquake’s starting point

4. Ecosystem – a distinct environment in the biosphere in which producers, consumers, and decomposers interact with their surroundings

5. Exosphere – the outermost layer of Earth’s atmosphere

6. Land Subsidence – the gradual settling or sudden sinking of the land from changes that take place underground

7. Thermosphere – one of the upper layers of the atmosphere where auroras occur

8. DNA – the material found in the nucleus of a cell that determines genetic traits of the organism

9. Decomposer – an organism such as fungi or bacteria that browns down dead plant and animal matter, releasing nutrients and carbon dioxide back into the ecosystem

10. Consumer – an organism that consumes other organisms for energy

1. Conservation – the protection and preservation of the natural environment and the wise use of resources

2. Geologic Fault – a break in Earth’s crust along which movement occurs

3. Sedimentary Rock – rock formed when layers of sediment are pressed together and cemented over time by heat, pressure and dissolved minerals

4. Stratosphere – the layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere

5. Compost – dead and decaying plant matter broken down by decomposers to provide nutrients for plants

6. Community – all the different populations of plants, animals, and other organisms interacting with one another in an environment

7. Constellation – a grouping of stars in the night sky that represents a figure when joined by imaginary lines

8. Igneous Rock – rock formed when molten lava or magma cools and solidifies

9. Extinction – the death of all members of a species

10. Erosion – the movement of soil and sediment from one location to another by wind, water, ice, gravity, or living organisms

1. Continental Drift – the hypothesis that all continents were once connected in a single, large land mass that broke apart

2. Metamorphic Rock – Rock that has been transformed underground by intense heat and pressure (DOES NOT MELT!)

3. Groundwater – water that percolates, drains, through soil and rocks and collects in underground reservoirs

4. Inexhaustible Resource – a resource that exists in such a continuous supply that it is considered almost limitless

5. Gas Giant – a large, gaseous planet in the outer solar system (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune)

6. Lithosphere – the solid part of the Earth that includes the crust

7. Mantle – the thick, dense layer of rock beneath Earth’s crust

8. Magma – liquid, molten rock beneath the Earth’s surface

9. Lava – molten rock that erupts from a volcano

1. Uplift- the pushing up of sections of Earth's crust by forces within the Earth.
2. Troposphere- the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere extending to about 16km above Earth's surface.
3. Topographic Map- a map that uses contour lines to show the surface features of an area.
4. Tectonic Plates- giant, irregular pieces of Earth's outermost layer that move around on the softer mantle below.
5. Surface Water- the usable, fresh water that moves over Earth's surface and is located in creeks, rivers, ponds, lakes, and reservoirs.
6. Runoff- Water that flows over the Earth's surface into rivers and streams.
7. Rock Cycle- the slow, continuous process by which rocks change from one type to another.
8. Richter Scale- a scale used to measure an earthquake's strength or magnitude.

1. Percolation – the downward of movement of water through soil and rock as a result of gravity.

2. Nonrenewable Resource – a natural resource that cannot be readily replaced

3. Nitrogen Cycle – the continuous circulation of nitrogen between the nonliving and living parts in an ecosystem

4. Nebula – a large cloud of gas and dust in space

5. Meteor – a piece of space rock that burns upon entering Earth’s atmosphere, creating bright streak of light

6. Greenhouse Effect – heating that occurs when gases in Earth’s atmosphere trap heat

7. Black Hole – a space object so dense and massive that even light cannot escape its gravitational pull

8. Galaxy – a grouping of stars, gas, and dust held together by gravity

1. Seismic Wave – a vibration that travels through the Earth

2. Centripetal Force – the force that pulls toward the center, keeps things in circle

3. Balanced Forces – forces that cancel each other because they are equal and opposite

4. Chemical Weathering – the wearing away of rocks and minerals through chemical processes like oxidation and dissolving

5. Carbon Cycle – the continuous movement of carbon in the environment through plants, animals and the atmosphere

6. Biosphere – the part of Earth that supports life

7. Biome – a geographic region with a specific climate and a distinct variety of plant and animal life.

1. Radiant Energy – electromagnetic energy that travels in waves

2. Potential Energy – energy stored in an object due to its shape or position

3. Newton – the SI unit for force

4. Mechanical Wave – energy waves that travel only through matter

5. Joule – SI unit used to express work and energy

6. Inertia – the tendency of an object to resist a change in motion OR if not moving, the resistance to move at all

7. Hydroelectric Energy – electrical energy produced using the power of moving water

8. Chemical Energy – energy stored in chemical bonds through chemical reactions

1. Endothermic reaction – a chemical reaction in which heat energy is absorbed

2. Exothermic reaction – a chemical reaction in which heat energy is released

3. Molecule – the smallest complete unit of a compound with the same properties of the compound

4. Wavelength – the distance between any two corresponding points on adjacent waves

5. Specific Heat – the amount of heat energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 g just 1 degree Celsius

6. Velocity – the speed and direction of an object

7. Trough – the lowest point of a transverse wave

8. Transverse Wave – a wave in which the vibration is perpendicular to the direction the wave travels

1. Speed – Distance traveled per unit of time

2. Displacement – The distance and direction of an object’s change in position from the starting point

3. Distance – how far an object has moved, uses units to measure

4. Constant Speed – when an object in motion neither speeds up or slows down

5. Average Speed – the total distance traveled divided by the total time of travel

6. Velocity – includes the speed of an object AND its direction

7. Acceleration – A change in the speed of an object in motion, can be positive or negative

1. Renewable Resource- A natural resource that can be used and replaced regularly by people or nature

2. Air mass- a large body of air having similar temperature and moisture content

3. Aquifer – an underground layer of permeable rock through which water flows freely

4. Asteroid- an object made of rock, metal, or ice that is smaller than a planet and orbits the sun

5. Eclipse- an event in which one object in space casts a shadow on another

6. Structure – the shape and composition of part of an organism or system

7. Transpiration – the loss of water from plant leaves into the atmosphere

1. Gravity – the force of attraction between two objects

2. Friction – the force that resists motion between two surfaces that are touching

3. Force – a push or pull that changes the direction, movement or shape of an object

4. Equilibrium – a state of physical or chemical balance in a system

5. Energy – the ability to do work or cause change

6. Conduction – the transfer of energy from one substance or object to another

7. Convection – the transfer of heat through currents in liquids and gases

1. Orbit – the elliptical path followed by a space object as it revolves around another object.

2. Motion – a change in position of an object in relation to a reference point

3. Species – a group of organisms that mate and produce offspring

4. Solar system – the Sun, planets, their moons and other objects orbiting around the Sun

5. Matter – anything that has volume and mass

6. Function – the specific job performed by a part of an organism or system

7. Interdependent – mutually reliant on one another

1. Tissue – a group of similar cells that work together to perform a specific function

2. Telescope – an instrument that enlarges distant objects

3. System – a group of structures, cycles, and processes that interact and relate to one another

4. Mutation – a change in an organism’s genetic composition

5. Sediment – small particles of rock, soil, sand, or shell deposited by water, wind, ice, or gravity

6. Satellite – a natural or artificial object that revolves around a larger object in space

7. Organism – any living thing composed of one or more cells

1. Weather Instrument – tools used by meteorologists to gather data

2. Wave – A vibration that transfers energy from one place to another

3. Watershed – The region of land drained by a river system

4. Water Vapor – The invisible gaseous state of water

5. Variable – a condition or factor that can be changed in an experiment

6. Independent variable – variable that is changed or manipulated

7. Dependent variable – changes in response to independent variable (the one that is measured)

1. Microscope – Enlarges very small items for study
2. Probe – used to expose parts of a specimen
3. Funnel – assists in transferring liquids to containers with small openings
4. Beaker – holds liquids while they are being stirred or heated
5. Slide – Supports item being examined by a microscope
6. Cover slide – covers items on a slide
7. Erlenmeyer Flask – used to store liquids
8. Bunsen Burner – heat source
9. Goggles – protect eyes from damaging substances
10. Test Tube – holds liquids for observation or testing
11. Forceps – used to hold or life specimens
12. Tongs – used to pick up items that cannot be picked up by hands
13. Magnifying Glass – enlarges items
14. Balance (triple beam balance)- used for measuring the mass of substances
15. Test Tube Rack – holds multiple test tubes
16. Scalpel – used to cut specimens during dissection
17. Dissecting Tray – holds specimens being dissected
18. Dropper – used to transfer small drops of liquid
19. Petri Dish – used for holding small specimens and for growing molds and bacteria
20. Scissors – used for cutting
21. Test Tube Clamp – holds test tube while heating
22. Thermometer – used to measure temperature
23. Ruler – used to measure length
24. Graduated Cylinder - used to measure volume of liquids