Shared Flashcard Set

Details

STAAR Vocabulary
STAAR Coach glossary
108
Science
8th Grade
03/30/2012

Additional Science Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
ACCELERATION (27)
Definition
The rate of change in the velocity of an object over time
Term
ADAPTATION (14)
Definition
any characteristic of an organism that promotes its survival in a certain environment
Term
ABRASION (34)
Definition
The process of particles of rock, sand, and soil are carried by wind and water and wear down Earth's surfaces
Term
AIR CURRENT (33)
Definition
Sections of moving air that are created when warmair and cold air meet, commonly referred to as wind
Term
ACQUIRED TRAIT (18)
Definition
Characteristic that is a result of the environment
Term
ALLELES (19)
Definition
Different forms of the same gene
Term
AMPLITUDE (30)
Definition
The distance from the midpoint of a wave to either a crest or a trough
Term
ANALYZE (5)
Definition
To examine data to decide what the data show
Term
ARTERIES (29)
Definition
Vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the body
Term
ATOM (20)
Definition
The basic building block of all matter
Term
ATOMIC MASS UNIT (20)
Definition
The unit of mass for expressing masses of atoms or molecules
Term
ATOMIC NUMBER (23)
Definition
The number of protons in an element
Term
BALANCED FORCE (26)
Definition
A force in which the net force equals zero
Term
BAR GRAPH (4)
Definition
A visual display that uses bars to show the magnitude of the data
Term
BEACH EROSION (34)
Definition
The gradual wearing away of land by wave action, tidal currents, wave currents, and drainage
Term
BEAKER (3)
Definition
A type of glass or plastic container used to hold liquids
Term
BIAS (7)
Definition
A personal prejudice or slanted point of view
Term
BIODEGRADABLE (43)
Definition
Capable of being broken down by living things in the environment
Term
BIOMASS (38)
Definition
The amount of living matter in a given area
Term
BLOOD PRESSURE (29)
Definition
Pressure that is caused by the pumping of blood through the arteries
Term
CARCINOGEN (18)
Definition
Cancer-causing agent
Term
CARNIVORE (13)
Definition
An animal that eats other animals
Term
CARRYING CAPACITY (15)
Definition
The largest population of a species that an ecosystem can support
Term
CATASTROPHIC EVENT (39)
Definition
A sudden, violent, event that causes significant damage or change
Term
CELL (10)
Definition
A basic unit of structure and funciton in all organisms; the smallest unit of matter that can carry on all the processes of life
Term
CELL MEMBRANE (11)
Definition
The structure that surrounds a cell and regulates what enters and leaves
Term
CELL THEORY (10)
Definition
A statement that all living things are composed of cells
Term
CELL WALL (11)
Definition
A rigid structure around the cell membrane of a plant cell or bacterium
Term
CELLULAR RESPIRATION (12,42)
Definition
The process in which cells use Oxygen and food to produce energy
Term
CHEMICAL EQUATION (22)
Definition
A formulat tha symbolizes a chemical reaction
Term
CHEMICAL FORMULA (21)
Definition
The method of using chemical symbols and subscripts to identify the number of atoms of each element in a molecule or a compound
Term
CHEMICAL REACTION (17)
Definition
A process by which atoms are rearranged to form new substances
Term
CHEMICAL WEATHERING ( 34)
Definition
A process that breaks down rock into smaller pieces by changing its chemical compositon
Term
chlorophyll (12)
Definition
a green pigment in plants that traps the energy of sunlight
Term
CHLOROPLAST(12)
Definition
the structure in a plant cell that gives it a green color and uses the energy of sunlight to make food for the plant
Term
CIRCLE GRAPH  (4)
Definition
a visual display that is used to show data as parts of a whole; also known as a pie chart.
Term
CLIMAX COMMUNITY (15)
Definition
final stage of succession.
Term
COLD FRONT(33)
Definition
a front that forms when a cold air  mass forces its way under a warm air mass.
Term
COVALENT BOND (21)
Definition
A bond formed when two atoms share electrons
Term
COMPOST (38)
Definition
a mixture of decaying organic matter such as leaves and manure.
Term
COMPOUND (21)
Definition
a type of matter that forms when two or more elements combine chemically.
Term
COMPRESSION (34)
Definition
stress formed by squeezing together.
Term
CONCLUSION (2,5)
Definition
a statement that explains the relationship between variables.
Term
CONDENSATION (31)
Definition
the process by which a gas changes to a liquid.
Term
CONSTELLATION 47)
Definition
a grouping of stars viewed as a pattern from Earth.
Term
CONSUMER (13)
Definition
an organism that feeds on plants or other organisms to get energy .
Term
CONTINENTAL DRIFT (34,35)
Definition
The slow movement of continents across the globe on plates
Term
ELECTRON CLOUD (20)
Definition
Large region surrounding the nucleus of an atom where the electrons are found
Term
CONTROL GROUP ( 2)
Definition
A group used as a standard of comparison in an experiment
Term
ELECTRON (20)
Definition
A subatomic particle that has a tiny mass and negative charge
Term
CONVECTION ( 33)
Definition
The transfer of thermal energy by the circulation of a liquid or gas
Term
CONVECTION CURRENT ( 33)
Definition
circular flow that is created when hot molecules rise and are replaced by coller molecules
Term
CONVERGENT (36)
Definition
Moving together
Term
Divergent ( 36)
Definition
Moving apart from one another
Term
EROSION (34)
Definition
The process by which rock particles are picked up and moved to new locations
Term
EROSIONAL DEPOSITION (34)
Definition
The process that drops eroded sediment
Term
EXTRUSIVE (37)
Definition
Describes igneous rock that solidifies on Earth's surface, after volcanic eruptions 
Term
FAULT ( 36,39)
Definition
Cracks in the earth's crust that are often created by earthquakes
Term
FAULT-BLOCK MOUNTAINS (34)
Definition
Mountains formed as a result of tension
Term
FOLIATION (37)
Definition
A layered texture of rock
Term
GROUNDWATER (31,32)
Definition
Water located below Earth's surface
Term
GULF STREAM (33)
Definition
A warm water current that starts in the tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean and travels north all the way to Europe
Term
IGNEOUS ROCK (37)
Definition
Rock that forms when melted rock cools and hardens
Term
INTRUSIVE (37)
Definition
Describes igneous rock that forms by solidifying within the crust forming masses with large, regular crystals
Term
JET STREAM ( 33)
Definition
An air current such as one in the Northern Hemisphere that moves from the Arctic toward the central United States; it is responsible for bringing cooler air from the Arctic to the United States
Term
LAND SUBSIDENCE (34)
Definition
Collapse of ground materials due to pumping of groundwater resources
Term
LAVA (36)
Definition
Molten rock (magma) that reaches the Earth's surface
Term
LITHOSPHERIC PLATES ( 35)
Definition
Rigid plates that move on the upper portion of the mantle
Term
MAGMA ( 37,39)
Definition
Molten rock that comes to the earth's surface during a volcanic eruption
Term
MECHANICAL WEATHERING (34)
Definition
A process of breaking down rock into smaller pieces without changing its chemical composition
Term
METAMORPHIC ROCK (37)
Definition
Rock that forms when other types of rock are chemically changed by heat and pressure deep inside the Earth
Term
OCEAN CURRENT ( 33)
Definition
Sections of water near the ocean surface that are moving in the same direction
Term
PANGEA (35)
Definition
Name given to the super continent thought to have been made up of all Earth's landmasses
Term
PLATE BOUNDARY (36)
Definition
The place where two tectonic plates meet
Term
PLATE BOUNDARY ZONE (36)
Definition
Zones around the plate boundary
Term
PLATE TECTONICS (35)
Definition
The theory developed to explain the movement of the lithospheric plates
Term
RIFT VALLEY (35)
Definition
A deep crack that forms when magma is squeezed between two continental plates
Term
ROCK CYCLE (37)
Definition
A continuous process on and below Earth's surface in which rock forms and changes
Term
RUNOFF (31)
Definition
Water that flows on or near Earth's surface without sinking into the ground
Term
SEAFLOOR SPREADING (35)
Definition
The scientific theory that magma squeezes up through the boundaries between the oceanic plates helping to push the plates apart and create new crust on the seabed.
Term
SEDIMENTARY ROCK ( 37)
Definition
Rock that forms from layers of sediments that are compacted and cemented together.
Term
SPRING ( 32)
Definition
A place where groundwater naturally returns to the surface.
Term
SUBDUCTION ( 36)
Definition
The process by which one tectonic plate moves beneath another
Term
SUBDUCTION ZONE (36)
Definition
A region where one tectonic plate slides under another plate
Term
SURFACE WATER (32)
Definition
Water that collects above ground
Term
TECTONIC PLATES (39)
Definition
The plates that make up the earth's surface
Term
TENSION (34)
Definition
Stress formed by pulling something apart
Term
TRANSFORM BOUNDARY (36)
Definition
A plate boundary where two plates slide and grind by each other
Term
UPLIFT ( 36)
Definition
The folding of rock upward due to stress between converging plates
Term
WEATHERING (34)
Definition
A process that breaks down rock into smaller pieces
Term
ION (21)
Definition
A charged particle
Term
IONIC BOND (21)
Definition
A bond formed by a transfer of electrons between atoms
Term
MOLECULE (21)
Definition
The smallest unit of a compound that has all the properties of the compound
Term
NEUTRON (20)
Definition
A particle with no charge found in the nucleus of an atom
Term
PROTON (20)
Definition
A positively charged particle in the nucleus of an atom
Term
SUBATOMIC PARTICLE(20)
Definition
A particle that makes up atoms, including protons, neutrons, and electrons
Term
VALENCE ELECTRONS (21)
Definition
The electrons in the outermost energy level of an atom
Supporting users have an ad free experience!