Be sure each Card includes the following: On the front have the term and illustrate it (color prefered). On the back you will write the definition, write it in a sentence, and come up with a fun fact OR a way to remember it.
1. meter: unit of length in the metric system (we use a ruler, or meter stick to measure with)
2. celsius: unit of temperature in the metric system (we use a thermometer to measure with)
3. liter: unit of volume in the metric system (we use a graduated cylinder to measure with)
4. gram: unit of mass in the metric system (we use a triple-beam balance to measure with)
5. mass: how much stuff (matter, or molecules, or atoms) are in an object
6. length: how tall/long/wide something is
7. temperature: a measure of the amount of heat energy in an object/system
8. volume: how much space an object takes up
9. density: the amount of mass of an object divided by its volume (d=m/v)
10. KHDODCM: the stair-step method of converting in the metric system (you can replace O with U, for unit, or B, for base)
11. Science: the study all things based on evidence through observation and experiments, often using the scientific method (question, hypothesize, experiment, collect data, conclude, share)
12. Theory: an idea that has been tested by many, many scientists and is now accepted to be understood (but can CHANGE if new evidence is found).
13. Hypothesis: An idea you can test.
14. Inference: a conclusion made based on your observations
15. Observations: information gathered by using your five senses
16. Model: a small version of a big thing or a large version of a very small thing that allows further study, understanding, and sometimes testing hypotheses. Want to know how a whisker can be used as a model for a human hand? Click here.
17. prediction: what you think will happen
18. variable: something that you can change in an experiment (or something you KEEP THE SAME, if it's the "control" variable)
19. Qualitative: an observation of the qualities of something, using adjectives to describe something
20. Quantitative: an observation of the quantities of something, using numbers to describe something
21 Layers of the Earth: the parts of the earth scientists discovered with earthquake data.
22 Lithosphere: upper layer of earth (solid rock, less dense, coolest).
23 Lava: molten rock that has erupted onto the earth's surface (also what the solid/hardened and cooled rock is called) as opposed to MAGMA, which is molten and UNDER the surface.
24 Convection: the transfer of heat through a fluid
25. Fluid: a material that flows (liquid, gas OR solid)
26 Earth's heat: a result of TWO phenomenon, the original heat from formation, and radioactivity from materials inside the Earth. Know this: Earth has been cooling down from the outside-in, just like a loaf of bread out of the oven.
27 Asthenosphere: layer of earth that is “plastic”, and called the upper mantle (liquid rock, warmer)
28 Mesosphere: the lower mantle of earth (solid rock, if plastic, denser and hotter)
29 Outer core: the layer under the mantle (iron and nickel mix, very dense, and quite hot)
30 Inner core: the innermost layer of earth (iron and nickel mix, most dense, and hottest).
31 Magma: molten rock stored beneath earth’s surface
32 Crust: the brittle, rock outer layer of the Earth.
33 Mantle: the thick middle layer in the solid part of the Earth.
34 Convergent boundary: an actively deforming region where two tectonic plates move toward one another and collide. Earthquakes, trenches, volcanoes, and mountains are common.
35 Divergent boundary: occurs where two tectonic plates move away from each other. Ridges and rift valleys are common.
36 Mid-Ocean Ridge: long, undersea mountain chain that has a steep, narrow valley at its center. Forms as magma moves up from asthenosphere as two plates diverge.
37 Earthquake: a movement or trembling of the ground that is caused by a sudden release of energy when rocks along a fault move.
38 Trench: a long, narrow and steep depression that forms on the ocean floor as a results of the subduction of one plate under the other.
39 Transform boundary: the boundary between two tectonic plates that are sliding past each other horizontally. Earthquakes are common.
40 Volcano: a vent or fissure in the Earth's surface through which magma and gases are expelled.
41 Subduction: the process by which one lithospheric plate moves beneath another.
42 Sea-floor spreading: the process by which new oceanic lithosphere forms as magma rises to Earth's surface and solidifies at a mid-ocean ridge.
43. metamorphic: rock formed from extreme heat and/or pressure.
44. sediment: bits of rock that can be compacted and cemented into sedimentary rock.
45. rock cycle: the diagram that explains how rocks can change from one type into another.
46. rock: a naturally occuring solid combination of minerals.
47. characteristics of rock (how to ID): color, texture, density, foliation (book-like pages), layers, grain and others (clastic/non-clastic, etc...).
48. deposition: the accumulation of sediment (often at the sea floor, but can occur in a riverbed, or after a landslide).
49. compaction: the slow process of pressure and gravity working to bring grains of sediment closer (making sedimentary rock).
50. cementation: the chemical change that "glues" sedimentary rocks together.
51. mineral: a naturally occuring, inorganic, solid material with a distinct chemical composition and a crystal structure.
52. charactreristics of a mineral (how to ID): hardness, luster, streak, cleavage/fracture, crystal structure, color and others (magnetism, luminescence, etc...).
53. inorganic: abiotic, or not from life (never alive), organic: from something that was/is alive, biotic.
54. definite chemical composition: having elements or molecules that are the same throughout.
55.sedimentary: rock formed from weathered and eroded rocks being compacted and cemented
56 mass extinction: an event during which most of the species on the planet cease to exist (die)
57. fossil: the remains of a living organism trapped and preserved in sedimentary rock
58. K-T boundary: a layer of clay with a large amount of iridium that dates back to 66 million years ago on Earth (K-T stands for Cretaceous-Tertiary, and is now recognized as being the Cretaceous-Paleogene, or K-Pg)
59. weathering: the breaking down of material (rocks, specifically) by either chemical (acid rain, oxidation, etc...) or mechanical (root wedging, frost wedging, etc...) means.
60. erosion: the movement of material (rocks, specifically)
61. soil: the loose, weathered material on the surface of the earth where plants can grow
62. U-shaped/V-shaped valley: the difference in which force formed a valley, as a RIVER (see the "V" in that word?) makes a V shape, and a GLACIER (see the "C" in that word? turn it on its side to make a "U") makes a U shape.
63. index fossil: remains of a living thing that existed for a short period of time, which makes relative dating of the rock it's in easy.
64. Law of Superposition: older rock is lower than younger rock (care to be sure plate tectonics has not tipped the rock is key)
65. soil horizons: layers that make up the very top of the earth’s crust
66. organic matter: material from living things; broken down in soil
67. humus: dark colored organic matter in soil
68. topsoil: mixture of humus, class, and other minerals that forms crumbly, topmost layer of soil.
69. subsoil: the layer of soil beneath the topsoil that contains mostly clay and other minerals.
70. bedrock: the solid layer of rock beneath the soil.
71. sand: small bits of silicon-based mineral (glass, when you melt it into shapes)
72. silt: very fine sediment (can cause pollution, and kill animals in water) particles are barely visible to the eye
73. clay: very fine sediment (can cause pollution, and kill animals in water) particles invisible to the eye
74. loam: fertile soil of clay and sand containing humus
75. permeability: the ability to pass materials through
76. commercial/organic fertilizer: material that adds nutrition to the soil (commercial is made in a lab or mined, organic is recycled from compost)
77. contour plowing (terracing): planting on “steps” rather than a slope to reduce erosion
78. crop rotation: changing crops to avoid destruction by pests and loss of nutrition in the soil
79. wind breaks: rows (usually trees) to block the wind from eroding soil
80. cover crops: a plant that protects the soil but might not be eaten by humans
81. selective/clear cutting: only cutting SOME of the trees in the forest
82. aquifer:water stored underground (in between rocks)
83. groundwater: water filling the spaces between rocks underground
84. permeable: water DOES pass through a material
85. impermeable: water DOES NOT pass through a material
86. stream: a channel where water is consistently flowing downhill
87. tributary: a stream or small river that feeds into a main river
88. salinity: the measure of or amount of salt in something
89. brackish: a mix of fresh and salt water
90. watershed: an area where all rain/surface water drains to the same river
91.Hydrosphere - all the water on the earth's surface, such as lakes and seas, and sometimes including water over the earth's surface, such as clouds.
92.Evaporation- The process by which water molecules in liquid water escape into the air as water vapor.
93.Transpiration- The evaporation of water from trees and plants.
94.Condensation- The process by which molecules of water vapor in the air become liquid water.
95.Precipitation- Any form of water that falls from clouds (rain, snow, sleet, or hail) and reaches Earth’s surfaces
96.Infiltration – the downward movement of water into soil
97.Runoff- Water that flows over the ground surface rather than soaking into the ground.
98.Water Cycle- The continual movement of water among Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, and land surface through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.
98. Continental Shelf: a gently sloping, shallow area of the ocean floor that extends outward from the edge of the continent
99. Continental Slope: the steep incline from the shelf to the ocean floor
100. abyssal plain: smooth, nearly flat region of the deep ocean floor
101.mid-ocean ridge: the undersea volcanic range where new ocean floor (basalt!) is made
102. deep sea trench: the steep sides of the meeting subduction zone plates
103. ocean current: horizontal and vertical circulation of seawater depending on gravity, wind and salinity/temperature.
104. waves: movement of water caused by wind blowing on the surface
105. Coriolis effect: the pattern fluids move in due to the rotating earth.
106. Wind – the horizontal movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure.
107. Anemometer – the instrument that measures the wind speed.
108. Wind-Chill Factor – caused by a breeze removing heat from your skin, making you feel colder than the actual temperature in the winter.
109. Local Wind – winds caused by the unequal heating of Earth’s surface within a small area.
- 110. Sea Breeze – local winds that blow from an ocean or lake to the land.
- 111. Land Breeze – local winds that blow from land to a body of water.
- 113. Doldrums – weak global winds located around the equator associated with low pressure and warm rising air.
- 114. Trade Winds – winds that blow towards equator from Horse Latitudes.
- 115. Horse Latitudes – weak global winds located around 30ᵒ latitude associated with high pressure and sinking air.
- 116. Prevailing Westerlies – winds blow from west to east away from Horse Latitudes at 60ᵒ latitude.
- 117. Prevailing Easterlies – cold wind leaves the equator to the westerlies and from the east to the west.
- 118. Jet Stream – a high-speed, high-altitude wind that affects weather as it moves from west to east.
120. cold front: a fast moving mass of colder air overtaking a warmer mass of air
121. warm front: a mass of warmer air overtaking a cooler mass
122. stationary front: cold and warm air masses meet, but neither can move the other
123. occluded front: a warm air mass is caught between two cooler air masses
124. air: the colorless, odorless, tasteless, mixture of gases that surrounds the Earth (air consists of about 78% nitrogen and 21 percent oxygen, with the remaining part make up mainly of argon, carbon dioxide, neon, helium, methane, and krypton in decreasing order of volume; air also contains varying amounts of water vapor, particulate matter such as dust and soot, and chemical pollutants)
125. Meteorologist – A scientist who studies the atmosphere
126. Temperature – A measure of how hot or cold an object is compared to a reference point. remember: this is not the definition you'll learn in 8th grade, which addresses the "energy of the system, or the atoms in it" (more energy=higher temperature, less molecular movement=lower temperature)
127. Atmospheric (or Air) Pressure – A measure of how much the air pushes against things (this is measured with a BAROMETER)
128. cirrus- clouds that are high and wispy
129. cumulus- clouds that are medium height and fluffy, or look like piles
130. stratus- clouds that are layered, and flat looking
131. nimbus- a precipitating cloud
132. relative humidity- a measure of how much water vapor is actually in the air compared to the maximum amount that could be in the air
133. heat capacity- the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of an object or substance by 1 degree Celsius (this is measured in units of “calories”)
134. light year
135. speed of light
136. galaxy
137. universe
138. Milky Way
139. Big Bang Theory
140. Age of the Solar System
141. Age of the universe
142. Nebula
143. Geocentric
144. Heliocentric
145 Gravity
146 Planet
147 Comet
148 Atmospheric features
149 Relative (position, size, & distance) - considered in relation or in proportion to something else
150 Meteor
151 Asteroid
152 Solar System
153 Orbit
154 Inertia
155 Ellipses
156 Asteroid belt
157 Dwarf planet
158 Moon Phase (Full, New, 1st Quarter, 3rd Quarter)
159 Moon Phase (Waxing, Waning, Crescent, Gibbous)
160 Solar Eclipse
161 Lunar Eclipse
162 Revolution
163 Rotation
164 Tides (High and Low)
165 Tides (Neap and Spring)
166 Equinox
167 Solstice
168 Gravity
169 Orbital Motion
170 Umbra
171 Penumbra