Science
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Science Language Students Should Know And Use
Physical Change - A change in the structure of a substance. After the change, it keeps all of its properties.
Chemical Change - The process converting one substance into another substance that will have new properties.
Dissolve - The process of a solid substance breaking down while in a liquid substance.
Heat - An energy form which can be transfered between objects.
Liquid - The state of matter in which particles slide freely over one another. The water in the river is in a liquid state.
Matter - Something that has mass and takes up space.
Product - The substance that comes out of a chemical change.
Reactants - The substances that are used to make a chemical change.
Solid - The state of matter in which particles vibrate and do not appear to move. Ice is water in a solid state.
Substance - Any material that can be observed.
Weight - A measurement of how much Earth's gravity pulls on an object.
Important facts
- "The Law of Conservation of Matter". This law says that matter cannot be created or destroyed by ordinary means.
- Changes in physical properties are called physical changes. If the size, shape, or state of a substance changes but the substance itself remains the same, then we say a physical change has occurred.
- One way to describe the physical properties of a substance is to identify its form, or state. The three states (or forms) of matter are:
Solid Liquid Gas
chemical changes the following things can happen:
A chemical change is a change where the chemicals in two or more different substances combine or change into a different kind of matter. One or more of these things must happen:
- Color change
- Heat is given off
- Heat is used
- New material is formed
- Sometimes in chemical reaction a gas is also given off.
Geology is the study of the Earth’s surface. you will be learning about how the surface of the earth changes and the forces that cause them.
Vocabulary words: Earth Science
students need to memorize these words and their definitions
Arch - an arching land form created by weathering and erosion.
Butte - a steep, flat-topped hill created by erosion.
Earthquake - shaking or trembling of the earth caused by movement along a fault.
Erode - to wear away
Erosion - removal of rocks and dirt by wind, water and ice.
Fault - a break or fracture in the crust of Earth.
Geological - having to do with geology, the study of Earth.
Deposition - the process of layering sediments.
Glacier - slow-moving masses of snow and ice that carry rock and dirt.
Sediment-mineral or other matter deposited by water, air, or ice.
Uplift - upward movement of Earth’s crust
Volcano - vents in Earth's crust that lava and steam can travel through.
Weathering - the process of breaking down rock and other materials into
smaller pieces. Weathering breaks it down. Erosion carries it away.
sediment-the matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid
Practice Test
1. Why do rocks often fall onto mountain roads in the Spring?
(ans: ice freezes the rocks at night and cracks them.)
2. How can a natural arch become dangerous?
(ans: weathering made it possible for it to collapse)
3. U-shaped valleys are carved by glaciers. How long does it take to create a U-shaped valley?
(ans: thousands of years)
4. How do earthquakes, volcanoes, and uplift affect the earth's surface?
(ans: they create mountains and valleys)
5. What does a seismograph help to predict?
(ans: earthquakes and volcanoes)
6. What forces help to create a butte?
(ans: water erosion and uplift)
7. How will a butte change in 100 years?
(ans: it will change very little)
8. What happens to a mountain if only erosion acts on it?
(ans: it becomes smaller)
9. Which force causes the most erosion?
(ans: water)
10. What causes earthquakes, volcanoes and uplift?
(ans: the movement of the earth's crust)
11. What might happen if two pieces of the earth's crust moves?
(ans: an earthquake)
12. What features are formed when different pieces of the earth's crust moves?
(ans: mountains and valleys)
13. Give an example of an erosion change that happens quickly.
(ans: floods, hurricanes, mud slides)
14. Give an example of an erosion change that happens slowly.
Science Language Students Should Know And Use
Battery - a small device that stores energy in a chemical form.
Complete Circuit - All the connections including wires, a battery, and a device that uses energy such as a light bulb. In a complete circuit, these objects are all connected in a way that the device that uses energy is working.
Compass - An object with a small magnetic section that points toward the north pole of Earth.
Electromagnetism - Using electricity, wires, and an iron core to create a temporary magnet. It can be made powerful as needed.
Conductor - A material that allows electricity to go through it.
Current - The flow of electricity through a conductor.
Incomplete Circuit - All the connections including wires, a battery, and a device that uses energy such as a light bulb. In an incomplete circuit, these objects are missing part of the necessary connection and the device that uses energy does not work.
Insulator - A material which does not allow electricity to go through it.
Load - A reference to the amount of devices which are in a circuit. More devices in the circuit increase the load.
Parallel circuit - When there are several paths for the current to follow.
Pathway - The area of a conductor through which a current is able to move.
Power Source - A battery or other device which provides energy for a circuit.
Properties - The characteristics of an object.
Series circuit - When there is only one path for the electricity to follow.
Static Electricity - An electrical force which occurs as electrons are built up in an object.
Switch - The part of a circuit which can control whether electricity flows through the circuit or not.
Facts about Electricity
- Modern society relies heavily on the convenience and versatility of electricity. It powers your microwave, helps light your house, lets you watch TV and so much more.
- Electric current is measured in amperes (amps).
- Electric potential energy is measured in volts.
- Two positive charges repel each other, as do two negative charges. Opposite charges on the other hand attract each other.
- When an electric charge builds up on the surface of an object it creates static electricity. You have probably experienced static electricity in the form of a small electric shock, which is what happens when the electric charge is quickly neutralized by an opposite charge.
- Electric eels can produce strong electric shocks of around 500 volts for both self defense and hunting.
- Electric circuits can contain parts such as switches, transformers, resistors and transformers.
- A common way to produce electricity is by hydro power, a process that generates electricity by using water to spin turbines attached to generators.
- The world’s biggest source of energy for producing electricity comes from coal. The burning of coal in furnaces heats boiler water until it becomes steam which then spins turbines attached to generators.
- Lightning is a discharge of electricity in the atmosphere. Lightning bolts can travel at around 210,000 kph (130,000 mph), while reaching nearly 30,000 °C (54,000 °F) in temperature.
- Electricity plays a role in the way your heart beats. Muscle cells in the heart are contracted by electricity going through the heart. Electrocardiogram (ECG) machines used in hospitals measure the electricity going through someone’s heart, when the person is healthy it usually shows a line moving across a screen with regular spikes as the heart beats.
- You may have heard of direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC). The difference between the two is in the way the electrons flow. In DC electrons move in a single direction while in AC they change directions, switching between backwards and forwards. The electricity use in your home is AC while DC comes from sources that include batteries.
- Back in the 1880’s there was even a ‘war of currents’ between Thomas Edison (who helped invent DC) and Nikola Tesla (who helped invent AC). Both wanted their system to be used with AC eventually winning out due to the fact that it is safer and can be used over longer distances.
- Electric fields work in a similar way to gravity with an important exception being that while gravity always attracts, electric fields can either attract or repulse.
- American Benjamin Franklin carried out extensive electricity research in the 18th century, inventing the lightning rod amongst his many discoveries. Lightning rods protect buildings in the event of lightning by conducting lightning strikes through a grounded wire.
- Learn about some of the interesting ways we generate electricity with our wind energy facts, geothermal energy facts, hydropower facts and solar power facts for kids.
Facts about Magnetism
- Magnets are objects that produce an area of magnetic force called a magnetic field.
- Magnetic fields by themselves are invisible to the human eye.
- Iron filings can be used to show magnetic fields created by magnets (such as in the picture to the right).
- Magnets only attract certain types of metals, other materials such as glass, plastic and wood aren't attracted.
- Metals such as iron, nickel and cobalt are attracted to magnets.
- Most metals however are not attracted to magnets, these include copper, silver, gold, magnesium, platinum, aluminum and more. They may however magnetize a small amount while placed in a magnetic field.
- Magnetism can attract magnetic objects or push them away.
- Magnets have a magnetic north pole and a magnetic south pole. If the same pole of two magnets are placed near each other they will push away (repel), while if different poles are placed near each other they will pull together (attract).
- Magnetic objects must be inside the magnetic field to respond, which is why you may have to move a magnet closer for it to have an effect.
- The Earth's core is believed to be a mix (alloy) of iron and nickel, giving the Earth its own magnetic field.
- The Earth's magnetic field is responsible for deflecting the solar wind, charged particles that come from the Sun.
- Magnetic compasses use the Earth's magnetic field to help navigate in north, south, east and west directions.
- Electromagnets are created by an electric current running through a surrounding coil. They have many uses including the generation of electricity in hydroelectric dams.
Vocabulary
Attract - the act of trying to come together.
Electromagnetism - Using electricity, wires, and an iron core to create a temporary magnet. It can be made powerful as needed.
Magnetic Field - The area around a magnet where you can detect the force of the magnet.
Magnetic Force - The strength of a magnetic field in a magnet.
Natural Magnet - An object which has a magnetic field around it. An example of a natural magnet is Magnetite.
Permanent Magnet - A man-made object with a magnetic field around it. It has parts that are usually labeled as North and South. It will keep its magnetism for a long period of time.
Properties - The characteristics of an object.
Repel - The pushing apart of magnets that occurs when two north ends (or two south ends) of two magnets are brought close to each other.
Temporary Magnet - An object which has a magnetic field around it for a short period of time. An example of a temporary magnet is an electromagnet.
Science Language Students Should Know And Use Environment – the physical surroundings of an organism, the habitat.
Inherited – a trait passed on from the parent organism to offspring.
Instincts – inborn behaviors.
Learned behavior – learned (not inherited) from repeated reactions in the environment.
Life cycle – the series of events or phases an organism goes through from birth to death, or to the birth of the next generation.
Offspring – the progeny of the parent organism, the children.
Organism – any living thing made of cells.
Parent organism – the parent of the offspring (usually a mom and dad).
Population – all of a species living in a given area.
Specialized structure – unique body or cell parts that help and organism survive (examples: snowshoe hare’s foot, leaves and petals on a plant, and stinger on a scorpion.)
Species – a group of the same organisms sharing common traits.
Survival – a species succeeds, or lives successfully in their environment; finding food, avoiding predators, and raising young.
Traits – inherited characteristics that set a species apart from other species.
Variations – slight differences among individuals of a species.