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FCAT Vocabulary
Key terms for 5th grade FCAT Science
92
Science
5th Grade
02/16/2011

Additional Science Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term

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adaptation

Definition
a characteristic of an organism that increases its chance of survival in its environment
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atmosphere

Definition

 

the layers of gas that surround Earth, other planets, or stars

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atom

 

 

 

 

Definition

 

the smallest unit of a chemical element that can still retain the properties of that element

Term

 

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axis

 

 

 

 

Definition

 

the imaginary line on which an object rotates (e.g., Earth’s axis runs through Earth between the North Pole and the South Pole); an imaginary straight line that runs through a body; a reference to the line in a coordinate system or graph

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carnivore

 

 

 

Definition

 

an animal or plant that consumes or obtains nutrients from animals

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change of state

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Definition

 

a physical change that occurs when matter changes to another state (i.e., liquid, gas, or solid)

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chemical change

 

 

 

Definition

 

a reaction or a change in a substance produced by chemical means that results in producing a different chemical

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community

Definition

 

all the populations of organisms belonging to different species and sharing the same geographical area

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compound

Definition
a substance made up of a combination of two or more elements held together by chemical bonds that cannot be separated by physical means; has properties unlike those of the elements that make up the compound
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condensation

Definition

 

theprocess of changing from a gas (i.e., water vapor) to a liquid (i.e., dew); the act of making more dense or compact

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conservation

Definition

 

controlled use and/or maintenance of natural resources; various efforts to preserve or protect natural resources

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constellation

Definition

 

a star pattern identified and named as a definite group; usually thought of as forming certain shapes or figures in a specific region of the sky

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consumer

 

Definition

 

an organism that feeds on other organisms for food

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decomposer

Definition
any organism that feeds or obtains nutrients by breaking down organic matter from dead organisms
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density

Definition

concentrationof matter of an object; number of individuals in the same species that live in a given area; the mass per unit volume of a substance in a given area

 

Term

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deposition

Definition
layering matter in a natural process
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earthquake

Definition

the shaking of the ground caused by a sudden release of energy in Earth’s crust

 

Term

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ecosystem

Definition

an integrated unit of a biological community, its physical environment, and interactions

 

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element

Definition

a substance that cannot be reduced to a simpler substance by chemical means

 

Term

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energy

Definition

a quantity that describes the capacity to do work; a source of usable power

 

Term

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energy pyramid

Definition

a pyramidal diagram that compares the amount of energy available at each position, or level, in the feeding order

 

Term

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energy transfer

Definition

a change of energy from one form to another (e.g., mechanical to electrical, solar to electrical)

 

Term

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environment

Definition

the sum of conditions affecting an organism, including all living and nonliving things in an area, such as plants, animals, water, soil, weather, landforms, and air

 

Term

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equator

Definition

an imaginary circle around Earth’s surface located between the poles and a plane perpendicular to its axis of rotation that divides it into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres

 

Term

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erosion

Definition

the wearing away of Earth’s surface by the breakdown and transportation of rock and soil

 

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evaporation

Definition

the process by which a liquid is converted to its vapor phase by heating the liquid

 

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experiment

Definition

a procedure that is carried out and repeated under controlled conditions in order to discover, demonstrate, or test a hypothesis; includes all components of the scientific method

 

Term

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food chain

Definition

transfer of energy through various stages as a result of feeding patterns of a series of organisms

 

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food web (food cycle)

Definition

the interconnected feeding relationships in a food chain found in a particular place and time

 

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force

Definition

a quality that tends to produce movement or acceleration of a body in the direction of its application; a push or pull

 

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fossil

Definition

a whole or part of a plant or animal that has been preserved in sedimentary rock

 

Term

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friction

Definition

a force that opposes the relative motion of two material surfaces in contact with one another

 

Term

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fulcrum

Definition

the pivot point of a lever

 

Term

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galaxy

Definition

a large collection of stars, gases, and dust that are part of the universe (e.g., the Milky Way galaxy) bound together by gravitational forces

 

Term

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gas

Definition

one of the fundamental states of matter in which the molecules do not have a fixed volume or shape

 

Term

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gravitation

Definition

a force of attraction between two masses

 

Term

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gravity

Definition

the observed effect of the force of gravitation

 

Term

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habitat

Definition

a place in an ecosystem where an organism normally lives

 

Term

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heat

Definition

a form of energy resulting from the temperature difference between a system and its surroundings

 

Term

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herbivore

Definition

an animal that feeds on plants

 

Term

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igneous rock

Definition

a type of rock that forms from molten or partly molten material that cools and hardens

 

Term

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inclined plane

Definition

a type of simple machine; a slanted surface that makes it easier to move a mass from a lower point to a higher point

 

Term

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inertia

Definition

the property of a body, due to its mass, that causes it to resist any change in its motion unless overcome by a force

 

Term

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investigation

Definition

aprocedure that is carried out in order to observe a response caused by a stimulus; not a complete experiment

 

Term

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kinetic energy

Definition

the energy possessed by a body because of its motion

 

Term

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lever

Definition

a type of simple machine; consists of a rigid bar that pivots about a fulcrum, used to transmit and enhance power or motion

 

Term

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life cycle

Definition

the entire sequence of events in an organism’s growth and development

 

Term

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light

Definition

electromagnetic radiation that lies within the visible range

 

Term

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liquid

Definition

one of the fundamental states of matter with a definite volume but no definite shape

 

Term

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magnetic

Definition
having the property of attracting iron and certain other materials by virtue of a surrounding field of force
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mass

Definition

the amount of matter an object contains

 

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matter

Definition

a solid, liquid, or gas that possesses inertia and is capable of occupying space

 

Term

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metamorphic rock

Definition

a type of rock that forms from existing rock because of extreme changes caused by heat, pressure, or chemical environments

 

Term

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microscopic

Definition

relating to an object too small to be visible without the use of a microscope

 

Term

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mixture

Definition

the product of a thorough blending of two or more substances, not chemically combined

 

Term

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moon

Definition
a natural satellite that revolves around a planet
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moon phase

Definition

a phrase that indicates the fraction of the Moon’s disc that is illuminated (as seen from Earth); the eight moon phases (in order): new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter, waning crescent

 

Term

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nonrenewable resource

Definition

a resource that can only be replenished over millions of years

 

Term

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organ

Definition

a structure containing different tissues that are organized to carry out a specific function of the body (e.g., heart, lungs, brain, etc.)

 

Term

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organism

Definition
any living plant, animal, or fungus that maintains various vital processes necessary for life
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photosynthesis

Definition

a chemical process by which plants trap light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates (sugars)

 

Term

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physical change

Definition

a reaction; a change in matter from one form to another, without forming new substances

 

Term

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planet

Definition

a large body in space that orbits a star and does not produce light of its own

 

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pollution

Definition

any alteration of the natural environment producing a condition harmful to living organisms; may occur naturally or as a result of human activities

 

Term

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population

Definition

a group of organisms of the same species living in a specific geographical area

 

Term

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potential energy

Definition

the energy an object has because of its position or structure; stored energy

 

Term

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predator

Definition

an organism that preys on and consumes animals; usually an animal

 

Term

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prey

Definition

an organism caught or hunted for food by another organism

 

Term

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producer

Definition

an organism that makes its own food from the environment; usually a green plant

 

Term

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protist

Definition

unicellular organisms belonging to the kingdom Protista

 

Term

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pulley

Definition

a type of simple machine; a circular lever, usually a wheel with a groove where a rope can be placed and used to change the direction of a force

 

Term

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reflection

Definition

the bouncing off or turning back of light, sound, or heat from a surface

 

Term

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refraction

Definition

a change in the direction of a wave that occurs as it passes from one medium to another of different density

 

Term

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renewable resource

Definition

a resource that is replaced or restored, as it is used, by natural processes in a reasonable amount of time

 

Term

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resource

Definition

any material that can be used to satisfy a need

 

Term

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scientific method

Definition

a plan of inquiry that uses science process skills as tools to gather, organize, analyze, and communicate information

 

Term

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sedimentary rock

Definition

rock formed from layers of sediment that overlay and squeeze together or are chemically combined

 

Term

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solar system

Definition

a star and all the planets and other bodies that orbit it; the region in space where these bodies move

 

Term

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solid

Definition

having a definite shape and a definite volume; one of the fundamental states of matter

 

Term

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solution

Definition

a mixture of two or more substances uniformly dispersed throughout a single phase

 

Term

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star

Definition

a large, gaseous, self-luminous body held together by gravity and powered by thermonuclear reactions

 

Term

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Sun

Definition

the closest star to Earth and the center of our solar system

 

Term

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system

Definition

a set of objects, organisms, or different parts acting to form a whole

 

Term

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tissue

Definition

similar cells acting to perform a specific function; four basic types of tissue are muscle, connective, nerve, and epidermal

 

Term

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topography

Definition

the surface, shape, and composition of a land area

 

Term

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universe

Definition

the total sum of all matter and energy that exists

 

Term

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volcano

Definition

a vent or fissure in Earth’s surface through which magma and its associated materials are expelled; generally a mountain-like structure

 

Term

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volume

Definition

a measure of the amount of space an object takes up; also the loudness of a sound or signal

 

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water cycle

Definition

the path water takes as it is being cycled through the environment, including condensation, evaporation, and precipitation

 

Term

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weathering

Definition

the natural processes that break down and change rock into soil, sand, and other materials; differs from erosion in that no transportation of those materials takes place

 

Term

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Wheel and axle

Definition

a type of simple machine; a circular frame or disk revolving around a central axis

 

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