| air-resistance | a frictional force that opposes the movement of an object through the air |
| amphibian | a type of animal that spends part of its life cycle in water and part on land; cold-blooded with a backbone |
| animal | a type of living organism that moves about in search of food and is not a plant; single-celled organisms (as seen under a microscope) are not considered animals |
| battery | two or more electric cells that produce electricity; this happens when the chemicals within the battery react together; the voltage of a battery depends on the number of cells it contains: more cells mean greater voltage |
| biodegradable | capable of being broken down by bacteria or fungi |
| blood | the fluid that flows through the heart, veins and arteries of animals; it carries oxygen as well as other substances in the arteries and carries waste products in the veins |
| breathing | the process of taking in oxygen from the air and releasing of carbon dioxide to the air through the lungs, gills or other structures |
| buoyancy | the upward thrust experienced by objects when they are placed in a liquid |
| carbohydrates | substances such as sugar and starches; green plants make carbohydrates through the process of photosynthesis |
| carnivore | an animal that eats meat or flesh |
| chemical change | a change in materials that produces a new substance; the change is permanent |
| chlorophyll | the green pigment in plants, necessary for photosynthesis |
| circuit | the complete path of an electric current around a series of wires and connections; if there is a break in the circuit the current will not flow |
| classification | the grouping together of plants, animals, rocks or other objects that have similar characteristics |
| community | all the organisms that live together in a habitat |
| competition | the struggle among organisms for a resource that is in short supply, such as food, water, oxygen, space or mates |
| condensation | the change of a gas into a liquid by cooling: for example, vapour from a boiling kettle hitting a cold kitchen wall condenses into liquid |
| conduction | the movement of energy through a substance |
| conductor | a material that transmits heat, electrical or other kinds of energy |
| control | see 'experiment' |
| current (electric) | a flow of charge; electrons are the charge carriers; a current in a metal consists of a flow of electrons (electricity) from the negative terminal of the battery to the positive terminal; however, we usually say that current flows from positive to negative; measured in amperes or 'amps'(A) |
| decomposer | organisms such as bacteria and fungi; they break down the dead remains of organisms into simpler substances, which are returned to the soil |
| diaphragm | a sheet-like muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdomen in mammals; important in breathing |
| digestion | the process by which large food particles are broken down and made soluble with the help of enzymes and our teeth |
| dissolving | the mixing of a substance with a solvent, for example sugar mixed with water, to form a solution; children sometimes confuse the terms melt and dissolve |
| ear | the organ of hearing; the external part of the ear leads to a canal, at the end of which is the ear drum; the ear drum is connected to three bones, which in turn are connected to an oval window; the ear is connected to the brain by the auditory nerve |
| ecology | the study of ecosystems |
| ecosystem | a community of organisms and their relationships with each other and with their environment |
| egg | a female reproductive cell in an organism |
| electromagnet | a magnetic material, surrounded by coiled wire, that acts as a magnet when an electric current passes through the wire |
| electron | one of the particles of which an atom is made up; electrons are negatively charged |
| energy | the ability to do work; light energy, electrical energy and sound energy are all different forms |
| evaporation | the changing of a liquid into a (gas) vapour by using heat or moving air, for example boiling a solution and driving the water off as steam, or a puddle being changed into vapour by the wind |
| excretion | the release of waste materials from an organism |
| experiment | a procedure causing a change in what is being tested together with an identical untested control |
| explorations | all activities that relate to an investigation, including unstructured, unplanned preliminary activities, such as play |
| eye | the organ of sight; the visible parts include the clear outer cornea, the coloured iris and the pupil; the eye also contains a lens, and the back of the eye is covered by the retina |
| fair test | a test in which everything about the things being tested is equal, except the item being tested |
| fertilisation | the joining together of a male and female reproductive cell to form a new organism |
| filter | an object such as a sieve or a strainer that will separate an insoluble solid from a liquid when the mixture is passed through it; or a transparent material that allows some light to pass through it |
| filtration | a technique for separating a solid or solids from a liquid in a mixture by passing through a filter, for example tea being strained through a strainer |
| floating | the tendency of an object to remain on the surface of a liquid; an object will float if its density is less than that of the liquid; the weight of a floating body is equal to the weight of fluid displaced; the force up and the force down on the body are equal |
| flower | the reproductive part of flowering plants, which contain the sex organs of the plant, i.e. the carpel (female) and the stamen (male); the carpel consists of the stigma, style and ovary; the stamen consists of the anther and the filament; petals, which are usually brightly coloured, help to attract insects to pollinate the flower; sepals, which are usually green and lie outside the petals, and protect the flower in the bud stage |
| food chain | the transfer of energy from one organism to another within a habitat or ecosystem; shows the feeding relationships between organisms; a simple food chain is grass › rabbit › fox |
| food web | a linked series of food chains |
| force | anything that causes a change in the velocity of an object. Force is loosely understood as being a 'push' or a 'pull'. It can make an object speed up, slow down, stop, change shape or change direction or hold an object in place |
| fossil fuel | fuel formed from the remains of living organisms millions of years ago, for example coal, oil and natural gas |
| friction | a force that opposes movement |
| fuse | a device to prevent too large an electric current passing through a circuit; consists of a piece of thin wire that melts if it becomes heated; this breaks the circuit and acts as a safety device |
| germination | the process that occurs when a seed or spore begins to grow into a mature plant; germination requires moisture, oxygen and a suitable temperature |
| gravity | a force of attraction between all bodies in the universe; the force of attraction between objects depends on their mass; the greater the mass of an object the greater the force of attraction |
| habitat | the place where an organism lives; it provides a particular set of conditions for life; it may be large (a field) or small (a leaf) |
| heart | an organ that pumps blood around the body; in the adult human the heart rate is about 70 beats per minute, but in a baby it will be much faster; blood travels by means of a network of vessels; blood leaves the heart through arteries and returns to the heart in veins |
| heat transfer | the way in which heat is moved: in solids by conduction, in liquids and gases by convection, and from a hot object like the sun or a stove by radiation |
| herbivore | an animal that eats plants only |
| humus | a brown or black fibrous material formed from the remains of dead plants and animals; it helps soil particles to stick together and is important in soil fertility |
| hydraulics | the pressure of liquids that can make something work |
| hypothesis | an idea that can be tested: a supposition put forward in explanation of observed facts; the prediction is qualified by a tentative explanation |
| insulator | a material or substance that will not allow heat to pass through it or one that will not allow electricity to flow through it |
| investigations | activities where ideas, predictions or hypotheses are tested and conclusions are drawn in response to a question or problem |
| joint | a connection formed where one bone meets another; in most cases the bones can move freely, for example hip, shoulder and elbow |
| key | a series of questions that leads to the identification of organisms or other unknown items |
| lens | a piece of glass or transparent material that causes light to change direction as it passes through it; lenses can be different shapes, for example concave and convex lenses |
| lever | a rigid bar that can be turned freely about a fixed point; levers are simple machines, they make work easier |
| light | a form of energy that travels in rays; light travels at approximately 300,000 km/s; white light is a mixture of light of every wavelength, that is, of all colours |
| luminous | giving out its own light, for example the sun and other stars |
| lungs | the respiratory organs in humans and many other animals; the respiratory system includes the nasal passages and mouth, pharynx, larynx (voice box), trachea (wind-pipe) and bronchi |
| machine | a device that takes in some form of energy and changes it into another form that is more suitable for the desired purpose or work, for example an electric motor lifting a weight; electrical energy changes to kinetic energy |
| magnet | a material that produces a magnetic field around itself; can be shown by sprinkling iron filings around the magnet; there are poles at the ends of magnets: these are the north-seeking and south-seeking poles; like poles repel each other, whereas unlike poles attract; magnets are made in a variety of shapes and sizes; most materials are non-magnetic, but metals such as iron, nickel, cobalt or alloys of these, such as steel, are magnetic; a compass is a free-swinging magnet |
| mammal | a warm-blooded animal with a backbone (vertebrate), usually with a covering of hair or fur, that produces live young and feeds them on milk; the duck-billed platypus and the spiny ant-eater are exceptions, as they lay eggs |
| mass | mass describes the amount of matter in an object; measured in grams (g) |
| material | matter from which other things can be made; materials can be classified in many different ways, for example natural such as wood, or synthetic, such as plastics, polyester or stainless steel; materials can be classified according to their uses or their properties such as metals, plastics, textiles and others |
| matter | anything that takes up space and has mass; all substances and materials can be called matter; solid, liquid and gas are the terms used to describe the three states of matter; it is possible to convert one state into another by either heating or cooling |
| micro-organism | a living organism that can only be seen under a microscope |
| mineral | inorganic chemicals needed in small amounts by plants and animals, for example calcium, iron and copper; can also refer to anything extracted by mining, for example copper and gold |
| mixture | formed when two or more substances are added together, for example salt and water; the substances are not chemically combined and may be separated again |
| newton | see 'weight' |
| non-renewable | energy sources that are not continuous and cannot be renewed naturally; examples are fossil fuels (gas, coal, oil, turf) |
| nuclear energy | released during the splitting (fission) or joining (fusion) of the nuclei of some atoms |
| observation | using the senses to obtain information about objects and events |
| organ | a part of the body, such as the heart or stomach, made of several different tissues, all working together to perform a specific function |
| organism | a living animal, plant, fungus or micro-organism |
| opaque | not letting light pass through: neither transparent nor translucent |
| photosynthesis | the process by which green plants manufacture their own food from carbon dioxide and water, using the sun's energy, which is trapped by the green pigment (chlorophyll) in the plant |
| physical change | a change in which no new substance is formed; the change can be in shape, form or state, for example wood being cut or ice melting |
| pitch | highness or lowness of a note; sound is caused by vibrations; the pitch of a note is a measure of the frequency of vibration of the source producing the note |
| plant | an organism made up of many cells; the cells have a wall and a nucleus; they manufacture their own food by photosynthesis; plants respire, grow, reproduce and respond to stimuli just like animals but do not move from place to place |
| plastic | a synthetic material; raw material is usually derived from oil; can be moulded into shape when heated and sets hard when cooled |
| pole | the point of a magnet where the magnetic force is strongest; every magnet has a north and a south pole |
| pollen | grains, usually yellow or orange, produced by the anther; contains the male reproductive cells of flowering or coniferous plants |
| pollination | transfer of pollen from the anther of a stamen to the stigma of a carpel; self-pollination is when this happens within the same plant; cross-pollination is more common and is when the pollen comes from another plant of the same species; pollination is usually effected by insects or wind |
| pooter | a device used to collect insects and other small animals from the bark of trees and shrubs and from leaves; consists of a jar from which two plastic tubes emerge |
| population | the total number of organisms of a species within a particular habitat, for example, the daisy population of a field |
| power | the rate at which work is done, that is, the amount of work done per second; the unit of power is the watt (W) |
| primary colour | the primary colours of light are red, green and blue; white light is obtained by mixing all three in equal proportions; mixing two primary colours gives one of the secondary colours, yellow, cyan or magenta; the primary colours of paint are red, yellow and blue |
| prism | a triangular block made of glass or plastic; can be used to change the direction of light or to split light into the colours of the spectrum |
| protein | one of the major types of food; used for growth and repair in the body; body-building material |
| quadrat | a small area, generally about 1 metre square, that shows all the plants growing in that area; can be made from pieces of wire, string or wood |
| reflect | a ray of light hits off something and bounces back; all objects reflect light to some extent, some better than others; a mirror reflects light very well; sound can also be reflected, and a common example of this is an echo |
| refraction | the change of direction of light when it passes from one medium to another, for example, from air to glass, water or plastic |
| renewable energy | energy from sources such as tide, wave and biomass |
| reproduction | the formation of new individuals; sexual reproduction involves the joining (fusion) of two sex cells; only one organism is involved in asexual reproduction; taking cuttings of plants is an example of asexual reproduction |
| resistance | a measurement of the ability of a substance to reduce the flow of current through it; measured in ohms |
| resistor | a device that controls the current flowing in a circuit; resistors are used in radios, record players and televisions |
| respiration | the process by which living things obtain energy from food; all living things respire |
| respiratory system | in humans consists of windpipe, bronchi, lungs, diaphragm and nose |
| rusting | a chemical reaction that occurs in iron or steel when both air and water are present; the general term is corrosion; can be prevented by methods such as painting, oiling and greasing |
| shadow | a dark area formed when light strikes an opaque object |
| soil | a substance composed of particles of different size; formed by weathering of rock; contains water, humus, air, minerals and living organisms |
| solution | a mixture of a solute and a solvent, for example a sugar and water solution, where the solute is the sugar and the solvent is the water |
| sound | a form of energy; all sounds come from something that is vibrating; sound travels through air, solids and liquids; the speed of sound in air is about 344 m/s |
| species | a set of organisms that share many characteristics in common; they can breed with each other to produce fertile offspring; examples of species are humans, dogs, cats, buttercups and daffodils |
| spectrum (visible) | the range of colours produced when light is passed through a prism; colours can be seen when white light is split by droplets of water; forms only a small part of the whole electromagnetic spectrum; this spectrum includes radio waves, microwaves, X-rays and gamma rays, among others |
| spore | a microscopic reproductive cell; produced by fungi, mosses, ferns and, in general, plants that do not have seeds |
| static electricity | an electric charge that builds up on the surface of a material; this build-up can happen by rubbing one material against another; electrons are rubbed off one of the materials which then becomes positively charged, while the other material, which gains the electrons, becomes negatively charged; the two materials then attract each other; thunderstorms are caused by static electricity |
| switch | a device used to make or break circuits; it stops the flow of electricity in a circuit |
| temperature | a measurement of how hot it is; thermometers are used to measure temperature and are usually marked in degrees Celsius (°C) |
| theory | a set of general statements that provide feasible explanations for certain phenomena; can be used to predict the occurrence of certain events |
| transect | a line of string or some other material along which vegetation or animals are studied |
| translucent | allowing some light through; objects cannot be seen clearly through such material; frosted glass is an example of a translucent material |
| transparent | material through which light passes and allows an object to be seen clearly |
| variable | the characteristic in an investigation that the investigator decides to change on a systematic basis |
| variation | the differences in characteristics that appear within a species: for example, humans have different coloured hair, eyes, skin and size |
| vertebrate | animals with a backbone and a brain enclosed in a skull |
| voltage | potential difference; measured in volts |
| water vapour | water in the gaseous or vapour state |
| watts | a unit of power 1 kW = 1,000 W |
| weight | the downward force acting on a body due to the effect of gravitational force; measured in newtons (N) |