Science Help: Glossary of Terms

• Absorbent- a substance that soaks up liquid, or energy, and retains it.
• Acid- a chemical that neutralizes a base. By definition, acids contain a pH balance higher than 7. There are many kinds of acid- citric acid as found in lemons, acetic acid in vinegar, and hydrochloric acid.
• Alloy- a metal formed by melting and mixing two or more metals together. For example, brass is a mixture of copper and zinc, and bronze is an alloy of copper and tin.
• Amphibians- animals that live on both land and water. Their skins are smooth and moist and they lay eggs in water. Frogs and salamanders are well-known examples.
• Bacteria- small, single-celled organisms with no nucleus. Some are harmful, like salmonella, while others are beneficial, like rhizobia, which convert nitrogen in soil.
• Carnivores- animals that eat other animals. Lions and tigers and polar bears, oh my! Panda bears are herbivores, and all other bears are omnivores.
• Catalyst- something that changes a chemical reaction without being permanently changed itself. A catalytic converter in a car's muffler contains platinum which changes carbon monoxide, a toxin, into carbon dioxide.
• Circuit- one or more conducting paths between the two electrodes of a cell or a battery of cells.
• Climate- the weather conditions of an area- an arid desert, or the frozen tundra.
• Conclusion- the result of an experiment, including an explanation, judgment, or opinion based on interpretations.
• Condensation- changing from a gas to a liquid or solid, like morning dew.
• Data- a collection of observations, measurements, and facts.
• Dilute- to make a liquid thinner, usually by adding water.
• Dispersion- the splitting of white light into the seven colors of the visible spectrum, like a rainbow.
• Ecosystem- the relationships between the environment, its animals, and its plants.
• Electron- a small particle of matter with a negative charge that travels around the nucleus of an atom.
• Enzyme- a biological catalyst, that is, a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction in the body.
• Evaporation- the process of a liquid or solid changing into a vapor as a result of particles leaving the surface of the material.
• Friction- the result of two surfaces rubbing against each other. Air resistance and water resistance are examples.

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