Matter & Kinetic Theory (6th Grade Physical)
As a substance changes from a solid to a liquid to a gas, the kinetic energy (speed) of its atoms does this.
What is increases (or speeds up)?
Earth experiences day and night every 24 hours because of this motion on its axis.
What is rotation?
If the net force acting on an object is zero, the forces are described as this, and the object's velocity will not change.
What are balanced forces?
Heat transfer within Earth’s mantle that drives the movement of tectonic plates happens through this mechanism.
What is convection (convection currents)?
Non-living components of an ecosystem—such as sunlight, temperature, water, and soil—are referred to as these factors.
What are abiotic factors?
This state of matter has a definite volume, but takes the shape of its container because its particles can slide past one another.
What is a liquid?
The tilt of Earth’s axis (23.5 degrees) as it revolves around the Sun creates these annual climate patterns.
What are seasons?
Newton’s First Law is also frequently called the Law of this property, which is an object’s tendency to resist changes in its motion.
What is inertia?
The continuous movement of water through the atmosphere, land, and oceans is driven primarily by energy from this source.
What is the Sun?
Photosynthetic organisms like plants and algae form the base of energy pyramids and are classified as these.
What are producers (or autotrophs)?
Adding thermal energy (heat) or reducing pressure causes water to change state from a liquid to a gas in this process.
What is evaporation (or boiling / vaporization)?
When the Moon passes directly between the Earth and the Sun, blocking sunlight from reaching Earth, this event occurs.
What is a solar eclipse?
Newton’s Third Law states that whenever one object exerts a force on a second object, the second object exerts a force that is equal in size and opposite in this.
What is direction?
Mountains, ocean trenches, and earthquakes occur primarily at these boundaries between giant moving pieces of Earth’s lithosphere.
What are plate boundaries (or tectonic plate edges)?
Organisms that break down dead organic matter and return nutrients to the soil for producers to use are called these.
What are decomposers?
According to Kinetic Molecular Theory, particle motion drops to its absolute lowest possible state at this theoretical temperature (0K).
What is absolute zero?
The daily ocean tides on Earth are primarily caused by the gravitational pull of this body.
What is the Moon?
Non-contact forces (like gravity, electric, and magnetic forces) act across distances through these invisible regions of influence.
What are force fields?
Weathering and erosion break down rock, while this process drops sediment off in new locations to form sedimentary rock layers.
What is deposition?
In an ecosystem food web, arrows drawn between organisms show the direction of the flow of this.
What is energy (or matter)?
When a gas condenses into a liquid, thermal energy is released into the surroundings because the particles are doing this.
What is slowing down (losing kinetic energy)?
Radiation absorbed from the Sun warms Earth's surface and atmosphere through this naturally occurring heat-trapping effect.
What is the greenhouse effect?
According to Newton's 2nd Law (F=ma), if you apply the same pushing force to two objects of different masses, the object with greater mass will have this relative acceleration.
What is less (or slower) acceleration?
Deep ocean currents are driven by differences in water density, which are caused by variations in temperature and this factor.
What is salinity (salt content)?
Factors such as food availability, nesting space, and disease that limit how large a population can grow are known as this.
What are limiting factors (or carrying capacity drivers)?