The three main parts of the water cycle
Evaporation, Precipitation, Condensation
The layer of the atmosphere that contains all of the weather we experience
Troposphere
This is the smallest unit of matter that retains the properties of an element.
Atom
In a chemical reaction, matter cannot be created or destroyed, only rearranged. This is the name of the law that states that.
The Law of Conservation of Matter
A student tests if plants grow taller with more sunlight. They give one plant 2 hours of light/day and another 6 hours, using the same soil and water. Identify the type of variables (1=indep., 2=dep., 3=control)
1. Amount of sunlight
2. How tall plants become
3. The same soil and water
The process by which plants release water vapor into the air
Transpiration
The reason air masses have different temperatures and are always mixing through convection (heat rises, cold sinks)
Uneven heating of the Earth by the Sun due to the Earth's curvature
These tiny particles orbit the nucleus and have a negative charge, while these are in the nucleus of the atom.
Electrons; Protons & Neutrons
When ice melts into water, the mass stays the same because matter isn’t created or destroyed—just changing this.
State or Phase
A class tests if ice melts faster in saltwater or freshwater. They use identical cups, ice cubes, and water volumes. Identify the type of variables (1=indep., 2=dep., 3=control).
1. The amount of salt in water
2. The rate of melting
3. The identical cups, ice cubes, and water volumes
When water from precipitation accumulates and forms a stream on land
Run off
This type of front will bring cold weather and storms, while this type of front will bring warm weather and prolonged light rain.
Cold front; Warm front
The number of protons in an atom determines this
The atomic number; the type of element
Due to the Law, when baking a cake, the batter’s mass before baking equals the cake’s mass after baking plus this
Gases released
A scientist tests how exercise affects heart rate. Group A runs for 5 minutes; Group B sits quietly. Both rest first and are the same age. Identify the variables.
1. The amount of exercise
2. How the heart rate is affected
3. Participants rest first and are the same age
High elevation mountain areas receive more precipitation because this part of the water cycle is enhanced when clouds are cooled and pushed up over the mountain
Condensation
These prevailing winds blow from west to east between 30° and 60° latitude, influencing weather in the U.S. and Europe.
Westerlies
If the number of protons changes in the nucleus this happens
The type of element changes
Name TWO things that must always be equal on both sides of a balanced chemical equation to satisfy the Law of Conservation of Matter
Mass and Number of Same Atoms
A baker tests if sugar amount affects cookie crispiness. They bake batches with ½ cup, 1 cup, and 1½ cups sugar but keep oven temp and time the same
1. Amount of sugar added
2. Amount of cookie crispness
3. Same oven temp and same baking time
The energy source that drives the water cycle
The Sun
If Earth stopped rotating, this force would vanish, causing global wind patterns to blow straight north or south instead of curving.
The Coriolis Effect
The element with 2 proton in its nucleus
Helium
Plastic trash in landfills doesn’t truly "go away" because of the Law of Conservation of Matter—it just breaks into tiny pieces called _____.
Microplastics
Sean claims listening to music makes homework faster. They test 10 friends with music and 10 without, the worksheets they were given were identical.
1. Whether or not they listen to music while studying
2. Rate of homework completion
3. Identical homework sheets