Scientific inquiry
how Studying the Motion of a Toy Car
Observing how a toy car moves, wondering what affects its speed and distance, forming hypotheses about the impact of different slopes and initial pushes, and testing these hypotheses through experiments.
Universe
The universe is the totality of space and time, including everything within it, such as galaxies, stars, planets, and all forms of matter and energy
What is matter?
Matter is anything that has mass and volume (occupies space). It is the stuff that makes up everything in the universe.
What is an ecosystem?
An ecosystem is a community of living organisms (biotic factors) interacting with each other and their non-living environment (abiotic factors)
What are the five Earth systems?
The five Earth systems are the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, cryosphere, and geosphere.
Investigating the Growth of Plants
Questioning how different factors affect plant growth, making observations, forming hypotheses about the impact of sunlight, water, and nutrients, conducting experiments to test these hypotheses, and drawing conclusions based on the results.
Earth
Earth is one of the planets in our solar system, orbiting the Sun. It's a rocky planet with a diverse environment, including land, water, and an atmosphere, all within the vastness of the universe.
What are the three states of matter?
Solids Liquids: Gases:
hat are the two main categories of factors in an ecosystem?
The two main categories are biotic and abiotic factors. Biotic factors include all living organisms, such as plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms. Abiotic factors are the non-living components, such as sunlight, water, air, soil, and temperature.
Describe the atmosphere.
The atmosphere is the gaseous envelope surrounding Earth, composed primarily of nitrogen and oxygen. It plays a crucial role in regulating the planet's temperature and influencing weather and climate.
Ben Franklin's Kite Experiment
Questioning whether lightning was a form of electricity, forming a hypothesis, testing it with a kite and key, and concluding that lightning is electricity.
Solar System
The solar system is the gravitationally bound system consisting of the Sun and all objects that orbit it, including planets like Earth, asteroids, and comets.
How do the states of matter relate to the arrangement and movement of particles?
Solids: Particles are tightly packed in a fixed arrangement with little movement.
Liquids: Particles are close together but can move around, allowing them to flow and take the shape of their container.
Gases: Particles are far apart and move randomly and rapidly, allowing them to expand and fill their container.
What is a food chain and how does it relate to ecosystems?
A food chain is a linear sequence of organisms that transfers energy from one level to another when one organism consumes another. Ecosystems are interconnected through food chains, which form complex food webs that show the flow of energy and nutrients.
Describe the hydrosphere.
The hydrosphere encompasses all water on Earth, including oceans, lakes, rivers, groundwater, ice, and snow. It is essential for life and supports various processes like the water cycle.
How does light intensity affect the rate of photosynthesis?
Photosynthesis rates increase with light intensity up to a certain point, after which they plateau or even decline. This is because there is a limit to how quickly the photosynthetic machinery can process light energy.
Milky Way Galaxy
Earth and our solar system are part of the Milky Way galaxy, which is a vast collection of stars, gas, dust, and dark matter, held together by gravity.
examples:
Solids: Rocks, wood, metals, and plastics.
Liquids: Water, juice, milk, and gasoline.
Gases: Air, oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide.
What are some examples of different types of ecosystems?
There are many different types of ecosystems, including terrestrial ecosystems like forests, grasslands, deserts, and tundras, as well as aquatic ecosystems like freshwater and marine ecosystems.
Describe the biosphere.
The biosphere consists of all living organisms on Earth and their interactions with the environment. It includes everything from microorganisms to plants and animals.
Increasing temperature generally increases the rate of chemical reactions because it provides the reactants with more kinetic energy, allowing them to collide more frequently and with greater force, thus increasing the likelihood of successful collisions that lead to the formation of products.
What is the Big Bang theory?
The Big Bang theory is the prevailing scientific explanation for the origin of the universe. It suggests that the universe began from an extremely hot, dense state and has been expanding ever since.
How does temperature affect the state of matter?
Heating matter can cause it to change from a solid to a liquid, and then to a gas. Cooling matter can cause it to change from a gas to a liquid, and then to a solid.
Why are ecosystems important?
Ecosystems are vital for several reasons, including providing habitats for various species, regulating climate, providing resources like food and clean water, and supporting human health. They also contribute to the overall health and stability of the planet.
How do the Earth systems interact?
The Earth systems interact through various processes, including:Energy flow:The sun's energy drives atmospheric circulation, ocean currents, and the water cycle. Material cycling:Elements like carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus are cycled through the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and geosphere. Feedback loops:Interactions between the systems can create positive or negative feedback loops, influencing the Earth's climate and other processes.