Matter and Energy
What state of matter is air?
Gas
What force pulls objects toward Earth?
Gravity
What planet do we live on?
Earth
What do plants need to grow
Sunlight, water, air
What tool is used to measure temperature?
Thermometer
What change of state turns a liquid into a gas?
Evaporation (or vaporization)
What is speed?
The distance traveled over time
What causes day and night?
Earth’s rotation on its axis
What is a food chain
energy passes from one organism to another
What is a hypothesis?
An educated guess that can be tested
What type of energy is stored in food?
Chemical energy
How does friction affect motion?
It slows objects down by resisting movement
What is the water cycle?
evaporation, condensation,
What is an ecosystem
living organisms interacting with their environment
What is the purpose of an experiment?
To test a hypothesis and gather data
How does temperature affect particle movement?
Higher temperature makes particles move faster; lower temperature slows them down
What is the difference between speed and velocity?
Velocity includes direction; speed does not
How do tectonic plates move
move slowly due to convection currents
How do animals adapt to their environment
traits or behaviors that help them survive
Why is it important to control variables?
To ensure only one factor is tested for accurate results
Explain the difference between physical and chemical changes with an example.
Physical changes alter form (like melting ice), while chemical changes create new substances (like rusting iron)
Describe how balanced and unbalanced forces affect motion.
Balanced forces cause no change in motion; unbalanced forces cause acceleration (a change in speed or direction)
how the tilt of Earth affects sea
changes how directly sunlight hits different areas
Explain how changes in one part of an ecosystem can affect the whole system
disrupt food chains and balance, affecting many organisms
What are the independent variable, dependent variable, and controlled variables in an experiment testing how sunlight affects plant growth?
Independent variable: amount of sunlight; Dependent variable: plant growth; Controlled variables: water, soil, type of plant, container size, etc.