Particle Power
This term refers to the energy of motion that particles have, which is directly related to temperature.
What is kinetic energy?
These large pieces of Earth's outer layer are constantly moving due to forces deep inside the planet.
What are tectonic plates?
This is the process where liquid water turns into water vapor and rises into the atmosphere, often driven by solar energy.
What is evaporation?
Regions closer to this imaginary line around the middle of Earth generally have warmer climates because sunlight strikes there most directly.
What is the equator?
In an experiment designed to see if light affects plant growth, the amount of light given to the plants is this type of variable.
What is the independent variable?
When faster-moving particles directly bump into slower-moving particles, transferring heat, this method of energy transfer is called this.
What is conduction?
Matching patterns of ancient fossils, rock types, or continental shapes across different landmasses provide this type of evidence for past plate movement.
What is continental drift?
When water vapor in the atmosphere cools and changes into tiny liquid droplets or ice crystals, forming clouds, this process occurs.
What is condensation?
This term refers to the energy from the Sun that drives processes like evaporation in the water cycle.
What is solar energy?
A student carefully measures the mass of a cold pack before and after it is activated. The mass remains the same. This observation provides evidence for this scientific law.
What is a the Law of Conservation of Matter?
You mix a white powder into water, and it disappears completely. The powder is described using this term.
What is soluble?
This process involves hot, less dense material rising and cooler, denser material sinking in Earth's mantle, driving the movement of tectonic plates.
What are convection currents?
When a warm, moist air mass meets a cold air mass, the warm air is forced upward, cools, and its water vapor condenses, leading to cloud formation and this.
What is precipitation?
A city located on a coastline next to a large ocean current bringing very warm water towards its coast will likely experience this type of climate impact.
What is a warmer and more humid climate with increased precipitation?
A student wants to compare how different types of soil affect bean plant height. The type of plant used and the amount of water given are factors that are known as
What are controlled variables?
Your cold drink gets warmer even in a completely sealed cup because energy is transferred into the drink. This transfer occurs when energy is ____________ by the cup materials.
What is absorbed?
When two tectonic plates move towards each other, resulting in mountains forming, they are interacting at this type of plate boundary.
What is a convergent boundary?
This type of large-scale weather system, characterized by rising air, is often associated with cloudy skies, precipitation, and unsettled weather.
What is a low pressure system?
This is the long-term average of weather conditions in an area, typically measured over many years.
What is climate?
When scientists analyze large sets of data, they often look for these observable consistencies or similarties.
What are patterns?
A substance changes from a liquid to a gas, and bubbles form. This observation is strong evidence of this type of change.
What is a chemical change?
Magma or hot, molten rock, forms beneath Earth's surface and can rise to create new crust and form underwater volcanic ranges, as plates separate at this kind of plate boundary.
What is a divergent boundary?
This is the term for a boundary where two different air masses meet, and it is often where storms and precipitation develop.
What is a front?
Global patterns of air movement, like prevailing winds, are caused by the unequal heating of Earth's surface and this other major Earth characteristic.
What is the Earth's rotation?
When applying the S.O.L.V.E. strategy to a multiple-choice question, this step involves crossing out answers that you know are wrong.
What is Eliminate?