Physical Science
What is the difference between speed and velocity?
Velocity includes direction; speed does not.
What is natural selection?
Organisms with helpful traits survive and reproduce more
What causes earthquakes?
Movement of tectonic plates.
What is a fossil?
The preserved remains or traces of a once-living organism
What is nuclear fusion?
The process where hydrogen atoms combine to form helium, releasing energy.
What is acceleration?
A change in velocity (speed and/or direction) over time.
What is an adaptation?
A trait that helps an organism survive.
What is a tectonic plate?
Large piece of Earth’s crust.
What is the fossil record?
The collection of all fossils and their placement in rock layers.
What is a nebula?
A large cloud of gas and dust where stars are born.
What does Newton’s First Law state?
An object in motion stays in motion unless acted on by an unbalanced force.
What is variation?
Differences in traits within a population
What are the three types of plate boundaries?
Convergent, divergent, transform
How are most fossils formed?
When organisms are buried by sediment that hardens into rock.
What is the first stage in a star’s life cycle?
Nebula
What is inertia?
The tendency of an object to resist changes in motion.
What is survival of the fittest?
Organisms best suited to their environment survive and reproduce.
What causes volcanoes?
Rising magma from beneath Earth’s surface.
Why are fossils usually found in sedimentary rock?
Because sediment builds up and preserves remains without extreme heat or pressure.
What is a protostar?
A forming star that has not yet begun fusion.
What does Newton’s Second Law explain?
Force = mass × acceleration (F = ma)
What is artificial selection?
Humans choosing traits to breed in organisms.
What is erosion?
Movement of weathered material.
What is an index fossil?
A fossil of a species that lived for a short time and is used to date rock layers.
What is a main sequence star?
A stable star that is fusing hydrogen into helium.