Glossary/Index

A atmosphere the mixture of gases that

surrounds a planet; on the Earth, the
abrasion wear caused by one substance atmosphere is often referred to as ‘the air’ 86
rubbing against another 100
atoms the smallest particle of an element 68
absorb, absorption take in a substance;
for example living cells take in oxygen attract two objects pulling towards each other 130
and nutrients 9, 10, 12
B
absorbed (of light) when light falls onto bacteria micro-organisms that are cells
something and is ‘soaked up’ by it so that it without true nuclei; one is called a
does not reflect or go through; and object bacterium 36, 42
that absorbs all the light that falls onto it
will appear dull black 144 bacteriophages viruses that infect bacteria 44

aerobic using oxygen 18, 22 behaviour patterns behaviour characteristic

of members of a species of animal 52
aerobic respiration using oxygen to break
down food to release energy 36 biased in the case of an opinion, based on
someone’s feelings rather than all the facts 60
alveoli tiny round parts that make up the air 
sacs in the lungs; one is an alveolus 24 biotic weathering the breakdown of rocks
caused by plants and animals 98
amplitude the distance from the centre 
breathe, breathing taking air in and out of
position of a wave to the peak; the loudness
the lungs 18, 24
of sound 156
breeding behaviour behaviour associated
anaerobic respiration release of energy 
with breeding, such as courtship, mating or
from food without the use of oxygen 36
nest building 52
angle of incidence the angle between an 
incident ray and the normal 146 C

angle of reflection the angle between a  capillaries narrow blood vessels with walls 
reflected ray and the normal 146 only one cell thick 20

antibiotics drugs used to kill bacteria in carbohydrates carbon compounds used by

the body 42 living things as an energy source, for
example starch and sugars 2, 4, 8
antibodies chemicals made by white blood
cells to destroy bacteria and other carbon dioxide a gas in the air
micro-organisms 42 produced by living things in
respiration, in combustion or
arteries blood vessels that carry blood away burning and when an acid reacts
from the heart 20 with a carbonate 18, 28, 30, 86

178 Glossary/Index
carnivore an animal that eats flesh 58 conduction in heat conduction, energy passes
along a solid as its particles heat up and
cause a factor that causes a particular outcome
vibrate faster 120
is its cause; there has to be evidence for the
factor being the cause not just a linked factor 26 conflict where things oppose each other or
point in opposite directions 74
Celsius a temperature scale with the melting
point of ice written as 0 °C and the boiling consistent things are consistent when they fit
point of water as 100 °C 118 in with each other and point to the same
conclusion 104
chemical change a reaction between chemicals;
it produces a new substance 70 consumer an animal that cannot make its
own food, but eats plants and other animals 58
chemical equation a word equation or symbol
equation that shows what happens in a continental drift the idea that the continents
chemical reaction 78 are moving very slowly over the surface of
the Earth 114
chemical name the name used for a substance
in chemistry; e.g. sodium chloride is the control part of an experiment that is needed to
chemical name for table salt 78 make a test fair; it is needed so that we can be
sure of the cause of a change or a difference 30
chemical weathering when chemical reactions
cause the weathering or breakdown of rocks 98 convection a method of heat transfer in
classify sort things into groups 50 fluids (liquids and gases); the fluids at a
higher temperature rise towards the top of
cobalt a light-grey metal element that is the container they are in 122
attracted to permanent magnets 130
convection current the flow of fluid when
cochlea part of the inner ear; converts convection happens 122
movement into electrical pulses which travel
along nerves to the brain 160 critical making judgements concerning things
that might be wrong, mistaken or not work 74
collaborate, collaboration when
people work together to carry crystals a substance that forms from a melted
out a task or solve a problem 26, 74, 152, 162 or a dissolved solid in a definite shape 110

combustion when substances react with D

oxygen and release energy; another word
for burning 80 datalogger a piece of equipment that stores
measurements for processing by a computer 126
community all the plants and animals that live
in a particular place 54 decibel unit used to measure the loudness
of sound 160
compass a device which has a magnetic needle
which points towards the North Pole 130 degrees intervals on a temperature scale 118

compound a substance made from the deposits, deposition when eroded rock
atoms of two or more different fragments settle 100
elements joined together 68, 70, 78
diffusion the spreading out of a gas or a
conclusion the final result; the answer dissolved substance because its particles are
reached after looking at the evidence 104 moving at random 18

Glossary/Index 179
 digestion the breakdown of large, insoluble ethical an ethical idea is one that relates to
molecules into small soluble ones which can a set of moral principles 90
be absorbed 9
evaluate to consider how good an experiment
disease when some part of a plant or animal or procedure was and how it could be
isn’t working properly 36, 42 improved 162
evidence observations and measurements
E
on which theories are based 20, 104
ear the organ of hearing 160
expansion when a substance gets bigger
eardrum a tightly stretch skin found at the because its particles speed up and move
end of the ear canal; it vibrates when sound further apart 98
reaches it 160
echolocation a method used to judge the
F
distance to objects, used by bats. This faeces undigested waste that passes out through
involves sending out a high pitched sound the anus 12
which reflects off objects 160
fats part of our food that we use for energy 2, 4, 8
egest get rid of faeces from the digestive system 12
fibre undigestible cellulose in our food; it
electromagnet a device which becomes prevents constipation 4, 8, 12
magnetic when an electric current flows
food chain a diagram showing what animals eat 58
through a wire coil 134
food web a diagram showing what eats what in
element a substance that can’t be split into
a habitat 58
anything simpler by chemical reactions 66, 68
formula uses symbols to show how many atoms
emitter an object or surface that gives
of elements are joined together to form a
something out for example a hot surface
molecule of an element or a compound 78
will emit a lot of infra red radiation 124
fossils remains of plants and animals from
energy energy is needed to make
long ago 102
things happen 2, 18, 30
fractional distillation the separation of a
environmental conditions conditions such as
mixture of liquids by distillation 84
light level and temperature in the environment 54
frequency the number of waves (for example
enzymes protein substances made in cells; they
sound waves) produced every second 156
speed up chemical reactions 10
fungi a group of living things, including
epidemic an outbreak of a disease affecting a
micro-organisms such as moulds and yeasts
large number of people 40
which cannot make their own food; one is
epidemiology the study of the causes of disease 26 called a fungus 36
equation in chemistry, this is a set of words
G
or symbols that shows what is happening
in a chemical reaction 78 gas exchange taking useful gases into a body
or cell and getting rid of waste gases 24
erupts when lava, volcanic ash and gases
come out onto the surface of the Earth 110 geological time divisions of time based on the
ages of rocks 102

180 Glossary/Index
geologists scientists who study the origin, infection disease caused by micro-organisms 39, 40
composition and structure of rocks 96
infra-red radiation waves that transfer
global warming the idea that the thermal energy from an object; the higher
temperature of the Earth is increasing 86, 90 the temperature of an object, more thermal
energy is transferred 122
glucose a carbohydrate that is a small, soluble
molecule (a sugar) 18 innate inborn or instinctive, so innate behaviour
is behaviour that animals are born with 52
greenhouse gases gases that contribute to the
greenhouse effect; e.g. carbon dioxide instinctive inborn or innate, so instinctive
and methane 86 behaviour is behaviour that animals are
born with 52
groups vertical columns of elements in the
periodic table; elements in the same group invertebrates an animal without a backbone 50
have similar properties 72
iron a silvery metallic element that is attracted
grow become bigger and more complicated 2 to magnets 130
iron core a piece of iron used in the centre of
H
an electromagnet 134
habitat the place where a plant or animal lives 50
hazard a source of danger 152
J
joules energy or work is measured in units
heart an organ that pumps blood 20
called joules 120
heat energy energy possessed by hot objects 120
L
herbivore an animal that eats plants 58
large intestine the wide part of the intestine
hertz unit of frequency 156
between the small intestine and anus 10
high temperatures a general term used to
lava igneous rock that solidifies on the
describe temperatures that are usually well
Earth’s surface 110
above the boiling point of water 108
learned behaviour behaviour that animals learn
I by trial and error or as a result of teaching 52
igneous formed when ash or molten magma light source something which gives out light 142
from inside the Earth cools and solidifies 110
loudness human perception of the intensity of
image the reflection of an object in a mirror 146 a sound 156
immunisation an injection given to give the luminous gives out its own light 144
patient immunity 42
lung organ for gas exchange between the
immunity ability to resist an infectious disease blood and the air 22, 24
as a result of immunisation or having had
the disease 42 M
imprinted a word for young fixed on their magma molten rock from below the
mother, as when the young of some groups Earth’s crust 108, 110
of birds instinctively recognise and follow
magnetic field the area around a magnet where
their mother 52
it exerts a force on a magnetic material 132

Glossary/Index 181
 magnetic field lines the line in an area where N
magnetic effects are noticed; if you put a
neutralisation when an acid reacts with an
small compass on the line, the compass
alkali to make a neutral solution of a salt
points along the line 132
in water 80
magnetic materials something that will be
nickel a metallic element that is attracted
attracted to a magnet 130
to magnets 130
magnetic north the place on the Earth to
noise pollution unwanted noise in
which the north of a compass needle points 132
the environment 160
material substances from which objects
non-luminous an object that does not
are made 66
produce light 144
metamorphic rock formed from another type
non-magnetic materials materials that are
of rock as a result of heat and/or pressure 108
not affected by magnets 130
methane a gas, formula CH4, produced by
non-vascular plants a group of plants without
rotting materials and obtained from the
a specialised transport or vascular system 50
ground when drilling for oil; also known as
‘natural gas’ 86 normal a line drawn at 90° to the point where
a ray of light hits a mirror or a prism 146
micro-organism a microscopic living thing;
some cause disease 36 north-seeking pole the end of a magnet that,
if left to spin freely, will point towards the
minerals (in biology) simple chemicals that
Earth’s north pole 130
plants and animals need to stay healthy 2, 4
nutrients the food materials that cells use 2
minerals (in chemistry) the chemicals in rocks 96
mixture a substance in which two or more O
substances are mixed but not joined together 82
object something which if placed in front of a
models objects or apparatus used to investigate mirror will form an image on the other side
or explain a phenomenon; in the mind, a group of the mirror 146
of ideas and pictures 9
oesophagus the tube between your mouth and
molecule the smallest part of a chemical your stomach; also called the gullet 10
compound and the smallest part of an
opaque will not allow light to pass through it 144
element that can exist in nature 68
opinions what someone thinks, but not
moral and ethical issues issues concerning
supported by conclusive evidence 60
whether things are right or wrong, or linked
to any set of good principles 162 oxygen a gas that makes up about one fifth
of the air 18, 22
moral concerned with the distinction between
right and wrong 90
P
mouth start of the digestive system 10
particles very small pieces of matter that
everything is made of 68
penicillin antibiotic drug used to kill bacteria
in the body 42

182 Glossary/Index
periodic table a table of the elements arranged producer a name given to green plants because
in order so that similar elements are in the they produce food 58
same column or group 72
properties how something behaves 72
periscope a device made from two mirrors,
protein nutrient needed for growth and repair;
which can be used to see over walls or from
made up of amino acids 2, 8
submarines that are under water 146
pyramid of numbers pyramid-shaped diagram
phages a shortened name for bacteriophages 44
that shows how the numbers of living things
photosynthesis the process by which green change along a food chain 58
plants convert carbon dioxide and water to
food using sunlight; oxygen is produced as Q
a result of the process 86
quadrat an object, often a square frame,
physical change a change that does not involve used for sampling living things 54, 60
making any new substances; changes of state,
qualitative described using words 138
dissolving and being broken in pieces are
all types of physical change 70 quantitative described using numbers 138

physical weathering breakdown of rocks by

R
physical processes such as water freezing and
expanding in cracks, and by expansion and radiation (of heat) a method of heat transfer
contraction of the surface as rocks heat up in which the heat energy is given out as
and cool down 98 infra-red waves 122

population all the plants or animals of one range the difference between the lowest and
species that live in a particular place 54 the highest of a set of readings 104

porous describes the texture of a rock ray a beam of light that travels in a straight line 142
with pores 96 reflected bounced back, for example light
precipitation when a solid is formed in will reflect off a mirror 144
a solution 80 refraction bending of a ray of light when it
predictions statements about things we think travels from a material of one density to
will happen 74 one of a different density 148

preliminary tests tests, trial runs and relay a device that uses an electromagnet
information searches carried out to find out to switch on one circuit when a second
the best approach to an investigation 6 circuit is complete 136

pressure how much pushing force there is on repair mend damaged cells, tissues or organs 2
an area 108 repel push apart 130
primary sources original sources of respiration the breakdown of food to
information such as measurements in release energy in living cells 18, 30, 36
experiments; as opposed to secondary
sources such as information from the Internet 138 reverberations the repeated echoes of sound
caused by reflections off the walls and
prism a device, made of glass or plastic, which surfaces in a room 158
refracts light twice, it can be used to produce
a spectrum 150 risk factors the hazards of an activity
or experiment 26

Glossary/Index 183
 rock cycle the way that the material that rocks sustainable development the idea of
are made from is constantly moved around improving the quality of life for humans
and changed from one type of rock to another 112 without using up resources that cannot
be replaced 86, 88
rock fragments tiny pieces of rock broken
off by physical weathering 100 symbols a shorthand way of writing the names
of elements 68
S
sample collect data about a part of an area or a
T
population to get an idea of the whole 54 technological developments changes in
technology which mean that humans can
scientific papers reports by scientists of their
do more things 152
investigations that are published in
scientific journals 60 tectonic plates very large pieces of the Earth’s
crust that move about very slowly 114
secondary data data from other people’s
experiments, from books and the Internet 60 temperature a measure of the heat energy
contained in hot objects 118
secondary sources sources of information
such as reports of other people’s thermal conductors substances that allow
experiments, books and the Internet 138 thermal energy to pass through them easily
by conduction 120
sedimentary rocks rocks formed when
sediments are compacted and cemented; thermal decomposition when a compound is
sandstone and limestone are examples 100 broken down using heat 80
sediments rock fragments that settle on the thermal energy the energy something
bed of a river, lake or sea 100 possesses owing to the movement of the
particles that it is made of; sometimes
sex hormones hormones associated with
referred to as ‘heat energy’ 120
reproduction and the reproductive system 52
thermal insulators substances that do not let
small intestine the narrow part of the
thermal energy pass through them easily
intestine between the stomach and the
by conduction 120
large intestine; where digestion finishes
and absorption happens. 10, 12 thermal radiation another name for infra-red
radiation; this is given out by a substance
south-seeking pole the end of a magnet which
because of its temperature 122
is attracted to the Earth’s South Pole when
allowed to spin freely 130 thermometer a device used to measure
temperature 118
spectrum white light split into its seven
constituent colours, a rainbow is an tissue fluid liquid between all the cells of
example of a spectrum 150 your body through which dissolved
substances diffuse 18
surveys in science, ways of investigating
habitats, ecosystems, land use, people’s translucent allows light to pass through but
opinions etc. 60 breaks it up so that there is no clear image 144
transmitted allows something to pass through 144

184 Glossary/Index
transparent allows light to pass through and viruses micro-organisms that can only
gives a clear image 144 live and reproduce inside living cells;
a cause of some infectious diseases 36, 42, 44
U
vitamins nutrients that we need in small
ultrasonic waves that are like sound waves amounts to stay healthy 2, 4
but have a frequency that is too high for
volcano mountain or hill formed from lava
humans to hear 160
or ash during volcanic eruptions 110
V
W
vaccine substance used to produce immunity to
water a compound of hydrogen and oxygen
a disease 42
that makes up about two-thirds of your
vacuum an empty space with nothing inside, body; it is essential as a solvent and for
not even air 158 transport and cooling 4, 28
vascular plants a group of plants with a weathering breakdown of rock caused by
specialised transport or vascular system 50 rainwater and temperature changes 98
veins blood vessels that carry blood towards white blood cells cells in the blood that help
the heart 20 to destroy micro-organisms; some make
antibodies 42
vertebrates an animal with a skeleton made
of bone inside its body 50 word equation this shows the reactants and
the products of a chemical reaction in words 78
vibrate, vibrations a constant backwards and
forwards motion 156

Glossary/Index 185