4th Quarter Vocabulary

7th Grade

Part I

#1-Full Moon though #16-Venus

#1-Full Moon

ODefinition: Phase that occurs when all of the Moon’s surface facing Earth reflects light.

#2-New Moon

ODefinition: Phase that occurs when the Moon is between Earth and the Sun and cannot be seen.

#3-Waning

ODefinition: Phases that occur after a full moon, as the visible light side of the Moon grows smaller.

#4-Waxing

ODefinition: Phases following a new moon, as more of the Moon’s lighted side becomes visible.

#5-Earth

ODefinition: Third planet from the Sun; has an atmosphere that protects life.

#6-Jupiter

ODefinition: Fifth and largest planet from the Sun; contains more mass than all the other planets combined.

#7-Mars

ODefinition: Fourth planet from the Sun; has a thin atmosphere and a reddish appearance from iron oxide in weathered rocks.

#8-Mercury

ODefinition: Smallest planet, closest to the Sun; has a thin atmosphere and a surface with many craters and high cliffs.

#9-Meteor

ODefinition: Meteoroid that burns up in Earth’s atmosphere.

#10-MeteoriteO Definition: A meteoroid that strikes

the surface of a moon or planet.

#11-NeptuneO Definition: Usually the 8th planet from

the Sun; is bluish green in color and has rings that vary in thickness.

#12-PlutoO Definition: A dwarf planet once

considered to be the ninth planet from the Sun; has a solid icy-rock surface and a single moon.

#13-SaturnO Definition: Second-largest and sixth

planet from the Sun; has a complex ring system, thick atmosphere of hydrogen and helium, and at least 18 moons.

#14-Solar SystemO Definition: System of eight planets

including the Earth and other objects that revolve around the Sun.

#15-UranusO Definition: Seventh planet from the

Sun, rotates on an axis nearly parallel to the plane of its orbit.

#16-VenusO Definition: Second planet from the

Sun; similar to Earth in mass and size; has a thick atmosphere.

#17-Absolute Magnitude

• Definition: Measure of the amount of light a star actually gives off.

#18-Apparent Magnitude

• Definition: Measure of the amount of light from a star that is received on Earth.

#19-Big Bang Theory

• Definition: States that about 12 billion to 15 billion years ago the universe began with a huge, fiery explosion.

#20-Black Hole

• Definition: Final stage of a supernova, where the core’s mass collapses to a point that not even light can escape.

#21-Chromosphere

• Definition: Layer of the Sun’s atmosphere above the photosphere.

#22 Corona

• Definition: Outermost, largest layer of the Sun’s atmosphere.

#23-Light-Year

• Definition: Distance light travels in one year (9.5 trillion km) which is used to record distances between stars and galaxies.

#24-Neutron Star

• Definition: Collapsed core of a supernova that can shrink to about 20 km in diameter and contains only neutrons in the dense core.

#25-Photosphere

• Definition: Lowest layer of the Sun’s atmosphere.

#26-Sunspot

• Definition: Areas of the Sun that are cooler and less bright than surrounding areas and are caused by the Sun’s magnetic field.

#27-Circuit

Definition: Closed conducting loop in which electric current can flow continually.

#28-Conductor

Definition: Transfer of thermal energy direct contact.

#29-Electric Current

Definition: The flow of electric charge, measured in Amperes.

#30-Electric FieldDefinition: Surrounds every electric charge and exerts forces on other electric charges.

#31-Electric Force

Definition: Attractive or repulsive force exerted by all charged objects on each other.

#32-Electric Power

Definition: Rate at which electrical energy is converted into other forms of energy, measured in watts.

#33-Insulator

Definition: Material in which electrons cannot move easily.

#34-Ion

Definition: Atom that is positively or negatively charged because it has gained or lost one or more electron.

#35-Ohm’s LawDefinition: States that the current in a circuit equals the voltage divided by the resistance in the circuit.

#36-Parallel Circuit

Definition: Circuit that has more than one path for electric current to follow.

#37-Resistance

Definition: A measure of how difficult it is for electrons to flow in a material; unit is the ohm.

#38-Series Circuit

Definition: Circuit that has only one path for electric current to follow.

#39-Static Charge

Definition: Imbalance of electric charge on an object.

#40-Voltage

Definition: Measure of the amount of electrical potential energy an electron flowing in a circuit can gain; measured in volts.

#41-Alternating Current

• Definition: Electric Current that changes its direction repeatedly.

#42-Direct Current

• Definition: Electric current that flows only in one direction.

#43-Electromagnet

• Definition: Magnet created by wrapping a current carrying wire around an iron core.

#44-Generator

• Definition: Devise that uses a magnetic field to turn kinetic energy into electrical energy.

#45-Magnetic Domain

• Definition: Group of atoms whose field point in the same direction.

#46-Magnetic Field

• Definition: Surrounds a magnet and exerts a magnetic force on other magnets.

#47-Magnetosphere

• Definition: Region of space affected by Earth’s magnetic field

#48-Motor

• Definition: Device that transforms electrical energy into kinetic energy.

#49-Transformer

• Definition: Device used to increase or decrease the voltage of an alternating current.

#61-Alternative Resource

ODefinition: New renewable or inexhaustible energy source; includes solar energy, wind, and geothermal energy.

#62-Chemical Energy

ODefinition: Energy stored in chemical bonds.

#63-Electrical Energy

ODefinition: Energy carried by electrical current.

#64-Energy

ODefinition: The ability to cause change.

#65-Inexhaustible Resource

ODefinition: Energy source that can’t be used up by humans.

#66-Kinetic Energy

ODefinition: Energy an object has due to its motion.

#67-Law of Conservation of Energy

ODefinition: States that energy can change its form but is never created or destroyed.

#68-Nucleur Energy

ODefinition: Energy contained in atomic nuclei.

#69-Potential Energy

ODefinition: Energy stored in an object due to its position.

#70-Radiant Energy

ODefinition: Energy carried by light.

#71-Thermal Energy

ODefinition: Energy that all objects have that increases as the object’s temperature increases.

#72-Turbine

ODefinition: Set of steam powered fan blades that spin a generator at a power plant.