4th Grade Science Vocabulary

hardness the number on the Moh’s scale representing the hardness of a mineral

luster the way a mineral reflects light

mineral a naturally occurring substance, neither plant nor animal

Moh’s scale scale used to indicate the hardness of a mineral from 10 hardest to 1 softest

scratch test a test used to determine the color of the streak of a mineral

streak color the color of a mineral’s streak when using a streak plate

streak plate a plate used for testing a mineral’s hardness

igneous rock ‘fire made’ rock formed from melted rock material

metamorphic rock rock formed by heat and pressure

sedimentary rock rock formed by bits or layers of rocks cemented together

geologist a scientist that studies rocks and minerals

geological region a distinct region of geological features

geological formation rock unit distinguished from adjacent deposits by some common character, as composition, origin, type of fossil, etc.

core the center layer of the Earth

crust solid rock that makes up the Moon’s and Earth’s outermost layers

inner core A sphere of solid material at the center of the Moon or Earth.

lava the molten, fluid rock that issues from a volcano or volcanic vent

magma molten material beneath or within the earth's crust, from which igneous rock is formed

magma chamber an underground cavity containing molten rock, esp. below a volcano;

also called a magma reservoir

mantle the layer of rock lying below the crust

erosion the wearing away of soil and rock particles by waves, wind, running water, or glaciers. See deposition

weathering to discolor, disintegrate, or affect injuriously, as by the effects of weather:

These crumbling stones have been weathered by the centuries

habitat the home of an organism

dependence the state of relying on or needing someone or something for aid, support, or the like

trait a characteristic of a living thing

environment the air, water, minerals, organisms, and all other external factors

surrounding and affecting a given organism at any time

reptile a cold-blooded vertebrate that lives on land and has a backbone, an endoskeleton, and waterproof skin with scales or plates

amphibians a cold-blooded vertebrate that spends part of its life in water and part of its life on land

mammals a warm-blooded vertebrate with hair or fur; female mammals produce milk to

feed their young

fish any of various cold-blooded, aquatic vertebrates, having gills, commonly fins, and typically an elongated body covered with scales

birds any warm-blooded vertebrate of the class Aves, having a body covered with

feathers, forelimbs modified into wings, scaly legs, a beak, and no teeth, and bearing young in a hard-shelled egg

invertebrates an animal without a backbone

vertebrate an animal with a backbone

adaptation a special trait that helps an organism survive

warm-blooded said of an animal with a constant body temperature

cold-blooded said of an animal that cannot control its body temperature

exoskeleton a hard covering that protects an invertebrate’s body

endoskeleton an internal supporting structure

mimicry when one organism imitates the traits of another

camouflage an adaptation by which an animal can hide by blending in with its

surroundings

food chain the set of steps in which organisms get the food they need to survive

food web the pattern that shows how food chains are related

arthropod an invertebrate with jointed legs and a body that is divided into sections

cell the smallest unit of living matter

classification the placement things that share properties together in groups

fungi one-celled organisms that have cell walls but no nuclei

inherited traits traits that are inborn, not learned

kingdom the largest group into which an organism can be classified

scales one of the thin, flat, horny plates forming the covering of certain animals, as

snakes, lizards

learned behavior behavior that is not inborn

mollusk a soft-bodied invertebrate

organism a living thing that carries out five basic life functions on its own

protist any of the one-celled organisms that live in water. Some are plantlike and make their own food. Some are animal-like and are capable of motion

carbon dioxide a colorless, odorless, incombustible gas formed during respiration

community the living part of an ecosystem

diversity the state or fact of being different; unlikeness

ecosystem the living and nonliving things in an environment, and all their interactions

endangered species a species at risk of extinction

hibernation to spend the winter in close quarters in a dormant condition, as bears and certain other animals

instinct a pattern of behavior that requires no thinking because it is programmed into an

animal’s brain

metamorphosis a process of changes in form during an animal’s development

migration the act of movement from one region or climate to another

niche the position of an organism in a community of plants and animals

oxygen a part of the air that is needed by most plants and animals to live

population one type of organism living in an area

variation a difference in structure or behavior from others of the same species or group

pollution the adding of harmful substances to the water, air, or land

carbohydrates class of organic compounds that form the supporting tissues of plants

and are important food for animals and people

digestion process by which food is converted into substances that can be absorbed by the body breakdown of foods into simpler chemical compounds

nutrients nourishing; providing nourishment or nutriment

small intestine the narrow, longer part of the intestines

starch a white, tasteless, solid carbohydrate

calorie unit of measurement of the amount of energy in food

grain a small, hard seed, esp. the seed of a food plant such as wheat, corn, rye, oats, rice

water a transparent, odorless, tasteless liquid, a compound of hydrogen and oxygen

proteins considered as a food source supplying essential amino acids to the body

combination foods a basic component of optimal nutrition because it allows the body to

digest and utilize the nutrients in our foods to their full extent.

components any smaller, self-contained part of a larger entity. Component may refer to

electronic circuits.

oils any substances typically liquid at ordinary temperatures, and not soluble in water: used for lubricating.

fats any greasy substances formed of tissue of animals and also occurring in plants,

that, when pure are colorless, odorless, and tasteless and are either solid or liquid,

vitamins any of a group of organic substances essential to normal metabolism, found in minute amounts in natural foodstuffs

weight the amount or quantity of heaviness or mass; amount a thing weighs.

parallel circuit a circuit in which each object is connected to the cell separately

series circuit a circuit in which the objects are connected in a single path.

lightning a discharge of static electricity from a thundercloud

discharge the sudden movement of an electric charge from the object where it built up to another nearby object

friction a force between surfaces that slows objects down or stops them from moving

static electricity the buildup of an electric charge on a material

calories the unit of measurement of chemical energy in food

chemical energy the energy your body uses to walk, run, or lift things

energy the ability to do work, either to make an object move or to change matter

force any push or pull that makes an object start moving, stop moving, speed up, slow down, or change direction

current electricity a moving electrical charge

attract to draw to itself

repel to force back

magnetism the power to attract iron and steel as a magnet does

magnetic pole 1. either of the poles of a magnet where the magnetic field is strongest

2. Either of two points on the surface of the earth near the North and South Poles,

where the earth’s magnetic field is the strongest

magnetic field a region of magnetic force around a magnet

magnetic force the force exerted between magnetic poles

electric circuit a complete path through which electricity can flow

open circuit a circuit which contains gaps or breaks so that it will not allow electricity to flow

closed circuit a circuit which is complete and allows electricity to flow

conductor a material through which heat or electricity flows easily

insulator a material through which heat or electricity does not flow easily.

resistor a material through which electricity has difficulty flowing

switch a device that can open or close an electric circuit

electromagnet a temporary magnet created when current flows through wire wrapped in coils around an iron bar

electromagnetism a temporary magnetic force created when current flows through

wire wrapped in coils around an iron bar

energy source materials such as coal, wood, gas, and oil that are used to generate electricity

energy receiver a device used to receive the energy generated by various sources