8^th grade Vocabulary Words Common

1) Accuracy- correctness of a measurement

2) Compare- to look for similarities

3) Contrast- to emphasize differences

4) Controlled Variable (kept the same)-a variable that is unchanged in an experiment

5) Description- a verbal or written explanation of something

6) Evidence- proof or facts that support data

7) Interpret- to explain the meaning of information, facts, and observations

8) Issue- a topic to be discussed, researched or investigated

9) Manipulated Variable (changed)-the variable that is changed and tested in an experiment

10) Meter- the base unit of distance or length in the metric system

11) Opinion- the view that someone takes about a certain issue

12) Pattern-a regular or repeated order or arrangement

13) Phenomena- facts or events that can be observed

14) Property-characteristic of a material that helps to identify or classify matter

15) Relationship- a connection or similarity between two or more things

16) Reliable- getting the same or very similar results after multiple trials

17) Responding Variable (measured)– variable that is affected and measured in an experiment

18) Subsystem- a system that is a part of a larger system

19) Summarize- to give a shortened version that includes key information

20) Transfer- to move from one place to another

21) Unexpected- not expected or surprising

22) Valid- having accurate and reliable information or results

8^th grade Vocabulary Words Energy Machines and Motion

23) Circuit- a path that electric current flows through

24) Electrical- form of energy that consists of a flow of electric charges through a conductor

25) Energy- the ability to do work

26) Force- a push or a pull

27) Friction- force that resists the motion of two surfaces that are touching each other

28) Gravity- force of attraction between any two objects

29) Heat (thermal) energy- transfer of thermal energy between substances that are different temperatures

30) Inclined Plane- simple machine that consists of a flat sloping surface (ie. wedge and screw)

31) Kinetic Energy- energy of motion

32) Lever- simple machine made of a long rigid bar that rests on and turns around a support called a fulcrum

33) Leverage- the mechanical advantage gained by being in a position to use a lever

34) Newton (N)- base unit of force in the metric system

35) Potential Energy- stored energy

36) Pressure- amount of force exerted on a given area by an object or substance

37) Pulley- simple machine consisting of one or more wheels with a rope wrapped around them

38) Relative Position- the place an object is in relationship to other objects around it

39) Relative Speed- how quickly or slowly an object is moving in relationship to objects around it

40) Weight- a measure of the force of gravity on an object

8^th grade Vocabulary Words Properties of Matter

41) Acid- compounds that produce hydrogen ions in water, and reduces its pH to below 7

42) Atom- the smallest particle of an element that still has all the properties of that element

43) Attract- when one object causes other objects to come near to it, or stay near it

44) Charge- positive or negative electrical force

45) Chemical- a substance with a distinct molecular composition that is produced by or used in a chemical process

46) Compound- a substance containing two or more atoms or molecules of different elements, held together by chemical bonds

47) Density- the amount of mass in a given volume

48) Dissolve- to form a solution with another substance

49) Electron- negatively charged particle of an atom

50) Element- substance in which all of the atoms are the same, elements cannot be broken down to more pure substance

51) Filter- device that removes something from whatever passes through it

52) Gas- a state of matter that has no definite volume or shape

53) Insoluble- a substance that is not easily dissolved

54) Liquid- a state of matter that has no definite shape, but does have a definite volume

55) Magnetic pole- one of the two ends of a magnet where the magnetism seems to be concentrated

56) Magnetism- a force that acts between certain objects that are near one another or touching

57) Mass- amount of matter in an object

58) Matter- anything that takes up space and has mass

59) Mixture- a combination of two or more substances that have not combined chemically and that can be separated by physical mean

60) Molecule- two or more atoms attached by chemical bonds

61) Neutron- neutral particle in the nucleus of an atom

62) Nucleus- the center of the atom that contains protons and neutrons

63) Particle- any very small part or unit of matter, such as a molecule or atom

64) pH- scale ranging from 0-14 used to describe how acidic or basic a substance is

65) Property- characteristic of a material that helps to identify or classify matter

66) Proton- positively charged particle in the nucleus of an atom

67) Reaction- change that takes place when two or more substances interact to form new substances

68) Repel- when one object causes other objects to move away, or stay away from it

69) Solid- a state of matter that has a definite shape and volume

70) Soluble- a substance that is capable of being dissolved in some solvent

71) Solution (chemical)- mixture with one substance dissolved in another substance

72) State (phase) of matter- the different forms matter can take; solid, liquid, or gas

73) Temperature- measure of how fast particles move in a substance

74) Vapor- barely visible or cloudy diffused matter, such as mist, fumes, or smoke, suspended in the air

8^th grade Vocabulary Words Light, Sound, and Heat

75) Conduction- when heat is transferred between 2 objects in physical contact

76) Convection- when heat is carried by a moving liquid or gas (fluid)

77) Echo- sound waves reflected off a surface

78) Frequency- the number of cycles per second

79) Image- a visual representation of an object

80) Pitch- how high or low a sound is, this is determined by the sound’s frequency

81) Radiation- heat traveling across a space, matter is not needed to transfer the energy

82) Reflect- when waves bounce back from a surface

83) Sound- energy that travels through matter as mechanical waves, and can be heard by the ear

84) Transmit- when light or energy is passed through matter

85) Vibration- the rapid back and forth movement of a particle

86) Wavelength- the length of one wave found by measuring the distance from a point on the wave to the same point on the next wave