Study Guide
Quick meanings for every word. Pair terms with visuals to support newcomers.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Classify | To sort things into groups by what they have in common. |
| Communicate | To share ideas, results, or information with others. |
| Compare | To look at how two or more things are alike and different. |
| Conclude | To decide something based on evidence. |
| Data | Observations or measurements collected to investigate a question. |
| Design Cycle | A process engineers use: plan a solution, build and test it, then use what you learn to improve it. |
| Engineer | A person who uses science and math to design and build solutions to problems. |
| Evidence | Observations or measurements used to support or question a claim or explanation. |
| Infer | To decide something from clues and evidence. |
| Interpret | To figure out what information means. |
| Investigate | To study something carefully to find out about it. |
| Justify | To explain the reasons behind a claim, using evidence to back it up. |
| Measure | To find the size or amount of something using a tool. |
| Observe | To use your senses or tools to notice details. |
| Organize | To arrange things in a clear order. |
| Predict / Hypothesis | A prediction states an expected outcome. A hypothesis is a proposed explanation that can be tested with evidence. |
| Question | A request for information that can guide an investigation. |
| Record | To write down what you see or measure. |
| Relate | To find and explain a connection between two or more ideas. |
| Science | A way of studying the natural world using observation, evidence, and testing. |
| Acidic | Describes a water-based solution with more hydrogen-ion activity than a neutral solution; its pH is below 7 at 25 °C. |
| Acidity | A solution’s ability to react as an acid; pH describes hydrogen-ion activity and does not by itself measure total acid content. |
| Alkalinity | The capacity of water to neutralize added acid; it is different from pH. |
| Atoms | The smallest unit of an element that keeps that element’s chemical identity. |
| Basic | Describes a water-based solution with a pH above the neutral value, which is 7 at 25 °C. |
| Changes in Matter | How matter can change form: a physical change alters shape or state without making a new substance, while a chemical change creates a new substance entirely. |
| Chemical Equation | A short way to write a chemical reaction using symbols, showing what you start with and what forms. |
| Compounds | A substance made of two or more elements joined together chemically, like water (H₂O). |
| Conservation of Mass | The rule that matter is not created or destroyed in a change, so the total mass stays the same. |
| Elements | A pure substance made of one kind of atom; chemical reactions cannot break it into simpler substances. |
| Families | A column on the periodic table. Elements in the same column have similar properties. |
| Groups | A column on the periodic table. Elements in the same column have similar properties. |
| Indicator | A substance or observation that signals a condition or change; an acid–base indicator changes color over a particular pH range. |
| Litmus Paper | An acid–base indicator paper that turns red in acidic conditions and blue in basic conditions; it does not give an exact pH. |
| Metals | An element that is usually shiny, can be bent, and conducts heat and electricity well. |
| Mixtures | Two or more substances mixed together but not joined chemically, like trail mix or salt water. |
| Molecules | A group of two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds. |
| Neutral | Describes a water-based solution with equal hydrogen- and hydroxide-ion activities; its pH is 7 at 25 °C. |
| Noble Gases | Group 18 elements, which usually have very low chemical reactivity under ordinary conditions; some can form compounds. |
| Non-Metals | An element without the typical combination of metallic properties; many conduct electricity poorly, but exceptions exist. |
| Periodic Table of Elements | A chart of the elements arranged by increasing atomic number, with recurring patterns in properties. |
| Periods | A row across the table of elements, read from left to right. |
| pH | A number describing how acidic or basic a water-based solution is; lower values indicate greater acidity. |
| pH Scale | A way to express acidity and basicity numerically. Many dilute water-based solutions fall between 0 and 14, but values can extend beyond that range. |
| Phase Change | Matter changing between solid, liquid, and gas. The particles change how they move and how far apart they are. |
| Phenolphthalein | An acid–base indicator that is colorless in acidic and near-neutral solutions and pink over a range of basic conditions. |
| Properties | A trait that describes a material and helps you tell it apart from others. |