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Grade 7 Science Vocabulary · Trimester 1, Topic 1.2

Conservation of Matter & Energy

Energy changes form and moves between systems, but the total amount never goes up or down. Follow it around a roller coaster.

Ohio science standards in this unit

  • 7.PS.3 · Energy in systemsEnergy can be transformed or transferred but is never lost.

15 science words (Tier 3) and 6 academic words (Tier 2). Every word has a plain-language definition and an example sentence, written to support WIDA's Standard 4 (Science) English Language Development standard.

One word list, many ways to practice

These are the same 15 words, used in different tools. Students can start any of them right away. No student accounts or sign-in.

See the words in a picture

Label the Diagram: Energy on a roller coaster

A roller coaster track with a cart at the top of a tall hill, a cart speeding through a valley, curved lines near a smaller hill, and a cart stopping on a brake with wavy lines rising from it.

Students place 5 words on numbered spots: gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy, sound energy, dissipated energy, friction. They can turn on meanings and hear each word read aloud.

Teachers: open the same picture in ELLEvision to move labels, add words or audio, and publish your own version. ELLEvision needs a teacher sign-in.

Label the diagram

Break words into meaningful parts

Build It in ELLEments

Science words are often built from smaller parts. 6 words in this unit come with their parts ready, so students can hear each word, read it in a sentence, and build it from its pieces.

  • kinetic energykineticenergy

    The cart has the most kinetic energy at the bottom of the hill.

  • potential energypotentialenergy

    A stretched rubber band has potential energy.

  • thermal energythermalenergy

    Rubbing your hands together makes thermal energy.

  • energy transferenergytransfer

    Energy transfer happens when a hot pan warms your hand.

  • energy transformationenergytransformation

    A toaster shows energy transformation from electrical to thermal.

Tier 2 · Academic language

Words students need to talk and write about this unit

These are not science words, but students meet them in every task and question. Pre-teach them alongside the science words.

transform
To change from one form into another.
“A solar panel transforms light into electricity.”
trace
To follow the path of something step by step.
“Trace the energy from the sun to the moving bike.”
quantity
An amount that can be counted or measured.
“The quantity of energy before equals the quantity after.”
boundary
A line or edge that separates one thing from another.
“Draw a boundary around the system you are studying.”
apply
To use what you know in a new situation.
“Apply what you know about energy to design a better coaster.”
conclude
To decide something after looking at the evidence.
“What can you conclude about the total energy?”

Focused practice sets

Shorter word sets on one part of this unit, with extra activities and beginner support.

Conservation of Energy

Open the focused set and its activities.

Open set

Study guide

Words are grouped by the standard they support. Blue tiles show a word’s parts.

Energy in systems (7.PS.3)

system
A group of parts that work together and that you study as a whole.The roller coaster and the Earth make up one system.
open system
A system where matter and energy can move in and out.A pot of boiling water without a lid is an open system.
closed system
A system where matter cannot get in or out, but energy can.A sealed water bottle in the sun is a closed system.
isolated system
A system where neither matter nor energy can get in or out.A perfect isolated system does not exist, but a good cooler comes close.
kinetic energykineticenergy
The energy of motion. Faster or heavier objects have more.The cart has the most kinetic energy at the bottom of the hill.
potential energypotentialenergy
Stored energy, based on an object’s position or condition.A stretched rubber band has potential energy.
gravitational potential energy
Stored energy an object has because of its height above the ground.The cart at the top of the hill has the most gravitational potential energy.
thermal energythermalenergy
The total energy of the moving particles in a substance; we feel it as heat.Rubbing your hands together makes thermal energy.
sound energy
Energy carried by vibrations moving through matter.The rattling cars give off sound energy.
energy transferenergytransfer
Energy moving from one object or place to another.Energy transfer happens when a hot pan warms your hand.
energy transformationenergytransformation
Energy changing from one form into another.A toaster shows energy transformation from electrical to thermal.
conservation of energy
The rule that energy cannot be made or destroyed, only moved or changed into another form.Conservation of energy means the total energy stays the same.
friction
A force that slows motion when two surfaces rub together. It turns motion energy into heat.Friction from the brakes warmed the wheels.
dissipated energy
Energy that spreads out into the surroundings, usually as heat, and is hard to use again.A warm light bulb shows dissipated energy.
surroundingssurroundings
Everything outside the system you are studying.The hot coffee lost heat to its surroundings.

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