Fourth Quarter Science Vocabulary - Sixth Grade - Mr. Benton

Directions:  click on the words to see a definition                 Printable version                    1st Qtr.    2nd Qtr.     3rd Qtr.

98.  organ  113. indicator  128. diaphragm
99.  system   114. fiber  129.  artery
100. mucus   115. chyme 130.  vein
101.  sphincter   116. diffusion  131. capillary
102. peristalsis   117. passive transport  132. atrium
103. mechanical digestion   118. active transport  133. ventricle
104.  chemical digestion   119. duodenum 134. aorta
105.  bolus   120. pancreas 135. vena cava
106. amylase   121.gall bladder  136.  blood cells
107.  enzyme   122. semi-permeable   137. valve
108. esophagus   123. epiglottis   138. cellular respiration
109. salivary glands   124.  trachea  139. input/ output
110. pepsin  125. bronchi  
111. gastric juice   126. bronchiole  
112. protein  127. alveoli  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

chromosome- a structure in a cell's nucleus that is made of DNA and which transfers hereditary information to the next generation

allele - a section of one chromosome that codes for a trait and corresponds to an allele on the other chromosome of the homologous pair.  The two alleles that code for the same feature on a homologous pair of chromosomes make up a gene. 

gene - matching sections (alleles) of a pair of chromosomes that carry a chemical code for features of organisms 

dominant, recessive -  in genetics, dominant refers to the form of a gene that is expressed or shows up whenever it is present and recessive is the form of the gene that doesn't show up unless there is no dominant gene present 

genotype, phenotype - 'genotype' refers to the letters that represent the genes of a trait of an organism, for example:  TT is the genotype for tall pea plants.  'Phenotype' means the actual trait that is expressed, for example: 'tall' is a phenotype in pea plants

heterozygous gene, homozygous gene - heterozygous genes have two different alleles, one dominant and one recessive, for example: Tt, Aa, Ff; homozygous genes have two identical alleles, for example, both dominant or both recessive: TT, aa, FF, ff

homologous pair - two "matching" chromosomes, one originally from the male parent, one originally from the female parent, which code for the same features but which may have differences (dominant or recessive)

ratio - a comparison of two numbers, for example, if there are 3 striped larkeys and 1 spotted larkey, the ratio is 3:1

Punnett square -  a diagram which shows the possible offspring genotypes when two particular parents breed

heredity - the passing on of traits from one generation to the next

partial dominance - type of inherited characteristic in which a heterozygous gene  results in a trait unlike the dominant trait or the recessive trait, for example the larkey fur pattern:  Ff (heterozygous) results in solid patterned fur rather than striped (dominant) or spotted (recessive).

selective breeding - humans choosing to breed organisms for their beneficial characteristics

natural selection - process that allows well-adapted organisms to survive and reproduce

genome - the complete set of genes of an organism. The human genome project has cataloged 30000 human genes.

mitosis / meiosis-  two types of cell division (reproduction).  Mitosis occurs in all body cells and results in two complete duplicate cells

organ – a group of different tissues working together to perform a specific function.

system – made up of parts that work together for the benefit of the whole.  A group of organs that work together to perform a specific function. 

responding variable – The changes or results that are observed and measured.  All experiments must have one responding variable.

manipulated variable – The variable I chose to change during the experiment.  All experiments must have one manipulated variable.

constant variables – all variables that are kept the same during the experiment.  Experiments usually have many controlled variables.

mucus – a slippery secretion that coats the inner walls of the digestive tract.  It helps food slide down and is also a form of protection.

sphincter – a ring of muscles at the beginning and end of the digestive tract.  Sphincters are located in between organs and make sure that food only goes in a one-way direction.

peristalsis – the wave-like motion of the digestive tract that moves food through.

mechanical digestion - the breaking apart of food by the action of teeth, tongue and muscles of the digestive tract

chemical digestion - the breaking down of food particles by the action of acids and enzymes in the digestive tract

bolus - chewed ball of food in the mouth

amylase- an enzyme in the mouth that breaks down starch into sugar

enzyme - a protein that speeds chemical reactions in digestion

esophagus - tube in the throat that leads from the mouth to the stomach

salivary glands - three pairs of glands around the mouth that produce saliva

pepsin - an enzyme in the stomach that breaks down proteins

gastric juice - a mixture of hydrochloric acid (HCl) and pepsin found in the stomach

protein - one of three basic food groups, needed for building tissues, found in meat, egg whites, nuts, beans and grains.  All enzymes are also proteins.

indicator - a substance that changes in some way when in the presence of another substance.  Ex.: benedict's solution turns red in the presence of sugar.

fiber - indigestible carbohydrates that stimulate peristalsis in the intestine, helping move food and waste through the digestive system

chyme - the pulpy mixture of food and gastric juices in the stomach

diffusion - the process in which molecules move from places where they are more concentrated to places where they are less concentrated

active transport - the process in which energy in a cell is used to move materials across or through a membrane

passive transport - the process in which molecules move through a membrane by diffusion, without using energy from the cell (passive transport is another name for diffusion when it occurs through a membrane)

duodenum - the first 25 centimeters of the small intestine, where most chemical digestion occurs

pancreas - a gland situated near the stomach that secretes digestive fluids into the small intestine to further digest carbohydrates and proteins

gall bladder - a gland which secretes bile into the duodenum to help digest fats

 

epiglottis -  a flap of tissue that covers the opening of the trachea when we swallow food, but which opens to allow air into the lungs when we breathe

trachea - the windpipe, a tube that leads from the throat to the lungs

bronchi - two branches of the trachea that lead to each of the lungs, then

alveoli -   tiny sacs in the lungs through which the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place

diaphragm - a large flat muscle below the lungs that helps draw air into the lungs

bronchiole - small branches off of the bronchi that end in alveoli

artery - blood vessel that carries blood away from the heat

vein - blood vessel that carries blood back towards the heart

capillary - the smallest blood vessels, through which gases and nutrients diffuse

atrium - the "receiving" chamber of the heart where blood enters the heart.  There are two atria in the heart, the left atrium receives blood back from the lungs, the right atrium receives blood back from the rest of the body

ventricle -  the "pumping:" chamber of the heart.  There are two ventricles in the heart, the right ventricle pumps blood to the lungs, the left ventricle pumps blood to the rest of the body.

aorta -  the largest artery of the body, which carries blood from the left ventricle to the entire body

vena cava - the largest vein in the body, which collects oxygen-poor blood in the right atrium

valve - flaps of tissue in the heart and in veins that regulate the flow and direction of blood flow  in the body

blood cells - three types of living cells in human blood:  red blood cells carry oxygen, white blood cells fight infection, and platelets help in healing wounds

cellular respiration - a form of oxidation occurring in cells, in which food molecules combine with oxygen to release energy and give off waste

input/output -  the ingredients (inputs) and the products (outputs) of scientific processes

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76.  chromosome - a structure in a cell's nucleus that is made of DNA and which transfers hereditary information to the next generation

 

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77.  allele - a section of one chromosome that codes for a trait and corresponds to an allele on the other chromosome of the homologous pair.  The two alleles that code for the same feature on a homologous pair of chromosomes make up a gene. 

 

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 78.  gene - matching sections (alleles) of a pair of chromosomes that carry a chemical code for features of organisms 

 

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79.  dominant, recessive -  in genetics, dominant refers to the form of a gene that is expressed or shows up whenever it is present and recessive is the form of the gene that doesn't show up unless there is no dominant gene present 

 

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80.  genotype, phenotype - genotype refers to the letters that represent the genes of a trait of an organism, for example:  TT is the genotype for tall pea plants.  Phenotype means the trait that is expressed, for example: 'tall' is a phenotype in pea plants 

 

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81.  heterozygous gene, homozygous gene - heterozygous genes have two different alleles, one dominant and one recessive, for example: Tt, Aa, Ff; homozygous genes have two identical alleles, for example, both dominant or both recessive: TT, aa, FF, ff

 

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82.  homologous pair - two "matching" chromosomes, one originally from the male parent, one originally from the female parent, which code for the same features but which may have differences (dominant or recessive)

 

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83.  ratio - a comparison of two numbers, for example, if there are 3 striped larkeys and 1 spotted larkey, the ratio is 3:1

 

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84.  Punnett square -  a diagram which shows the possible offspring genotypes when two particular parents breed

 

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85.  heredity - the passing on of traits from one generation to the next

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86.  partial dominance - type of inherited characteristic in which a heterozygous gene  results in a trait unlike the dominant trait or the recessive trait, for example the larkey fur pattern:  Ff (heterozygous) results in solid patterned fur rather than striped (dominant) or spotted (recessive).

 

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87.   selective breeding - humans choosing to breed organisms for their beneficial characteristics

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88.  natural selection - process in nature that allows well-adapted organisms to survive and reproduce and reduces the probability that poorly-adapted organisms will survive

 

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89.  genome - the complete set of genes of an organism. The human genome project has cataloged 30000 human genes.

 

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90.  mitosis, meiosis -  two types of cell division (reproduction).  Mitosis occurs in all body cells and results in two complete duplicate cells; meiosis creates sex cells with only half of each chromosome pair

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responding variable – The changes or results that are observed and measured.  All experiments must have one responding variable.

 

 

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manipulated variable – The variable I chose to change during the experiment.  All experiments must have one manipulated variable.

 

 

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constant variables – all variables that are kept the same during the experiment.  Experiments usually have many controlled variables.

 

 

 

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organ – a group of different tissues working together to perform a specific function.

 

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system – made up of parts that work together for the benefit of the whole.  A group of organs that work together to perform a specific function.

 

 

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96.  mucus – a slippery secretion that coats the inner walls of the digestive tract.  It helps food slide down and is also a form of protection.

 

 

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97.  sphincter – a ring of muscles at the beginning and end of the digestive tract.  Sphincters are located in between organs and make sure that food only goes in a one-way direction.

 

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98.  peristalsis – the wave-like motion of the digestive tract that moves food through.

 

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99.  mechanical digestion - the breaking apart of food by the action of teeth, tongue and muscles of the digestive tract

 

 

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100.  chemical digestion - the breaking down of food particles by the action of acids and enzymes in the digestive tract

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101.  bolus - chewed ball of food in the mouth

 

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102.  amylase- an enzyme in the mouth (in saliva)  that breaks down starch into sugar

 

 

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103.  enzyme - a protein that speeds chemical reactions in digestion

 

 

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104.  esophagus - tube in the throat that leads from the mouth to the stomach

 

 

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105.  salivary glands - three pairs of glands around the mouth that produce saliva

 

 

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pepsin - an enzyme in the stomach that breaks down proteins

 

 

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gastric juice - a mixture of hydrochloric acid (HCl) and pepsin found in the stomach

 

 

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protein - one of three basic food groups, needed for building tissues, found in meat, egg whites, nuts, beans and grains.  All enzymes are also proteins.

 

 

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indicator - a substance that changes in some way when in the presence of another substance.  Ex.: benedict's solution turns red in the presence of sugar.

 

 

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fiber - indigestible carbohydrates that stimulate peristalsis in the intestine, helping move food and waste through the digestive system

 

 

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chyme - the pulpy mixture of food and gastric juices in the stomach

 

 

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diffusion - the process in which molecules move from places where they are more concentrated to places where they are less concentrated

 

 

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passive transport - the process in which molecules move through a membrane by diffusion, without using energy from the cell (passive transport is another name for diffusion when it occurs through a membrane)

 

 

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active transport - the process in which energy in a cell is used to move materials across or through a membrane

 

 

 

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duodenum - the first 25 centimeters of the small intestine, where most chemical digestion occurs

 

 

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pancreas - a gland situated near the stomach that secretes digestive fluids into the small intestine to further digest carbohydrates and proteins

 

 

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gall bladder - a gland which secretes bile into the duodenum to help digest fats

 

 

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chyme - the pulpy mixture of food and gastric juices in the stomach

 

 

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diffusion - the process in which molecules move from places where they are more concentrated to places where they are less concentrated

 

 

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active transport - the process in which energy in a cell is used to move materials across or through a membrane

 

 

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passive transport - the process in which molecules move through a membrane by diffusion, without using energy from the cell (passive transport is another name for diffusion when it occurs through a membrane)

 

 

 

 

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