Adaptation
Inherited characteristic of a species that develops over time in response to an elemental factor, enabling the species to survive.
Biology
Science of life; examines how living things interact, how systems function, and how they function at a molecular level.
Development
Changes an organism undergoes in its lifetime before reaching its adult form.
Growth
Process that results in mass being added to an organism; may include formation of new cells and new structures.
Homeostasis
Regulation of an organism's internal environment to maintain conditions needed for life.
Organism
Anything that has or once had all the characteristics of life.
Organization
Orderly structure shown by living things.
Reproduction
Production of offspring.
Response
Organism's reaction to a stimulus.
Species
Group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.
Stimulus
Any change in an organism's internal or external environment that causes the organism to react.
Ethics
A set of values.
Forensics
The field of study that applies science to matters of legal interest and other areas such as archeology.
Metric System
Measurement system whose divisions are powers of ten.
Peer Review
A process in which the procedures used during an experiment may be repeated and the results are evaluated by scientists who are in the same field or are conducting similar research.
Science
A body of knowledge based on the study of nature.
SI
System of measurements used by scientists; abbreviation of the International System of Units.
Theory
Explanation of a natural phenomenon based on many observations and investigations over time.
Control Group
In a controlled experiment, the group not receiving the factor being tested.
Constant
A factor that remains fixed during an experiment while the independent and dependent variables change.
Data
Quantitative or qualitative information gained from scientific investigation.
Dependent Variable
Factor being measured in a controlled experiment; its value changes because of changes to the independent variable.
Experiment
Procedure performed in a controlled setting to test a hypothesis and collect precise data.
Experimental Group
In a controlled experiment, the group receiving the factor being tested.
Hypothesis
Testable explanation of a situation
Independent Variable
The one factor that can be changed in a controlled experiment; is the factor tested and affects the experiment outcome.
Inference
Assumption based on prior experience.
Observation
Orderly, direct information gathering about a natural phenomenon.
Safety Symbol
Logo representing a specific danger such as radioactivity, electrical or biological hazard, or irritants that may be present in a lab activity or field investigation.
Scientific Method
A series of problem-solving procedures that might include observations, forming a hypothesis, experimenting, gathering and analyzing data, and drawing conclusions.
Serendipity
Occurrence of accidental or unexpected but fortunate outcomes.