genome
/ˈdʒiˌnoʊm/The complete set of genetic instructions carried by one living thing.
Example: Scientists finished mapping the genome of the coral last spring.
C225 words · Proficient
Natural Science vocabulary — C2
Natural science vocabulary such as genome, enzyme and pathogen, plus isotope, combustion and thermodynamics. Words spanning biology and chemistry at an expert level.
25 questions
Words in this set
25dormant
/ˈdɔrmənt/Alive but completely inactive for a period, ready to start growing again when conditions improve.
Example:
The seeds stay dormant until the first warm rain arrives.
chromosome
/ˈkroʊməˌsoʊm/A thread-like structure inside a cell that carries genetic information.
Example:
Humans normally have forty-six chromosomes in each cell.
enzyme
/ˈɛnˌzaɪm/A substance made by living cells that speeds up chemical reactions in the body without being changed itself.
Example:
An enzyme in your saliva starts breaking down food as you chew.
hormone
/ˈhɔrˌmoʊn/A chemical made by the body that travels in the blood and controls how organs work.
Example:
Adrenaline is a hormone released when you feel frightened.
pathogen
/ˈpæθədʒən/A tiny living thing, such as a bacterium or virus, that causes disease.
Example:
Hand washing helps stop a pathogen from spreading.
biodiversity
/ˌbaɪoʊdaɪˈvɜrsəti/The wide variety of plants, animals, and other living things found in a particular place.
Example:
The rainforest has an incredible level of biodiversity.
antibody
/ˈæntɪˌbɑdi/A protein made by the body to fight a particular disease or infection.
Example:
The immune system quickly made an antibody against the virus.
immunity
/ˌɪˈmjunəti/The body's ability to resist a particular disease or infection, usually gained after infection or vaccination.
Example:
The vaccine gives strong immunity against the disease.
cytoplasm
/ˈsaɪtəˌplæzəm/The jelly-like substance inside a cell, surrounding the nucleus, where most of the cell's activities happen.
Example:
Under the microscope, the cytoplasm looked like a thick, clear gel.
inert
/ˌɪˈnɜrt/Chemically inactive, refusing to react even when mixed with other substances.
Example:
They fill the packaging with an inert gas to prevent spoiling.
volatile
/ˈvɑlətəl/Turning from liquid into gas very easily, even at normal room temperature.
Example:
Store the volatile solvent in a sealed bottle, away from heat.
covalent
/koʊˈvɑlənt/Describes a chemical bond formed when atoms share electrons.
Example:
Water molecules are held together by a covalent bond.
ionic
/ˌaɪˈɑnɪk/Describes a chemical bond formed when one atom transfers an electron to another, creating charged particles.
Example:
Table salt is held together by an ionic bond.
isotope
/ˈaɪsəˌtoʊp/One of two or more forms of the same chemical element that have different numbers of neutrons.
Example:
Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope used to date old objects.
exothermic
/ˌɛksoʊˈθɜrmɪk/Describes a chemical reaction that releases heat into its surroundings.
Example:
Burning fuel is an exothermic reaction that gives off heat.
endothermic
/ˌɛndoʊˈθɜrmɪk/Describes a chemical reaction that absorbs heat from its surroundings.
Example:
Some cold packs use an endothermic reaction to feel cold.
polymer
/ˈpɑləmər/A large chemical substance made of many small, repeated molecules joined together, such as plastic.
Example:
Plastic bottles are made from a common polymer.
catalytic
/ˌkætəˈlɪtɪk/Relating to something that speeds up a chemical reaction without being used up itself.
Example:
A catalytic converter reduces harmful gases from a car's exhaust.
combustion
/kəmˈbʌstʃən/The chemical process of burning, which produces heat and light.
Example:
The engine works by the combustion of fuel and air.
kinetic
/kəˈnɛtɪk/Belonging to movement; describing the energy something has purely because it is moving.
Example:
The kinetic energy of the falling weight drives the wheel.
dissipate
/ˈdɪsəˌpeɪt/To spread out and slowly fade away until nothing is left of it.
Example:
The heat dissipates quickly once you switch the engine off.
potential energy
Stored energy that an object has because of its position or condition, ready to be released.
Example:
A stretched spring holds potential energy until it is released.
thermodynamics
/ˌθɜrmoʊˌdaɪˈnæmɪks/The branch of science that studies heat, energy, and how they move and change.
Example:
The laws of thermodynamics explain why heat always flows from hot to cold.
entropy
/ˈɛntrəpi/A measure of disorder in a system, which tends to increase naturally over time.
Example:
Physicists describe the universe's slow decay in terms of rising entropy.
