Third Grade by Serena Georges Science Vocabulary Words

adaptations A part of animal’s body or way that an animal behaves that helps it survive

carnivore An animal that eats other animals

chemical change When a screw or nail begins to rust it is a chemical change A change that forms a different kind of matter

classify Group items by specific characteristics, color, shape, size, etc.

community A population of organisms that live in an ecosystem

condensation The changing of a gas into liquid

consumer A living thing that eats other living things as food

core The center of the Earth

crust The Earth’s outermost surface

decomposer A living thing that breaks down dead organisms for food

desert An ecosystem where there is very little rain

Earth The third planet from the Sun

earthquake The shaken of the Earth caused by movement of the crust and mantle

ecosystem The living and nonliving things in an environment

environment The things, living and nonliving, that surround a living thing

evaporation The process by which a liquid changes into a gas

extinct Describes a species that is gone forever

food chain The path of food from one living thing to another

food web A model that shows how a food chain overlaps

force A push or pull

forest An areas in which the main plants are trees

fossil Something that lasted from a living thing that died long ago

fossil fuels A fuel formed from the remains of once living organisms

fresh water Water that has very little salt in it

gas A form of matter that does not have a definite shape or a definite volume

glaciers A large, slow-moving river of ice, form by compacted layers of snow

grassland An ecosystem made up of large, flat areas of land that are covered with grass

gravity A force that pulls objects towards each other

habitat A place where a population lives in an ecosystem

herbivore An animal that eats plants

hibernate To enter a deep sleep in which life activities slow down

humus The part of the soil made up of the decayed parts of once living things

inclined plane A simple machine that has a flat surface set at an angle to another surface

inexhaustible resource A natural resource such as air or water that can be used over and over and can’t be used up

inner core The central part of the Earth’s core

inclined plane A simple machine made of a flat surface set at an angle to another surface

inherit To receive traits from parents

instinct A behavior an animal knows how to do without being taught

landform A natural shape or feature of the Earth’s surface

lever A bar that moves on or around a fixed point

liquid A form of matter that has volume that stays the same, but can change its shape

loam A type of topsoil that is rich in minerals and has lots of humus

magnet An object that attracts certain materials, such as iron, steel, nickel or cobalt

magnetism The force of repulsion (pushing) or attraction (pulling) between poles of magnets

magnetic pole The end of a magnet

magnetic field The space all around a magnet where the force of the magnet can act

mantle The layer of the Earth between the crust and the core

matter Anything that takes up space

mass The amount of matter in an object

migrate To travel as a group from one place to live in another

mimicry An animal’s imitation of another animal or object in order to avoid predators

mineral An object that is solid, is formed by nature and has never been alive

motion A change in position

mountain A landform; a place on Earth’s surface that is much higher than the land around it

natural resource Material found in nature and that is used by people

nonrenewable resource A resource such as coal or oil that can be used up

omnivore An animal that eats both plants an animals

observation When you observe an object using your senses or record data about the object using scientific instruments.

orbit The path an object takes as it moves around another object in space Earth orbits the Sun.

predict To say what will happen using clues to support my guess

physical change A change to matter in which no new matter is formed

physical property Anything you can observe about an object using your senses

plain A landform; a flat area of Earth’s surface

planet A large body of rock or gas that orbits the sun

plates Part of the Earth’s crust that is broken up into huge areas that drift atop the mantle

plateau A landform; a flat area higher than the land around it

population A group of the same kind of living thing that all live in one place at the same time

precipitation The water that falls to Earth as rain, snow, sleet or hail

predator An animal that hunts another animal for food

prey An animal that hunted by a predator

producer A living thing that makes its own food

push A force used to move or change an object’s position

pull A force used to move or change an object’s position

recycle To reuse a resource to make something new

reflection The bouncing of a light off an object

refraction The bending of light when it moves from one kind of matter to another

renewable resources A resource that can be replaced in a human lifetime

revolution The movement of one object around another object

reusable resources A resource that can be used over and over and can’t get used up like air and water

rotation The spinning of an object on its axis

salt water Water that has a lot of salt in it

scientific method Steps scientists take to answer a question or solve a problem.

simple machines A tool that helps people do work

solar system The Sun and the objects that orbit around it

solid A form of matter that takes up a specific amount of space and has a definite shape

soil A loose material in which plants can grow in the upper layer of the Earth

speed The measure of how fast something moves over a certain distance

star A hot ball of glowing gases, like our sun

temperature A measure of how hot or cold something is

thermometer A tool used to measure temperature

topsoil The top layer of soil made up of the smallest grains and the most humus

trait A body feature that an animal inherits; it can also be some things an animal does

tropical rain forest A hot, wet forest where trees grow very tall and their leaves stay green all year

valley A landform; a lowland area between higher lands, such as mountains

vibrate To move quickly back and forth, producing sound

volcano An opening in Earth’s surface from which lava flows

volume The amount of space matter takes up

water cycle The movement of water from Earth’s surface into the air and back to the surface again

weathering The process by which rock is worn and broken down

weight The measure of the pull of gravity on an object

wind The movement of air

work The measure of force that it takes to move an object a certain distance