GLOSSARY

A
abyssal plain

a large accumulation of
underground water in soil or rock

aquifer

a large, flat area on

the ocean floor

occurs when
sulfuric acid and nitric acid dissolve
in the atmospheric moisture and
fall back to Earth as acid rain or
acid snow

acid precipitation

the
process of adding colours of light
together to produce other colours

additive colour mixing

Archimedes principle the

buoyant force on an object
immersed in a fluid is equal to the
weight of the fluid that the object
displaces

a landform created when

two cirques on a mountain erode
towards each other and create a
sharp ridge between them
arte

a blood vessel that carries

blood away from the heart

the attractive forces

between the particles of a fluid and
the particles of another substance

artery

air or gas moving

around solid objects

em] a condition in which the

cornea is curved more in one
direction, rather than evenly curved
in all directions

adhesion

aerodynamics

indicates the amount

of energy transferred by a wave; on
a graph it refers to the maximum
distance above or below the x-axis

amplitude

the angle
between the incident ray and the
normal; equal to the angle of
reflection

angle of incidence

angle of reflection the angle

between the reflected ray and the
normal; equal to the angle of
incidence

the angle
between the refracted ray and the
normal
angle of refraction

antibody a large molecule

produced by a special type of white
blood cell; aids the immune system

a chemical found or
produced by all foreign organisms;
signals the body to produce
antibodies in defence

antigen

fish farming or the

raising of water animals and plants
for commercial purposes
aquaculture

NEL

astigmatism [ah-STIG-mah-TIZ-

atmospheric pressure the weight

of the air pushing down on itself
and on Earths surface
atria (singular is atrium) the
chambers of the heart that receive
blood from the body and lungs

B
bacteria (singular is bacterium)
the most common form of
micro-organism; prokaryotic cells
with no nucleus, mitochondria, or
ribosomes

any material carried on a

vehicle (such as a ship, submarine,
or hot air balloon) that alters
buoyancy to help stabilize travel in
water or air
ballast

a measure of the
number of different types of
organisms in an area

biodiversity

any process
used by living things to transform
chemical energy into light energy

bioluminescence

blind spot the area of the retina

where the optic nerve and blood
vessels connect; contains no cones
or rods

the regular movement

of air into and out of the lungs

breathing

buoyancy the upward force that

a fluid exerts on an object

C
a deep, steep-sided valley;
usually formed by rivers that cut
through surrounding rock

canyon

capillary a very tiny blood vessel

connecting the smallest arteries
with the smallest veins

the process by
which water is drawn up from
below ground due to the force of
cohesion between water molecules
and the force of adhesion between
water molecules and soil particles
capillary action

a double layer
of fat molecules that holds the
contents of the cell in place and
controls the movement of materials
into and out of the cell

cell membrane

cell specialization the

development of cells to perform a
special function

the idea that (1) all

living things are composed of one
or more cells, and (2) all new cells
arise only from cells that already
exist

cell theory

cell wall a structure that protects

and supports a plant cell

a process in
which mitochondria release energy
by combining sugar molecules with
oxygen to form carbon dioxide and
water

cellular respiration

Glossary

419

chemiluminescence the process

of changing chemical energy into
light energy with little or no change
in temperature

a plant-cell structure
containing many molecules of a
green pigment called chlorophyll

chloroplast

a structure in a cell
that contains DNA, or genetic
information, which holds
construction plans for all the
pieces of the cell; the genetic
information is duplicated and
passed on to other identical cells

chromosome

tiny hairs that work to move

a cell or the fluid surrounding a cell

cilia

ciliary muscles a band of muscles

that hold the lens in place behind
the pupil, and that is attached to
the lens by thin ligaments

a light receptor cell that is

sensitive to colour; detects bright
light and allows us to see colour
and detail during the daytime or in
lighted conditions

cone

the crest of
the Rocky Mountains that separates
water flowing to the west from
water flowing north and east; also
called the Great Divide
Continental Divide

a region of
gently increasing slope where the
ocean floor meets the continental
slope
continental rise

continental shelf the gently

downward slope of the ocean floor
as it extends outward from the
continents

the more
steeply sloped region at the edge of
the continental shelf

continental slope

D
a flat area of land formed
by sediment that has settled at the
mouth of a river over many
thousands of years
delta

the mass of a substance

per unit volume of the substance;
calculated by dividing the mass of a
substance by its volume

density

the process whereby

sediment settles to the bottom of a
river
deposition

diaphragm [DYE-ah-fram] (1) a

sheet of muscle across the bottom
of the chest cavity that causes us to
inhale and exhale; (2) a structure in
an optical device that regulates the
amount of light entering

convection current

diffuse reflection occurs when

light hits an irregular surface and the
reflected light scatters in many
directions

convex (mirror)

climate

a curved mirror
that has its reflecting surface on the
outside curve

diffusion the movement of

molecules from an area of high
concentration to an area of low
concentration

cornea

cohesion

the attractive forces

among the particles of a substance

the front part of the sclera

of the eye; colourless and
transparent to allow light to enter

digestion the process that your

body uses to break large food
molecules into smaller molecules

complementary light colours

crest

the highest point on a wave;

on a graph it is the farthest point
above the x-axis

dike a long wall of soil or other

material built along the banks of a
river to prevent flooding

crevasse

a deep crack in a glacier

caused by the glacier moving over
uneven ground

disease any condition that is

harmful to or interferes with the
well-being of an organism

current

movement of water in an
ocean or a lake caused by
temperature differences

displacement

cylinder

a cylindrical chamber in
a hydraulic system; houses a piston
that moves under fluid pressure

drag

a watery fluid that

contains everything inside the cell
membrane and outside the nucleus,
where many of the cells chemical
activities take place

dynamic

cirque [serk] the small beginning

of a glacier, where snow, ice, and
the freeze-thaw cycle create
armchair-like hollows in the side of
a mountain

the average weather

conditions over many years

any two colours of light that

produce white light when added
together
the characteristic
of a substance whereby its volume
can be reduced under external force

compressible

the action whereby

an external force pushes particles
closer together and reduces the
volume

compression

a curved mirror
that has its reflecting surface on the
inside curve

concave (mirror)

the process of
changing a substance from a gas to
a liquid
condensation

420

Glossary

a current
caused by temperature differences

cytoplasm

the volume of a
fluid displaced by an object
immersed in it

a force (air or water

resistance) that acts to slow a body
moving through a fluid
a term used to describe
systems that involve movement,
such as moving fluids

NEL

E
treated water that is
released back into the environment
effluent

the emission
of light when electricity passes
through a gas

electric discharge

electromagnetic spectrum the

entire range of radiant energy, from
radio waves through visible light to
gamma rays

a cell
structure that consists of a series of
folded membranes that act as
canals to carry materials through
the cytoplasm

endoplasmic reticulum

a chemical that helps to

speed up the process of digestion

enzyme

a flap of tissue that

closes over the opening of the
trachea during swallowing to
prevent food or water from
entering the lungs
epiglottis

the wearing away of

Earths surface, caused by the
movement of materials from one
place to another
erosion

erratic a large boulder that was

carried by glaciers and then left
behind on the land when the
glaciers receded

a long mound of sand and

gravel marking the path of
meltwater streams that passed
through and under a glacier

esker

estuary [ES-chu-air-ee]

the area
where a river flows into the ocean
a cell that has a
nucleus surrounded by a nuclear
membrane

eukaryotic cell

the process of
changing a substance from a liquid
to a gas
evaporation

the elimination of
waste materials from the body
excretion

NEL

exotic species

organisms that
have been introduced, intentionally
or unintentionally, to an area where
they are not normally found

glacier

Golgi apparatus a cell organelle

that stores proteins and puts them
into packages, called vesicles

field of view the circle of light

you see when you look through the
eyepiece of a microscope
fiord a long, deep valley carved by
a glacier that has become flooded
with sea water

a whip-like tail that

helps a cell to move
flagellum

a relatively flat area

on either side of a river that floods
when the water levels rise higher
than normal and the river
overflows its banks

flood plain

how quickly a fluid

flows in a given amount of time
flow rate

a mass of ice and snow

built up over thousands of years;
occurs in the high altitudes of
mountains and near Earths poles

water that has

soaked into the soil, often between
saturated soil and bedrock

ground water

guyot [GHEE-oh]

an underwater
mountain formed when a volcanic
island is eroded over time, so that
the ocean covers it again

gyre [JIRE] a large, consistent,

circular pattern of ocean currents

H
where a small
glacier meets a large glacier, and the
valley floor of the large glacier is
below the bottom of the small glacier

hanging valley

fluorescence the process of

emitting light while receiving
energy from another source

hemoglobin

the distance from

the principal focus to the middle of
a mirror or lens

hertz (Hz)

focal length

force a push or pull that causes

movement

the number of
occurrences in a period of time; in
waves, the frequency is the number
of wavelengths in a period of time

frequency

fresh water water, whether solid,

liquid, or gas, that contains a low
concentration of dissolved salts
fungi (singular is fungus)

includes multicellular, as well as

some unicellular organisms; lack
chlorophyll and depend on other
organisms for their food

G
genetic engineering the
exchange or modification of genetic
material in cells

a protein, found in
red blood cells, that is used to carry
oxygen
cycles per second; the
unit of measurement for frequency

a chemical messenger
produced by the endocrine system;
travels to other organs and tells
them how to adjust to what is going
on outside and inside the body

hormone

the sharp pyramid shape

formed on a mountain when three
or more artes carve the mountain
peak

horn

the liquid in a

hydraulic fluid

hydraulic system
a confined,
pressurized system that uses
moving fluids
hydraulic system

hydrodynamics the motion of

liquids (usually water) around solid
objects

Glossary

421

a refractive vision
problem; the eye can see distant
objects well but cannot clearly see
nearby objects; farsightedness

hyperopia

I
iceberg a large chunk of ice that
breaks off a glacier when the glacier
reaches the ocean

the use of
antibodies to fight a pathogen

immune response

the process of
emitting light because of a high
temperature

incandescence

a ray of light that

travels toward a reflecting or
refracting surface

incident ray

the action of diseaseproducing organisms, which invade

the body and interfere with the
normal activities of cells

infection

a ring of muscles that

contracts and relaxes automatically
to regulate the amount of light
entering the eye; controls the size of
the pupil
iris

K
kinetic molecular theory

a theory that states that all matter is

composed of particles, particles are
in constant motion, and there are
forces of attraction among particles

L
flow in which a
fluid travels in straight, or almost
straight, lines

laminar flow

lens a curved, transparent device

that causes light to refract as it
passes through; gathers light from
an object and produces an image of
of the object

a form of energy that can be

detected by the human eye
light

luminous

emitting (giving off) its

own light
an organelle formed by
the Golgi apparatus to control and
clean the cytoplasm; contains
special proteins used to break down
large molecules into smaller
molecules; also destroys damaged
or worn-out cells
lysosome

M
a molecule with a specific
shape found on the cell membranes
or protein coats of invading cells;
antibodies are designed to fit that
shape and lock onto a marker
marker

the amount of matter in an

object, which stays constant
anywhere in the universe; measured
in grams (g) or units derived from
grams

mass

melting the process of a

substance changing from a solid to
a liquid

found when measuring

liquids; the curved surface where
a liquid contacts the wall of a
container; forms due to the
adhesive forces between the fluid
and the walls of the container

meniscus

living
organisms that are too small to be
seen with the unaided eye; usually
composed of a single cell

land breeze

wind blowing from

the land caused when heated air
over water rises and air from the
land moves to replace the rising air

micro-organisms

(1) the angle

of incidence equals the angle of
reflection; and (2) the incident ray,
normal, and reflected ray all lie on
the same plane

mitochondria (singular is

laws of reflection

422

Glossary

mitochondrion) circular or rodshaped organelles that provide the

cells with energy through a process
called cell respiration

a large ridge of gravel,

sand, and boulders that was pushed
aside by a glacier or dragged to the
end of a glacier

moraine

a nerve cell that

carries signals from the brain or the
spinal cord to the muscles

motor neuron

a slippery substance that

coats the cells lining cavities open
to the air
mucus

a refractive vision
problem; the eye can see nearby
things clearly but cannot clearly
focus on distant objects;
nearsightedness
myopia

N
the tendency
of an object to sink in a fluid
because the object weighs more
than the fluid it displaces
negative buoyancy

a small tubule in the

kidneys that filters waste from the
blood and excretes it in urine

nephron

neuron a nerve cell with a direct

connection to other cells due to
thin projections of its cytoplasm;
allows cells to function as a network

the tendency
of an object to remain at a constant
level in a fluid because the object
weighs the same as the fluid it
displaces

neutral buoyancy

nonluminous not emitting

(giving off) its own light; reflects
light from other sources

the line drawn from the

point of incidence perpendicular
(at 90) to an optical device such as
a mirror or lens
normal

normal vision an indicator of

what can normally be seen clearly
at a distance of 6 m; referred to as
6/6 in SI

NEL

a cell structure in plant

and animal cells that acts as the
control centre and directs all of the
cells activities

nucleus

O
opaque [OH-pake]

describes a
material that does not allow any
light to be transmitted; all of the
light energy is either absorbed or
reflected
optic nerve the nerve that
transmits signals from the retina of
the eye to the brain for
interpretation

a device that
produces an image of an object

optical device

a structure composed of
one or more different types of
tissues; specialized to carry out a
specific function

organ

a group of organs
that have related functions

organ system

a tiny structure within

the cytoplasm of a cell; specialized
to carry out a function

organelle

organism

an individual living

thing
osmosis the diffusion of water
through a selectively permeable
membrane from an area of high
water concentration to an area of
low water concentration

P
the unit of measure
for pressure; equivalent to one
newton per square metre (N/m2)

pascal (Pa)

a micro-organism,
such as bacteria, that causes disease
by interfering directly with cells or
tissues, or by producing toxins that
can affect the normal functioning
of the body

pathogen

the lighter part of a

shadow; observed when shadows
are formed by a large light source
or by more than one light source
penumbra

NEL

percolation the process by which

gravity causes water to sink into the
ground, dissolving salts and
minerals as it moves through the
spaces between the soil particles

the process of
emitting light for some time after
receiving energy from another
source
phosphorescence

a cylinder or disk inside a

larger cylinder that moves under
fluid pressure

piston

a regular, flat
mirror that produces an image by
specular reflection

plane mirror

pneumatic system [nu-MAT-ik]

a confined, pressurized system that

uses moving air or other gases, such
as carbon dioxide
where the
incident ray hits the reflecting or
refracting surface
point of incidence

the tendency
of an object to float or rise in a
fluid because the object weighs less
than the fluid it displaces

positive buoyancy

water that has

gathered in the clouds and falls to
Earth as rain, hail, sleet, or snow

precipitation

a cell in which
the nucleus is not surrounded by a
membrane

prokaryotic cell

a unicellular organism
that is neither plant nor animal; is a
eukaryotic cell with a nucleus and
organelles

protist

pseudopod [SU-doh-pod]

a false
foot or a projection of cytoplasm
that amoebae use to move or feed
the window through
which light enters the lens of the eye

pupil

pus a creamy white substance

made of strands of protein and cell
fragments that remain after
invaders have been attacked by
white blood cells

R
the time required
to react to a signal
reaction time

an image that can be

placed on a screen

real image

a ray of light that

bounces off a reflecting surface

reflected ray

refracted ray a ray of light that

has changed direction as it passes
through a transparent substance

the bending of light as

it travels from one material into
another

refraction

the inability to focus

on either near or far objects; often
occurs as part of the aging process

refractive vision problem

pressure

the amount of force

per unit of area; measured in
newtons (N)

involves the inability of the eye to

properly focus an image on the
retina

primary light colours

the three
colours of light (red, blue, and
green) that human cones can detect

respiration the process by which

animals take in oxygen and release
carbon dioxide

a line through the

centre of a mirror or lens that
passes through the principal focus

retina

presbyopia

principal axis

principal focus the position

where reflected parallel rays come
together

a measure of how
well organisms reproduce

productivity

a light-sensitive layer on
the inside of the eye, where the
image is produced; has two types of
light-sensitive cellsrods and cones
ribosome a very small organelle
that uses information from the
nucleus and molecules from the
cytoplasm to produce proteins
Glossary

423

a light receptor cell that is

sensitive to the level of light; can
detect dim light and allow us to see
during the night and in darkened
conditions

rod

S
salinity refers to the average
concentration of salt in a solution
sanitary sewage waste water
from sinks, toilets, and baths in
homes and businesses

a tough, white outer layer

surrounding the eyeball; has six
muscles attached to it, which allow
the eye to look up and down and
from side to side

sclera

self-contained underwater
breathing apparatus

scuba

wind blowing from

the sea; caused when heated air
over the land rises and air moves in
from over the ocean

sea breeze

seamount

an underwater

volcano
secondary light colour colour
formed when any two primary light
colours are combined

materials such as
gravel, sand, silt, and mud that are
carried and deposited by wind,
water, or ice
sediment

referring
to a membrane that allows certain
substances to enter or leave

selectively permeable

a nerve cell that

carries messages from the sensory
organs to the brain or spinal cord

sensory neuron

shadow an area where light has

been blocked by a solid object

larger solid particles in

sewage that settle to the bottom of
settling tanks

sludge

a device that converts

solar energy into electrical energy
solar cell

424

Glossary

solar panel a collection of solar

cells designed to increase the
output of electricity

the process of
changing a substance from a liquid
to a solid
solidification

specific heat capacity a measure

of a substances capacity to keep its
heat

the reflection
of light off a smooth, shiny surface

specular reflection

sphygmomanometer [SFIG-mo-

ma-NOM-i-ter] an instrument
that is used to measure blood
pressure
rainwater and
melted snow that run off streets
and the surface of the land

stormwater

streamlined shaped to create

laminar flow, has less air or water
resistance (drag)

a groove or scratch on
the surface of rock; caused when
boulders and gravel at the bottom
of a glacier are dragged along the
rocks surface
striation

sublimation the process of

changing water directly from a gas
to a solid or from a solid to a gas

the increased
attraction among the particles at
the surface of a liquid

surface tension

T
the rise of the water
level in an ocean in response to the
gravitational pull of the Sun and
Moon and the rotation of Earth
tidal bulge

the difference
between the water levels at high tide
and low tide

tidal range

tide the rising and falling of the

water level in an ocean caused by
the gravitational pull of the Sun
and Moon and the rotation of
Earth

tissue a group of cells that are

similar in shape and function
trachea [TRAY-key-ah]

a rigid
tube that provides passage of air
from the mouth and nose to the
lungs

translucent describes a material

that transmits light, but also reflects
some, so that a clear image cannot
be seen through the material

a measure of how
much light can pass through a
material

transparency

describes a material
that transmits light easily; a clear
image can be seen through the
material

transparent

formed where two oceanic

tectonic plates converge; runs
parallel to a coast
trench

the lowest point on a

wave; on a graph it is the furthest
point below the x-axis

trough

tsunami [tsu-NAH-mee]

a large,
often devastating wave caused by
earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or
giant underwater landslides

fluid flow
characterized by irregular patterns
when water is unable to flow in
straight lines
turbulent flow

the pressure
created inside a plant cell when
water molecules enter the cell by
osmosis; the water fills the vacuoles
and cytoplasm, causing them to
swell up and push against the cell
wall

turgor pressure

U
the dark part of a shadow;
no light from the source reaches
this area

umbra

urine water containing waste that

has been filtered from the blood in
the kidneys; urine is collected in the
bladder and excreted
NEL

V
a fluid-filled space in
plant and animal cells that is used
to store water and nutrients; also
used to store waste and move waste
and excess water out of the cell

vacuole

vein a blood vessel that returns

blood to the heart

the resistance of a fluid

to flowing and movement

the distance between

two adjacent crests or two adjacent
troughs of a wave

viscosity

wavelength

the part of the

electromagnetic spectrum
representing visible light; the band
of colours visible in the rainbow

weather the daily atmospheric

conditions, such as temperature,
precipitation, and humidity

visible spectrum

weathering

ventricle

volcanic island an island formed

as lava from a volcano builds up
over time
volume

finger-like projections found

on the cells that line the small
intestine

a measurement of the
amount of space occupied by
matter; measured in cubic metres
(m3), cubic centimetres (cm3), litres
(L), or millilitres (mL)

a measurement of the
force of gravity pulling on an
object; varies depending on where
the object is in the universe;
measured in newtons (N)

an image that
cannot be placed on a screen; can
only be seen by looking at or
through an optical device

wet mount

virus a small strand of genetic

information covered by a protein
coat; invades a living cell and uses it
to make more viruses

water table the upper level of

the water in the saturated zone

a larger, more muscular

chamber of the heart that pumps
blood around the body

villi

virtual image

an instrument that
measures viscosity

viscometer

NEL

the movement of
water as it changes state over, on,
and in Earth
water cycle

the breakdown of
rocks by physical, chemical, or
biological processes
weight

a specimen placed in
a drop of water on a microscope
slide and then covered with a cover
slip

an area surrounded
by high-elevation land, in which all
water runs to a common
destination

watershed

Glossary

425