[noun - seismology & plate tectonics] 1. The sudden motion or slip along a fault. 2. The ground shaking that results from the release of seismic energy either by (1) or by other means, such as the movement of magma beneath the surface of the Earth.

• Appears in modules:

• Earth Structure
• Plates, Plate Boundaries, and Driving Forces
• States of Matter
• Statistics in Science
• The Phosphorus Cycle
• The Process of Science
• The Rock Cycle
• Theories, Hypotheses, and Laws
• Using Graphs and Visual Data in Science
• Wave Mathematics
• Waves and Wave Motion

[noun] A metamorphic rock that forms from mafic rocks (like basalt and gabbro) under extremely high pressure. The main minerals present are garnet and a green pyroxene, giving the rock a characteristic, mottled red and green appearance. The most common environment where ecolgites form is deep in subduction zones, where subducted oceanic crust is put under very high pressures.

• Appears in modules:

• The Rock Cycle

[noun] The complex of a community of organisms and its environment, functioning as a unit.

• Appears in modules:

• Biodiversity I
• Craig Lee
• Kevin Arrigo
• Mario Molina
• The How and Why of Scientific Meetings
• The Nitrogen Cycle
• The Phosphorus Cycle

[verb - anatomy & physiology, toxicology & pharmacology, atoms & subatomic particles, matter, atoms & subatomic particles, matter] The escape of a gas through a hole.

• Appears in modules:

• Diffusion I

[person - atoms & subatomic particles, forces, light & optics, matter, scientific concepts, modern physics] Theoretical physicist, born in Württemberg, Germany (1879–1955), who became an American citizen in 1940. While working as a patent clerk in Zurich, he developed theories on the photoelectric effect and relativity, for which he won a Nobel Prize in physics in 1921. He was also associated with the Manhattan Project, which resulted in the development of the atomic bomb. In 1999, Time magazine named Einstein "Person of the Century."

• Appears in modules:

• Atomic Theory II
• Atomic Theory III
• Diffusion I
• Experimentation in Scientific Research
• France Anne-Dominic Córdova
• Gravity
• Light and Electromagnetism
• Light I
• Scientific Institutions and Societies
• States of Matter
• The Nature of Scientific Knowledge
• Theories, Hypotheses, and Laws

[noun - oceanography, weather & climate, weather & climate] A 2- to 7-year climatic cycle in the Tropical Pacific. In El Niño years, the trade winds die down, leading to a build-up of unusually warm water in the eastern Pacific Ocean, which results in increased rainfall in the southern United States and Peru and drought in Southeast Asia and Australia.

• Appears in modules:

• Factors that Control Regional Climate
• Scientific Controversy
• The Hydrologic Cycle

[noun - energy, physical & chemical properties, energy, thermodynamics] A fundamental property used to explain attraction and repulsion between certain particles. Two types of charge exist: negative charge, which is generally conveyed as an excess of electrons, and positive charge, which is generally conveyed as a lack of electrons and excess of protons. The interaction of opposite charges produces an attractive electrical force, and the interaction of like charges produces a repulsive electrical force.

• Appears in modules:

• Atomic Theory II
• Chemical Bonding
• Membranes I

[noun] A fundamental force produced by the interaction of electrical charges. Sometimes called the ‘electromagnetic’ force, electrical force is several billion times stronger than gravitational force.

• Appears in modules:

• Atomic Theory I
• Light and Electromagnetism

[physical & chemical properties] the separation of water by an electrical spark. For example, water can be decomposed by passing an electric spark through it to produce oxygen and hydrogen gas.

[noun - biomolecules, nutrition] A substance that dissociates into 2 or more oppositely charged ions in water. Electrolytic solutions conduct electricity because the charged ions can carry electrons in water.

[noun - energy, electromagnetism, energy] A series of waves that are propagated by simultaneous, periodic variations of electrical and magnetic fields. Examples of electromagnetic radiation include radio waves, light, X-rays, gamma rays, and others.

• Appears in modules:

• Atomic Theory III
• Energy
• Light and Electromagnetism

[noun - atoms & subatomic particles, atoms & subatomic particles] A subatomic particle with a negative charge of 1.60 × 10^-19 coulombs and a mass of 9.11 × 10^-31 kg. Electrons are generally found around the nucleus of an atom, but may be gained or lost during ion formation. Compare to neutron and proton.

• Appears in modules:

• Atomic Theory I
• Atomic Theory II
• Atomic Theory III
• Atomic Theory IV
• Carbon Chemistry
• Chemical Bonding
• Chemical Reactions
• DNA III
• Energy
• Energy Metabolism I
• Franklin Chang Díaz
• History of Earth's Atmosphere I
• Luis Walter Alvarez
• Membranes II
• Modeling in Scientific Research
• Nuclear Chemistry
• Photosynthesis I
• Properties of Liquids
• Properties of Solids
• States of Matter
• The Mole and Atomic Mass
• The Nature of Scientific Knowledge
• The Periodic Table of Elements
• The Practice of Science
• The Process of Science
• The Silicate Minerals

[noun - atoms & subatomic particles, atoms & subatomic particles, modern physics] Three dimensional areas of space, defined by acceptable solutions to the Schrödinger equation, which determine the likely location of any given electron within an atom.

• Appears in modules:

• Atomic Theory II
• Atomic Theory IV

[noun - atoms & subatomic particles] The orbitals around the nucleus of an atom where electrons reside. Also called electron orbitals and energy levels.

• Appears in modules:

• The Periodic Table of Elements

[noun - atoms & subatomic particles, energy] A relative measure of the affinity (or attraction) that atoms of an element have for electrons. The higher the electronegativity of an atom, the stronger will be its affinity for electrons. The type of bond formed between two atoms (ionic or covalent) can be predicted by the difference in electronegativities of the two bonding atoms.

• Appears in modules:

• Chemical Bonding
• Properties of Liquids

[noun - elements] One of fewer than 118 pure chemical substances. An element is a substance composed of atoms with identical atomic number.

• Appears in modules:

• Absorption, Distribution, and Storage of Chemicals
• Animal Behavior
• Atomic Theory I
• Atomic Theory II
• Atomic Theory III
• Atomic Theory IV
• Carbon Chemistry
• Chemical Bonding
• Chemical Equations
• Chemical Reactions
• Confidence Intervals
• Density
• Discovery and Structure of Cells
• DNA I
• DNA II
• Early Ideas about Matter
• Energy
• Factors that Control Earth's Temperature
• Franklin Chang Díaz
• History of Earth's Atmosphere I
• History of Earth's Atmosphere II
• Kevin Arrigo
• Luis Walter Alvarez
• Modeling in Scientific Research
• Nuclear Chemistry
• Properties of Minerals
• Properties of Solids
• Scientific Ethics
• Scientific Notation and Order of Magnitude
• States of Matter
• The Carbon Cycle
• The Mole and Atomic Mass
• The Nitrogen Cycle
• The Periodic Table of Elements
• The Phosphorus Cycle
• The Silicate Minerals
• Theories, Hypotheses, and Laws
• Uncertainty, Error, and Confidence
• Using Graphs and Visual Data in Science

[verb - energy] To give off or send forth, as in light, particles, or radiation.

• Appears in modules:

• Atomic Theory II
• Comparison in Scientific Research
• Factors that Control Earth's Temperature
• Factors that Control Regional Climate
• History of Earth's Atmosphere I
• Light and Electromagnetism
• Nuclear Chemistry

[person] Greek philosopher born in Acragas (490-430 BCE). He is credited (by Aristotle) with inventing rhetoric, and by the philosopher Galen with founding the science of medicine. Empedocles is remembered for his belief that all matter was composed of four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. He also proved experimentally that air was a substance, rather than empty space, and deduced that light travels at a finite velocity.

• Appears in modules:

• Early Ideas about Matter
• Experimentation in Scientific Research

[noun - matter, physical & chemical properties] A well-dispersed mixture of two or more liquids that do not normally mix. Mayonnaise is an example of an emulsion.

• Appears in modules:

• Properties of Liquids
• Ruth Benerito

[noun - biodiversity & ecological relationships, bioregions, biomes & ecosystems, organisms] (Shorthand for the United States' "Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants") An official list of species that are at risk of going extinct. The US Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration maintain the list and develop plans to help listed species recover by protecting them and their habitat.

Species fall in different categories depending on the urgency of their situation. A species that is officially endangered is on the brink of extinction. A threatened species is likely to be on the brink of extinction in the near future. A candidate species is one that has been studied and is being considered for listing.

Other countries and international bodies have similar designations. CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) has been signed by 175 countries to date. This cooperative agreement regulates trade of endangered plants and animals (and products made from them) in an effort to protect those species globally.

[adjective - evolution & adaptation, organisms, taxonomy & systematics, biodiversity & ecological relationships, organisms] Natural or native to a particular location or region (usually referring to a species of plant or animal). For example, the Christmas Island red crab is endemic to Christmas Island and the Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean.

[noun - cells] The uptake by a cell of material from its environment by a process in which the cell surrounds the material and engulfs it with a vesicle formed by its plasma membrane.

• Appears in modules:

• Absorption, Distribution, and Storage of Chemicals

[noun - anatomy & physiology, cells] A network of membrane-bound organelles that exchange materials and function cooperatively. Components include the nuclear envelope, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosome, vacuoles, and the plasma membrane.

• Appears in modules:

• Cellular Organelles I

[noun - anatomy & physiology, cells, evolution & adaptation] A symbiosis where one organism lives entirely within another.

• Appears in modules:

• Cellular Organelles I

[adjective - energy, energy, thermodynamics] A process or reaction that absorbs heat. For example, ice melting is an example of an endothermic process because it absorbs heat from its surroundings.

[noun - energy, energy, thermodynamics] An abstract property defined as the capacity to do work. The basic forms of energy include chemical, electrical, mechanical, nuclear, and radiant (light).

• Appears in modules:

• Absorption, Distribution, and Storage of Chemicals
• Adaptation
• Animal Behavior
• Atomic Theory II
• Atomic Theory III
• Atomic Theory IV
• Carbohydrates
• Cellular Organelles I
• Chemical Bonding
• Chemical Equations
• Chemical Reactions
• Composition of Earth's Atmosphere
• Data Analysis and Interpretation
• Diffusion I
• Discovery and Structure of Cells
• DNA III
• Earth Structure
• Energy
• Energy Metabolism I
• Factors that Control Earth's Temperature
• Factors that Control Regional Climate
• Fats and Proteins
• France Anne-Dominic Córdova
• Franklin Chang Díaz
• History of Earth's Atmosphere I
• History of Earth's Atmosphere II
• Kevin Arrigo
• Kinetic-Molecular Theory
• Light and Electromagnetism
• Luis Walter Alvarez
• Mario Molina
• Membranes II
• Modeling in Scientific Research
• Nuclear Chemistry
• Photosynthesis I
• Plates, Plate Boundaries, and Driving Forces
• Properties of Liquids
• Properties of Solids
• Scientific Controversy
• Scientific Ethics
• Scientific Institutions and Societies
• States of Matter
• Temperature
• The Carbon Cycle
• The How and Why of Scientific Meetings
• The Hydrologic Cycle
• The Nature of Scientific Knowledge
• The Nitrogen Cycle
• The Phosphorus Cycle
• Thermodynamics I
• Using Graphs and Visual Data in Science

[acronym - computers & programming] Short for Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer; the first general-purpose electronic computer. It was the first high-speed, digital computer capable of being reprogrammed to solve a broad range of computing problems.

• Appears in modules:

• Modeling in Scientific Research

[acronym - oceanography, weather & climate, weather & climate] El Niño-Southern Oscillation and usually abbreviated to "El Niño."

[noun - energy, energy, thermodynamics] Depending on context, refers to either: 1) the measure of unusable energy within a closed system during energy conversion, or 2) the measure of disorder or randomness in a system.

• Appears in modules:

• The Nature of Scientific Knowledge
• Thermodynamics I

[noun - evolution & adaptation, organisms] The conditions that surround and affect an organism.

• Appears in modules:

• Acids and Bases I
• Adaptation
• Animal Behavior
• Carlos J. Finlay
• Cell Division I
• Cellular Organelles I
• Charles Darwin I
• Charles Darwin II
• Charles Darwin III
• Craig Lee
• Creativity in Science
• Description in Scientific Research
• Diffusion I
• Discovery and Structure of Cells
• Ellen Ochoa
• Energy
• Energy Metabolism I
• Fabiola León-Velarde
• Franklin Chang Díaz
• Future of Human Evolution
• History of Earth's Atmosphere II
• Kevin Arrigo
• Luis E. Miramontes
• Mario Molina
• Membranes II
• Origins of Life I
• Origins of Life II
• Peer Review in Scientific Publishing
• Population Genetics
• Scientific Controversy
• Solutions, Solubility, and Colligative Properties
• Taxonomy I
• The Nitrogen Cycle
• The Phosphorus Cycle
• Theories, Hypotheses, and Laws
• Uncertainty, Error, and Confidence

[organization] An independent federal agency of the United States government established to coordinate programs to reduce pollution and protect the environment.

• Appears in modules:

• The Nitrogen Cycle

[noun - biomolecules, nutrition, chemical reactions, compounds] Molecules produced by living organisms that help catalyze biochemical reactions. Enzymes are predominantly protein or protein-based molecules and are highly specific in their mechanism of action as well as the reactants that they work upon (called substrates).

• Appears in modules:

• Bernardo Houssay
• Carbohydrates
• Cell Division I
• Cell Division II
• César Milstein
• David Ho
• Discovery and Structure of Cells
• DNA I
• DNA III
• Energy
• Energy Metabolism I
• Fats and Proteins
• Gene Expression
• Membranes II
• Percy Lavon Julian
• Photosynthesis I
• Y-Chromsome and Mitochondrial DNA Haplotypes

[acronym] Environmental Protection Agency

[noun - toxicology & pharmacology] The scientific study of epidemics and epidemic diseases, especially the patterns, causes, and control of diseases in human populations.

• Appears in modules:

• Comparison in Scientific Research
• Exponential Equations in Science II
• Fabiola León-Velarde
• Statistics in Science

[noun - research methods, scientific concepts] (from the Greek episteme, "knowledge", and logos, "theory") The study of the nature of knowledge; a branch of philosophy investigating the origin, nature, methods, and limits of human knowledge.

[noun] A state of balance between opposing forces; a state of balance in which opposing forces cancel one another. A state in which the properties of a system, such as energy, force, heat, or concentrations of matter, remain constant. A chemical equilibrium, for example, is the state in which the rate of the forward reaction is the same as that of the reverse reaction. Though matter is moving within the system, the concentrations of reactants and products do not change.

• Appears in modules:

• Acids and Bases II
• David Ho
• Diffusion I
• Meselson and Stahl
• Population Genetics
• Theories, Hypotheses, and Laws
• Thermodynamics I
• Uncertainty, Error, and Confidence
• Waves and Wave Motion

[person - geometry] (276-194 BCE) Greek scientist, mathematician, poet, and chief librarian at the Library of Alexandria. He is most famous for calculating the Earth’s circumference. This work began when Eratosthenes read from a papyrus scroll that in Syene (now called Aswan), a frontier town along the Upper Nile River, an object sticking up from the ground cast no shadow at noon on the longest day of the year. At that same time, the Sun’s rays shone directly down into a deep well, rather than hitting any side of the well. This meant that the sun was directly overhead, something that never happened in Alexandria. Eratosthenes hired someone to measure the precise distance to Syene. They found that it was roughly 800 km away. Using measurements of shadows of poles of standardized lengths at the two locations, Eratosthenes was able not only to prove that the Earth was a sphere, but also that the two cities differed by approximately 7.2 degrees of an arc, or 1/50th of a circle. Based on that, he calculated the Earth’s circumference to be 50 x 800 = 40,000 km, which is just about what we know it to be today (40,075 km)!

• Appears in modules:

• The Nature of Scientific Knowledge

[noun - landforms & geologic formations, rock cycle, human impacts on the environment] The action or process of eroding: wearing away by the action of water, wind, glacial ice, etc.

• Appears in modules:

• The Carbon Cycle
• The Phosphorus Cycle
• The Rock Cycle
• Theories, Hypotheses, and Laws

[noun - statistics, data] In statistics, estimation is the process by which population parameters are estimated based on subsample statistics. Scientists typically use two different types of estimates: point estimates and interval estimates. Point estimates use the value as a subsample statistic as a direct estimate for a population parameter. Interval estimates use subsample statistics to derive a range of values in which a population parameter is thought to lie. Interval estimates are particularly useful in that they reflect the uncertainty related to the estimation.

• Appears in modules:

• Animal Behavior
• Confidence Intervals
• Introduction to Inferential Statistics

[noun - evolution & adaptation, genetics & inheritance, ethics] A social philosophy that advocates for the control of heritable characteristics in humans through various forms of intervention including selective breeding, sterilization, and others.

[noun - cells] A single- or multi-cellular organism whose cells contain a distinct nucleus that encloses the organism's genetic material.

• Appears in modules:

• Cell Division I
• Cell Division II
• Cellular Organelles I
• Discovery and Structure of Cells
• Y-Chromsome and Mitochondrial DNA Haplotypes

[adjective - anatomy & physiology, cells] Of cells with a nucleus and other organelles that are surrounded by lipid membranes

• Appears in modules:

• Cell Division I
• Cell Division II
• Cellular Organelles I
• Discovery and Structure of Cells
• DNA I
• Energy Metabolism II
• Y-Chromsome and Mitochondrial DNA Haplotypes

[adjective - hydrology & fresh water, oceanography, biodiversity & ecological relationships, bioregions, biomes & ecosystems, human impacts on the environment, nutrient cycles] A water body where the nutrient content (particularly phosphorus) is so high that quickly reproducing plants, like algae, form a thick mat on the surface of the water. This mat prevents sunlight from penetrating the water, which in turn prevents other aquatic plants from photosynthesizing. Over time, the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water decreases and aquatic animals suffocate. A eutrophic water body is one where this process has been underway for some time.

[noun - hydrology & fresh water, oceanography, biodiversity & ecological relationships, bioregions, biomes & ecosystems, human impacts on the environment, nutrient cycles] A process of excessive plant growth in a water body (usually phytoplankton) in response to an influx of nutrients. The excessive growth prevents sunlight from reaching other plants below the water’s surface, which in turn prevents those plants from photosynthesizing. This change reduces the amount of dissolved oxygen available to the organisms living in the water body, causing suffocation.

While the increase in nutrients that causes eutrophication can occur as a result of natural phenomena (e.g., a mudslide or atmospheric deposition), excess nutrients typically come from human practices like farming (fertilizer runoff). Phosphorus and nitrogen are the main nutrients involved in eutrophication of water bodies.

• Appears in modules:

• The Nitrogen Cycle
• The Phosphorus Cycle

[noun - data, research methods] Support for an idea, opinion, or hypothesis.

• Appears in modules:

• Atomic Theory I
• Atomic Theory II
• Atomic Theory III
• Atomic Theory IV
• Barbara McClintock
• Carlos J. Finlay
• Cellular Organelles I
• Charles Darwin I
• Charles Darwin III
• Chemical Bonding
• Comparison in Scientific Research
• Composition of Earth's Atmosphere
• Craig Lee
• Creativity in Science
• Data Analysis and Interpretation
• Defining Minerals
• Discovery and Structure of Cells
• DNA I
• DNA II
• DNA III
• Energy Metabolism II
• Experimentation in Scientific Research
• Fabiola León-Velarde
• Future of Human Evolution
• History of Earth's Atmosphere II
• Introduction to Paleoanthropology
• Light I
• Luis Walter Alvarez
• Mario Molina
• Membranes I
• Mendel and Inheritance
• Meselson and Stahl
• Origins of Plate Tectonic Theory
• Peer Review in Scientific Publishing
• Scientific Controversy
• Scientific Ethics
• Scientific Institutions and Societies
• Scientists and the Scientific Community
• Sergio Avila
• Statistics in Science
• The Case of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker
• The Mole and Atomic Mass
• The Nature of Scientific Knowledge
• The Nitrogen Cycle
• The Phosphorus Cycle
• The Piltdown Hoax
• The Practice of Science
• The Process of Science
• Theories, Hypotheses, and Laws
• Thermodynamics I
• Utilizing the Scientific Literature
• Water

[noun - evolution & adaptation, scientific concepts] Change in the gene pool of a population from generation to generation by such processes as mutation, natural selection, and genetic drift.

• Appears in modules:

• Adaptation
• Animal Behavior
• Atomic Theory II
• Barbara McClintock
• Cellular Organelles I
• Charles Darwin I
• Charles Darwin II
• Charles Darwin III
• David Ho
• Discovery and Structure of Cells
• History of Earth's Atmosphere I
• History of Earth's Atmosphere II
• Introduction to Paleoanthropology
• Membranes I
• Mendel and Independent Assortment
• Mendel and Inheritance
• Modeling in Scientific Research
• Peer Review in Scientific Publishing
• Scientific Notation and Order of Magnitude
• Taxonomy I
• Taxonomy II
• The Piltdown Hoax
• Theories, Hypotheses, and Laws
• Utilizing the Scientific Literature
• Y-Chromsome and Mitochondrial DNA Haplotypes

[adjective - cells] A description of cells that are very sensitive to changes in voltage and the movement of ions.

• Appears in modules:

• Membranes II

[noun - atoms & subatomic particles, chemical reactions, elements] An energy state for an atom in which electrons exist above the minimum or ground state configuration. In general, excited states are unstable and will quickly relax back to ground state through the emission of a quantum of energy.

• Appears in modules:

• Atomic Theory II
• Atomic Theory IV

[adjective - energy, energy, thermodynamics] A process or reaction that releases heat. Wood burning in the presence of oxygen is an example of an exothermic reaction.

[noun - research methods] A test or trial carried out under controlled conditions so that specific actions can be performed and the results can be observed.

• Appears in modules:

• Acids and Bases II
• Animal Behavior
• Atomic Theory I
• Atomic Theory II
• Atomic Theory III
• Barbara McClintock
• Blood Biology I
• Carlos J. Finlay
• Cell Division I
• Cell Division II
• César Milstein
• Comparison in Scientific Research
• Composition of Earth's Atmosphere
• Confidence Intervals
• Creativity in Science
• Data Analysis and Interpretation
• Defining Minerals
• Description in Scientific Research
• Diffusion I
• Discovery and Structure of Cells
• DNA I
• DNA III
• Early Ideas about Matter
• Ellen Ochoa
• Energy
• Energy Metabolism II
• Experimentation in Scientific Research
• Fabiola León-Velarde
• Factors that Control Earth's Temperature
• Factors that Control Regional Climate
• Franklin Chang Díaz
• Gene Expression
• Gravity
• History of Earth's Atmosphere I
• Introduction to Descriptive Statistics
• Introduction to Inferential Statistics
• Kevin Arrigo
• Kinetic-Molecular Theory
• Light and Electromagnetism
• Light I
• Lipids
• Luis E. Miramontes
• Luis Walter Alvarez
• Mario Molina
• Membranes I
• Mendel and Independent Assortment
• Mendel and Inheritance
• Meselson and Stahl
• Modeling in Scientific Research
• Nuclear Chemistry
• Origins of Life I
• Origins of Life II
• Peer Review in Scientific Publishing
• Photosynthesis I
• Properties of Liquids
• Properties of Solids
• Santiago Ramón y Cajal and Camillo Golgi
• Scientific Ethics
• Scientific Institutions and Societies
• Scientists and the Scientific Community
• Solutions, Solubility, and Colligative Properties
• Statistics in Science
• The How and Why of Scientific Meetings
• The Mole and Atomic Mass
• The Nature of Scientific Knowledge
• The Phosphorus Cycle
• The Piltdown Hoax
• The Practice of Science
• The Process of Science
• The Scientific Method
• Thermodynamics I
• Utilizing the Scientific Literature
• Water
• Waves and Wave Motion
• Y-Chromsome and Mitochondrial DNA Haplotypes

[noun - equations] A number or expression written superscript to another number or expression, called the base, and indicating the power to which the base number is to be raised. For example, b^x, where b is the base number and x is the exponent. Positive integer exponents indicate the number of times a number or expression is used as a factor of repeated multiplication.

• Appears in modules:

• Acids and Bases I
• Exponential Equations in Science I
• Exponential Equations in Science II
• Linear Equations in Science
• Scientific Notation and Order of Magnitude
• The Metric System

[noun - equations] A decrease in which the rate of growth of a value is proportionate to the previous decrease in value. The change that occurs when an each previous amount is decreased by multiplying by a consistent rate.

• Appears in modules:

• Exponential Equations in Science II

[noun - equations] An increase in which the rate of growth of a value is proportionate to the previous increase in value. The change that occurs when an each previous amount is increased by multiplying by a consistent rate.

• Appears in modules:

• Exponential Equations in Science I
• Exponential Equations in Science II

[noun - matter, physical & chemical properties] A property of matter that is dependent on the amount of material present. Common extensive properties include mass, volume, length, and charge.

[noun - evolution & adaptation, taxonomy & systematics, biodiversity & ecological relationships, human impacts on the environment, organisms] The complete and permanent loss of all individuals of a species of organism.

• Appears in modules:

• Cellular Organelles I
• Charles Darwin I
• Charles Darwin III
• Introduction to Paleoanthropology
• Luis Walter Alvarez
• Origins of Life I
• Origins of Plate Tectonic Theory
• Plates, Plate Boundaries, and Driving Forces
• Sergio Avila
• The Piltdown Hoax
• Theories, Hypotheses, and Laws
• Understanding Scientific Journals and Articles
• Utilizing the Scientific Literature
• Y-Chromsome and Mitochondrial DNA Haplotypes

[verb] [mathematics] Using trends or patterns identified within a data set to estimate the value of variables outside the range of the original data.

[general science] To make an estimate, form a hypothesis, or draw a conclusion about an unknown situation by applying trends seen or evidence discovered in a similar situation. For example, if scientists document that a certain species' population has declined in one area because of a rise in temperature, they may be able to extrapolate (or make a prediction) about how the species will respond to a rise in temperature in another location.

• Appears in modules:

• Sergio Avila

[noun - biodiversity & ecological relationships, bioregions, biomes & ecosystems, human impacts on the environment, research methods] An approach to scientific research that is outside what is considered average, normal practice. This research approach includes projects like the Experimental Lakes Area, where researchers intentionally polluted a very large pristine lake to measure the effects of excess nutrients. In another example of extreme science, in 2013 a group of medical professionals accompanied 12 children (aged 8 to 16) from the United Kingdom on a climb of Mount Everest. The purpose of this trip was to research the effects of high altitude (low oxygen) on children and provide information on how human muscle responds to oxygen-deprivation.

[noun - rock cycle, seismology & plate tectonics] A process by which viscous magma is emitted from below the surface of the Earth to cool on the surface.

• Appears in modules:

• Origins of Plate Tectonic Theory