Word Wall Vocabulary
8th Grade
 

analyze - summarizing data

area - the measure of an object’s surface

controlled variable - the part of the experiment that stays the same

dependent variable - the part of the experiment that changes because of the independent variable

gram - metric unit for mass

hypothesis - an educated guess

independent variable - the part of the experiment that is changed

inference - explanation based on prior knowledge and observation

law - accepted as fact - based on observation

length - width, height, thickness, or distance

liter - metric unit for liquid volume

mass - amount of matter in an object  

meniscus - the curvature of the surface of the water

meter - metric unit for length  

observation - using the five senses to examine an object

predict - what you think you will observe in the future

SI - the International System of Units

technology - any tools that meet human needs

theory - an accepted hypothesis - based on inference

volume- the amount of space an object takes up
 


chemical change - a reaction where different substances with different properties are formed

compound - a chemical combination of two or more different elements and cannot be taken apart physically

element - matter made up of only one kind of atom and cannot be broken down

metal - elements that are good conductors, malleable and ductile

metalloid - elements that have both metal and nonmetal properties

mixture - two or more substances that are not chemically combined and can be separated by physical means

nonmetal - elements that are poor conductors and brittle

physical change - the change in the form of a substance but not in its chemical composition
 


clay - the mineral soil particle less than 0.004 mm in diameter form soil that holds water so well that it can become heavy and waterlogged; can hold onto nutrients

deposition - process of sediments being laid down

erosionprocess by which wind, water, or gravity transport soil and sediment from one location to another

igneous rock – formed from cooled magma or lava

lava – molten rock at the surface of earth

magma – molten rock inside the earth

metamorphic rock – changed rock formed from heat and pressure inside the earth

mineral - naturally formed, inorganic solid with a crystalline structure

rock naturally occurring materials composed of a mineral mixture formed by sedimentary, igneous or metamorphic processes

rock cycle – continual process of new rock forming from old rock

sedimentary rock – soil, sand, and minerals are compacted and cemented together

sand - individual rock or mineral fragments from 0.0625-2.0 mm in diameter form lightweight, free-draining soils that cannot hold onto nutrients

silt - individual mineral particles that range in diameter from 0.004-0.0625 mm form soil that holds water and can be difficult to drain; can hold limited nutrients

soil - loose mixture of small mineral fragments, organic material, water, and air that can support the growth of vegetation

weatheringprocess by which rock materials are broken down by the action of physical or chemical processes

 


convection current
-
process of moving layers of rock by heating and cooling

convergent boundary - place where two plates collide

divergent boundary - place where two plates are moving away from each other

plate boundary - place where two plates meet

plate tectonics - theory that Earth’s crust and upper mantle are broken into pieces (lithosphere) called tectonic plates

seismic waves - earthquake waves used to measure the density of the Earth’s layers

transform boundary - place where two plates are moving horizontally past each other
 


astronomical unit -
a unit of measurement based on the average distance between Earth and the sun

eclipse - event in which the shadow of one celestial body falls on another

light year - distance light travels in one year - approximately 9.46 trillion km

orbit - when one celestial body revolves around another celestial body

phase - change in sunlit area of one celestial body as seen from another celestial body

revolution - one complete trip around the sun

rotation - the spin of a planet on its axis

satellite - a natural or artificial body that revolves around a planet