Science and Math Vocabulary — Free Vocabulary Review Games.

Variables are factors that can be manipulated (independent), measured (dependent), or held constant (controlled) in experiments.

Mean (average) = sum of all values / number of values, a fundamental measure of central tendency.

Photo (light) + synthesis (putting together): the process plants use to convert light energy into chemical energy.

Equations use the equals sign to show that the expressions on both sides have the same value.

Geo means earth: geology, geography, geothermal, geocentric all relate to Earth.

Catalysts lower the activation energy needed for reactions, increasing reaction rates without being used up.

Exponential growth doubles repeatedly (2, 4, 8, 16...), creating a curve that rises ever more steeply.

The second law of thermodynamics states that entropy (disorder) in isolated systems tends to increase over time.

In the expression 3x, the coefficient 3 is the number multiplying the variable x.

Mitosis divides one cell into two genetically identical copies, essential for growth and tissue repair.

Vectors (like velocity and force) have both size and direction, unlike scalars (like temperature) which have only magnitude.

Stoichiometry uses mole ratios from balanced equations to calculate amounts of substances in chemical reactions.

Asymptotes represent boundary behaviors of functions, where the curve gets infinitely close but never touches.

Allosteric regulation changes enzyme shape and activity when molecules bind at sites separate from where substrate binds.

Isotopes share the same number of protons (same element) but differ in neutron count, affecting atomic mass.

A hypothesis is a proposed explanation that generates testable predictions and can be supported or refuted by experimentation. It is not "a proven fact that cannot be disproven" because hypotheses are provisional and must survive rigorous testing before gaining broader acceptance. Students should remember that scientific claims progress from hypothesis to theory only after repeated, reproducible support from evidence.

Density is defined mathematically as \(\rho = \frac{m}{V}\), mass divided by volume, and determines whether an object floats or sinks in a fluid. "Weight divided by surface area" instead describes pressure, a related but distinct physical quantity. Students should keep density, pressure, and concentration terminology separate since they are frequently confused on exams.

The median is found by arranging data in order and selecting the middle value (or averaging the two middle values for an even count), which makes it resistant to outliers. "The most frequently occurring value" instead defines the mode, a different measure of central tendency. Students should remember that median, mode, and mean each summarize data differently and are not interchangeable.

The domain is the complete set of \(x\)-values for which the function is defined, such as excluding values that make a denominator zero. "The set of all output values" instead describes the range, the corresponding set of \(f(x)\) results. Students should always check for restrictions like division by zero or negative values under a square root when determining domain.

Perpendicular lines meet at a right angle, \(90^\circ\), and their slopes are negative reciprocals of one another. An angle of "\(180^\circ\)" instead describes lines that are collinear or form a straight line, not perpendicular ones. Students should recall that in coordinate geometry, if line A has slope \(m\), a perpendicular line has slope \(-\frac{1}{m}\).

Acids release hydrogen ions (\(H^+\)) in solution, increasing hydrogen ion concentration and lowering the pH below 7 on the standard scale. A pH "exactly 7" instead describes a neutral solution like pure water, not an acidic one. Students should remember that pH is a logarithmic scale, so each unit decrease represents a tenfold increase in \(H^+\) concentration.

Velocity is a vector quantity, meaning it specifies both how fast an object moves and the direction of that motion, whereas speed is only the magnitude. The claim that velocity "is always a larger numerical value" is false since speed and the magnitude of velocity are numerically equal. Students should carry forward the general distinction between scalar quantities like speed and vector quantities like velocity throughout physics.

By definition, a prime number greater than 1 has exactly two positive divisors, 1 and the number itself, such as 7 or 13. The statement that primes are "always an odd number" is false because 2 is prime and even, making it the only even prime. Students should remember this exception whenever a problem asks about properties of prime numbers.

An ion forms when an atom gains or loses electrons, creating an imbalance between protons and electrons and giving the particle a net positive or negative charge. The distractor "gained or lost protons, changing its element identity" is incorrect because changing proton number would create a different element entirely, not an ion. Students should remember that ionization involves electron transfer, while changing the proton count defines a different chemical element or a nuclear reaction.

The quotient is specifically the result obtained when one number, the dividend, is divided by another, the divisor, such as in \(\frac{12}{4} = 3\). "Multiplication" instead produces a result called the product, a completely different arithmetic term. Students should memorize the standard vocabulary set—sum, difference, product, and quotient—since these terms appear frequently in word problems.

Kinetic energy is calculated as \(KE = \frac{1}{2}mv^2\) and represents the energy an object has because it is moving. "Its position in a gravitational field" instead describes gravitational potential energy, a stored form of energy rather than motion-based energy. Students should keep kinetic and potential energy vocabulary distinct, since many physics problems test conversions between the two.

Homeostasis describes regulatory mechanisms, such as sweating or shivering, that keep internal conditions like temperature and pH within a narrow, stable range regardless of external fluctuations. "Convert light energy into chemical energy" instead describes photosynthesis, an unrelated biological process. Students should associate homeostasis with feedback loops, particularly negative feedback, which is the primary regulatory mechanism involved.

Osmosis is the passive diffusion of water specifically across a semipermeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration, equalizing concentration on both sides. The distractor describing movement "using ATP" instead characterizes active transport, which requires energy input, unlike osmosis which is passive. Students should distinguish osmosis, diffusion, and active transport since exam questions often test which process requires no energy input.

Molarity, denoted \(M\), is calculated as \(M = \frac{\text{mol solute}}{\text{L solution}}\) and is the standard unit chemists use to express solution concentration. "Grams of solute per gram of solvent" instead describes a mass-based concentration ratio, not molarity, which is based on moles and volume. Students should be careful to distinguish molarity from molality, which uses kilograms of solvent instead of liters of solution.

Genotype describes the specific combination of alleles an organism carries, such as \(Bb\), while phenotype refers to the physically expressed trait that results, such as brown eyes. The reversed distractor incorrectly swaps these definitions, describing phenotype's meaning under the genotype label. Students should remember that genotype is the underlying genetic code, while phenotype is what can actually be observed or measured.

Standard deviation quantifies the average spread of data points around the mean, calculated as the square root of the variance, and a low value indicates data clustered tightly near the mean. "The total range between maximum and minimum values" instead describes the range, a much simpler and less informative measure of spread. Students should recognize standard deviation as a more nuanced dispersion measure than range because it accounts for every data point, not just the extremes.

A logarithm is the inverse operation of exponentiation, so \(\log_b(x) = y\) means \(b^y = x\), directly answering what power \(b\) must be raised to in order to yield \(x\). "How many times does \(b\) divide evenly into \(x\)?" instead describes division or a factor count, not the exponential relationship that logarithms represent. Students should always translate logarithmic equations into their exponential form to check their understanding of what the log actually represents.

A quadratic equation has the general form \(ax^2 + bx + c = 0\), where the highest exponent on the variable is 2, producing a parabolic graph when plotted. An equation with a highest power of "1" instead describes a linear equation, which produces a straight-line graph rather than a curve. Students should remember that the degree of a polynomial, meaning its highest exponent, determines the general shape and naming convention of the equation.

A matrix is an organized rectangular grid of numbers, such as \(\begin{pmatrix}1 & 2\\3 & 4\end{pmatrix}\), used to represent systems of equations, transformations, and data sets compactly. "A single number representing magnitude only" instead describes a scalar, a fundamentally simpler mathematical object with no rows or columns. Students should recognize matrices as multidimensional tools distinct from scalars and vectors, each serving different computational purposes.

Probability is calculated as \(P(E) = \frac{\text{favorable outcomes}}{\text{total outcomes}}\), giving a value between 0 and 1 that reflects the likelihood of an event occurring. "The total number of possible outcomes only" ignores the favorable outcomes entirely and cannot by itself express likelihood. Students should remember that a probability of 0 means impossible and 1 means certain, with all values in between representing varying degrees of likelihood.

Combustion is an exothermic reaction in which a fuel rapidly combines with oxygen, producing heat, light, and typically carbon dioxide and water as products, as seen when wood burns. "Changes from a gas directly to a solid" instead describes deposition, a physical phase change unrelated to any chemical reaction. Students should remember that combustion is chemical in nature, altering molecular bonds, while phase changes are physical and involve no new substances forming.

A buffer solution contains a weak acid and its conjugate base (or a weak base and its conjugate acid) that can absorb added \(H^+\) or \(OH^-\) ions, keeping pH relatively stable. The claim that a buffer will "increase pH rapidly upon addition of any acid" contradicts the buffer's core purpose, which is to resist such rapid pH swings. Students should recognize buffers as essential in biological systems, such as blood, where maintaining stable pH is critical for normal function.

Refraction occurs because light changes speed when it crosses a boundary between media with different optical densities, such as air to water, causing the light ray to bend. "Bouncing of light off a smooth surface at an equal angle" instead describes reflection, governed by the law of reflection rather than a change in speed and medium. Students should remember that refraction is responsible for phenomena like a straw appearing bent in a glass of water.

Resistance, measured in ohms and related by \(V = IR\), quantifies how much a material opposes the flow of electric current, converting some electrical energy into heat. "Represents the rate of electron flow, measured in amperes" instead describes current, a distinct quantity in the same equation. Students should keep voltage, current, and resistance vocabulary separate, since Ohm's Law problems require correctly identifying which variable is being solved for.

Natural selection occurs when heritable traits that improve survival and reproductive success become more common in a population over generations, driven by differential survival rather than conscious choice. "Organisms actively choose which traits to pass on to offspring" misrepresents the mechanism, since natural selection is not a deliberate or intentional process. Students should remember that natural selection acts on existing variation within a population rather than creating new traits on demand.

ATP stores energy in its phosphate bonds and releases that energy when converted to ADP, powering processes such as muscle contraction and active transport. "The genetic material that stores hereditary information" instead describes DNA, a completely different molecule with a different structure and function. Students should remember that ATP is often called the cell's energy currency, distinct from structural or genetic molecules.

Congruent figures are identical in both size and shape, meaning all corresponding sides and angles are exactly equal, which can be shown through rigid transformations. "The same shape but not necessarily the same size" instead defines similar figures, which share proportional dimensions but can differ in overall scale. Students should remember that all congruent figures are similar, but not all similar figures are congruent.

A rational number can always be written as a fraction of two integers with a nonzero denominator, including terminating and repeating decimals such as \(0.75\) or \(0.\overline{3}\). "A non-terminating, non-repeating decimal" instead defines an irrational number, such as \(\pi\), which cannot be expressed as a simple fraction. Students should remember that every integer is rational since it can be written as itself divided by 1.

A permutation counts arrangements where order matters, such as arranging books on a shelf, while a combination counts selections where order is irrelevant, such as choosing a committee. The distractor claiming permutations "require repetition of items" is false, since standard permutation and combination formulas both typically assume selection without repetition unless stated otherwise. Students should remember to identify whether order matters in a problem before deciding which formula, $nPr$ or $nCr$, to apply.

The derivative, written \(f'(x)\), gives the slope of the tangent line at any point, representing how quickly the function's output changes relative to its input at that instant. "The total area under the function's curve" instead describes the definite integral, an entirely separate calculus concept representing accumulation rather than rate of change. Students should remember that differentiation and integration are inverse operations, connected by the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus.

Continuity at a point requires three conditions simultaneously: the function value must be defined, the limit as \(x\) approaches that point must exist, and that limit must equal the function's actual value there. The distractor "the function's derivative exists at every point" describes differentiability, a stricter condition that actually implies continuity but is not itself the definition of continuity. Students must remember that a function can be continuous without being differentiable, such as \(f(x) = |x|\) at \(x = 0\), but not the reverse.

The determinant of a \(2\times 2\) matrix is computed as \(ad - bc\), and when this value equals zero, the matrix has no inverse and is called singular, indicating linearly dependent rows or columns. "\(a + d - b - c\), and it represents the matrix's trace" incorrectly describes the trace, which is actually just \(a + d\), the sum of diagonal entries, not this expression. Students should remember that the determinant provides critical information about invertibility and the scaling factor of a linear transformation.

A differential equation, such as \(\frac{dy}{dx} = ky\), expresses a relationship between an unknown function and its derivatives, and solving it means finding the function that satisfies this relationship. "Two variables without any rates of change involved" instead describes an ordinary algebraic equation, lacking the derivative component that defines a differential equation. Students should recognize differential equations as central to modeling change over time, such as population growth or radioactive decay.

In a redox reaction, one substance is oxidized by losing electrons while another is reduced by gaining those same electrons, as summarized by the mnemonic 'LEO the lion says GER.' "The transfer of protons between reactants, changing pH" instead describes an acid-base reaction, a fundamentally different chemical process involving \(H^+\) ions rather than electrons. Students should remember to track oxidation states carefully to identify which species is oxidized and which is reduced in any redox equation.

A complex number has the form \(a + bi\), combining a real part \(a\) with an imaginary part \(bi\), where \(i\) is defined as \(\sqrt{-1}\), allowing representation of quantities that real numbers alone cannot express. "Two real numbers added together with no imaginary component" misses the defining feature of complex numbers entirely, since without an imaginary term the number is simply real. Students should remember that complex numbers are essential for solving equations like \(x^2 + 1 = 0\), which have no real solutions.

The intersection \(A \cap B\) consists exclusively of elements shared by both sets, so an element must appear in \(A\) and in \(B\) to be included. "All elements that belong to either \(A\) or \(B\) or both" instead describes the union, \(A \cup B\), a broader combination rather than a shared overlap. Students should keep union and intersection symbols and definitions distinct, since they represent opposite combining operations in set theory.

Valence electrons reside in an atom's outermost shell and are the electrons involved in forming chemical bonds, which is why elements in the same group of the periodic table often behave similarly. The claim that valence electrons "are located in the nucleus" is impossible, since the nucleus contains only protons and neutrons, not electrons. Students should remember that an atom's reactivity and bonding patterns are largely predictable from its valence electron configuration.

An allele is a variant form of a specific gene, such as the allele for brown eyes versus the allele for blue eyes, occupying the same locus on homologous chromosomes. "A complete set of an organism's genetic material" instead describes the genome, a much broader term encompassing all of an organism's DNA rather than a single gene variant. Students should remember that an organism typically inherits two alleles for each gene, one from each parent, which together determine its genotype.

Wave speed equals wavelength multiplied by frequency, \(v = \lambda f\), meaning that at a fixed speed such as the speed of light, increasing frequency requires wavelength to decrease proportionally. The choice "\(v\) is independent of both wavelength and frequency" is incorrect because wave speed is directly determined by the product of these two quantities, not independent of them. Students should apply this relationship whenever comparing different points on the electromagnetic spectrum, since higher-frequency waves always have shorter wavelengths at a given speed.

Variance is calculated as the average of squared deviations from the mean, and taking its square root produces the standard deviation, \(\sigma = \sqrt{\sigma^2}\), which restores the original units of measurement. The claim that they are "always numerically identical" is only true in the special case where the variance equals exactly 1, not as a general rule. Students should remember that standard deviation is generally preferred for interpretation because its units match the original data, unlike variance which is in squared units.

A gene is a discrete segment of DNA that codes for a specific protein or trait, while a chromosome is a tightly coiled structure of DNA and proteins containing thousands of genes arranged along its length. The distractor describing a chromosome as containing "exactly one gene" drastically understates chromosome complexity, since a single human chromosome can contain thousands of genes. Students should visualize the hierarchy from DNA to gene to chromosome to fully grasp how genetic information is organized within a cell.

Significant figures represent the digits known with certainty from a measuring instrument plus one final estimated digit, communicating the precision of a measurement, such as \(12.34\) cm having four significant figures. "Only the digits after the decimal point in any measurement" is incorrect because significant figures can include digits before the decimal point as well, depending on the measurement. Students should apply significant figure rules consistently in calculations so that final answers do not falsely imply more precision than the original data supports.

An algorithm is a precise, ordered set of instructions designed to accomplish a specific task or solve a class of problems, such as the long division algorithm used to divide multi-digit numbers. "A theorem that has been proven true in all cases" instead describes a mathematical proof result, a static statement rather than a step-by-step procedure. Students should recognize that algorithms are procedural tools applicable across mathematics, computer science, and everyday problem-solving.

The degree of a polynomial is determined by its highest exponent, so \(3x^4 + 2x^2 - 5\) has degree 4, and this degree influences the polynomial's overall shape and the maximum number of real roots it can have. "The number of terms in the polynomial" instead simply counts separate expressions being added or subtracted, which is unrelated to the exponent values themselves. Students should remember that degree determines end behavior on a graph, an important concept when sketching or analyzing polynomial functions.

Momentum is calculated as \(p = mv\), the product of an object's mass and its velocity, and it is a conserved quantity in closed systems, meaning total momentum before and after a collision remains constant. "Mass and acceleration" instead describes the components used in Newton's second law, \(F = ma\), which calculates force rather than momentum. Students should remember that momentum conservation is a foundational principle used to analyze collisions and explosions in physics problems.

Friction is a resistive force arising from surface interactions that opposes the relative sliding or attempted sliding motion between two contacting surfaces, converting kinetic energy into heat. The claim that friction "always acts in the same direction as an object's motion" is false, since friction by definition opposes motion, acting in the opposite direction. Students should remember that friction depends on both the nature of the surfaces in contact and the normal force pressing them together.

Concentration describes how much solute is dissolved within a specific amount of solvent or total solution, commonly expressed using units like molarity or percent by mass. "The temperature at which a solution boils" instead describes boiling point, a property that can be influenced by concentration but is not the same term. Students should remember that increasing solute concentration generally raises boiling point and lowers freezing point, a phenomenon known as colligative properties.

An irrational number, such as \(\sqrt{2}\) or \(\pi\), cannot be written as a simple fraction of two integers and has a decimal expansion that neither terminates nor repeats. "Can always be written as a terminating decimal" instead describes certain rational numbers, since terminating decimals are always expressible as fractions and therefore rational, not irrational. Students should remember that rational and irrational numbers together make up the complete set of real numbers.

Sublimation occurs when a substance, such as dry ice, transitions directly from solid to gas under certain temperature and pressure conditions, skipping the intermediate liquid phase entirely. "Liquid to gas, absorbing heat energy" instead describes vaporization or evaporation, a separate phase change requiring a liquid intermediate stage. Students should remember that deposition is the reverse process of sublimation, converting gas directly to solid.