angle: The distance (usually measured in degrees) between two intersecting lines or planes at or near the point where they intersect.
application: a specific use or function of something.
asthma: A disease that affects the respiratory tract, the tube through which animals breathe. Asthma obstructs these airways by swelling, producing excess mucus, or tightening the tubes. As a result, the body can expand to take in air, but loses the ability to exhale properly. The most common cause of asthma is allergies. Asthma is a leading cause of hospitalization and the top chronic disease that causes children to miss school.
balsa: trees of ochroma A genus that grows in tropical America. Their wood is very lightweight, easy to cut, and buoyant. As such, it is often used to create rafts, model airplanes, and other projects that require light weight and the ability to easily carve parts.
carbon dioxide:(or CO2) A colorless, odorless gas produced by all animals when the oxygen they breathe reacts with the carbon-rich food they eat. Carbon dioxide is also released when organic materials (including fossil fuels such as oil and gas) are burned. Carbon dioxide acts as a greenhouse gas, trapping heat in the Earth's atmosphere. Plants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen during photosynthesis. This process is used to make their own food.
climate: In general, weather conditions that normally exist in an area or over a long period of time.
component: Something that is part of something else, such as a component on an electronic circuit board or an ingredient in a cookie recipe.
Conductivity: Can conduct current.
the current: (in electricity) the flow of electricity or amount of charge that moves through some substance over a specified period of time.
DNA: (abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid) A long, double-stranded, helical molecule that is present in most living cells and carries genetic instructions. It is built on a skeleton of phosphorus, oxygen, and carbon atoms. In all living things, from plants and animals to microorganisms, these instructions tell cells which molecules to make.
electricity: A flow of charge that results from the movement of negatively charged particles, usually called electrons.
electronic:Negatively charged particles. It is usually seen orbiting the outer region of the atom. Also, a conductor of electricity within a solid body.
electronics: A device that is powered by electricity but whose properties are controlled by a semiconductor or other circuit that controls or gates the movement of charge.
engineer: A person who uses science and mathematics to solve problems. As a verb, “engineering” means to design a device, material, or process that solves some problem or unmet need.
environmental footprint: A measure of the impact that someone's activities (purchases, actions, use of resources) have on the environment. One common example is the so-called carbon footprint due to human activities. This is a measure of how much these actions contribute to the release of climate-warming gases carbon dioxide and methane. However, agriculture can release soil minerals, erode topsoil, and introduce toxic pesticides into the environment. And clearing forests to build new roads and towns not only reduces wildlife habitat, but also limits the soil's ability to absorb water and break down organic matter into useful nutrients.
exotic: an adjective that describes something very unusual, strange, or foreign (e.g. rare plants).
concentration: (in physics) the point at which rays of light (such as light or heat) converge with the help of a lens. (In vision, verb, “to focus”) The action by which the human eye adapts to light and distance so that it can see objects clearly. (in an action) to look intently at or concentrate on a particular point or object.
graduate student: A person who is working towards an advanced degree by taking classes or doing research. This work is done after the student has already graduated from university (usually she has a four-year degree).
green: (in chemistry and environmental science) an adjective that describes a product or process that causes little or no harm to living organisms or the environment.
host: (v.) The act of providing a home, base, or environment for something. For example, a website can host photos, news, and other types of information.
humidity: A measure of the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere. (A state in which the air contains a lot of water vapor is called “humid air.”)
insulator: Substances or devices that do not easily conduct electricity.
ion: (adjective, ionized) An atom or molecule that acquires a charge due to the loss or gain of one or more electrons. An ionized gas or plasma is a state in which all electrons are separated from their parent atoms.
lignin: A natural substance that helps strengthen plant cell walls. Lignin is made from many sugar molecules that provide energy, but because the sugars are chemically bound, livestock cannot digest this material.
monitor: To test, sample, or watch something, especially on a regular or continuous basis.
nitrogen oxides: A pollutant consisting of nitrogen and oxygen produced when fossil fuels are burned. The scientific symbol for these chemicals is NOx (pronounced “knock”). The main ones are nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous oxide (N2oh).
physicist: A scientist who studies the nature and properties of matter and energy.
porous: A description of a substance that contains small holes, called pores, through which liquids or gases can pass. (in biology) a minute opening in the skin or outer layer of a plant.
pressure: Force applied uniformly over the entire surface. It is measured as force per unit area.
right angle: 90 degree angle. Corresponds to the inside corner of a square.
danger: The probability or mathematical probability that something bad will happen. For example, exposure to radiation poses a risk of cancer. Or danger, or danger itself. (for example: The cancer risks people faced included drinking water contaminated with radiation and arsenic.. )
sensor: A device that captures and stores or broadcasts information about physical or chemical conditions such as temperature, pressure, salinity, humidity, pH, light intensity, and radiation. Scientists and engineers often rely on sensors to tell them about conditions that can change over time or that exist far from where researchers can directly measure them. (in biology) structures used by living organisms to sense attributes of their environment, such as heat, wind, chemicals, moisture, trauma, or attack by predators.
silicon: A nonmetallic semiconductor element used to create electronic circuits. Pure silicon exists as a shiny, dark gray crystalline form and a shapeless powder.
investigation: To observe, investigate, measure, or evaluate something, we often look at large aspects of the land or landscape.
transistor: A device that functions like an electrical signal switch.
Voltage: force related to electric current, measured in units known as volts. Electric power companies use high voltage to transport power over long distances.
wood: A porous, fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees, shrubs, and other woody plants.
Source: www.snexplores.org
