English for Science

Vocabulary

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Vocabulary selected from Curriculum documents published by HKCDC & HKEAA

	Part of Speech	Category	Meaning
Cells	Noun	Biology	the smallest basic unit of a plant or animal
Molecules	Noun	Biology	an extremely small particle or substance, especially at cellular or structural level, as a biomolecule
Carbohydrates	Noun	Biology	a substance such as sugar or starch that provides the body with energy
Lipids	Noun	Biology	a substance that is an important part of living cells, mainly in the form of fat or oil
Proteins	Noun	Biology	any of a large group of chemicals that are a necessary part of the cells of all living things
Nucleic acids	Noun	Biology	a type of acid, for example, DNA and RNA, that is found in all living cells and contains the genetic information passed from parents to children
Prokaryotic	Adjective	Biology	of or relating to organisms such as bacteria that have only one cell, which lacks a nucleus
Eukaryotic	Adjective	Biology	(of a cell) containing a nucleus and other structures, each with its own purpose
Diffusion	Noun	Biology	the method by which substances pass in and out of cells through their membrane (= outside covering)
Osmosis	Noun	Biology	the process in plants and animals by which a liquid moves gradually from one part of the body or the plant to another through a membrane (= cell covering)
Phagocytosis	Noun	Biology	the process by which phagocytes absorb and get rid of harmful bacteria
Cell Division	Noun	Biology	the process in which the parent cell divides, eventually giving rise to new daughter cells
Mitosis	Noun	Biology	the type of cell division in which one cell divides into two cells that are exactly the same, each with the same number of chromosomes as the original cell
Meiosis	Noun	Biology	the type of cell division that happens as part of reproduction (= the process of producing young animals or plants), in which one cell divides into four gametes (= reproductive cells), each with a different mixture of chromosomes and half the number contained in the original cell
Metabolism	Noun	Biology	the chemical and physical processes by which a living thing uses food for energy and growth
Enzymes	Noun	Biology	any of a group of chemical substances that are produced by living cells and which cause particular chemical reactions to happen
Active site	Noun	Biology	the specific region of an enzyme where a substrate binds and catalysis takes place or where chemical reaction occurs
Photosynthesis	Noun	Biology	the process by which a plant uses the energy from the light of the sun to make its own food
Chloroplasts	Noun	Biology	one of the parts in a plant cell that contain chlorophyll and where the energy from the light of the sun is turned into food by photosynthesis
Carbon fixation	Noun	Biology	the process by which photosynthetic organisms such as plants turn inorganic carbon (usually carbon dioxide) into organic compounds (usually Carbohydrates)
Respiration	Noun	Biology	changes that allow gas exchange within cells
Breakdown	Noun	Biology	a division of something into smaller parts
Aerobic	Adjective	Biology	1. requiring air or oxygen for life or survival, used especially to refer to aerobic bacteria.
Aerobic	Adjective	Biology	2. pertaining to respiration occurring in the presence of oxygen, as aerobic respiration.
Anaerobic	Adjective	Biology	1. not requiring, or capable of occurring, in the absence of air or free oxygen
Anaerobic	Adjective	Biology	2. pertaining to respiration occurring in the absence of oxygen, as anaerobic respiration.
Lactic acid	Noun	Biology	an acid that exists in sour milk and is produced in muscles after a lot of exercise
Yeast	Noun	Biology	a type of fungus that is used in making alcoholic drinks such as beer and wine, and for making bread swell and become light
Inheritance	Noun	Biology	the particular characteristics received from parents through the genes
Pedigree analysis	Noun	Biology	the formal study of the pattern of a trait in a pedigree to determine such properties as its mode of inheritance, age of onset, and variability in phenotype
Continuous variation	Noun	Biology	variation in which a series of intermediate types connects the extremes
Discontinuous variation	Noun	Biology	abrupt variation in which there are few or no intermediate forms
Gene expression	Noun	Biology	the conversion of the information from the gene into mRNA via transcription and then to protein via translation resulting in the phenotypic manifestation of the gene
Transcription	Noun	Biology	the process of constructing a messenger RNA molecule using a DNA molecule as a template with resulting transfer of genetic information to the messenger RNA
Translation	Noun	Biology	the process of forming a protein molecule at a ribosomal site of protein synthesis from information contained in messenger RNA
Mutation	Noun	Biology	the change that happens in an organism’s genes which produces differences that are passed to new organisms by reproduction, or the process of this change
DNA fingerprinting	Noun	Biology	a technique used especially for identification (as for forensic purposes) by extracting and identifying the base-pair pattern in an individual's DNA
Classification	Noun	Biology	the division of organisms into groups according to particular characteristics
Kingdoms	Noun	Biology	a taxonomic rank that is composed of smaller groups called phyla (or divisions, in plants)
Domains	Noun	Biology	the highest taxonomic rank of organisms in which there are three groupings: Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya
Autotrophs	Noun	Biology	a living thing that can make its own food from simple chemical substances such as carbon dioxide
Transpiration	Noun	Biology	the process by which water is lost through the surface of a plant
Translocation	Noun	Biology	1. the movement of the liquid that carries the substances that a plant needs for life and growth through the plant
Translocation	Noun	Biology	2. the movement of a chromosome (= part of a cell that controls what an animal or plant is like) to another part of the same chromosome or to a different chromosome
Turgidity	Noun	Biology	the state of being turgid or swollen, especially due to high fluid content
Heterotrophs	Noun	Biology	a living thing that gets its food from other plants or animals
Ingestion	Noun	Biology	the process of absorbing nutrients or medications into the body by eating or drinking them
Digestion	Noun	Biology	the ability of the body to change food chemically so that it can be used
Absorption	Noun	Biology	the process of taking substances into cells or across the tissues and organs through diffusion or osmosis
Assimilation	Noun	Biology	the process in which the living organisms integrate the nutrients from various external resources in their body and utilizes them to satisfy the energy demands required to stay alive
Egestion	Noun	Biology	the process of removing undigested waste material from the body by excretion
Ventilation	Noun	Biology	the process to force air in and out of the lungs of a person who cannot breathe easily on their own, using a special machine called a ventilator
Binary fission	Noun	Biology	a type of asexual reproduction where a parent cell divides, resulting in two identical cells, each having the potential to grow to the size of the original cell
Vegetative propagation	Noun	Biology	a method of plant propagation not through pollination or via seeds or spores but by way of separating new plant individuals that emerge from vegetative parts, such as specialized stems, leaves and roots and allow them to take root and grow
Pollination	Noun	Biology	the transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigma of a plant
Pollen	Noun	Biology	the microspores of seed plants, the powdery mass of microspores shed from anthers
Anther	Noun	Biology	pollen-bearing structure in the stamen (male organ) of the flower usually located on top of the filament of the stamen
Stigma	Noun	Biology	the part of the pistil (= female part) of a flower that receives the pollen
Fertilisation	Noun	Biology	the process of causing an egg or seed to start to develop into a new young animal or plant by joining it with a male cell
Fruit and seed dispersal	Noun	Biology	built-in mechanisms or the help of agents like wind, water, and animals by fruits to disperse the seed far from the mother plant, so to find favourable and less competitive conditions in which to germinate and grow
Identical twin (Monozygotic twin)	Noun	Biology	a twin (= either of two children born to the same mother on the same occasion) who developed from the same egg as its brother or sister and therefore is the same sex and looks the same as him or her
Fraternal twin (Non-identical Twin; Dizygotic twin)	Noun	Biology	a twin (= either of two children born to the same mother on the same occasion) who do not look exactly the same because they developed from two separate eggs
Stimulus	Noun	Biology	something that causes part of the body to react
Eye accommodation	Noun	Biology	the process by which an eye is able to focus (= see clearly) by changing the shape of the lens
Long-sighted (Far-sighted)	Adjective	Biology	able to see things clearly that are far away but not things that are near you
Short-sighted (Near-sighted)	Adjective	Biology	able to see things clearly that are near you but not things that are far away
Colour blindness	Noun	Biology	a condition in which someone is unable to see the difference between particular colours, especially red and green
Nervous	Adjective	Biology	relating to or controlled by the nerves in the body
Coordination	Noun	Biology	the ability to make all the parts of your body work together
Reflex (Reflex action)	Noun	Biology	an automatic and often inborn response to a stimulus that typically involves a nerve impulse passing inward from a receptor to the spinal cord and then passing outward from the spinal cord to an effector (such as a muscle or gland) without reaching the level of consciousness and often without passing to the brain
Voluntary	Adjective	Biology	of, relating to, subject to, or regulated by the will
Hinge joint	Noun	Biology	a joint between bones (as at the elbow) that permits motion in only one plane
Ball-and-socket joint	Noun	Biology	a joint in which a ball moves within a socket so as to allow rotary motion in every direction within certain limits
Nerve impulse	Noun	Biology	the relaying of a coded signal that travels along a nerve cell membrane to an effector, such as muscle, gland or another nerve cell
Muscle contraction	Noun	Biology	a process leading to shortening and/or development of tension in muscle tissue
Homeostasis	Noun	Biology	the process by which a living thing or a cell keeps the conditions inside it the same despite any changes in the conditions around it
Feedback mechanism	Noun	Biology	a biological process, a signal, or a mechanism that tends to initiate (or accelerate) or to inhibit (or slow down) a process
Ecosystem	Noun	Biology	all the plants, animals, and people living in an area considered together with their environment as a system of relationships
Predation	Noun	Biology	the fact that an animal hunts, kills, and eats other animals
Competition	Noun	Biology	a situation in which the various organisms living in the same area try to compete for a limited supply of food, water, space, etc.
Commensalism	Noun	Biology	a relationship between two species in which one gets an advantage from living closely with the other and the other is not affected by it
Mutualism	Noun	Biology	a relationship between two organisms in which they live together and benefit each other
Parasitism	Noun	Biology	a relationship between one organism (called parasite) benefits at the expense of another organism usually of different species (called host) in which the host may have negative effects
Energy flow	Noun	Biology	the movement of energy around an ecosystem by biotic and abiotic means
Biotic	Adjective	Biology	involving, caused by, or relating to living things in the environment
Abiotic	Adjective	Biology	relating to things in the environment that are not living
Habitat	Noun	Biology	the natural surroundings in which an animal or plant usually lives
Infectious	Adjective	Biology	(of a disease) able to be passed from one person, animal, or plant to another
Non-infectious	Adjective	Biology	(of a disease) not able to be passed from one person, animal, or plant to another
Transmission	Noun	Biology	1. a passage or transfer, as of a disease from one individual to another or of neutral impulses from one neuron to another
Transmission	Noun	Biology	2. the communication of inheritable qualities from parent to offspring
Antibiotic	Noun	Biology	a medicine or chemical that can destroy harmful bacteria in the body or limit their growth
Vaccination	Noun	Biology	the process or an act of giving someone a vaccine (= a substance put into a person's body to prevent them getting a disease)
Immune response	Noun	Biology	the reaction within the body that is caused by antigens (= foreign substances) and results in the production of antibodies that can fight disease by killing the bacteria or viruses that cause it
Active immunity	Noun	Biology	the situation in which the body produces its own antibodies (= substances in the blood that fight disease)
Passive immunity	Noun	Biology	protection against disease in the form of antibodies (= substances in the blood that fight disease) that come from someone else, for example from the mother's milk
Ultrafiltration	Noun	Biology	filtration through a medium (such as a semipermeable capillary wall) which allows small molecules (as of water) to pass but holds back larger ones (as of protein)
Reabsorption	Noun	Biology	the act or process of absorbing something again or of being absorbed again
Stroke	Noun	Biology	a sudden change in the blood supply to a part of the brain, sometimes causing a loss of the ability to move particular parts of the body
Vagus nerve	Noun	Biology	the nerve that supplies the heart, lungs, and most of the intestines
Sympathetic nerve	Noun	Biology	part of the nervous system that prepares the body to react to situations of stress or emergency
Muscles fatigue	Noun	Biology	a condition of the muscle in which its capacity to produce maximum voluntary action, or to perform a series of repetitive actions, is reduced. It results when muscle activity exceeds tissue substrate and oxygenation capacity
Overexploit	Verb	Biology	to exploit (something, such as a natural resource) to an excessive degree
Degradation	Noun	Biology	the process by which something is made worse, esp. the quality of land
Reclamation	Noun	Biology	the activity of making land that is under water or is in poor condition suitable for farming or building on
Sewage	Noun	Biology	waste matter such as water or human urine or solid waste
Endangered species	Noun	Biology	a type of animal or plant that might stop existing because there are only a few of that type alive
Conservation areas	Noun	Biology	an area of land that is protected and that cannot be built on or used for certain purposes
Restoration	Noun	Biology	the act or the process of returning something to its original condition, or to a state similar to its original condition
Multiplication	Noun	Biology	the state of being multiplied; as, the multiplication of the human species by natural generation
Genetically modified	Adjective	Biology	a plant or animal that has had some of its genes changed scientifically
Food-borne	Adjective	Biology	caused by food contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms or toxic substances
Microbial	Adjective	Biology	relating to microbes (= very small living things, especially ones that cause disease)
Deterioration	Noun	Biology	the action or process of becoming impaired or inferior in quality, functioning, or condition
Cloning	Noun	Biology	the process of creating an exact copy of a plant or animal by using its cells
Gene therapy	Noun	Biology	the science of changing genes in order to stop or prevent a disease
Stem cell	Noun	Biology	a cell, especially one taken from a person or animal in a very early stage of development, that can develop into any other type of cell
Transgenic	Adjective	Biology	an animal or plant that contains one or more genes that have been added from another type of plant or animal.

General Scientific Vocabulary

Word(s)	Subject	Definition
accretion	biology	growth by addition as by the adhesion of parts or particles
activator	biology	any agency bringing about activation; a molecule that increases the activity of an enzyme or a protein that increases the production of a gene product in DNA transcription
adenine (A)	biochemistry	purine base found in DNA and RNA; pairs with thymine in DNA and with uracil in RNA
adenosine	biochemistry	a nucleoside that is a structural component of nucleic acids; it is present in all living cells in a combined form as a constituent of DNA and RNA and ADP and ATP and AMP
affinity, phylogenetic relation	biology	state of relationship between organisms or groups of organisms resulting in resemblance in structure or structural parts; "in anatomical structure prehistoric man shows close affinity with modern humans
agonist	biochemistry	a drug that can combine with a receptor on a cell to produce a physiological reaction
amphidiploid	genetics	an organism or cell having a diploid set of chromosomes from each parent
anisogamy	biology	reproduction by the union or fusion of two differing gametes (especially differing in size)
antagonism	biochemistry	interference in or inhibition of the physiological action of a chemical substance by another having a similar structure
apogamy	botany	development of an embryo without fertilization; especially the development in some ferns of a sporophyte from the gametophyte without fertilization
apophysis	botany	a natural swelling or enlargement: at the base of the stalk or seta in certain mosses or on the cone scale of certain conifers
apposition	biology	growth in the thickness of a cell wall by the deposit of successive layers of material
association	ecology	a group of organisms (plants and animals) that live together in a certain geographical region and constitute a community with a few dominant species
biologist, life scientist	biology	a scientist who studies living organisms
brachium	biology	a branching or armlike part of an animal
callus	botany	an isolated thickening of tissue, especially a stiff protuberance on the lip of an orchid
calyx	botany	the whorl of sepals of a flower collectively forming the outer floral envelope or layer of the perianth enclosing and supporting the developing bud; usually green
cataplasia	biology	degenerative reversion of cells or tissue to a less differentiated or more primitive form
cell	biology	the basic structural and functional unit of all organisms; cells may exist as independent units of life (as in monads) or may form colonies or tissues as in higher plants and animals
cell theory, cell doctrine	biology	the theory that cells form the fundamental structural and functional units of all living organisms; proposed in 1838 by Matthias Schleiden and by Theodor Schwann
class	biology	a taxonomic group containing one or more orders
coarctation	biology	a narrowing or constriction of a vessel or canal; especially a congenital narrowing of the aorta
cohesion	botany	the process in some plants of parts growing together that are usually separate (such as petals)
community, biotic community	ecology	a group of interdependent organisms inhabiting the same region and interacting with each other
corolla	botany	the whorl of petals of a flower that collectively form an inner floral envelope or layer of the perianth; "we cultivate the flower for its corolla
corona	botany	the trumpet shaped or cup shaped outgrowth of the corolla of a daffodil or narcissus flower
culture	biology	the growing of microorganisms in a nutrient medium (such as gelatin or agar); "the culture of cells in a Petri dish
cybernetics	biology	the field of science concerned with processes of communication and control (especially the comparison of these processes in biological and artificial systems)
decomposition, rot, rotting, putrefaction	biology	decaying caused by bacterial or fungal action
dehiscence	biology	release of material by splitting open of an organ or tissue; the natural bursting open at maturity of a fruit or other reproductive body to release seeds or spores or the bursting open of a surgically closed wound
deoxyribonucleic acid, desoxyribonucleic acid, DNA	biochemistry	a long linear polymer found in the nucleus of a cell and formed from nucleotides and shaped like a double helix; associated with the transmission of genetic information; "DNA is the king of molecules
dimorphism	biology	the existence of two forms of individual within the same animal species (independent of sex differences)
diploid	genetics	an organism or cell having two sets of chromosomes or twice the haploid number
division	biology	a group of organisms forming a subdivision of a larger category
division	botany	taxonomic unit of plants corresponding to a phylum
embryo	botany	a minute rudimentary plant contained within a seed or an archegonium
establishment, ecesis	ecology	the process by which a plant or animal becomes established in a new habitat
estivation, aestivation	botany	the arrangement of sepals and petals in a flower bud before it opens
estivation, aestivation	zoology	cessation or slowing of activity during the summer; especially slowing of metabolism in some animals during a hot or dry period
etiolation	botany	the act of causing a plant to develop without chlorophyll by growing it without exposure to sunlight; "the etiolation of celery
evolution, phylogeny, phylogenesis	biology	the sequence of events involved in the evolutionary development of a species or taxonomic group of organisms
expression	genetics	the process of expressing a gene
family	biology	a taxonomic group containing one or more genera; "sharks belong to the fish family
foliation, leafing	botany	the process of forming leaves
food chain	ecology	a community of organisms where each member is eaten in turn by another member
food pyramid	ecology	a hierarchy of food chains with the principle predator at the top; each level preys on the level below
food web, food cycle	ecology	a community of organisms where there are several interrelated food chains
form, variant, strain, var.	biology	a group of organisms within a species that differ in trivial ways from similar groups; "a new strain of microorganisms
form family	biology	an artificial taxonomic category for organisms of which the true relationships are obscure
form genus	biology	an artificial taxonomic category for organisms of which the true relationships are obscure
gene, cistron, factor	genetics	a segment of DNA that is involved in producing a polypeptide chain; it can include regions preceding and following the coding DNA as well as introns between the exons; it is considered a unit of heredity; "genes were formerly called factors
genus	biology	taxonomic group containing one or more species
growth, growing, maturation, development, ontogeny, ontogenesis	biology	the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level; "he proposed an indicator of osseous development in children
haploid	genetics	an organism or cell having only one complete set of chromosomes
heterology	biology	the lack of correspondence of apparently similar body parts
heteroploid	genetics	an organism or cell having a chromosome number that is not an even multiple of the haploid chromosome number for that species
homogeny	biology	similarity because of common evolution
homostylous, homostylic, honostyled	botany	having styles all of the same length
hybridization, hybridisation, crossbreeding, crossing, cross, interbreeding, hybridizing	genetics	the act of mixing different species or varieties of animals or plants and thus to produce hybrids
inheritance, hereditary pattern	genetics	attributes acquired via biological heredity from the parents
intussusception	biology	growth in the surface area of a cell by the deposit of new particles between existing particles in the cell wall
inversion	genetics	a kind of mutation in which the order of the genes in a section of a chromosome is reversed
isogamy	biology	reproduction by the union or fusion of games of the same size and structure
isomorphism, isomorphy	biology	similarity or identity of form or shape or structure
labile	chemistry, physics, biology	readily undergoing change or breakdown
life force, vital force, vitality, elan vital	biology	a hypothetical force (not physical or chemical) once thought by Henri Bergson to cause the evolution and development of organisms
ligule	botany	any appendage to a plant that is shaped like a strap
linkage, gene linkage	genetics	traits that tend to be inherited together as a consequence of an association between their genes; all of the genes of a given chromosome are linked (where one goes they all go)
lobe	botany	a part into which a leaf is divided
lysis	biochemistry	dissolution or destruction of cells such as blood cells or bacteria
mantle, pallium	zoology	a protective layer of epidermis in mollusks or brachiopods that secretes a substance forming the shell
mapping, chromosome mapping	genetics	the process of locating genes on a chromosome
medium	biology	a substance in which specimens are preserved or displayed
meiosis, miosis, reduction division	genetics	cell division that produces reproductive cells in sexually reproducing organisms; the nucleus divides into four nuclei each containing half the chromosome number (leading to gametes in animals and spores in plants)
Mendel's law	genetics	one of two principles of heredity formulated by Gregor Mendel on the basis of his experiments with plants; the principles were limited and modified by subsequent genetic research
monotype	biology	a taxonomic group with a single member (a single species or genus)
mutant, mutation, variation, sport	biology	an organism that has characteristics resulting from chromosomal alteration
mutation, genetic mutation, chromosomal mutation	genetics	any event that changes genetic structure; any alteration in the inherited nucleic acid sequence of the genotype of an organism
niche, ecological niche	ecology	the status of an organism within its environment and community (affecting its survival as a species)
nucleic acid	biochemistry	any of various macromolecules composed of nucleotid chains that are vital constituents of all living cells
order	biology	taxonomic group containing one or more families
organic phenomenon	biology	a natural phenomenon involving living plants and animals
parthenocarpy	botany	the development of a fruit without fertilization or seeds
peristome	botany	fringe of toothlike appendages surrounding the mouth of a moss capsule
phellem, cork	botany	outer tissue of bark; a protective layer of dead cells
phloem, bast	botany	tissue that conducts synthesized food substances (e.g., from leaves) to parts where needed; consists primarily of sieve tubes
phylum	biology	the major taxonomic group of animals and plants; contains classes
phytohormone, plant hormone, growth regulator	botany	a hormone-like plant product
plastron	zoology	the part of a turtle's shell forming its underside
pleomorphism	biology	the appearance of two or more distinctly different forms in the life cycle of some organisms
polymorphism	biology	the existence of two or more forms of individuals within the same animal species (independent of sex differences)
polyploid	genetics	an organism or cell having more than twice the haploid number of chromosomes
position effect	genetics	the effect on the expression of a gene produced by changing its location in a chromosome
recognition	biology	the ability of one molecule to attach to another molecule that has a complementary shape; "molecular recognition drives all of biology, for instance, hormone and receptor or antibody-antigen interactions or the organization of molecules into lar
recombination	genetics	a combining of genes or characters different from what they were in the parents
regeneration	biology	growth anew of lost tissue or destroyed parts or organs
replication	genetics	the process whereby DNA makes a copy of itself before cell division
ribonucleic acid, RNA	biochemistry	a long linear polymer of nucleotides found in the nucleus but mainly in the cytoplasm of a cell where it is associated with microsomes; it transmits genetic information from DNA to the cytoplasm and controls certain chemical processes in th
root	botany	the usually underground organ that lacks buds or leaves or nodes; absorbs water and mineral salts; usually it anchors the plant to the ground
scurf	botany	a covering that resembles scales or bran that covers some plant parts
segregation	genetics	the separation of paired alleles during meiosis so that members of each pair of alleles appear in different gametes
sex chromosome	genetics	a chromosome that determines the sex of an individual; "mammals normally have two sex chromosomes
simple, unsubdivided	botany	of leaf shapes; of leaves having no divisions or subdivisions
specialization, specialisation, differentiation	biology	the structural adaptation of some body part for a particular function; "cell differentiation in the developing embryo
species	biology	taxonomic group whose members can interbreed
spike	botany	an indeterminate inflorescence bearing sessile flowers on an unbranched axis
spindle	biology	tiny fibers that are seen in cell division; the fibers radiate from two poles and meet at the equator in the middle; "chromosomes are distributed by spindles in mitosis and meiosis
stabile	chemistry, physics, biology	resistant to change
style	botany	the narrow, elongated part of the pistil between the ovary and the stigma
subclass	biology	a taxonomic category below a class and above an order
subfamily	biology	a taxonomic category below a family
subgenus	biology	taxonomic group between a genus and a species
subkingdom	biology	a taxonomic group comprising a major division of a kingdom
suborder	biology	taxonomic group that is a subdivision of an order
subphylum	biology	a taxonomic group ranking between a phylum and a class
subspecies, race	biology	a taxonomic group that is a division of a species; usually arises as a consequence of geographical isolation within a species
succession, ecological succession	ecology	the gradual and orderly process of change in an ecosystem brought about by the progressive replacement of one community by another until a stable climax is established
superclass	biology	a taxonomic class below a phylum and above a class
superfamily	biology	a taxonomic group ranking below an order but above a family
superorder	biology	a taxonomic group ranking above an order and below a class or subclass
superphylum	biology	a taxonomic group ranking between a phylum and below a class or subclass
suppression	botany	the failure to develop of some part or organ of a plant
taproot	botany	main root of a plant growing straight downward from the stem
taxonomy	biology	study of the general principles of scientific classification
theory of evolution, theory of organic evolution	biology	a scientific theory of the origin of species of plants and animals
theory of inheritance	biology	a theory of how characteristics of one generation are derived from earlier generations
thermolabile	chemistry, physics, biology	readily changed or destroyed by heat
transcription	genetics	the organic process whereby the DNA sequence in a gene is copied into mRNA; the process whereby a base sequence of messenger RNA is synthesized on a template of complementary DNA
transduction	genetics	the process of transfering genetic material from one cell to another by a plasmid or bacteriophage
transformation	genetics	modification of a cell or bacterium by the uptake and incorporation of exogenous DNA
translation	genetics	the process whereby genetic information coded in messenger RNA directs the formation of a specific protein at a ribosome in the cytoplasm
translocation	genetics	an exchange of chromosome parts; "translocations can result in serious congenital disorders
transposition	genetics	a kind of mutation in which a chromosomal segment is transfered to a new position on the same or another chromosome
tribe	biology	a taxonomic category between a genus and a subfamily
turgor	biology	the normal rigid state of fullness of a cell or blood vessel or capillary resulting from pressure of the contents against the wall or membrane
type	biology	the taxonomic group whose characteristics are used to define the next higher taxon
type genus	biology	genus from which the name of a family or subfamily is formed; it is not necessarily the most representative genus but often the largest or best known or earliest described
type species	biology	the species that best exemplifies the essential characteristics of the genus to which it belongs
uncus	biology	any hook-shaped process or part
unit character	genetics	a character inherited on an all-or-none basis and dependent on the presence of a single gene
valence, valency	biology	a relative capacity to unite or react or interact as with antigens or a biological substrate
variety	biology	a taxonomic category consisting of members of a species that differe from others of the same species in minor but heritable characteristics; "varieties are frequently recognized in botany
venation	botany	the arrangement of veins in a leaf
venation, venous blood system	zoology	the system of venous blood vessels in an animal
vernation	botany	the arrangement of young leaves in a leaf bud before it opens
XX	genetics	normal complement of sex chromosomes in a female
XXX	genetics	abnormal complement of three X chromosomes in a female
XXY	genetics	abnormal complement of sex hormones in a male resulting in Klinefelter's syndrome
XY	genetics	normal complement of sex hormones in a male
XYY	genetics	abnormal complement of sex hormones in a male who has two Y chromosomes
absorption, soaking up	chemistry	a process in which one substance permeates another; a fluid permeates or is dissolved by a liquid or solid
abundance	chemistry	the ratio of the total mass of an element in the earth's crust to the total mass of the earth's crust; expressed as a percentage or in parts per million
acceptor	chemistry	in the formation of a coordinate bond it is the compound to which electrons are donated
acid value	chemistry	the amount of free acid present in fat as measured by the milligrams of potassium hydroxide needed to neutralize it; "as the glycerides in fat slowly decompose the acid value increases
actinide series	chemistry	a series from actinium to lawrencium of 15 radioactive elements with increasing atomic numbers
activity	chemistry	the capacity of a substance to take part in a chemical reaction; "catalytic activity
adenine (A)	biochemistry	purine base found in DNA and RNA; pairs with thymine in DNA and with uracil in RNA
adenosine	biochemistry	a nucleoside that is a structural component of nucleic acids; it is present in all living cells in a combined form as a constituent of DNA and RNA and ADP and ATP and AMP
agonist	biochemistry	a drug that can combine with a receptor on a cell to produce a physiological reaction
allomerism	chemistry	variability in chemical composition without variation in crystalline form
antagonism	biochemistry	interference in or inhibition of the physiological action of a chemical substance by another having a similar structure
anticatalyst	chemistry	a substance that retards a chemical reaction or diminishes the activity of a catalyst
aromatic	chemistry	of or relating to or containing one or more benzene rings; "an aromatic organic compound
association	chemistry	any process of combination (especially in solution) that depends on relatively weak chemical bonding
atom	physics, chemistry	the smallest component of an element having the chemical properties of the element
atomic mass	chemistry	the mass (in atomic mass units) of an isotope of an element
atomic weight, relative atomic mass	chemistry	the ratio of the atomic mass of an element to half the atomic mass of carbon-12
atomism, atomic theory, atomist theory, atomistic theory	chemistry	any theory in which all matter is composed of tiny discrete finite indivisible indestructible particles; "the ancient Greek philosophers Democritus and Epicurus held atomic theories of the universe
catalyst, accelerator	chemistry	a substance that initiates or accelerates a chemical reaction without itself being affected
chain, chemical chain	chemistry	a series of linked atoms (generally in an organic molecule)
chemical process, chemical change, chemical action	chemistry	any process determined by the atomic and molecular composition and structure of the substances involved
chemical reaction, reaction	chemistry	a process in which one or more substances are changed into others; "there was a chemical reaction of the lime with the ground water
closed chain, ring	chemistry	a chain of atoms in a molecule that forms a closed loop
compound, chemical compound	chemistry	a substance formed by chemical union of two or more elements or ingredients in definite proportion by weight
decomposition, decomposition reaction	chemistry	separation of a substance into two or more substances that may differ from each other and from the original substance
deoxyribonucleic acid, desoxyribonucleic acid, DNA	biochemistry	a long linear polymer found in the nucleus of a cell and formed from nucleotides and shaped like a double helix; associated with the transmission of genetic information; "DNA is the king of molecules
dimorphism	chemistry	the property of certain substances that enables them to exist in two distinct crystalline forms
displacement, displacement reaction	chemistry	a reaction in which an elementary substance displaces and sets free a constituent element from a compound
dissociation	chemistry	the temporary or reversible process in which a molecule or ion is broken down into smaller molecules or ions
distribution law	chemistry	the total energy in an assembly of molecules is not distributed equally but is distributed around an average value according to a statistical distribution
electronegativity, negativity	chemistry	the tendency of an atom or radical to attract electrons in the formation of an ionic bond
emulsion	chemistry	a colloid in which both phases are liquids; "an oil-in-water emulsion
equilibrium constant	chemistry	the ratio of concentrations when equilibrium is reached in a reversible reaction (when the rate of the forward reaction equals the rate of the reverse reaction)
equilibrium law, law of chemical equilibrium	chemistry	the principle that (at chemical equilibrium) in a reversible reaction the ratio of the rate of the forward reaction to the rate of the reverse reaction is a constant for that reaction
group, radical, chemical group	chemistry	two or more atoms bound together as a single unit and forming part of a molecule
heavy	physics, chemistry	being or containing an isotope with greater than average atomic mass or weight; "heavy hydrogen"; "heavy water
Henry's law	chemistry	law formulated by the English chemist William Henry; the amount of a gas that will be absorbed by water increases as the gas pressure increases
imbibition	chemistry	the absorption of a liquid by a solid or gel
immiscible, unmixable	chemistry, physics	incapable of mixing
indicator	chemistry	a substance that changes color to indicate the presence of some ion or substance; can be used to indicate the completion of a chemical reaction or (in medicine) to test for a particular reaction
interface	chemistry	a surface forming a common boundary between two things (two objects or liquids or chemical phases)
labile	chemistry, physics, biology	readily undergoing change or breakdown
law of constant proportion, law of definite proportions	chemistry	law stating that every pure substance always contains the same elements combined in the same proportions by weight
law of equivalent proportions, law of reciprocal proportions	chemistry	law stating that the proportions in which two elements separately combine with a third element are also the proportions in which they combine together
law of mass action	chemistry	the law that states the following principle: the rate of a chemical reaction is directly proportional to the molecular concentrations of the reacting substances
law of multiple proportions, Dalton's law	chemistry	law stating that when two elements can combine to form more than one compound the amounts of one of them that combines with a fixed amount of the other will exhibit a simple multiple relation
light	physics, chemistry	not having atomic weight greater than average; "light water is ordinary water
lysis	biochemistry	dissolution or destruction of cells such as blood cells or bacteria
migration	chemistry	the nonrandom movement of an atom or radical from one place to another within a molecule
miscible, mixable	chemistry, physics	capable of mixing
mixture	chemistry	a substance consisting of two or more substances mixed together (not in fixed proportions and not with chemical bonding)
molecular weight, relative molecular mass	chemistry	the sum of the relative atomic masses of the constituent atoms of a molecule
molecule	physics, chemistry	the simplest structural unit of an element or compound
nucleic acid	biochemistry	any of various macromolecules composed of nucleotid chains that are vital constituents of all living cells
osmotic pressure	physical chemistry	the pressure exerted by a solution necessary to prevent osmosis into that solution when it is separated from the pure solvent by a semipermeable membrane
periodic law, Mendeleev's law	chemistry	the principle that chemical properties of the elements are periodic functions of their atomic numbers
pH, pH scale	chemistry	p(otential of) H(ydrogen); the logarithm of the reciprocal of hydrogen-ion concentration in gram atoms per liter; provides a measure on a scale from 0 to 14 of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution (where 7 is neutral and greater than 7 is a
phase, form	physical chemistry	a distinct state of matter in a system; matter that is identical in chemical composition and physical state and separated from other material by the phase boundary; "the reaction occurs in the liquid phase of the system
plasma	physical chemistry	a fourth state of matter distinct from solid or liquid or gas and present in stars and fusion reactors; a gas becomes a plasma when it is heated until the atoms lose all their electrons, leaving a highly electrified collection of nucl
polymorphism, pleomorphism	chemistry	the existence of different kinds of crystal of the same chemical compound
rectification	chemistry	the process of refinement or purification of a substance by distillation
ribonucleic acid, RNA	biochemistry	a long linear polymer of nucleotides found in the nucleus but mainly in the cytoplasm of a cell where it is associated with microsomes; it transmits genetic information from DNA to the cytoplasm and controls certain chemical processes in th
saturation point	chemistry	the stage at which a substance will receive no more of another substance in solution or in a vapor
sensitizer, sensitiser	chemistry	a substance other than a catalyst that facilitates the start of a catalytic reaction
sequencer, sequenator	chemistry	an apparatus that can determine the sequence of monomers in a polymer
stabile	chemistry, physics, biology	resistant to change
state of matter, state	chemistry	the three traditional states of matter are solids (fixed shape and volume) and liquids (fixed volume and shaped by the container) and gases (filling the container); "the solid state of water is called ice
stoichiometry	chemistry	the relation between the quantities of substances that take part in a reaction or form a compound (typically a ratio of whole integers)
sublimation	chemistry	a change directly from the solid to the gaseous state without becoming liquid
system	physical chemistry	a sample of matter in which substances in different phases are in equilibrium; "in a static system oil cannot be replaced by water on a surface"; "a system generating hydrogen peroxide
theory of dissociation, theory of electrolytic dissociation, Arrhenius theory of dissociation	chemistry	theory that describes aqueous solutions in terms of acids (which dissociate to give hydrogen ions) and bases (which dissociate to give hydroxyl ions); the product of an acid and a base is a salt and water
theory of indicators, Ostwald's theory of indicators	chemistry	the theory that all indicators are either weak acids or weak bases in which the color of the ionized form is different from the color before dissociation
thermolabile	chemistry, physics, biology	readily changed or destroyed by heat
valence, valency	chemistry	a property of atoms or radicals; their combining power given in terms of the number of hydrogen atoms (or the equivalent)
Word(s)	Subject	Definition
absorber	physics	material in a nuclear reactor that absorbs radiation
absorption	physics	the process in which incident radiated energy is retained without reflection or transmission on passing through a medium; "the absorption of photons by atoms or molecules
absorptivity, absorption factor	physics	the property of a body that determines the fraction of the incident radiation or sound flux absorbed or absorbable by the body
abundance	physics	the ratio of the number of atoms of a specific isotope of an element to the total number of isotopes present
acceleration	physics	a rate of change of velocity
adiabatic process	thermodynamics	any process that occurs without gain or loss of heat
amplification	electronics	the act of increasing voltage or power or current
amplitude	physics	the maximum displacement of a periodic wave
antinode	physics	the point of maximum displacement in a periodic system
Archimedes' principle, law of Archimedes	hydrostatics	the apparent loss in weight of a body immersed in a fluid is equal to the weight of the displaced fluid
atom	physics, chemistry	the smallest component of an element having the chemical properties of the element
atomic spectrum	physics	a spectrum of radiation caused by electron transitions within an atom; the series of spectrum lines is characteristic of the element
attractor, attracter	physics	a point in the ideal multidimensional phase space that is used to describe a system toward which the system tends to evolve regardless of the starting conditions of the system
barn, b	physics	a unit of nuclear cross section; the effective circular area that one particle presents to another as a target for an encounter
base	electronics	the part of a transistor that separates the emitter from the collector
Bohr theory	physics	a theory of atomic structure that combined Rutherford's model with the quantum theory; electrons orbiting a nucleus can only be in certain stationary energy states and light is emitted when electrons jump from one energy state to another
Bose-Einstein statistics	physics	statistical law obeyed by a system of particles whose wave function is not changed when two particles are interchanged (the Pauli exclusion principle does not apply)
center of buoyancy, centre of buoyancy, center of immersion, centre of immersion	physics	the center of mass of the immersed part of ship or other floating object
chaos	physics	a dynamical system that is extremely sensitive to its initial conditions
characteristic curve, characteristic function	electronics	graph showing how a particular characteristic of a device varies with other parameters
coefficient of elasticity, modulus of elasticity, elastic modulus	physics	the ratio of the applied stress to the change in shape of an elastic body
cohesion	physics	the intermolecular force that holds together the molecules in a solid or liquid
collision, hit	physics	an brief event in which two or more bodies come together; "the collision of the particles resulted in an exchange of energy and a change of direction
color, colour	physics	the characteristic of quarks that determines their role in the strong interaction; each flavor of quarks comes in three colors
conservation	physics	the maintenance of a certain quantities unchanged during chemical reactions or physical transformations
contact, tangency	electronics	a junction where things (as two electrical conductors) touch or are in physical contact; "they forget to solder the contacts
containment	physics	a system designed to prevent the accidental release of radioactive material from a reactor
Coriolis effect	physics	an effect whereby a body moving in a rotating frame of reference experiences the Coriolis force acting perpendicular to the direction of motion and to the axis of rotation; on Earth the Coriolis effect deflects moving bodies to the right in the
Coriolis force	physics	a force due to the earth's rotation; acts on a body in motion (airplane or projectile) in a rotating reference frame; in a rotating frame of reference Newton's second law of motion can be made to apply if in addition to the real forces acting
corpuscular theory, corpuscular theory of light	physics	the theory that light is transmitted as a stream of particles
cross section	physics	the probability that a particular interaction (as capture or ionization) will take place between particles; measured in barns
demodulation	electronics	the reception of a signal by extracting it from the carrier wave
diffusion	physics	the process of diffusing; the intermingling of molecules in gases and liquids as a result of random thermal agitation
dip, angle of dip, magnetic dip, magnetic inclination, inclination	physics	the angle that a magnetic needle makes with the plane of the horizon
duality, wave-particle duality	physics	the property of matter and electromagnetic radiation that is characterized by the fact that some properties can be explained best by wave theory and others by particle theory
dynamical system	physics	a phase space together with a transformation of that space
energy	physics	the capacity of a physical system to do work; the units of energy are joules or ergs; "energy can take a wide variety of forms
fault	electronics	equipment failure attributable to some defect in a circuit (loose connection or insulation failure or short circuit etc.); "it took much longer to find the fault than to fix it
Fermi-Dirac statistics	physics	law obeyed by a systems of particles whose wave function changes when two particles are interchanged (the Pauli exclusion principle applies)
field theory	physics	a theory that explains a physical phenomenon in terms of a field and the manner in which it interacts with matter or with other fields
flavor, flavour	physics	the kinds of quarks and antiquarks
flux density, flux	physics	the number of flux changes per unit area
force	physics	the influence that produces a change in a physical quantity; "force equals mass times acceleration
frequency response	electronics	a response depicting the output-to-input ratio of a transducer as a function of frequency
frequency-response curve, frequency-response characteristic, frequency response	electronics	a graph of frequency response with signal amplitude or gain plotted against frequency
gas constant, universal gas constant, R	physics	the universal constant in the gas equation: pressure times volume = R times temperature; equal to 8.3143 joules per kelvin per mole
Gay-Lussac's law, Charles's law, law of volumes	physics	the density of an ideal gas at constant pressure varies inversely with the temperature
gravitational constant, universal gravitational constant, constant of gravitation, G	physics	the universal constant relating force to mass and distance in Newton's law of gravitation
gravitational mass	physics	the mass of a body as measured by its gravitational attraction for other bodies
gravity, gravitation, gravitational attraction, gravitational force	physics	the force of attraction between all masses in the universe; especially the attraction of the earth's mass for bodies near its surface; "the more remote the body the less the gravity"; "the gravitation between two bodies is proportional to the p
gravity wave, gravitation wave	physics	a wave that is hypothesized to propagate gravity and to travel at the speed of light
ground state	physics	the lowest energy state of an atom or other particle
growing	electronics	the production of (semiconductor) crystals by slow crystallization from the molten state
heat content, total heat, enthalpy, H	thermodynamics	a thermodynamic quantity equal to the internal energy of a system plus the product of its volume and pressure; "enthalpy is the amount of energy in a system capable of doing mechanical work
heavy	physics, chemistry	being or containing an isotope with greater than average atomic mass or weight; "heavy hydrogen"; "heavy water
hodoscope	physics	scientific instrument that traces the path of a charged particle
Hooke's law	physics	the principle that (within the elastic limit) the stress applied to a solid is proportional to the strain produced
immiscible, unmixable	chemistry, physics	incapable of mixing
inductance, induction	physics	a property of an electric circuit by which an electromotive force is induced in it by a variation of current
inertia	physics	the tendency of a body to maintain is state of rest or uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force
inertial mass	physics	the mass of a body as determined by the second law of motion from the acceleration of the body when it is subjected to a force that is not due to gravity
interaction, fundamental interaction	physics	the transfer of energy between elementary particles or between an elementary particle and a field or between fields; mediated by gauge bosons
isotropy, symmetry	physics	the property of being isotropic; having the same value when measured in different directions
jerk, rate of acceleration	mechanics	the rate of change of velocity
kinetic theory, kinetic theory of gases	physics	a theory that gases consist of small particles in random motion
Kirchhoff's laws	physics	two laws governing electric networks in which steady currents flow: the sum of all the currents at a point is zero and the sum of the voltage gains and drops around any closed circuit is zero
labile	chemistry, physics, biology	readily undergoing change or breakdown
law of gravitation, Newton's law of gravitation	physics	the law that states any two bodies attract each other with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them
law of thermodynamics	physics	a law governing the relations between states of energy in a closed system
light	physics, chemistry	not having atomic weight greater than average; "light water is ordinary water
light, visible light, visible radiation	physics	electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation; "the light was filtered through a soft glass window
limiter, clipper	electronics	an nonlinear electronic circuit whose output is limited in amplitude; used to limit the instantaneous amplitude of a waveform (to clip off the peaks of a waveform); "a limiter introduces amplitude distortion
magnet	physics	a device that attracts iron and produces a magnetic field
magnetic dipole moment	physics	a current loop gives rise to a magnetic field characteristic of a magnetic dipole; "An orbiting electron in an atom will have a magnetic dipole moment
mass energy	physics	the mass of a body regarded relativistically as energy
mass-energy equivalence	physics	the principle that a measured quantity of mass is equivalent (according to relativity theory) to a measured quantity of energy
Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution law, Boltzmann distribution law	physics	a law expressing the distribution of energy among the molecules of a gas in thermal equilibrium
miscible, mixable	chemistry, physics	capable of mixing
modulation	electronics	the transmission of a signal by using it to vary a carrier wave; changing the carrier's amplitude or frequency or phase
modulus	physics	a coefficient that expresses how much of a specified property is possessed by a specified substance
molecule	physics, chemistry	the simplest structural unit of an element or compound
network, electronic network	electronics	a system of interconnected electronic components or circuits
node	physics	the point of minimum displacement in a periodic system
nuclear reaction	physics	a process that alters the energy or structure or composition of atomic nuclei
nuclear reactor, reactor	physics	any of several kinds of apparatus that maintain and control a nuclear reaction for the production of energy or artificial elements
oscillation, vibration	physics	a regular periodic variation in value about a mean
outlet box	electricity	receptacle consisting of the metal box designed for connections to a wiring system
parity, conservation of parity, space-reflection symmetry, mirror symmetry	physics	parity is conserved in a universe in which the laws of physics are the same in a right-handed system of coordinates as in a left-handed system
perturbation	physics	a secondary influence on a system that causes it to deviate slightly
phase space	physics	an ideal space in which the coordinate dimensions represent the variables that are required to describe a system or substance; "a multidimensional phase space
Planck's law	physics	the basis of quantum theory; the energy of electromagnetic waves is contained in indivisible quanta that have to be radiated or absorbed as a whole; the magnitude is proportional to frequency where the constant of proportionality is give by Plan
Planck's radiation law	physics	an equation that expresses the distribution of energy in the radiated spectrum of an ideal black body
power	physics	the rate of doing work; measured in watts (= joules/second)
principle of equivalence	physics	the principle that an observer has no way of distinguishing whether his laboratory is in a uniform gravitational field or is in an accelerated frame of reference
principle of liquid displacement	hydrostatics	the volume of a body immersed in a fluid is equal to the volume of the displaced fluid
principle of relativity	physics	a universal law that states that the laws of mechanics are not affected by a uniform rectilinear motion of the system of coordinates to which they are referred
pulsation, pulsing, pulse, impulse	electronics	a sharp transient wave in the normal electrical state (or a series of such transients); "the pulsations seemed to be coming from a star
quantum	physics	the smallest discrete quantity of some physical property that a system can possess (according to quantum theory)
quantum jump	physics	an abrupt transition of an electron or atom or molecule from one quantum state to another with the emission or absorption of a quantum
quantum theory	physics	a physical theory that certain properties occur only in discrete amounts (quanta)
randomness, entropy, S	thermodynamics	a thermodynamic quantity representing the amount of energy in a system that is no longer available for doing mechanical work; "entropy increases as matter and energy in the universe degrade to an ultimate state of inert uniformity
reaction	mechanics	the equal and opposite force that is produced when any force is applied to a body; "every action has an equal and opposite reaction
recombination	physics	a combinng of charges or transfer of electrons in a gas that results in the neutralization of ions; important for ions arising from the passage of high-energy particles
redundancy	electronics	a system design that duplicates components to provide alternatives in case one component fails
relativistic mass	physics	the mass of a body in motion relative to the observer: it is equal to the rest mass multiplied by a factor that is greater than 1 and that increases as the magnitude of the velocity increases
relativity, theory of relativity, relativity theory, Einstein's theory of relativity	physics	the theory that space and time are relative concepts rather than absolute concepts
relaxation, relaxation behavior	physics	the exponential return of a system to equilibrium after a disturbance
reluctance	physics	opposition to magnetic flux (analogous to electric resistance)
reluctivity	physics	the resistance of a material to the establishment of a magnetic field in it
repeater	electronics	electronic device that amplifies a signal before transmitting it again; "repeaters can be used in computer networks to extend cabling distances
rest mass	physics	the mass of a body as measured when the body is at rest relative to an observer, an inherent property of the body
ripple	electronics	an oscillation of small amplitude imposed on top of a steady value
scintillation	physics	a flash of light that is produced in a phosphor when it absorbs a photon or ionizing particle
series	electronics	connection of components in such a manner that current flows first through one and then through the other; "the voltage divider consisted of a series of fixed resistors
shear	physics	a deformation of an object in which parallel planes remain parallel but are shifted in a direction parallel to themselves; "the shear changed the quadrilateral into a parallelogram
soliton, soliton wave, solitary wave	physics	a quantum of energy or quasiparticle that can be propagated as a traveling wave in nonlinear systems and is neither preceded nor followed by another such disturbance; does not obey the superposition principle and does not dissipate; "soliton wav
spallation	physics	a nuclear reaction in which a bombarded nucleus breaks up into many particles; "some astronomers believe that the solar system was formed by spallation when the sun was a very young star
stabile	chemistry, physics, biology	resistant to change
strain	physics	deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
stress	physics	force that produces strain on a physical body; "the intensity of stress is expressed in units of force divided by units of area
strong interaction, strong force, color force	physics	the interaction that binds protons and neutrons together in the nuclei of atoms; mediated by gluons
supersymmetry	physics	a theory that tries to link the four fundamental forces; "according to supersymmetry each force emerged separately during the big bang
sympathetic vibration	physics	vibration produced by resonance
tension	physics	a stress that produces an elongation of an elastic physical body; "the direction of maximum tension moves asymptotically toward the direction of the shear
theory of gravitation, theory of gravity, gravitational theory, Newton's theory of gravitation	physics	the theory that any two particles of matter attract one another with a force directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them
thermolabile	chemistry, physics, biology	readily changed or destroyed by heat
time constant	electronics	the time required for the current or voltage in a circuit to rise or fall exponentially through approximately 63 per cent of its amplitude
transient	physics	a short-lived oscillation in a system caused by a sudden change of voltage or current or load
transmutation	physics	the change of one chemical element into another (as by nuclear decay or radioactive bombardment); "the transmutation of base metals into gold proved to be impossible
transposition	electricity	a rearrangement of the relative positions of power lines in order to minimize the effects of mutual capacitance and inductance; "he wrote a textbook on the electrical effects of transposition
uncertainty principle, indeterminacy principle	quantum theory	the theory that it is impossible to measure both energy and time (or position and momentum) completely accurately at the same time
wave, undulation	physics	a movement up and down or back and forth
wave front, wavefront	physics	an imaginary surface joining all points in space that are reached at the same instant by a wave propagating through a medium
wave theory, undulatory theory, wave theory of light	physics	the theory that light is transmitted as waves
weak interaction, weak force	physics	an interaction between elementary particles involving neutrinos or antineutrinos that is responsible for certain kinds of radioactive decay; mediated by intermediate vector bosons
work	physics	a manifestation of energy; the transfer of energy from one physical system to another expressed as the product of a force and the distance through which it moves a body in the direction of that force; "work equals force times distance

Short Quiz

1 / 3

There are also four ______ residues along this putative lateral gate that have been proposed to interact with the hydrophilic core of LPS as it passes through the lumen.

(Excerpt from: Lundstedt, Emily, Kahne, Daniel & Ruiz, Natividad. (2021). Assembly and Maintenance of Lipids at the Bacterial Outer Membrane. Chemical Reviews, 121(9), 5098-5123.)

2 / 3

Our results demonstrate that one can design the effective ______ characteristics of a disordered composite by engineering the microstructure to possess tailored spatial correlations at prescribed length scales.

(Excerpt from: Torquato, Salvatore & Kim, Jaeuk. (2021). Nonlocal Effective Electromagnetic Wave Characteristics of Composite Media: Beyond the Quasistatic Regime. Physical Review X, 11(2), 021002.)

3 / 3

Lastly, we examined RIG-I binding ______ to the transfected cellular wild-type and mutant IVT-CoV-2 RNA. Both RIG-I RIP and biotinylated RNA pull-down experiments showed that mutant IVT-CoV-2 RNA enhanced RIG-I binding to RNA compared with wild-type RNA (Figures 5D and 5E).

(Excerpt from: Li, Na, Hui, Hui, Bray, Bill, Gonzalez, Gwendolyn Michelle, Zeller, Mark, Anderson, Kristian G., Knight, Rob, Smith, Davey, Wang, Yinsheng, Carlin, Aaron F., & Rana, Tariq M. (2021). METTL3 regulates viral m6A RNA modification and host cell innate immune responses during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Cell Reports, 35(6), 109091.)

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