Unit 1 Vocab

4. Changes that occur in a predictable, repeating pattern over time, such as the phases of the moon, seasons, or ocean tides.
6. A naturally occurring event that poses a threat to life, property, or the environment, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and volcanic eruptions.
7. The process of quantifying the characteristics of an object or phenomenon, such as length, mass, temperature, or volume, using standardized units.
12. The speed at which a variable changes over time, often expressed as a ratio or percentage, indicating how quickly or slowly a process occurs.
13. A statement about what is expected to happen in the future based on current knowledge, observations, or models, often used in scientific research and forecasting.
15. The mass of a substance per unit volume, typically expressed in grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³) or kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³). It indicates how compact or concentrated a material is.
16. A tool or device used to measure, observe, or analyze scientific phenomena, such as a thermometer, barometer, or spectrometer.
17. The act of using the senses or instruments to gather information about the natural world, forming the basis for scientific inquiry.
18. The systematic arrangement of objects, organisms, or phenomena into categories based on shared characteristics, facilitating organization and understanding.

1. Materials or substances that occur in nature and can be used for economic gain or to sustain life, such as water, minerals, forests, and fossil fuels.
2. A state of balance in a system where competing processes occur at equal rates, leading to stability even as individual components change, often seen in ecosystems or geological processes.
3. A conclusion drawn based on observations, evidence, and reasoning, rather than direct measurements or explicit data.
5. The boundary or surface where two different systems, substances, or phases interact, such as the ocean-atmosphere interface or soil-water interface.
8. A measure of how much a set of data deviates from a reference value, expressed as a percentage, often used to assess accuracy and precision in measurements.
9. The introduction of harmful substances or contaminants into the environment, adversely affecting ecosystems, human health, and natural resources.
10. A measure of the amount of matter in an object, typically measured in grams (g) or kilograms (kg), independent of its volume or shape.
11. The amount of space occupied by an object or substance, typically measured in liters (L) or cubic centimeters (cm³), indicating its capacity.
14. The vast expanse of space that contains all matter, energy, planets, stars, galaxies, and cosmic structures, encompassing everything known and unknown.