Across
- 3. A biological tool used to build or break down molecules quickly.
- 5. The body’s internal thermostat trying to keep everything "just right."
- 8. The non-living stuff, like rocks and sunlight, that affects life.
- 15. How plants turn a sunny day into a snack.
- 16. Liquid rock that is still hiding underground.
- 18. When wind or water acts like sandpaper on the Earth's surface.
- 20. An organism's specific "rung" on the food ladder.
- 22. Different "flavors" or versions of a single gene.
- 23. When water vapor gets cold and decides to clump back into a liquid.
- 25. Energy sources made from the leftovers of ancient organisms.
- 26. The giant, slow-motion bumper cars that make up the Earth's crust.
- 29. The tiny "protein factory" clicking away inside the cell.
- 30. The hidden "blueprints" in your DNA that you can’t see from the outside.
- 31. The process of one cell making an identical twin of itself.
- 32. The layer of the sky where all the weather and breathing happens.
- 33. Particles moving from a crowded "mosh pit" to an open dance floor.
- 34. The maximum number of "residents" an ecosystem can support.
- 35. The version of a trait that "shouts" over the quieter one.
- 37. The slow "relay race" of plants reclaiming a burnt-out forest.
- 39. Rock that has been baked and squished into something new.
- 40. An educated "maybe" that you can actually put to the test.
Down
- 1. The Earth’s "sunglasses" that block out harmful UV rays.
- 2. The type of boundary where plates are in a head-on collision.
- 4. A random "typo" in the genetic code that might change a trait.
- 6. An atom that has the standard number of protons but extra weight.
- 7. What you actually see in the mirror—physical traits in action.
- 9. A chemical "hype man" that speeds up a reaction without joining in.
- 10. Nature’s way of deciding who survives long enough to have kids.
- 11. A long-term "roommate" situation between two different species.
- 12. When water sneaks through a membrane to balance out the saltiness.
- 13. The shy trait that only shows up if its partner is also quiet.
- 14. The specialized cell division that makes reproductive cells.
- 17. The cellular "furnace" where sugar is burned to keep the lights on.
- 19. The day when the sun reaches its highest or lowest point in the sky.
- 21. Having a wide variety of "guests" in an ecosystem’s guest list.
- 24. An underground "sponge" made of rock that holds our drinking water.
- 27. When the atmosphere acts like a cozy blanket for the planet.
- 28. Anything in an ecosystem that is breathing, growing, or was once alive.
- 36. An organism's very specific "job description" in its habitat.
- 38. Rock that started out as a molten "soup."