Across
- 2. The energy of motion. A rolling ball has kinetic energy.
- 4. Particles with no electrical charge found in the nucleus of an atom along with protons. They also contribute to an atom's mass.
- 5. Organisms that break down dead organisms and return nutrients to the environment. They are the clean-up crew!
- 7. The feeding position of an organism in a food chain. Producers are at the base, then herbivores, carnivores, and decomposers.
- 9. Organisms that can make their own food, like plants and some bacteria. They are the base of the food chain.
- 14. Stored energy due to position or composition. A rock held high above the ground has potential energy.
- 17. Negatively charged particles that travel around the nucleus of an atom. They are much lighter than protons and neutrons.
- 19. The process by which plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to produce food (sugar) and oxygen. Plants are like solar-powered chefs!
- 20. Anything that has mass and takes up space. (Think of it as the stuff that makes up everything you can physically touch!)
Down
- 1. The continuous movement of elements and compounds between living organisms and the nonliving environment. Imagine a giant recycling system for elements on Earth!
- 3. Pure substances that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means. Each element has a unique number of protons (like a fingerprint!).
- 6. The process by which cells break down food molecules to release energy for their functions. It's like burning tiny fuel inside your cells!
- 8. A series of transfers of energy from one organism to another. Imagine a daisy getting eaten by a caterpillar, then a bird eats the caterpillar. That's a food chain!
- 10. Positively charged particles found in the nucleus of an atom. They contribute to an atom's mass.
- 11. The idea that only about 10% of the energy available at one trophic level gets passed on to the next level in a food chain. The rest is lost as heat.
- 12. The smallest unit of matter that can still hold the properties of an element. Imagine them as tiny building blocks!
- 13. Two or more atoms bonded together. They are the building blocks of many materials. Imagine Legos made of atoms!
- 15. The ability to do work. It comes in many forms, like light, heat, and movement.
- 16. These laws explain how energy behaves in the universe. The first law says energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed. The second law says disorder (entropy) always increases over time.
- 18. Organisms that get their energy by eating other organisms. Herbivores eat plants, carnivores eat animals, and omnivores eat both.