101 Word Science Vocabulary

Science is the systematic and rigorous study of the world through observation and experiment. This is a broad pursuit with many fields, subjects and topics including natural sciences such as physics, formal sciences such as mathematics, social sciences such as economics and applied science such as engineering. These fields each have their own vocabularies but also share a foundational vocabulary of science. The following are common words in the vocabulary of science followed by brief definitions below.

Abiotic	Absolute Zero
Acceleration	Accuracy
Acid	Alternative Hypothesis
Analyze	Assert
Attribute	Bias
Biotic	Causation
Cell	Chaos Theory
Characteristic	Chemical Formula
Cohort	Compound
Conduction	Constant
Control	Control Group
Control Variable	Correlation
Density	Dependent Variable
Electron	Element
Empirical Evidence	Emulsion
Energy	Entropy
Equilibrium	Evidence
Experiment	Experimental Error
Explanatory Power	Falsifiability
Field Experiment	Force
Friction	Gas
Gravity	Habitat
Hard Science	Hypothesis
Independent Variable	Inertia
Inference	Insulator
Kelvin	Kinetic Energy
Liquid	Mass
Matter	Melting Point
Metal	Mineral
Molecule	Momentum
Natural Experiment	Negative Control
Neutron	Nucleus
Null Hypothesis	Observation
Organism	Photon
Positive Control	Precision
Prediction	Pressure
Principle	Probability Theory
Qualitative	Quantitative
Radiation	Random Assignment
Random Error	Research
Retrospective Cohort	Scientific Law
Scientific Method	Semiconductors
Soft Science	Solid
Solution	Substance
Symbiosis	System
Systematic Error	Testability
Theory	Thermal
Trial	Unit
Variable	Velocity
Viscosity	Volume
pH

Abiotic: not related to or resulting from living things.

Absolute zero: the lowest possible temperature at 0 Kelvin, –459.67 °F or –273.15 °C.

Acceleration: increase in rate or speed.

Accuracy: the degree to which something is true, correct or exact.

Acid: a molecule or ion capable of either donating a proton or forming a covalent bond with an electron pair.

Alternative hypothesis : an alternative hypothesis is a hypothesis that there is a relationship between variables.

Analyze: the process of understanding the whole by looking at its parts.

Assert: to explicitly assume or confirm that something is true in a particular context.

Attribute: a data item that describes a property of something.

Bias: what you expect will happen in a particular situation such as an experiment.

Biotic: relating to living organisms.

Causation: a relationship between events or states whereby one causes the other. Also known as cause and effect.

Cell: the smallest unit of an organism that can live on its own.

Chaos Theory: chaos theory is the study of small changes within systems that cause completely different future outcomes to the entire system.

Characteristic: a distinguishing quality, trait or property.

Chemical Formula: a notation used to show the number and type of atoms present in a molecule.

Cohort: a cohort is a group that share a common characteristic.

Compound: a substance composed of atoms from more than one element held together by chemical bonds.

Conduction: the transfer of energy such as heat or electricity through a substance.

Constant: things that don't change in an experiment.

Control: a scientific control is the design of experiments to reduce the effects of change other than changes that are specific targets of the experiment.

Control Group: a control group is a group in an experiment that receive no treatment or a treatment that has a known effect.

Control Variable: a variable that is held constant in an experiment.

Correlation: Two variables that move in coordination with each other. Not to be confused with causation.

Density: weight per unit of volume.

Dependent Variable: a dependent variable is a measurement of interest to an experiment.

Electron: a subatomic particle with a charge of negative electricity that is found in all atoms.

Element: a substance that cannot be separated into simpler substances using chemistry. Substances of the same element have the same numbers of protons in their nuclei.

Empirical Evidence: information acquired by observation or measurement.

Emulsion: a mixture of two or more liquids that are normally unmixable. This results in a dispersion whereby the liquids are still somewhat separated but one is dispersed in the other.

Energy: the potential to exert a force.

Entropy: entropy is a state of disorder, randomness or uncertainty in a system.

Equilibrium: the state in which opposing forces exerted upon an object are balanced.

Evidence: observations or measurements that support or refute a hypothesis.

Experiment: an experiment is a procedure carried out under controlled conditions to determine the validity of a hypothesis.

Experimental error: an unintentional lack of validity that is introduced into research, experiments or observations.

Explanatory power: explanatory power is the usefulness of a hypothesis, theory or law.

Falsifiability: falsifiability is the requirement that it be possible to disprove a hypothesis with a observation.

Field experiment: a field experiment occurs in the real world where it is not possible to control many variables.

Force: an influence that pushes or pulls an object.

Friction: a force that resists movement of one object over another.

Gas: a substance that does not have a definite volume or shape.

Gravity: the universal force of attraction acting between all matter.

Habitat: the natural home or environment of an organism.

Hard science: Hard science is a common term for formal sciences and natural sciences.

Hypothesis: a hypothesis is a reasoned explanation that is not yet confirmed with rigorous study such as experiments, observations and peer review.

Independent variable: the variable that is changed in an experiment.

Inertia: the resistance of an object to change in its velocity.

Inference: formal reasoning based on logic; particularly deduction and induction.

Insulator: a substance that resists the transfer of heat, electricity or sound.

Kelvin: a unit for temperature.

Kinetic energy: the energy an object has due to its motion.

Liquid: a substance with a consistent volume but free flowing form.

Mass: how much matter an object contains. Similar to weight but mass doesn't change with gravity.

Matter: any substance with mass and volume.

Melting Point: the temperature at which a solid changes into a liquid.

Metal: a substance with a lustrous appearance when polished that conducts electricity and heat.

Mineral: a naturally occurring inorganic solid.

Molecule: a group of atoms bonded together.

Momentum: mass times velocity.

Natural Experiment: a natural experiment is research based on real life occurrences that resemble experiments but are beyond the control of researchers.

Negative Control: a negative control is the practice of assigning a group in an experiment to a treatment that is expected to have no effect.

Neutron: a subatomic particle present in all elements except ordinary hydrogen.

Nucleus: the center of an atom or cell.

Null Hypothesis: the null hypothesis is the prediction that there is no relationship between variables.

Observation: the acquisition of information from a primary source.

Organism: life that functions as an individual entity.

pH: a scale for expressing the acidity or alkalinity of a solution.

Photon: a type of elementary particle found in electromagnetic radiation such as light and radio waves.

Positive control: a positive control is the practice of assigning a group in an experiment to a treatment that has a known effect.

Precision: degree of exactness and accuracy.

Prediction: a statement of expected future results.

Pressure: perpendicular force per unit area.

Principle: generally accepted theories and laws with broad explanatory power.

Probability theory: mathematics for the analysis of random phenomena. A basis for statistics.

Qualitative: data that is obtained from humans and other sources aren't particularly exact. Qualitative data is often nonnumerical or roughly translated into numbers such as rankings.

Quantitative: numerical information such as data from a sensor.

Radiation: the emission of energy as electromagnetic waves or moving subatomic particles.

Random assignment: random assignment is the practice of using random processes to assign members to groups in an experiment.

Random error: invalid procedures or inaccurate observations caused by unknown and unpredictable changes in an experiment.

Research: a systematic investigation.

Retrospective Cohort: an observational study based on groups formed before the study began.

Scientific Law: statements, based on repeated research, that describe or predict phenomena. The term scientific law doesn't imply knowledge is certain and unchanging.

Scientific Method: research based on careful observation, rigorous skepticism and falsifiable hypotheses.

Semiconductors: a material that can conduct electricity under some conditions.

Soft Science: soft science is a colloquial term for fields that are perceived as demonstrating less methodological rigor, exactitude and objectivity than the formal and natural sciences.

Solid: a state of matter whereby a substance has a definite volume and form that resists deformation to some degree.

Solution: a homogenous mixture of two or more substances .

Substance: matter with uniform properties and composition.

Symbiosis: interaction between organisms that is typically to the advantage of both.

System: a system is a complex collection of elements that interact to perform a function.

Systematic Error: an error inherent in a system. For example, a sensor that is producing inaccurate readings.

Testability: the ease with which a hypothesis can be tested by an experiment.

Theory: a scientific theory is a well-substantiated explanation of the world. A theory can contain multiple scientific laws.

Thermal: related to temperature.

Trial: a test or experiment.

Unit: any standard used for comparing measurements.

Variable: anything that can change.

Velocity: the rate of change in the position of an object with respect to a frame of reference.

Viscosity: resistance of a liquid or gas to a change in shape.

Volume: the amount of space occupied by a substance.

101 Word Science Vocabulary

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