Scientifically Speaking: English Vocabulary List

a branch of science that deals with animals

"She studies zoology at college."

"Zoology is the branch of biology that focuses on the animal kingdom"

the scientific study of plants, their structure, genetics, classification, etc.

"She studied botany at university because she loved plants and flowers."

"Her fascination with the intricate details of flowers led her to pursue a degree in botany."

any foreign substance in the body that can trigger a response from the immune system

"Antigen test used."

"The antigen test can detect the virus quickly and accurately in many cases during screening."

a steroid hormone that the body produces and is used in medicine to help cure skin diseases

"Cortisol is a hormone."

"Cortisol is a steroid hormone that helps the body respond to stress."

having superiority in power, influence, or importance

"He has a dominant personality."

"The dominant company in the industry controls almost seventy percent of the market and sets the prices for everyone else."

an offspring of a human or animal that is not born yet, particularly a human aged more than eight weeks after conception

"The fetus developed inside the womb."

"A fetus is the developing unborn offspring from the end of the eighth week after conception until the moment of birth at full term."

all of the genes that are available within breeding populations of a particular species of animal or plant

"Diverse gene pool."

"A diverse gene pool helps the species survive changes in the environment over time."

the complete set of genetic material of any living thing

"The human genome has many genes."

"A genome is the entire set of genetic material present in an organism"

the controlled maintenance of a specific temperature; fostering optimal conditions for the development of organisms, processes, or materials

"Incubation of the eggs."

"The incubation period for this virus is usually between three and five days."

a colorless liquid consisting of white blood cells that helps to prevent infections from spreading

"Lymph node swollen."

"The lymph node helps the body fight against infections and diseases effectively every day."

a thin sheet of tissue that separates or covers the inner parts of an organism

"The cell membrane protects it."

"The semipermeable membrane regulates the passage of substances into and out of the cell."

a chemical substance that transmits messages from a neuron to another one or to a muscle

"Dopamine is a neurotransmitter."

"Neurotransmitters carry signals between neurons."

a close and often long-term interaction between two different species living in close physical association, typically to the advantage of both

"Symbiosis is when two different living things help each other to survive."

"Symbiosis is a close and long-term biological interaction between two different species"

the natural coloring of tissues, surfaces, or structures; contributing to the characteristic hues or tones observed in animals, plants, or human beings

"Skin pigmentation varies among individuals."

"Skin pigmentation determines the color of a person's skin and protects from sun damage."

the field of science that studies the function or interactions among organisms

"Human physiology studies the body."

"The medical student studied the intricate physiology of the human circulatory system to understand its complex functions."

(of a female animal or human) to produce an ovum from the ovary

"Women ovulate once monthly."

"The female typically ovulates once per month releasing an egg from the ovary that can be fertilized by sperm."

the chemical processes through which food is changed into energy for the body to use

"Fast metabolism burns calories."

"Regular exercise can boost your metabolism helping you burn more calories even while resting."

a method used for measuring how old an organic material is by calculating the amount of carbon they contain

"Scientists used carbon dating on ancient bones"

"Carbon dating revealed that the ancient artifact was over three thousand years old."

the study of how communication and control work in living organisms and machines, focusing on information flow, feedback, and system regulation

"Cybernetics looks at how machines and living things communicate and are controlled."

"Cybernetics has influenced many fields, including robotics, artificial intelligence, and the study of biological systems."

a branch of medical science primarily focusing on the study of the causes and effects of disease or injury

"Pathology examines diseases."

"Pathology helps diagnose medical conditions."

the study of the behavior of air as it interacts with solid objects, particularly the flow of air around and through objects, and the effects of this interaction on the objects

"Aerodynamics makes planes fly."

"Understanding aerodynamics is essential for designing efficient and stable aircraft."

a space that is utterly empty of all matter

"The vacuum is empty."

"In the vacuum of space there is no air to transmit sound waves between objects."

the bending of the wave's path as it passes from one medium to another; caused by a change in its speed or direction

"Refraction makes a straw in water look bent."

"Light refraction happens when light passes from air into water and changes direction."

the process or action of splitting a nucleus into two or more parts resulting in the release of a significant amount of energy

"Nuclear fission releases enormous energy rapidly"

"Nuclear fission splits heavy atoms to release enormous energy."

(physics) the reaction in which two nuclei join together and produce energy

"Scientists research nuclear fusion for clean energy"

"Nuclear fusion joins light atoms and powers the sun."

the strength of a moving object determined by multiplying how heavy it is by how fast it is going

"A heavy truck has momentum."

"A large truck moving at high speed possesses significant momentum, making it difficult to stop quickly."

each of two or more forms of the same element that contain equal numbers of protons but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei, leading to variation in atomic mass

"Carbon has an isotope."

"Scientists use a rare isotope of carbon to determine the age of ancient fossils and artifacts."

relating to the energy associated with motion or movement, emphasizing the dynamic state of objects in action

"Kinetic energy moves objects."

"The sculpture is kinetic and moves slowly in the wind or when someone touches it."

the act of producing a substance that exists in living beings

"It is a synthesis."

"The synthesis of new proteins is a fundamental process occurring within every living cell."

a cell or a group of cells created through a natural or artificial process from a source that they are genetically identical to

"They made a clone."

"Scientists successfully cloned a sheep named Dolly using a cell from an adult animal."

(of genes) causing a person to inherit a particular physical feature, even if it is only present in one parent's genome

"This gene is dominant."

"The dominant gene for eye color often determines whether the offspring will have blue or brown eyes."

to experience genetic changes

"The virus mutated into a deadlier form."

"The virus can mutate rapidly into new variants which makes it very difficult for scientists to develop an effective long lasting vaccine."

a representative or characteristic sample that is examined or analyzed to gain insights or understanding of a particular group or category

"This is a specimen."

"The biologist collected a soil specimen for detailed analysis of its microbial content."

(of a cell, gland, or organ) to produce and release a liquid substance in the body

"Glands secrete hormones into the bloodstream."

"The sweat glands in your skin secrete moisture to help cool your body when it gets too hot."

the process of natural multiplication; representing the expansion of a population over time

"See the propagation now."

"The rapid propagation of the invasive species threatened the delicate ecosystem of the island."

(biology) the part of a cell that contains most of the genetic information

"The nucleus controls the cell."

"The nucleus is the control center of a cell and contains its genetic material."

the scientific and experimental operations performed on live animals

"Vivisection is debated."

"Ethical concerns surrounding vivisection have led to increased research into alternative testing methods."

having a tendency to change rapidly and unpredictably, often characterized by fluctuations or instability

"The market is volatile."

"Due to its volatile nature, the stock market requires careful monitoring and risk management strategies."

related to heat or temperature, including how heat moves, how materials expand with temperature changes, and the energy stored in heat

"He wears thermal underwear."

"The thermal camera detected heat signatures from the survivors trapped under the rubble and the rescue team quickly dug them out."

(physics) any of the smallest units that energy or matter consists of, such as electrons, atoms, molecules, etc.

"A tiny particle floated."

"Scientists study the behavior of subatomic particles in accelerators."

to move back and forth repeatedly between two points or positions

"The light will oscillate."

"The pendulum will oscillate back and forth with a steady, predictable rhythm."