Page 99 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: Science, 2008 (revised)

cellular respiration. A process in which the chemical bonds of energy-rich molecules such as glucose are converted into energy usable for metabolic processes in organisms.
characteristic. A distinguishing trait or quality of a substance or object.
characteristics of images. Qualities that help de- fine the nature of an image, including distance (from image to vertex), orientation (upright or inverted), magnification (whether smaller than, larger than, or the same size as the object), and type (real or virtual).
chemical change. A change in a substance that results in the formation of a new substance.
chemical equation. A method of expressing a chemical change using the chemical formulae of reactants and products.
chemical property. A quality of a substance that allows it to enter into a chemical reaction (e.g., an acid’s capacity to be neutralized by a base; the tendency of iron to rust).
chemical reaction. A process in which substances interact, causing the formation of new substances with new properties (e.g., the burning of wood to form smoke and ash, with heat given off).
chemiluminescence. Light produced from a chemical reaction without a rise in temperature.
chloroplast. Organelles found in plant cells and some algae (eukaryotic) that conduct photosynthesis.
circuit diagram. A two-dimensional represen- tation of an operating electrical circuit.
climate. The characteristic pattern of weather conditions within a region, including temperature, wind velocity, precipitation, and other abiotic features, averaged over a long period of time.
cloning. The process of creating identical genetic copies of cells from an original cell. In nature, cloning occurs by asexual reproduction.
combustion. A chemical reaction with oxygen that produces heat and light.
compound. A substance made up of two or more elements (e.g., water is a compound consisting of two elements, hydrogen and oxygen).
concentration. The amount of a particular sub- stance in a specific amount of another substance; also, the amount of dissolved substance contained per unit of volume of solvent.
conduction. The movement or transmission of thermal or electrical energy through a substance.
conductivity. A measure of a material’s ability to conduct heat or electricity.
conductor. A material that has a high thermal and electrical conductivity (e.g., a metal).
constellation. A group of stars perceived as a figure or design.
converging (convex) lens. A lens that is thickest in the middle, causing parallel rays of light to converge to a focus.
converging (concave) mirror. A mirror that curves inward, causing parallel rays to come to a prin- cipal focal point.
current. The rate of movement of electric charge through a conductor.
current electricity. The flow of electricity in a circuit through a conductor.
decomposition reaction. A chemical change in which a complex compound is broken down into simpler compounds or elements. For ex- ample, in the process of rotting and decay known as decomposition, the complex organic materials in plants and animals break down into simple inorganic elements that can be returned to the atmosphere and soil.
diffusion. The gradual movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.
GLOSSARY
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