relative motion

movement in relation to a frame of reference (p. 329)

renewable energy resource

a source of energy that can be replaced in a relatively short period of time (p. 463)

resistance

the opposition to the flow of electric charges in a material (p. 605)

resonance

the response of a standing wave to another wave of the same frequency, with dramatic increase in amplitude of the standing wave (p. 521)

responding variable

a variable that changes in response to a change in the manipulated variable (p. 8)

resultant vector

the vector sum of two or more vectors (p. 331)

retina

the inner surface of the back of the eye, containing light-sensitive nerve endings (p. 589)

reversible reaction

a chemical reaction in which the conversion of reactants into products and the conversion of products into reactants happens at the same time (p. 217)

revolution

the movement of one body around another (p. 752)

ring

a disk made of many small particles of rock and ice in orbit around a planet (p. 811)

rock

a solid combination of minerals or other materials (p. 665)

rock cycle

a series of processes in which rocks continuously change from one type to another (p. 674)

rods

light-sensitive neurons in the retina that detect low-intensity light and distinguish black, white, and gray (p. 589)

rolling friction

a friction force that acts on rolling objects, caused by the change in shape at the point of rolling contact (p. 360)

rotation

the spinning of a planet or moon on its axis (p. 752)

runoff

water that flows over Earth's surface (p. 706)

S

salinity

the proportion of dissolved salts in water (p. 725)

salt

an ionic compound formed when an acid reacts with a base (p. 244)

saltation

movement of particles such as sand carried by water or wind in a series of little leaps (p. 714)

saturated hydrocarbon

a hydrocarbon in which all of the bonds are single bonds (p. 264)

saturated solution

a solution that contains as much solute as the solvent can normally hold at a given temperature (p. 236)

saturated zone

the region beneath Earth's surface where pore spaces are entirely filled with groundwater (p. 707)

scattering

a process by which light is redirected as it passes through a medium (p. 549)

science

a system of knowledge about the natural world and the methods used to find that knowledge (p. 3)

scientific law

a statement that summarizes a pattern found in nature (p. 9)

scientific method

an organized plan used for gathering, organizing, and communicating information (p. 7)

scientific notation

a way of expressing a value as the product of a number between 1 and 10 and a power of 10 (p. 14)

scientific theory

a well-tested explanation for a set of observations or experimental results (p. 9)

screw

an inclined plane wrapped around a cylinder (p. 431)

sea breeze

a local wind that occurs when cooler air over the water flows toward the land (p. 757)

sea-floor spreading

the process by which new oceanic crust is created at mid-ocean ridges, as older crust moves away (p. 678)

secondary color

new color that results when any two of the primary colors are combined (p. 552)

sediment

small, solid pieces of material that come from rocks or living organisms (p. 672)

sedimentary rock

rock that forms over time as sediment is squeezed and cemented together (p. 672)

seismic waves

vibrations that carry the energy released during an earthquake (p. 684)

seismograph

a device that can detect and record seismic waves (p. 687)

semiconductor

a crystalline solid that conducts electric current only under certain conditions (p. 621)

series circuit

an electric circuit with only one path through which charge can flow (p. 610)

shield volcano

a wide, relatively flat volcano that results from quiet eruptions of low-viscosity lava (p. 693)

significant figures

all the digits in a measurement that are directly measured, plus the last digit, which is estimated (p. 19)

silicate

a rock made of compounds of silicon and oxygen, generally containing metals such as alluminum, iron, or calcium (p. 661)

sill

a structure formed when magma hardens in a crack parallel to existing rock layers (p. 696)

single-replacement reaction

a chemical reaction in which one element takes the place of another element in a compound (p. 202)

sinkhole

a hole that results when erosion weakens a layer of limestone, causing portions of the ground to suddenly collapse (p. 717)

sliding friction

a friction force that opposes the motion of an object as it slides over a surface (p. 359)


End ofPage 918

Table of Contents

Physical Science CHAPTER 1 Science Skills CHAPTER 2 Properties of Matter CHAPTER 3 States of Matter CHAPTER 4 Atomic Structure CHAPTER 5 The Periodic Table CHAPTER 6 Chemical Bonds CHAPTER 7 Chemical Reactions CHAPTER 8 Solutions, Acids, and Bases CHAPTER 9 Carbon Chemistry CHAPTER 10 Nuclear Chemistry CHAPTER 11 Motion CHAPTER 12 Forces and Motion CHAPTER 13 Forces in Fluids CHAPTER 14 Work, Power, and Machines CHAPTER 15 Energy CHAPTER 16 Thermal Energy and Heat CHAPTER 17 Mechanical Waves and Sound CHAPTER 18 The Electromagnetic Spectrum and Light CHAPTER 19 Optics CHAPTER 20 Electricity CHAPTER 21 Magnetism CHAPTER 22 Earth's Interior CHAPTER 23 Earth's Surface CHAPTER 24 Weather and Climate CHAPTER 25 The Solar System CHAPTER 26 Exploring the Universe Skills and Reference Handbook