Glossary

Molten rock that has not reached the surface.

Stars that fuse hydrogen into helium. Gravity acting inwards balances gas pressure acting outwards – 90% of stars, including the Sun, are at this stage in their lives.

An area of land that has been isolated from the surrounding environment, usually with a predator-proof fence.

A medical term used to describe a disease or condition that is likely to cause death or serious disablement unless effectively treated. In skin cancer, a tumour that is cancerous and likely to spread if left untreated.

Easily hammered into shape.

A warm-blooded animal, such as a human being, dog or whale, the female of which produces milk from mammary glands to feed her young/newborn offspring.

An examination of a breast that uses low dose X-rays.

The amount of matter in an object.

The sum of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom. For example, C-14 has 6 protons and 8 neutrons in its nucleus, so its mass number is 6 + 8 = 14.

The highest level of a hazardous substance that is considered ‘safe’.

The ratio of the output force produced by a lever to the applied input force.

A branch of engineering that deals with the design, construction and operation of machinery.

A field of physics that studies the action of forces on objects made of matter.

The black or dark brown pigments present in the hair, skin and eyes of humans and animals. It is produced in excess in certain skin diseases and in melanomas. People with dark skin have more melanin than people with fair skin.

Cells in the epidermis of the skin and elsewhere that produce melanin.

Cancer of the melanocytes. The cancer usually appears on the skin, but may affect the eye and membranes (for example, the lining of the nose, the meninges of the brain or the lining of the anus).

A transition metal in Group 12 of the periodic table – symbol Hg, atomic number 80.

Chemical processes that occur in living organisms, for example, to produce energy, growth or eliminate waste.

Any of a category of elements that usually have a shiny surface, are generally good conductors of heat and electricity and can be melted or fused, hammered into thin sheets or drawn into wires (for example, copper).

An element that exhibits some properties of metals and non-metals. These elements tend to be semiconductors (e.g. silicon).

Tumours or masses of cells that develop when cancer cells break away from the original (primary) cancer and are carried by the lymphatic and blood systems to other parts of the body.

A liquid alcohol – chemical formula CH₃OH.

A disease in babies where their blood is unable to carry enough oxygen. It can be caused by excessive nitrates, often from fertilisers, in drinking water.

A scientist who studies microorganisms, like protozoans, algae, molds, bacteria and viruses. They are concerned with the structure, function and classification of these organisms and with ways of controlling and using their activities.

A distant object in space can be magnified when a massive object, such as a galaxy or star, passes in front of it. The gravity of the ‘lens’ object in front bends light from the object behind.

A unit of length 1 millionth of a metre (10^-6 metre). Also known as a micrometre.

An organism too small to see without a microscope. Microorganisms are also known as microbes and include bacteria, viruses, protozoa, yeast and some algae.

A scientist who studies microscopic fossils.

Invisible electromagnetic waves with wavelengths ranging from 1mm to 1m. Microwaves occur between radio and infrared waves on the electromagnetic spectrum.

An underwater mountain range, formed by plate tectonics through the uplifting of the ocean floor. This happens when rising magma beneath the oceanic crust pushes the overlaying plates apart creating a rift.

A pile of rubbish found in an archaeological or historic site.

The galaxy that contains our Solar System.

Small structures inside cells that break down food to release energy (aerobic respiration).

The traditional tattoo of Māori culture. Often applied to the face but also to the body, it is a permanent pattern formed by chiselling ink into the skin.

A pigmented spot on the skin that contains a cluster of melanocytes. Also called a nevus.

Two or more atoms bonded together. The molecule of an element has all its atoms the same. The molecule of a compound has two or more different atoms.

An alternative name for torque.

The lower vegetation belt on mountainous areas, can include anything from forests, shrublands and tussock grasslands.

A u-shaped or semi-circular ridge of rocky debris which marks the end of an earlier glacier limit. The ridge is formed at the front of a glacier and remains after the glacier retreats.

The visible, physical characteristics of an organism.

The outward appearance of an organism.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive diagnostic procedure in which the patient is encircled in a strong uniform magnetic field that interacts with radio waves to excite the nuclei of specific atoms (usually hydrogen). This is translated into a visual image on a computer screen showing detailed internal cross sections of the body.

Involving a combination of several disciplines.

A member of the lepton family of elementary particles. It is unstable and has similar properties to the electron but with a far greater mass.

The tissue that makes it possible for an animal to move and to maintain its posture. Muscles also make the heart beat, force blood to circulate and move food along the digestive system. The human body has more than 600 muscles.

To change or alter.

Occurs when the DNA is damaged or changed in such a way that it alters the genetic message carried by that gene.

A close association of two different species that is beneficial to both.

A person who studies fungi, such as mushrooms.

The study of fungi.

A structure formed by the symbiotic relationship between a fungus and a plant. The fungus grows around the small roots of the plant and helps it to absorb minerals from the soil. The plant supplies sugar to the fungus to help it grow.

Mushrooms that grow in the soil on tree roots. They form a symbiotic (of benefit to both parties) relationship with their plant hosts. The trees benefit from the relationship because the fungus helps with the uptake of essential minerals from the soil, and the tree in return provides the fungus with carbohydrates and a place to live.

The strands that make up muscle fibres. They are made up of even thinner filaments.

The oxygen-transporting and storage protein of muscle.

A type of protein that makes up the thick filaments in a myofibril.