Abound:

to be well supplied; to have great quantities

Absence:

being away or lacking something; inattentiveness

Absurd:

extremely ridiculous or completely lacking reason

Abundance:

having considerably more than is necessary or adequate; more than plenty

Acceleration:

the rate of change of velocity

Accommodate:

to adapt or adjust in a way that makes someone else comfortable; to make room

Accusation:

a statement blaming someone for a crime or error

Acidic:

having a pH less than 7 (contrast with alkalinity, which is having a pH greater than 7)

Acrid:

harsh or bitter taste or smell

Acute:

(adj.) refers to an angle that is less than 90 degrees; (adj.) refers to a triangle with angles that are all less than 90 degrees; sharp; quick and precise; intense

Adapt:

to change or modify to suit a particular purpose

Adjacent:

in the nearest position; next to

Adolescence:

the stage of development between puberty and maturity

Aerobic respiration:

the breakdown of glucose in the body of an animal to supply muscles with oxygen

Aerosol:

solid or liquid particles suspended in gas

Aesthetic:

appeals to the senses because it is beautiful

Affiliation:

a connection between groups of people, organizations, or establishments

Agility:

the quality of being quick and nimble

Agronomist:

a soil management and field-crop production expert

Alienate:

to isolate oneself from others or another person from oneself

Align:

to adjust parts so that they fit together correctly, usually in a straight line

Alkalinity:

having a pH greater than 7 (contrast with acidic, which is having a pH less than 7)

Allegiance:

loyalty to a person, group, country, or cause

Altitude:

elevation above a level of reference, usually given in feet above sea level

Ambiguous:

unclear or capable of having more than one meaning

Amino acids:

various organic compounds that link together to form proteins

Ample:

a more-than-sufficient amount; roomy

Analogous:

items that are similar and comparable in some way; serving a similar function

Analogy:

a comparison of similarities between two or more things

Anatomical:

related to the structure of an organism

Ancestral:

relating to or inherited from an ancestor

Anew:

starting again in a new or different way

Anomaly:

something that is different from the norm

Anticipate:

to look forward to or to expect

Antigen:

a substance such as a toxin or enzyme capable of eliciting an immune response

Antitoxin:

an antibody created for and capable of neutralizing a toxin

Apathy:

lack of any emotion or concern

Aperture:

an opening or hole, usually in an optical instrument, such as a camera, that limits the amount of light passing through a lens

Apocalypse:

great or total devastation; approximating the end of the world

Apparatus:

a material or device used for a specific purpose

Appealing:

attractive or inviting; the act of making a request for a decision or help

Arisen:

the state of being up after sitting or lying

Aristocratic:

having the qualities of the elite, ruling class

Articulate:

(v.) to clearly explain; (adj.) the quality of being able to speak clearly

Aspect:

a certain part of something; the side of an object that faces a certain direction

Assert:

to demonstrate power; to defend a statement as true

Assumption:

something believed to be true without proof; unsupported evidence

Asteroid:

small celestial body that revolves around the sun, with a diameter between a few and several hundred kilometers

Asthenosphere:

a lower layer of the Earth’s crust

Astonishing:

amazing or bewildering

Atrium:

an area of a building, usually a courtyard, that is skylighted or open to the sky and that often contains plants

Bacteria:

single-celled microorganisms

Banish:

to force to leave; to exile

Banyan:

East Indian tree that has aerial shoots growing down into the soil and forming additional trunks; loose jacket worn in India

Basalt:

solidified lava; a dense, gray, fine-grained igneous rock

Bemoan:

to express grief; to deplore

Beneficiary:

recipient of benefits, for example, funds or property from an insurance policy or will

Binge:

a duration of excessive and uncontrolled self-indulgence

Biomass:

total mass of all the living matter within a given area

Biosynthesis:

the production of a chemical compound within the body

Boiling point:

the temperature a liquid must be to change states from liquid to gas

Brood:

(v.) to dwell over past misfortune; (n.) a group of offspring

Buoyant:

tending to float; lighthearted

Bureaucrat:

an official in government; a term usually used in an insulting manner

By-products:

products made in the process of making something else, sometimes unexpected

Calamity:

horrible event that results in extreme loss

Calligraphy:

elegant lettering; the art of producing such writing

Capacity:

maximum amount that an object or area can hold; mental ability

Capillary:

a very slim tube; one of a network of extremely small blood vessels

Carbohydrate:

sugars and starches that serve as a major energy source for animals

Catalogue:

a systematic list of things, such as books in a library or items for sale at a store

Catalyst:

an agent that causes or speeds up a chemical reaction

Celestial:

relating to the sky; divine or heavenly

Celsius:

a temperature scale in which the freezing point of water is 0 degrees and the boiling point is 100 degrees under normal atmospheric conditions

Cerebral edema:

brain swelling

Cesarean:

relating to the medical procedure of surgical abdominal birth, referred to as a cesarean section

Chaos:

a state of complete disarray

Characteristics:

distinguishing attributes or qualities of a person or thing

Chlorophyll:

a green pigment produced in response to sunlight during photosynthesis

Cholesterol:

a soft, waxy compound found in the body and in the food we eat

Chronology:

a list of events arranged by time of occurrence

Circumscribe:

to enclose a shape with lines or curves, so that every vertex of the enclosed object touches part of the enclosing configuration

Coherent:

the quality of being logical and clear

Cohesiveness:

the quality of sticking together

Coincidental:

occurring by chance

Collinear:

passing through or lying on the same straight line

Colloid:

a gelatinous material

Comet:

a celestial body, having an elongated, curved vapor tail, which is seen only in that part of its orbit that is relatively close to the sun

Commendable:

worthy of praise

Common difference:

the equal distance between one number in an arithmetic sequence and the next (for example, the common difference between 4, 6, and 8 is 2)

Common ratio:

the ratio of one term and the next in a geometric sequence (for example, the common ratio between 2, 4, and 8 is  and , or 2)

Comparison:

a description of similarities or differences between two things

Compatriot:

someone from one’s own country; a colleague

Competence:

the quality of having adequate skill, knowledge, and experience

Compose:

to form by placing parts or elements together; to bring oneself to a state of calm

Comprehensive:

all-inclusive

Compressibility:

the ease with which pressure can alter the volume of matter

Concede:

to admit or reluctantly yield; to surrender

Concentration:

the amount of one substance contained within another; intense mental effort or focus

Concentric:

having a common center

Concerto:

composition for an orchestra and one or more solo instruments, typically in three movements

Concoct:

to prepare by mixing ingredients together; devise a plan

Condense:

to become more compact; to change from a vapor to a liquid

Conducive:

tending to cause or bring about

Congruent:

corresponding; equal in length or measure

Conjure:

to bring to mind; to produce as if by magic

Conscience:

the mental sense that guides moral decisions

Consecutive:

uninterrupted sequence

Consent:

(n.) permission; (v.) to agree to

Consequence:

result of an action

Conservatory:

a fine arts school; a greenhouse of plants aesthetically arranged

Constant:

the quality of being unchanging; marked by firm resolution or loyalty

Constituency:

a group of citizens who have the power to elect an official; an electoral district

Contemplate:

to carefully consider

Contemporary:

person or thing of the same era or age; current, modern

Context:

text or spoken words that surround a word or passage and help determine meaning; circumstances that surround an event

Contradict:

to assert the opposite

Contrive:

to clearly plan; to cleverly devise

Controversial:

characterized by dispute; debatable

Cordial:

sincere; courteous

Correlate:

to have corresponding characteristics

Cos:

abbreviation of cosine

Cosine:

in a right triangle, the ratio of the length of the side adjacent to the acute angle divided by the hypotenuse 

Credulity:

a tendency to trust too easily

Crimson:

a deep red color

Criterion:

requirement on which judgment can be based

Crucial:

extremely important

Cryopreservation:

preservation (as of cells) by very low temperatures

Cube:

a term raised to the third power; a regular solid having six congruent faces

Cubic inch:

the volume of a cube with edges that all measure one inch

Cuisine:

the food prepared by a style of cooking, for example, “Italian cuisine”

Cylindrical:

having the shape of a cylinder, or a solid with circular ends and straight sides

Decipher:

to interpret the meaning, usually of a code or hard-to-read handwriting

Decompose:

to disintegrate into components

De-emphasize:

to minimize the importance

Defection:

withdrawing one’s support; to escape or become a traitor

Deform:

to disfigure; to ruin the shape of an object

Degree:

one in a series of steps in a process or scale; a unit of measurement

Delegate:

(v.) to transfer responsibilities to another; (n.) a personal representative

Deliberate:

(adj.) carefully planned out; (v.) to consider carefully

Delve:

to deeply and thoroughly search

Demean:

to reduce in worth

Demise:

the end of existence

Demur:

to express opposition

Derive:

to infer certain knowledge; to trace the origin or development of something

Descend:

to come from a particular origin; to move down from a higher point

Descendant:

a person, animal, or plant that can be traced back to a certain origin; future or subsequent generations

Deter:

to prevent from taking a particular course of action

Determinant:

the difference between multiplied terms in a matrix

Deviation:

a divergence from a certain path; in mathematics: the difference, especially the absolute difference, between one number in a set and the mean of the set

Devise:

(v.) to design or create; often confused with the noun device, which means “tool that fulfills a certain purpose”

Diagonal:

a line segment joining two nonadjacent vertices of a polygon or solid (polyhedron)

Diffusion time:

the time that it takes for a material to spread from one area to another

Diligent:

continuously putting in great effort

Dilute:

to weaken the strength of a solution

Diminish:

to make smaller, decrease, or lessen

Directly proportional:

increasing or decreasing together or with the same ratio

Disavow:

to deny knowledge of, responsibility for, or association with

Discern:

to differentiate or distinguish; to perceive

Discomforting:

embarrassing

Disconcerting:

unsettling

Discriminatory:

showing a bias

Disdainful:

scornful and sneering

Dispel:

to rid one’s mind of; to drive out

Disperse:

to scatter or spread out everywhere

Disquieting:

lacking peace of mind; mental unrest

Dissolution:

the process of dissolving or disintegrating

Dissolve:

to pass into or become part of; to terminate

Distinct:

easily distinguishable from others

Dominant:

the most prominent; exuding authority

Dowry:

in certain cultures, the money, goods, and so on, that a woman brings to a marriage

Drag force:

the frictional force that resists or slows down motion through a medium such as air

Drastic:

extreme

Durable:

resistant to wear

Durable goods:

in economics, goods that are not depleted with use, such as household appliances or cars

Ecology:

the field of science that concentrates on relationships between organisms and their environments

Elaborate:

(adj.) rich with detail and well developed; (v.) to expand on the idea of something

Electorate:

the body of all of the people who possess the right to vote

Eloquent:

very clear and precise; quality of being skilled in clear and precise speech

Emanant:

something such as a gas or odor coming forth and off of a source

Embalm:

to maintain a dead body by treating it with chemical preservatives

Embittered:

possessing bitter feelings

Embrace:

to enclose in one’s arms; become accepting of other ideas or people

Emigration:

leaving one country and traveling to live in another

Emissions:

things that are discharged (often gases into the air)

Emit:

to release particles such as light, heat, gases

Empowered:

possessing the necessary abilities for a particular task; given power or authority

Emulate:

to follow an admirable example; imitate

Emulsion:

a state in which one liquid is suspended in another because the liquids will not dissolve in one another

Endorsement:

a guarantee to support; a signature on a document such as a check

Endow:

to give a positive trait; to provide monetary funds by donation

Endpoints:

what defines the beginning and end-of-line segment

Endure:

to continue despite difficulty; to tolerate

Enrich:

to improve

Enshrine:

to enclose in a shrine or place of devotion

Entangle:

to twist and tie up in a complicated manner

Enumerate:

to state things in a list

Envision:

to picture a mental image

Eon:

duration of time, so long it cannot be measured

Epic:

(n.) widely celebrated literary work that has survived a long period of time; (adj.) very impressive and extraordinary

Epicanthic fold:

a fold of skin of the upper eyelid that only partly covers the eye’s inner corner

Equilibrium:

a state of balance

Erosion:

the wearing away of an object by outside forces, like wind or water

Error:

a mistake; the difference between a computed value and the correct value

Escapist:

one who mentally leaves the real world for a world of fantasy

Essence:

important characteristics that help differentiate something; the key element of an idea; something spiritual; a scent

Essential:

(adj.) the quality of being indispensable or necessary

Essentially:

at the very core

Establish:

to create a foundation

Ethical:

in line with what is right and wrong

Ethnicity:

cultural and racial association

Evaporate:

to draw away moisture and convert into vapor

Exceed:

to go far beyond a limit; excel

Exceptional:

rare due to uncommonly great qualities

Exhibit:

(v.) to display; (n.) something that is displayed; (n.) a piece of evidence submitted to a court during a trial

Expatriate:

(v.) to banish someone; (v.) to move from one’s native land; (n.) one who lives in a foreign country

Experimental variables:

elements of an experiment that are changed (distinguished from the constant, which is held the same in order to produce significant results)

Expertise:

skill or knowledge in a certain area

Exquisite:

characterized by great beauty and intricacy

Extensive:

detailed and far-reaching

Extinct:

no longer existing

Extrapolate:

to guess by inferring from known information

Extravagant:

lavish beyond the norm

Exultant:

gleeful because of success

Fahrenheit:

a temperature scale that measures the boiling point of water at 212 degrees and the freezing point at 32 degrees

Feign:

to fabricate or deceive

Fermentation:

the chemical process of breaking down an organic substance into simpler substances such as the fermentation of sugar to alcohol

Fickle:

constantly changing one’s mind

Fjord:

an inlet lined by steep slopes that is long, narrow, and deep

Fledgling:

a young bird that has just acquired feathers; also used to describe an inexperienced newcomer

Flourish:

(v.) to prosper; (v.) to thrive; (n.) a dramatic gesture; (n.) a written embellishment

Foil:

(n.) a character whose traits exemplify the opposite traits of another character when they are compared; (v.) to prevent an action, often by ruining a plan; (n.) a weapon used in the sport of fencing

Foliation:

the alternating layers of different mineral compositions within solid rocks

Forecast:

to predict future events, such as the weather

Foresee:

to know beforehand

Foreshadow:

to suggest or hint at future occurrences

Forgo:

to refrain from doing something previously planned

Formalize:

to make something official or valid

Franchise:

a right given to an individual or group to operate a branch of a business and sell the business’ products; the right to vote

Frenzied:

in a temporary crazed state

Friction:

the force resistant to motion

Frivolous:

unnecessary and silly

Gable:

the triangular section of a wall that fills the space between the two slopes of a roof

Galvanism:

a direct electrical current produced by chemical reactions

Gas:

a fluid (such as air) that is not independent in shape or volume but tends to expand

Gas chromatograph:

a device used to detect the composition of an unknown material

Gastric emptying:

the movement from the stomach to the small intestine, and finally into the colon

Gaudy:

tastelessly flashy

Glacial:

relating to a glacier; callous and cold; extremely slow

Glib:

doing something with ease and slickness, but lacking sincerity

Gravity:

the force of attraction between two bodies of mass

Gypsum:

a yellowish-white mineral used to make plaster

Haggle:

to bargain in an annoying manner; to harass

Halitosis:

the condition of having breath with a foul odor

Harbinger:

a sign that foreshadows upcoming events

Herbivorous:

a plant-eating organism

Hindu:

(adj.) relating to the religion of Hinduism, which originated in India; (n.) a person who practices Hinduism

Hoist:

to lift up

Homeric epic:

a classic Greek tale of heroism written by the ninth-century Greek author, Homer

Hue:

color

Humidity:

a measure of how damp the air is

Hydraulic:

operated by using water or fluid pressure

Hydrogen bonding:

the chemical bonding of a hydrogen atom with another electronegative atom

Hypotenuse:

the longest side of a right-angle triangle, which is always the side opposite the right angle

Ideological:

relating to the fundamental ideas of an individual or group

Idiosyncrasy:

a peculiar characteristic

Igneous rock:

rock that is formed by the cooling and solidification of molten magma

Ignition temperature:

the temperature that a fuel must reach before combustion can begin

Immerse:

to completely submerge

Imminent:

close to happening; impending

Imply:

to indirectly suggest, often confused with infer, which means “to conclude”

Improvise:

to do or perform without preparation; to create something only from readily available materials

Inalienable:

impossible to take away

Inauguration:

a formal initiation or induction

Incarcerate:

to imprison

Incinerate:

to set fire to and burn something until it is reduced to ashes

Inclined:

disposed to a certain path of thought; sloping

Inconstant:

not following a pattern; varying

Incorporate:

to bring two things or certain aspects of two things together

Indifference:

total lack of concern or interest

Indigenous:

native to or naturally existing in a certain area

Indignation:

anger due to unfairness

Indulge:

to freely partake in; to yield to the wish or desire of oneself or others

Inevitable:

bound to happen; unavoidable

Inexhaustible:

plentiful; impossible to use up completely

Inexplicable:

impossible to give the reason for; unexplainable

Infer:

to deduce from evidence, often confused with imply

Infirmary:

a small hospital, often in an institution, used to provide care for the sick

Infrared:

light energy having a wavelength below the visible range; it is experienced as heat

Infuse:

for one substance to penetrate into another (for example, steak infused with garlic flavor)

Ingenious:

brilliant and clever

Inherent:

naturally occurring, permanent element or attribute

Inscribe:

to write or engrave words on a surface; to write one’s name on something

Insinuate:

to subtly imply

Institute:

(v.) to enact or establish; (n.) an organization

Institution:

an establishment; a pillar of society (for example, the institution of marriage)

Interior angle:

an angle inside of a shape (that is, all of the interior angles in a triangle add up to 180 degrees)

Intern:

one who is confined during wartime against his or her will; a student or recent graduate working as an apprentice in a certain professional field

Interpret:

to translate or explain a concept

Interpretation:

a personal explanation for another’s creation, such as a play or poem

Interstitial:

(n.) fluid outside of cells; (adj.) occupying the small spaces between objects; (adj.) occurring during the short time periods between events

Intracellular:

within a cell or cells

Intricacy:

a detail of something complex

Invaluable:

priceless

Involuntary:

an action done without one’s consent or free will

Irony:

use of words to express a meaning that is the opposite of the real meaning; similar to and often confused with sarcasm, which means “words used to insult or scorn”

Irreconcilable:

impossible to adjust or compromise

Irrelevant:

not relevant or pertinent; outside the scope of a discussion or argument

Irrevocable:

impossible to reverse

Isosceles triangle:

a triangle with two congruent sides and two congruent angles

Isotopes:

two or more atoms with an identical atomic number and differing in number of electrons

Juxtaposition:

an act of placing things next to each other, usually for comparing or contrasting

Kelvin:

a unit of temperature where 0 K is absolute zero, the freezing point of water is 273 K, and the boiling point of water is 373 K

Languish:

to become weak; to become disenchanted

Lavish:

(adj.) elaborate and luxurious; (v.) to freely and boundlessly bestow

Law of Sines:

the relationship among the angles and the sides of a triangle (the sine of the angles is equal to the lengths of the sides)

Least Common Denominator (LCD):

the smallest number (other than 0) that is a multiple of a set of denominators (for example, the LCD of  is 12)

Least Common Multiple (LCM):

the smallest number that is a multiple of a set of numbers (for example, the LCM of 6 and 9 is 18)

Liberally:

done in a manner that is generous (for example, liberally applying sunscreen)

Limbo:

a precarious state; in Roman Catholicism, the otherworldly place for unbaptized but good people

Linear:

relating to a line

Lipid:

an oily/waxy organic compound that cannot be dissolved in water

Liquid:

(n.) a substance that is neither a solid nor a gas; (adj.) flowing freely

Lithosphere:

the outer part of the Earth that includes the crust and upper mantle

Log:

abbreviation of logarithm. Logarithms are used to indicate exponents of certain numbers called bases. By definition, log_ab = c if a^c = b (for example, log_x36 = 2 if x² = 36. In this case, x = 6.)

Lumbering:

lethargically walking around with clumsiness

Macrophages:

protective cells

Manifest:

(adj.) clearly recognizable; (v.) to make clear; (n.) a list of transported goods or passengers used for record keeping

Manometer:

a device that measures the pressure of liquids and gases

Marine:

(adj.) relating to the sea; (n.) a member of the U.S. Marine Corps

Matrix:

rows and columns of elements arranged in a rectangle

Mean (also arithmetic mean):

average; found by adding all the terms in a set and dividing by the number of terms

Median:

the middle value in a set of ordered numbers

Mediocre:

lacking any special qualities, even inferior

Melancholy:

glumness; deep contemplative thought

Melting point:

the temperature at which a solid softens into a liquid

Mere:

small; (adv. merely) nothing more

Mesosphere:

a layer of the atmosphere fifty to eighty kilometers above the Earth’s surface

Metamorphism:

the process of altering solid rock by changing its temperature, pressure, and chemistry

Meteorite:

a meteor that reaches the surface of the Earth before it is entirely vaporized

Meticulous:

devoting a high amount of attention to detail

Microorganism:

an organism of microscopic or very small size

Midpoint:

the point that divides a line segment into two equal segments

Minuscule:

extremely small; unimportant

Mole:

a unit of measurement for the molecular weight of a substance

Molecular weight:

the weight of all of the atoms in a molecule

Molten:

turned to liquid because of heat

Moral:

(adj.) based on standards of good and bad; (n.) a rule of proper behavior

Morale:

mental well-being; mood

Mortar:

a bowl in which substances are ground; a mixture, usually cement and water, used to bond bricks or stones; a military weapon similar to portable artillery

Mutability:

the ability to transform

Nanometer:

one billionth of a meter

Negligible:

meaningless and insignificant

Neural:

relating to the nervous system

Neurological:

relating to neurology, the study of the nervous system

Newton:

the amount of force needed to accelerate a one-kilogram mass at a rate of one meter per second, per second

Nostalgia:

sentimental yearning for the past

Notion:

a belief, sometimes without much conviction

Numerous:

existing in great numbers of units or persons

Oblong:

deviating from a square, circular, or spherical form by being slightly longer in one area

Obtuse:

an angle that is larger than a right angle

Offal:

wasted trimmings of an animal carcass; trash or rubbish

Onus:

a burden of responsibility

Opus:

a creative composition, usually musical

Oracle:

a shrine devoted to a future-telling deity or the deity himself; a prophet

Organic matter:

matter that is derived from living organisms

Organism:

a living thing, either plant or animal

Overt:

obvious and clearly shown

Paradox:

a statement that seems contradictory but is actually true

Paragon:

an example of excellence

Parallel:

lines in the same plane that do not intersect each other; in a coordinate plane, noncollinear lines or segments having the same slope as one another

Parallelogram:

a quadrilateral (a figure that has four sides) with opposite sides that are parallel and congruent

Parenthetical:

an explanatory statement that is set off by parentheses

Pathetic:

deserves pity or sympathy

Peculiarity:

unusual quality or characteristic

Pendulum:

a device that is suspended in such a way to allow it to swing back and forth using gravity

Perceive:

the act of becoming aware of something, usually through the senses

Percolate:

to slowly pass through a porous substance

Perfunctorily:

in a manner that suggests little interest or attention; a routine duty

Perimeter:

the boundary of a figure; in math, the distance from one point around the figure to the same point

Periphery:

the outermost boundary of an area

Perpendicular:

lines that intersect and form 90-degree angles

pH:

a scale that measures how acidic or basic a substance is on a scale of 0 to 14. Lower numbers indicate an increasing acidity and higher numbers indicate increasing basicity

Phantom:

exists only in the mind (an illusion); a ghost

Phenomenon:

an event or circumstance that is significant or extraordinary

Photophores:

organs that produce light

Photosynthesis:

the process by which plants turn carbon dioxide and water into energy with the aid of sunlight

Pigmentation:

coloration

Plagiarism:

an act of fraud consisting of copying another’s work and pretending that it is original

Point-slope formula:

the formula used to calculate the slope of a line: 

Positive slope:

the incline of a line that slants upward (from left to right)

Pow-wow:

a meeting or gathering

Preceding:

coming before

Precipitate:

to cause something to happen very suddenly

Precipitation:

falling products of condensation in the atmosphere (such as rain)

Predominant:

having superior strength, paramount

Preliminary:

precedes or comes prior to

Prerequisite:

required beforehand

Prestigious:

having honor or respect from others

Prevail:

to triumph or come out on top

Prevalent:

commonly used or occurring

Prime number:

a positive integer that can only be evenly divided by 1 and itself

Primordial:

happening first or very early

Protagonist:

the main character of a story or tale

Protein:

a compound that consists of amino acids and plays various structural, mechanical, and nutritional roles within organisms

Prototype:

an original form of something

Protract:

to lengthen or prolong

Prowess:

great skill in something

Pseudoscience:

irrational or unfounded beliefs masquerading as science (for example, astrology)

Psychologizing:

explaining something in psychological terms

Pyrotechnics:

a display of fireworks

Quadrant:

one part of a larger object that has been divided into four parts

Quadratic equation:

an equation in the form of ax² + bx + c = 0, where a ≠ 0, and has only two solutions for x

Quasi:

resembles to some degree

Quintessential:

considered the perfect form

Radian:

a unit of angle measure within a circle

Radiate:

to emit energy or light that extends from a single source

Radii:

the plural form of radius

Radioactive decay:

a natural process by which an atom of a radioactive isotope spontaneously decays into another element

Radius:

a line segment with endpoints at the center of the circle and on the perimeter of the circle, equal to one-half the length of the diameter

Rapid:

moving very quickly

Rapt:

being completely occupied by, or focused on, something

Ratio:

a comparison between two quantities (for example, the ratio of girls to boys in the class is 1:2)

Real number line:

an infinite line of real numbers represented on a one-dimensional graph

Real numbers:

numbers that can be associated with points on a number line

Recount:

to describe the facts or details of a past event; to retell a story or repeat testimony

Rectangular:

having the shape of a rectangle (a parallelogram with four right angles)

Recurrent:

taking place over and over

Redeem:

to pay off a debt or fulfill an obligation; to make good

Redirect:

to alter the course or direction

Rediscover:

to learn about or see something as though for the first time

Regular hexagon:

a six-sided figure with congruent sides and angles

Relevant:

logically connected; pertinent

Reluctant:

unwilling and resistant

Reparation:

compensation given to make amends

Resonate:

to produce or amplify vibrations

Respectively:

in the order given

Retention:

the ability to hold things in or retain

Rifling:

(v.) to search through, looking for something to steal; (n.) the spiral grooves on the inside of a gun barrel

Rift:

a split or a break

Rotate vs. Revolve:

rotate: to turn about a fixed point; revolve: to turn on an axis

Rudimentary:

very basic or not fully developed

Sacrilege:

to misuse something that is sacred

Sanctuary:

a sacred place; a refuge

Saplings:

young trees

Saturation:

a state of being completely full or soaked

Sauropod:

a type of plant-eating dinosaur, for example, the brontosaur

Scientific inquiry:

based on experiment and observation and the application of the Scientific Method; examination into facts or principles

Scrutiny:

very close examination

Sediment:

solid materials that sink to the bottom of a liquid

Seedling:

a young plant grown from seed

Seminal:

forms the basis for future development; at the beginning; original

Simultaneously:

happening or existing at the same time

Skepticism:

an attitude of doubt or disbelief

Social rituals:

specific gestures and behaviors that are observed by members of a community

Solace:

comfort; safety

Solid:

neither gas nor liquid; of definite shape and volume

Solute:

a dissolved substance

Solution:

a mixture of two or more substances

Solution set:

the set of values that make an equation true

Sovereign:

(adj.) having supreme power; (n.) ruler or king

Span:

distance between two things

Specific gravity:

the ratio of the density of one substance to the density of another substance

Speculators:

people who form theories based on uncertain evidence; those who purchase something with the hope of reselling it later at a profit

Sphere:

a solid, round figure where all points on the surface are the same distance from the center (for example, a basketball)

Spleen:

a vascular, ductless organ that is located in the left abdominal region close to the stomach

Stagnant:

not moving or changing; stale

Standard (x, y)
coordinate plane:

a plane that is formed by a horizontal x-axis and a vertical y-axis that meet at point (0,0) (also known as the Cartesian Coordinate Plane)

Steerage passenger:

someone who rides in the least expensive section of a ship

Straddle:

having one leg on each side of something

Stratosphere:

a layer of the atmosphere between the troposphere and mesosphere

Subcontractor:

someone who agrees to perform one part of a larger commitment or contract

Subjective:

dependant on a person’s attitudes or opinions

Subsequent:

to come next or later

Subtropical:

near the tropical areas of the world; extremely humid and hot climate

Sucrose:

a simple sugar

Summary:

(n.) a statement that has condensed a larger body of work; (adj.) conducted without trial

Supercooled:

below freezing but remaining liquid

Suspensions:

the state of a substance when its particles are combined together but have not been dissolved in a fluid or solid

Sustenance:

things that provide nourishment for survival

Synchronized:

occurring at the same time and at the same rate

Synthesis:

combining separate elements to form a whole

Synthetic polymer:

a human-made, repeating chain of atoms

Tenet:

a belief that is held to be true by a certain group

Terrestrial:

relating to dry land as opposed to water; relating to the Earth as opposed to other planets

Territorial:

the protective behavior that is displayed when an animal is defending its area

Thermal degradation:

a process of combustion where materials in a fuel are broken down into several by-products

Thermosphere:

the outermost layer of the atmosphere

Toxins:

poisons

Transcend:

to go above and beyond; to rise above

Translucent:

allowing light to pass through but clouded or frosted in such a way that objects on the other side are not clearly visible; often confused with transparent, which means “clear”

Transversal:

a line that cuts through two or more lines

Trapezoid:

a quadrilateral (a figure with four sides) with only two parallel lines

Treason:

a betrayal of loyalty

Triannual:

lasting three years or occurring every three years

Tropical area:

an area near the equator that has a frost-free climate with high temperatures that can support year-round vegetation

Troposphere:

the lowest part of the Earth’s atmosphere

Tyranny:

absolute power exercised by an oppressive ruler

Ultraviolet:

situated beyond the visible spectrum

Unemotional:

devoid of sentiment or emotion

Uniform:

(adj.) continuing to be the same or consistent; (n.) identical clothing worn by members of a certain group

Unilaterally:

related to or occurring on one side only

Unparalleled:

without an equal or comparison

Unprecedented:

having no previous example

Unsolicited:

unwanted

Vapor pressure:

the pressure exerted by the molecules of a vapor

Vaporize:

to change into a cloud of diffused matter

Various:

of differing kinds

Velocity:

speed of motion

Vertical migrators:

marine species that travel toward the surface of the ocean to feed

Vertices:

the plural form of vertex, which is a point of intersection

Vindication:

the act of clearing someone or something from blame

Virtually:

in almost all instances; simulated as by a computer

Virus:

organism that causes infection

Viscosity:

a fluid’s resistance to flow

Visionary:

(adj.) characterized by dreams or illusions; (n.) a person with vision or foresight

Voltage:

a measure of the energy of an electric current

Wavelength:

the distance between repeating peaks or crests of waves

x-intercept:

the point where a line on a graph crosses the x-axis

y-intercept:

the point where a line on a graph crosses the y-axis