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air pressure

the weight of a column of air on a unit surface area

ALARA

acronym for “as low as reasonably achievable”; guidelines for people who work with radiation

altitude

distance above Earth

anoxia

a deficiency of oxygen, especially hypoxia

argon

the element with atomic number 18 (Ar); a gas in our atmosphere

Armstrong, Neil

first astronaut to land on the moon

astronaut

title used to describe NASA personnel selected for space exploration

astronomy

the study of the universe and its contents beyond Earth’s atmosphere

astrophysicist

scientists who study the physical theories of astronomical objects

atmosphere

the layer of gases around a planet

atmospheric pressure

the weight of a column of atmospheric gases on a unit surface area

atomic mass unit

the unit in which masses of atoms are measured

atomic number

refers to the number of protons in an atom’s nucleus

aurora australis

see “Southern Lights”

aurora borealis

a glowing phenomenon that consists of streamers or arches of light appearing in the upper atmosphere of a planet's magnetic polar regions; see “Northern Lights”

barometer

instrument that measures air pressure

Bohr, Neils

(1885-1962) Danish physicist awarded Nobel Prize for his theoretical model of the atom

bone marrow

the soft material in the center of the bones that produces blood cells

capillaries

the smallest blood vessels in animals

carbon dioxide

a colorless gas; produced by respiration and taken up in photosynthesis; CO2

carbon monoxide

a colorless gas (CO); toxic, replaces oxygen in hemoglobin in the blood

cell nucleus

a central, dense body within a cell surrounded by a nuclear membrane; contains human DNA; controls cell functions

cell

the smallest mass of self-contained living matter of an animal or plant

cellular division

the process that results in the division of a living cell

Celsius

a temperature scale in which the freezing point of water is defined as 0 degrees

chemistry

the science of the elements and the ways in which they interact with one another

chromosomes

a structure in the cell nucleus that carries the genetic material DNA

chromosphere

layer of sun lying just above the photosphere; seen only during eclipse

compass

a device that responds to Earth’s magnetic field; used to determine geographical direction and position

condensation

a change from vapor (gaseous state) to liquid

convection

the heating, rising, cooling, and sinking of matter in the states of liquid, gas, or plasma

convection zone

layer of sun lying just below the photosphere where plasma heats, rises, cools, and sinks

Copernicus, Nicholas

(1473-1543) Polish churchman and astronomer who proposed that the planets revolved around a fixed sun

core

center of sun

corona

outermost region of the solar atmosphere above the chromosphere

Destiny

U.S. laboratory module of International Space Station (Space Station Alpha)

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid; a complex, large molecule that contains all of the information for building and controlling a living organism

Eagle

first U.S. manned spacecraft to land on the moon; commanded by Neil Armstrong

Earth’s magnetic field

magnetic field that surrounds Earth and is most intense at the North and South magnetic poles

Einstein, Albert

(1879-1955) German-born physicist and Nobel Prize recipient; noted for his development of two theories of relativity and contributions to quantum theory

electrical energy

energy resulting from the position of an electric charge in an electric field

electrical power grid

the high-power lines connected to an electrical power plant

electricity

the nature and effects of moving or stationary electric charges; that is, electrons, plasma, etc.

electromagnetic energy

the energy transmitted by the formation of electric and magnetic fields in the form of waves; one of the energies of the electromagnetic spectrum

electron

an elementary particle of negative (electrical) charge

electron cloud

The arrangement of electrons surrounding the nucleus of an atom

energy

the ability to do work; some forms of energy are electrical, chemical, mechanical, nuclear; a system can be a machine or an atom or a living thing

engineering

the science of laying out, constructing, or managing as an engineer

evaporation

the process by which a liquid turns into a gas

extravehicular activity (EVA)

activity conducted outside of the space station

fission

the process by which an atom splits into two or more parts, releasing energy and free neutrons

frequency

the number of peaks in a wave in a unit period of time, usually one second

fusion

the process whereby nuclei fuse together to make one heavier nucleus and to release energy

Galileo, Galilei

(1564-1642) Italian physicist, astronomer, and mathematician; one of first to use telescope

gamma rays

streams of gamma radiation; highest frequency waves on electromagnetic spectrum

gas

the state (phase) of matter in which a substance will expand to fill its container

gene

the basic unit of inheritance made up of DNA; controls a particular characteristic; for example, hair color

geomagnetic storm

large-scale disturbance of Earth’s magnetosphere caused by the arrival of significant amounts of solar plasma

hemoglobin

a pigment found in red blood cells and used by the body to transport oxygen from the lungs to the body tissues

helium

the element with the atomic number 2 (He); a gas

hyperventilation

excessive breathing because of anxiety or physical distress

hypoxia

condition produced by a lack of oxygen in the body

insulator

a substance that does not readily conduct an electrical charge

International Space Station (ISS)

the space station managed by NASA and a team of 16 foreign nations

ion

a charged particle consisting of an atom or group of atoms that has either lost or gained electrons

ionizing radiation

radiation such that the radiation particle has enough energy to ionize substances

ionosphere

region in Earth’s atmosphere that extends from an altitude of about 60 to 500 kilometers; ISS orbits through ionosphere

isotope

two or more forms of the same element

jet stream

narrow belt of high-speed wind in a planet’s atmosphere

Kelvin

a temperature scale based on absolute 0

krypton

the element with atomic number 36 (Kr); normally found in a gaseous state

latitude

location lines on a globe measured in degrees north or south of Earth’s equator

Leucippus

Greek philosopher who was teacher of Democritus

light

visible radiation; a form of electromagnetic radiation able to be detected by the human eye; wavelength 400nm (red) – 700 nm (violet)

liquid

the state (phase) of matter in which a material is able to flow freely and take up the shape of its container

magnet

any object that is surrounded by a magnetic field and attracts or repels other magnets

magnetic field

a region in which a magnetic force can be observed: surrounds a magnet or wire conducting electricity: magnetic fields around planetary objects can be 1012 times stronger than the magnetic field around the earth

magnetic pole

the region of a magnetic field where the forces appear strongest

magnetite

a mineral form of iron oxide (Fe3O4)

mass

a measure of the quantity of matter in an object

matter

a substance that occupies space and has mass

mercury

the element with atomic number 80 (Hg); a metal

methane

a colorless, odorless gas (CH4); extremely flammable when mixed with air

microwaves

a form of electromagnetic radiation

millirem

one one-thousandth of a rem

mission patch

a colorful emblem created to celebrate a space mission or project

module

a segment of the International Space Station

molecule

the smallest part of a chemical compound that can exist without losing its chemical identity

moon

Earth’s only natural satellite

mutation

A change in a gene caused by change in the genetic material (DNA)

National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

U.S. government organization dedicated to studying a wide range of atmospheric phenomena

navigation

the process of finding position and desired direction of travel

neon

element with atomic number 10 (Ne); a gas that occurs in a small amount in air

nerve cells

a major cell type of the nervous system

neutron

an atomic particle with zero charge in the nucleus of an atom

nitrogen

the element with atomic number 7 (N); a gas; makes up 78 percent of the air

non-ionizing

Radiation such that the individual particle (photon) has insufficient energy to ionize substances

Northern Lights

atmospheric phenomena marked by dancing patterns of light occurring at high altitudes above Earth’s northern latitudes

nuclear physics

the branch of physics concerned with nuclear structure, properties, and reactions and their application (nuclear power, using radioisotopes)

nuclear scientist

a scientist who specializes in the study of the atom and in nuclear energies

orbit

path of a celestial body around other objects in space

outer corona

that part of the sun’s corona that reaches far out into the solar system

oxygen

the element with atomic number 8 (O); makes up about 21 percent of the air

ozone

a colorless gas with a distinctive odor (O3); produced in Earth’s upper atmosphere; shields the Earth from harmful UV radiation

ozone layer

a layer of Earth’s atmosphere found at an altitude of 15-40 kilometers

P6 solar array

the name used to designate a solar module on the International Space Station

partial pressure (pp)

in a mixture of gases, that part of overall pressure that can be attributed to one specified gas; the pressure that the gas would exert if it were alone

photon

The concept that some entities show both wave and particle (photon) properties

photosphere

that layer of the sun that can be seen by the naked eye; its brightness obscures all other phenomena in the outer layers of the sun

photovoltaic arrays

on the space station the total collection of solar cells

Planck, Max

(1858-1947) German physicist and pioneer in the field of quantum physics and the study of electromagnetic radiation

plasma

a mixture of free electrons and ions or atomic nuclei; occur in the sun

platelet

in vertebrates a small cell-like fragment that buds from larger cells in the bone marrow and is involved in blood clotting following injury

polar region

a region of Earth located at either the North Pole or the South Pole

proton

an atomic particle with a positive charge

rad

a unit of ionizing radiation

radiation

any particles or waves emitted by a source

radiation shielding

materials used to protect human beings from exposure to damaging radiation

radio waves

a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths greater than a few millimeters; main application is to carry information

radioactive

describing an element that exhibits natural radioactivity

radioactivity

a spontaneous breakdown of certain unstable atoms nuclides that gives off radiation; various types include alpha, beta, gamma decay, and fission

rem

a formal unit of dose equivalent of ionizing radiation

respiration

the human body’s process of releasing and taking in air

Rutherford, Ernest

(1871-1937) New Zealand-born British physicist who pioneered the study of the atom and radioactivity

satellites

natural or manmade objects that orbit a planetary body

SOHO satellite

Solar and Heliospheric Observatory used to help scientists observe and predict solar weather

solar array

another name for the photovoltaic array on the space station

solar cell

small devices that use silicon compounds to produce electricity with light

solar eruption

an eruption of the sun’s chromosphere; a result of violent motion of the sun’s magnetic fields

solar flare

Sudden, violent explosion on the sun lasting from a few minutes to a few hours

solar magnetic field

a magnetic field on the sun

solar maximum

event that happens every 11 years or so when changes in the sun’s magnetic field bring on a period of increased number of sunspots, solar flares, and events called coronal mass ejections

solar minimum

the opposite of solar maximum; the end of an 11-year solar cycle

solar particles

see “plasma”

solar proton event

an extreme solar flare or coronal mass ejection

solar rotation

the sun's period of rotation at the surface; varies from approximately 25 days at the equator to 36 days at the poles

solar storm

an eruption of the sun’s chromosphere; see “solar flare”

solar weather

solar activity that takes place over a period of time

solar wind

solar material flowing into interplanetary space; sun’s atmosphere expanding at supersonic speeds

solid

the state (phase) of matter in which substance retains its shape

Southern Lights

atmospheric phenomena marked by dancing patterns of light occurring normally above Earth’s southern latitudes

Space Environment Center (NOAA/SEC)

U.S. government organization that studies solar weather and other space phenomena

space shuttle

NASA space vehicles used to conduct experiments in space and to transport astronauts to the International Space Station

Space Station Alpha

space station adapted from International Space Station for e-Mission™: Space Station Alpha

speed of light

the speed at which electromagnetic energy travels; speed of all forms of electromagnetic energy traveling through a vacuum is 300,000 kilometers per second (186,000 miles per second)

star

a gaseous body that emits radiation

storage batteries

batteries in which electrical energy can be stored

storm front

the outer edges of atmospheric turbulence

subatomic particle

fundamental component of the atom

sun

the star at the center of our solar system

sunspots

a dark region on the sun where temperatures are lower and there is a concentration of magnetic field activity

technician

a person highly skilled in one or more aspects of technology

telecommunications

the use of high-frequency electromagnetic energies to transmit information

Tissue Exposure Proportional Counter (TEPC)

a device used to detect radiation; reports radiation in millirems (TEPC)

Torricelli, Evangelista

(1608–47) Italian physicist and mathematician; Galileo's secretary (1641–42) and his successor as professor of philosophy and mathematics at Florence

toxin

a poison released by plants, animals, or bacteria that can cause a disease

ultraviolet

a form of electromagnetic energy shorter than visible light

Unity Node

a connecting module on the International Space Station (Space Station Alpha)

vacuum

A space that contains no matter at all

Van Allen belts

two ring-shaped regions around Earth where there are concentrations of high-energy electrons and protons that have been trapped by Earth’s magnetic field

vapor

a gas at any temperature at which it may be liquefied by pressure alone

water vapor

see “vapor”

watt

the standard international unit of power

wavelength

the distance between the peaks of one complete cycle of a wave

X-rays

(X-radiation) a form of electromagnetic radiation

Z1 Truss

a module of the International Space Station that supports the photovoltaic arrays (Space Station Alpha)

Zarya functional cargo block

a module of the International Space Station used for storage and experimentation (Space Station Alpha)

Zvezda service module

a module of the International Space Station used for the crew’s living quarters (Space Station Alpha)



Copyright 2002. Challenger Learning Center at Wheeling Jesuit University. All rights reserved.