Back to: Science California Science Grade 5 e-Glossary S

List of Words for Letter ‘S’

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saliva a watery fluid that moistens and softens food
salivary glands glands that produce a watery fluid that aids in digestion
salt a white substance that is found in sea water and in the earth
satellite an object in space that circles around another object
sea breeze the movement of air from over water across land
seed an undeveloped plant with stored food in a protective covering
skeletal system the organ system made up of bones that support the body
small intestine a coiled, tubelike digestive organ connected to the stomach
solar flare a huge burst of heat and energy from the surface of the Sun
solar system the Sun and the objects in orbit around it
solid matter in a state that has a definite shape and volume
solubility the greatest amount of a solute that can be dissolved by a given amount of solvent
solute the substance in a solution that dissolves
solution a mixture that is blended so completely that it looks the same everywhere
solvent the substance in a solution into which other substances dissolve
species the narrowest group in the classification system of living things
spore a single cell that can develop into a plant exactly like the one that produced it
stamen the part of the plant that holds the male cells for reproduction
star an object in space that produces its own light and heat
starch a complex carbohydrate made of thousands of sugar units
state of matter one of three forms that matter can take
stem the main stalk of a plant
sternum the vertical bone in the center of the chest
stomach the main digestive organ in most animals
stomata small pores on plants, usually on the bottoms of leaves, through which air and water pass
storm surge a bulge of water created by an area of very low pressure in the ocean
sublimation the process in which matter changes state from a solid directly into a gas
subscript a number in a chemical formula that tells how many atoms of a particular element are in the compound
sunspot a dark spot that occurs on the Sun's surface
superconductor a material that loses all resistance to electrical flow at extremely low temperatures
suspension a mixture whose visible particles settle and separate over time
sweat fluid that helps the body eliminate excess water and waste materials through pores in the skin