Reading about scientific topics and writing about them are two very different activities. They require different kinds of skills and knowledge. When you read something, you only need to have a general idea of what key words mean. If you happen to be wrong about a word’s meaning, you can always go back and reread the text to get a better understanding.

When you write about a scientific topic, though, it’s important to use words accurately. You have to choose the exact word for your meaning, or your readers will be confused.

In your next journal assignment, you’ll use the words you learned in this lesson to write about a scientific topic. But before you do that, use the flashcards below to make sure you know what you’re talking about. Try to define each word before clicking the card. Then, click to see if you’re right. Keep clicking through the cards until you can define all of the words.