science vocabulary help

Hun just look them up on www.dictionary.com or something like that … =]

wave: a disturbance which propergates energy through space and time, often through a medium, although for electromagnetic waves also through a vacuum.

Crest: Highest point on a wave

Trough: Lowest point on a wave

Tide: Rising of a large body of water due to the effects exerted by the moon and sun.

Tidal Range: Difference between the level of the water during high tide and low tide.

Spring tides: when a maximum tide range occurs (due to the greater tidal effects exerted by the lining up of the sun, moon and earth due to the new moon and full moon.)

Neap tides: When the tide range is at its minimum because the sun and moon aren’t aligned and so the sun partly cancels out the moons effect (occurs during the moons 1st and 3rd quarter).

Rotation: the movement of an object in a circular motion about a point of rotation (for 2D shapes) or an axis of rotation (for a 3D object) which is within the object itself.

Revolution: The movement of an object in a circular path (or eliptical) about an axis which is outwith the body of the object.

Seasons occur because of the slight tilt of the eath about its axis, which means as it revolves around the sun a spot on the surface (like Britain) is slightly closer during one half (Summer for the Northern Hemisphere) and further away during the other, giving overall slightly warmer or cooler period (Summer and Winter).

Day and night occurs because the earth spins about its axis, and since the sun acts as a point light, only half of the earths surface can receive its light. As it rotates, the area receiving light changes.

Different moon phases: occur due to us being able to see different portions of the moon lit up by the sun (not by the earths shadow). As the moon orbits the earth, those on eath can see different amonts of it lit up. Phases are: New moon (dark moon) waxing crescent, 1st quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last (3rd) quarter, waning crescent, new moon. Wikipedia is good for looking this sort of stuff up.