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Glossary results for "M"

mackintosh

a type of raincoat that is made from a vulcanised rubber fabric

Maggie Aderin-Pocock

a British space scientist, mechanical engineer, and science communicator

magma

molten or semi-molten rock that is found beneath the surface of the Earth

magnesium

a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12

magnet

a material that has a magnetic field

magnetic

a property of some materials that allows them to attract or repel other magnets or objects made of magnetic materials

magnetic field

a region of space around a magnet where there is a force that can attract or repel other magnets or objects made of magnetic materials

magnetic needle

a small magnet that is free to rotate on a point

magnetic north

the direction that a compass needle points to

magnitude

a measure of the size or amount of something

mains electricity

the electricity that comes out of the wall sockets in our homes

mammal

a warm-blooded animal that has fur or hair, gives birth to live young, and nurses its young with milk

mammary gland

an exocrine gland that produces milk

manganese

a chemical element with the symbol Mn and atomic number 25

manmade

something created by people

manure

the waste product of animals

marble

a metamorphic rock that is formed when limestone is subjected to heat and pressure

March

the third month of the year in the Gregorian calendar

Maria Goeppert Mayer

a German-born American physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1963 for her work on the nuclear shell model

Maria Mitchell

an American astronomer who discovered a comet in 1847

Maria Sibylla Merian

a German naturalist and scientific illustrator who is known for her detailed illustrations of insects and plants

Mária Telkes

a Hungarian-American physicist and inventor who is known for her work on solar energy

Marie Curie

a Polish and naturalized-French physicist and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity

marine

something related to the sea or ocean

marine sanctuary

an area of the ocean that is protected from human activities

Mars

the fourth planet from the sun and the second-smallest planet in our solar system

marsupial

mammals that carry their young in a pouch

Mary Anning

a British fossil collector and dealer best known for her discovery of the first complete ichthyosaur skeleton

Mary Leakey

a British archaeologist who made important discoveries about the early human lineage

Mary Summerville

a Scottish scientist and writer who was known for her popularisation of science

Mary the Jewess

a 1st-century alchemist who is credited with inventing the bain-marie, a double boiler that is still used in kitchens today

mass

the amount of matter in an object

mate

the process of two animals or plants coming together to reproduce

material

anything that has mass and takes up space

matter

anything that has mass and takes up space

Max Planck

a German physicist who is considered to be the father of quantum mechanics

May

the fifth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar

measure

the process of assigning numbers to things in a consistent way

mechanism

a way that something works

median

the middle value in a sorted distribution

medicine

a substance or preparation that is used to treat or prevent disease

medium

a substance that can transmit energy

meitnerium

a chemical element with the symbol Mt and atomic number 109

melting

the process of a solid changing to a liquid

melting point

the temperature at which a substance changes from a solid to a liquid

membrane

a thin layer of tissue that separates two parts of an organism

mendelevium

a chemical element with the symbol Md and atomic number 101

mercury

a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80

Mercury (planet)

the smallest planet in our solar system

metabolism

the process of breaking down food into energy

metal

a class of chemical elements that are typically shiny, hard, and good conductors of heat and electricity

metamorphic rock

a type of rock that has been changed by heat and pressure

metamorphosis

a process of transformation that some animals undergo during their life cycle

meteor

a small body from space that enters Earth's atmosphere

meteorologist

a scientist who studies the atmosphere and its weather patterns

meteorology

the study of the atmosphere and its phenomena

method

a systematic way of gathering and analysing information

Michael Farraday

an English scientist who is considered one of the most important figures in the history of electromagnetism and electrochemistry

microbe

a microscopic organism that can be found in all parts of the environment

microbiologist

a scientist who studies microbes

microbiology

the study of microscopic organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and algae

microhabitat

a small area within a larger habitat that has its own unique set of environmental conditions

microorganism

a living organism that is too small to be seen with the naked eye

microscope

an instrument that uses lenses to magnify the image of a small object

midwife

a healthcare professional who specialises in the care of women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period

migrate

the regular movement of animals or people from one place to another

milk teeth

the first set of teeth that humans have

mineral

a naturally occurring, inorganic solid that has a definite chemical composition and a crystalline structure

mineralogy

the scientific study of minerals

minute

a unit of time equal to 60 seconds

mirror

a surface that reflects light

mixture

a physical combination of two or more substances

moisture

the presence of water in the air or on a surface

molar

the largest and strongest teeth in the human mouth

Molar (measurement)

a unit of measurement that is used to measure the amount of a substance in a solution

molecule

the smallest unit of a substance that can exist on its own

molybdenum

a chemical element with the symbol Mo and atomic number 42

monotreme mammal

mammals that lay eggs

monsoon

a seasonal wind system that brings alternating periods of wet and dry seasons to a region

mood swings

sudden and significant changes in emotions

moon phase

the shape of the moon as it appears from Earth

morphology

the study of the form and structure of organisms

mortal

something is subject to death

moscovium

a chemical element with the symbol Mc and atomic number 115

motion

the change in position of an object over time relative to a reference point

motor skills

the ability to control and coordinate the movements of your body

mouth

the opening in the front of your face that you use to eat, drink, and speak

move

the act of changing position in space

multicellular

made up of many cells

muscle

a type of tissue that can contract and relax

mycelium

the vegetative part of a fungus, consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae