Glossary: Terms Starting with P
96 definitions in Science with links to the lessons that teach each word.
Showing Science only. Show all subjects
parallel circuit
ScienceFrom Grade 6
components on separate branches
Learn it in: Parallel circuits introduction (Grade 6)
part
ScienceFrom Grade 1
one piece of a whole thing
Learn it in: Identifying objects (Grade 1), What are plants? (Grade 1)
particle
ScienceFrom Grade 3
a tiny piece of matter
Learn it in: Matter (Grade 3), Comparing states of matter (Grade 3), Sound travelling through materials (Grade 4)
particle theory
ScienceFrom Grade 6
all matter is made of tiny moving particles
Learn it in: Matter review (Grade 6)
partnership
ScienceFrom Grade 3
two living things that help each other
Learn it in: Animal feeding relationships (Grade 3)
pattern
ScienceFrom Grade 2
something that repeats
Learn it in: Organising observations (Grade 2), Weather records (Grade 2), Measuring simple effects of forces (Grade 3)
peer review
ScienceFrom Grade 6
checking by other scientists
Learn it in: Scientific reporting (Grade 6), Scientific reasoning (Grade 6)
percussion
ScienceFrom Grade 4
instruments that are struck or shaken
Learn it in: Musical instruments (Grade 4)
performance
ScienceFrom Grade 6
how well a design does its job
Learn it in: Analysing performance (Grade 6)
perihelion
ScienceFrom Grade 6
the point in an orbit closest to the Sun
Learn it in: Earth’s revolution (Grade 6)
periscope
ScienceFrom Grade 4
a tube with mirrors for seeing over obstacles
Learn it in: Mirrors (Grade 4)
peristalsis
ScienceFrom Grade 6
squeezing movements that push food along
Learn it in: The digestive system (Grade 6)
permeable
ScienceFrom Grade 3
letting water soak in
Learn it in: Rock properties (Grade 3), Rock properties (Grade 4)
pet
ScienceFrom Grade 1
an animal that people look after at home
Learn it in: Caring for living things (Grade 1), Common animals (Grade 1), Animal care (Grade 2)
petal
ScienceFrom Grade 1
one of the coloured parts of a flower
Learn it in: Flowers (Grade 1), Flowering plants (Grade 2), Flower functions (Grade 3)
phase
ScienceFrom Grade 4
the shape of the lit part of the Moon we see
Learn it in: Moon observations (Grade 4), Moon phases (Grade 5), Moon phases (Grade 6)
photosynthesis
ScienceFrom Grade 3
how plants make food using light
Full explanation with examples and practice →
Learn it in: Leaf functions (Grade 3), Producers (Grade 3), Photosynthesis introduction (Grade 5)
phototropism
ScienceFrom Grade 5
growth of a plant toward light
Learn it in: Sunlight and plant growth (Grade 5)
physical
ScienceFrom Grade 4
changing size or shape without changing makeup
Learn it in: Weathering (Grade 4)
physical change
ScienceFrom Grade 4
a change in form, not makeup
Learn it in: Reversible changes (Grade 4), Physical and chemical changes introduction (Grade 6)
pillar
ScienceFrom Grade 6
one main part of a larger idea
Learn it in: Sustainable development (Grade 6)
pitch
ScienceFrom Grade 1
how high or low a sound is
Learn it in: Sources of sound (Grade 1), Sources of sound (Grade 2), Pitch (Grade 4)
plan
ScienceFrom Grade 1
to decide steps before doing
Learn it in: Keeping our school clean (Grade 1), Building models (Grade 3), Planning investigations (Grade 4)
planet
ScienceFrom Grade 4
a large body that orbits a star
Learn it in: Earth as a planet (Grade 4), Planets (Grade 5)
plant
ScienceFrom Grade 1
a living thing that grows in soil, such as a bean or a tree
Learn it in: Science in everyday life (Grade 1), What are living things? (Grade 1), What are plants? (Grade 1)
plug
ScienceFrom Grade 2
a part that connects a device to a socket
Learn it in: Electrical safety (Grade 2)
pole
ScienceFrom Grade 3
an end of a magnet where the force is strongest
Learn it in: Magnetic poles (Grade 3), Magnets (Grade 6)
pollen
ScienceFrom Grade 2
the fine powder made in a flower
Learn it in: Flowering plants (Grade 2), Flower functions (Grade 3)
pollinate
ScienceFrom Grade 1
to carry pollen from flower to flower
Learn it in: Plants and animals in our environment (Grade 1)
pollination
ScienceFrom Grade 2
moving pollen from one flower to another
Learn it in: Flowering plants (Grade 2), Pollination (Grade 3), Plant growth (Grade 5)
pollinator
ScienceFrom Grade 3
an animal that carries pollen
Learn it in: Pollination (Grade 3), Interdependence (Grade 4)
pollution
ScienceFrom Grade 1
harmful things in air, water or land
Learn it in: Clean and dirty environments (Grade 1), Habitat protection (Grade 2), Human impacts (Grade 3)
pond
ScienceFrom Grade 1
a small area of water
Learn it in: Living things in our surroundings (Grade 1), Water habitats (Grade 2)
pond water
ScienceFrom Grade 6
water from ponds containing tiny organisms
Learn it in: Unicellular organisms (Grade 6)
population
ScienceFrom Grade 4
all the members of one species in a place
position
ScienceFrom Grade 1
where something is
Learn it in: What is movement (Grade 1), Shadow changes (Grade 4)
poster
ScienceFrom Grade 3
a large sheet showing information
Learn it in: Communicating findings (Grade 3)
potential energy
ScienceFrom Grade 5
stored energy due to position or condition
Learn it in: Forms of energy (Grade 5), Forms of energy (Grade 6)
pour
ScienceFrom Grade 2
to make a liquid flow out
Learn it in: Comparing solids and liquids (Grade 2), Everyday uses of solids and liquids (Grade 2)
precise
ScienceFrom Grade 5
giving very close repeated results
Learn it in: Measurement accuracy (Grade 5)
precision
ScienceFrom Grade 6
closeness of repeated readings to each other
Learn it in: Measurement and accuracy (Grade 6)
predator
ScienceFrom Grade 2
an animal that hunts other animals
Full explanation with examples and practice →
Learn it in: Animal survival needs (Grade 2), Simple food chains (Grade 3), Food chains (Grade 4)
prediction
ScienceFrom Grade 2
a thoughtful guess about what will happen
Learn it in: Making simple predictions (Grade 2), Predictions (Grade 3), Testable predictions (Grade 4)
prefix
ScienceFrom Grade 6
letters added to the start of a word
Learn it in: Scientific vocabulary review (Grade 6)
present
ScienceFrom Grade 3
to show and explain to others
Learn it in: Communicating findings (Grade 3), Engineering project (Grade 3), Engineering project (Grade 5)
presentation
ScienceFrom Grade 6
a talk that shares ideas with an audience
Learn it in: Presenting engineering solutions (Grade 6)
prey
ScienceFrom Grade 1
an animal that is eaten by another animal
Full explanation with examples and practice →
Learn it in: Animal food (Grade 1), Simple food chains (Grade 3), Food chains (Grade 4)
priority
ScienceFrom Grade 6
something more important than others
Learn it in: Design criteria (Grade 6)
probe
ScienceFrom Grade 6
an uncrewed spacecraft that explores
Learn it in: Space exploration (Grade 6)
problem
ScienceFrom Grade 2
something that needs fixing
Learn it in: Solving community problems (Grade 2), Identifying practical problems (Grade 3), Identifying problems (Grade 5)
problem statement
ScienceFrom Grade 6
a short description of what needs solving
Learn it in: Engineering problems (Grade 6)
producer
ScienceFrom Grade 2
a plant that makes its own food
Full explanation with examples and practice →
Learn it in: Food and shelter (Grade 2), Producers (Grade 3), Producers and consumers (Grade 4)
product
ScienceFrom Grade 6
a new substance made in a reaction
Learn it in: Physical and chemical changes introduction (Grade 6)
project
ScienceFrom Grade 1
a piece of work planned and done together
Learn it in: Keeping our school clean (Grade 1), Engineering project (Grade 3), Engineering project (Grade 5)
project plan
ScienceFrom Grade 6
a written plan for an investigation
Learn it in: Independent science project (Grade 6)
property
ScienceFrom Grade 1
what a material is like, such as hard or soft
Learn it in: What are materials (Grade 1), Comparing objects (Grade 2), Properties of solids (Grade 2)
protect
ScienceFrom Grade 1
to keep safe from harm
Learn it in: Caring for living things (Grade 1), Caring for plants (Grade 1), Caring for animals (Grade 1)
protected area
ScienceFrom Grade 3
land or water set aside for nature
Learn it in: Ecosystem protection (Grade 3), Conservation (Grade 4), Ecosystem conservation (Grade 5)
protective gear
ScienceFrom Grade 4
equipment worn to reduce injury
Learn it in: Injury prevention (Grade 4)
protein
ScienceFrom Grade 3
food that helps the body grow and repair
Learn it in: Nutrition (Grade 3), Bone health (Grade 4), Nutrition and health (Grade 5)
protist
ScienceFrom Grade 6
a mostly single-celled organism that is not a plant, animal or fungus
Learn it in: Major groups of living things (Grade 6)
prototype
ScienceFrom Grade 2
a first model to test
Learn it in: Simple design project (Grade 2), What is engineering? (Grade 3), Engineering design (Grade 4)
puberty
ScienceFrom Grade 6
the stage when the body changes toward adulthood
Learn it in: Puberty and physical development (Grade 6)
pull
ScienceFrom Grade 1
to draw something closer to us
Learn it in: Pulls (Grade 1), Pushes and pulls (Grade 2)
pulley
ScienceFrom Grade 2
a wheel with a rope that lifts loads
Learn it in: Simple machines in everyday life (Grade 2), Pulleys (Grade 4)
pulse
ScienceFrom Grade 3
the beat felt in a wrist or neck
Learn it in: The heart (Grade 3), Exercise (Grade 4), The circulatory system (Grade 6)
pupa
ScienceFrom Grade 2
the resting stage with a hard case
Learn it in: Butterfly life cycle (Grade 2), Animal life cycles (Grade 3)
purpose
ScienceFrom Grade 1
what something is for
Learn it in: Choosing materials for different purposes (Grade 1)
push
ScienceFrom Grade 1
to press something to make it move away
Learn it in: Pushes (Grade 1), Pushes and pulls (Grade 2)