CAT-ASVAB key terms

The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make sugar and release oxygen.

The amount of mass in a given volume, often stated as mass divided by volume; it tells how tightly matter is packed into a space.

The energy an object has because it is moving. It increases when either the object's mass or its speed increases.

A scale from 0 to 14 that measures how acidic or basic a liquid is; below 7 is acidic, 7 is neutral, and above 7 is basic.

The process of cell division that produces two new cells, each with the same number of chromosomes as the original cell.

A comparison of two quantities by division, often written as a fraction such as 3/4 or with a colon such as 3:4.

A rate in which the second quantity is one unit, such as miles per one hour or cost per one item.

An equation stating that two ratios are equal, such as 2/3 = 4/6; it is used to solve for an unknown quantity in a proportion problem.

The agreed sequence for calculating an expression: parentheses first, then exponents, then multiplication and division, then addition and subtraction, working left to right.

A single number that represents a set of values, found by adding all the values and dividing by how many there are; also called the mean.

A word that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word, such as big and large or begin and start.

A word whose meaning is opposite to that of another word; for example, hot is an antonym of cold and expand is an antonym of shrink.

A word part added to the beginning of a base word that changes its meaning, such as un- in unhappy.

A hint in the words or sentences around an unfamiliar word that helps a reader figure out what the word means.

The feelings or ideas a word suggests beyond its dictionary meaning, such as the positive tone of thrifty versus the negative tone of stingy.

The central point or most important message that a paragraph or passage is trying to communicate to the reader.

A conclusion a reader draws by combining clues in a passage with prior knowledge; it is not stated directly in the text.

A fact, example, or reason that explains, illustrates, or backs up the main idea of a paragraph or passage.

The reason a writer creates a text, such as to inform, to persuade, to entertain, or to explain a process.

The attitude a writer expresses toward a subject or audience, which readers sense from word choice and sentence style.

A letter or symbol used in algebra to stand for an unknown number or a value that can change.

The number that multiplies a variable in an algebraic expression, such as the 5 in the term 5x or the 3 in 3y.

The rule that in a right triangle the square of the hypotenuse equals the sum of the squares of the other two sides.

A measure of how steep a line is, calculated as the vertical change divided by the horizontal change between two points.

A whole number greater than 1 that can be divided evenly only by 1 and by itself, such as 2, 3, 5, 7, and 11.

The electrical potential difference between two points that pushes electric charge through a circuit; it is commonly measured in volts.

The flow of electric charge through a conductor, measured in amperes; it is the rate at which charge moves past a point.

The opposition a material offers to the flow of electric current, measured in ohms; higher resistance means less current for the same voltage.

The rule stating that voltage equals current multiplied by resistance (V = I × R), used to calculate one value when the other two are known.

A circuit in which components are connected in a single path, so the same current flows through every component and one break stops the whole circuit.

The sequence of intake, compression, power, and exhaust strokes by which a piston engine turns fuel into motion.

A twisting or turning force, such as the force an engine applies to a shaft; it is often measured in pound-feet.

The gearbox in a vehicle that uses different gear ratios to send engine power to the wheels at the right speed and force.

The amount by which a measured or machined dimension is allowed to differ from the specified size while still being acceptable.

The width of the slot a saw blade cuts out of the material, which must be allowed for when measuring a cut.

A rigid bar that turns on a fixed point called a fulcrum, used to lift or move a load with less effort.

The ratio of the output force a machine produces to the input force applied to it; a value greater than one means force is multiplied.

A wheel with a grooved rim and a rope or cable running over it, used to change the direction of a force or to lift loads with less effort.

The comparison of the number of teeth on two meshing gears, which determines how speed and turning force change between them.

The force that resists motion when two surfaces slide or roll against each other, turning some energy into heat.