NSSCO Home Economics 6155 flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Basal metabolic rate

Energy the body uses at complete rest to maintain breathing, heartbeat and cell activity; it accounts for roughly 60-75% of daily energy needs and falls with age.

Complementary protein

Combining two or more plant foods whose limiting amino acids differ so that together they supply all essential amino acids, for example maize eaten with beans or rice with lentils.

Fat-soluble vitamins

Vitamins A, D, E and K, which are absorbed along with dietary fat and stored in the liver and fatty tissue, so deficiency develops slowly but large doses can be toxic.

Danger zone

The temperature range of about 5 to 60 degrees Celsius in which food-poisoning bacteria multiply fastest; keep perishable food out of it and reheat to 74 degrees Celsius.

Cross-contamination

Transfer of harmful bacteria from raw meat, hands, boards or utensils to food eaten without further cooking; prevent it with separate boards and thorough handwashing.

Pasteurisation

Heating a liquid food such as milk to about 72 degrees Celsius for 15 seconds and cooling it quickly, which kills pathogens while keeping most nutrients and flavour; the product still needs refrigeration.

Iron-deficiency anaemia

A shortage of iron that reduces haemoglobin, causing tiredness, pallor and breathlessness; prevented by iron-rich foods eaten with vitamin C, which improves absorption.

Selvedge

The self-finished edge running along both sides of a woven fabric, parallel to the lengthwise grain, which does not fray; pattern grainline arrows are placed parallel to it.

Grainline

The direction of the lengthwise yarns in woven fabric; pattern pieces carry a grainline arrow that must be kept parallel to the selvedge so the garment hangs straight.

Bias

A diagonal line at 45 degrees to the warp and weft; fabric stretches most in this direction, so bias binding curves neatly round edges and bias-cut garments drape softly.

Mercerising

Treating cotton with sodium hydroxide under tension, which makes the fibres swell and straighten, giving greater strength, lustre and dye uptake.

Felting

Irreversible matting and shrinkage of wool fibres caused by heat, moisture and friction together; hot washing and tumble drying felt wool garments, so wash them cool by hand.

Seam allowance

The strip of fabric between the stitching line and the raw edge, commonly 1.5 cm or 5/8 inch; it is trimmed, clipped or finished to reduce bulk and prevent fraying.

Management process

The four-step cycle of planning goals and resources, organising who does what, carrying out the plan and evaluating the result before planning again.

Work simplification

Cutting unnecessary effort from a task by eliminating steps, combining jobs, rearranging the sequence and simplifying what is left, so time and energy are saved.

Work triangle

The path linking sink, cooker and refrigerator in a kitchen; the three legs together should measure roughly 4 to 8 metres for efficient, short movements.

Human resources

Personal qualities a family can draw on to reach its goals: time, energy, knowledge, skills and attitudes; unlike money or equipment they cannot be stored for later.

Family life cycle

The stages a family passes through, usually beginning, expanding with children, launching and contracting; space, money and time needs differ at every stage.

Ergonomics

Designing work surfaces, tools and seating to fit the body, for example a standing worktop about 5 to 10 cm below elbow height, to reduce strain and fatigue.

Colostrum

The thick yellowish first milk produced in the first days after birth; rich in antibodies and protein, it protects the newborn and should never be discarded.

Exclusive breastfeeding

Giving an infant only breast milk, with no water, tea or other food, for the first six months, after which complementary foods are added while breastfeeding continues.

Oral rehydration solution

A mixture of clean water, salt and sugar given in small frequent sips to replace fluid and salts lost through diarrhoea, preventing dehydration and deaths in children.

Developmental milestone

A skill most children acquire at a predictable age, such as sitting unsupported at six to eight months or walking at twelve to fifteen months; delays warrant professional advice.

Immunisation

Giving a vaccine so the body produces antibodies against a disease; in Namibia BCG and oral polio are given at birth and measles at nine months.

Weaning

Gradually adding solid foods to a baby diet while milk feeds continue; start with one new food at a time, three to five days apart, to identify allergies.

Fixed expenses

Regular payments that stay the same each month regardless of use, such as rent, insurance premiums or loan repayments, unlike food and electricity which vary.

Impulse buying

Unplanned buying on the spur of the moment, often triggered by displays, sales or advertising; reduced by carrying a list and a set amount of cash.

Unit price

The cost of a product per standard measure, such as per kilogram, litre or 100 grams; comparing unit prices shows which pack size is genuinely cheaper.

Consumer rights

Entitlements recognised by the United Nations guidelines, including safety, information, choice, redress, education, representation and a healthy environment, balanced by consumer responsibilities.

Redress

The remedy a consumer seeks for faulty goods or poor service, usually refund, repair or replacement; a receipt and proof of the fault are needed to claim it.

Three Rs

Reduce, reuse and recycle, in that order: avoid creating waste first, use items again, then process materials into new products; prevention saves most resources.

Compound interest

Interest earned on the original amount plus previously accumulated interest, so savings grow faster over time; calculated with the formula A = P(1 + r/n) raised to nt.