Below are some suggestions for taking and passing exams in science.  For additional help, see the Some Hands-on Study Suggestions section on the Extra Tools page of this website.  
Science
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Science covers: 
  • Life Science (Biology) 

  • Earth and Space Science 

  • Chemistry

  • Physics

  • Physical Science
Things to Do: 
Write important facts about key topics on the front of index cards.  

Rewrite the concept in your own words on the back of the index card.  

Study both sides of the card until its meaning has been completely understood.

Pay attention to cause and effect.  Most matters in science depend on something happening as a result of something else.  

Example 1: 
Mitochondrion a membrane-bound organelle found in the cytoplasm that produces ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which produces energy or power for the cell.  

An easy way to remember this is by hearing the word "might" as in the beginning of the word mitochondrion.  "Power" and "might" go together.  This clue can help you remember that power produces energy.   

Example 2: 
Golgi apparatus is responsible for the sorting and packaging of the protein in the cell.  

Begin by thinking of an apparatus as a device or something that is used in a factory to do a certain job.  By associating "apparatus" with a factory, you may think of sorting and packaging as other things that are done in a factory. 

1.
2.
3.
Below are two examples of how to break down a term to grasp its true meaning. 
4.
Science Prefixes and Suffixes
Below are some prefixes and suffixes that will help you identify the meaning of essential scientific terms. 
a-, an- 

-able    

acou, acous-

aden-

​aero-

agri-

alto-

ambi-

ante-

antho-

anti-

aqu-

archaego-

arteri-

anthr-

atmo-

audi-

auto-

bi-

bi-, bio-

calor-

capill-

cardi-

carn-

centi-

cerebr-

chem-

chlor-

chrom- chrome-

chron-

corp-

crani-

deca-

deci-

demi-

dent-

derm-

di-, dipl-

dys-

en-, endo-, ent-

entom-

-eous

ex-

extra-

fibr-

fiss-

fract-

gastro-

geo-

-gene-

gluc-, glyc-

grav-

hem-

hemi-

herb-

hetero-

hex-

homo- (Latin)

homo- (Greek)

hort-

hydr-

hyper-

hypo-

​ign-

il-, in-, im-, ir-

infra-

ism-


iso-

-ist

-kary-

kilo-

kine-

lact-

leuc-, leuk-

logist-

-logy

lumin-

macr-

meg-

micro-

milli-

mis-

mole-

mono-

morph-

multi-

neo-

neur-

non-

nuc-

oct-

omni-

-osis

ov-

oxy-

pachy-

paleo-

-ped-

pent-

photo-

-phyll

pneumo-

-pod

post-

pre-

prim-

pseudo-

psych

pulmo-

quadr-

quin-

radi-

re-

saur-

schis-, schiz-

sci-

semi-

sept-

sex-

-sis-

-sperm-

-spher-

-spor-

sub-

super-, sur-

sym-, syn-

tachy-

terr-

tetr-

therm-

tri-

ultra-

uni-

vas- 


​not, without

capable of

hear

gland

air

field, land

high

both

before

flower

against

water

primitive

artery

joint

​vapor

hear

self

two  (Latin)

life, living ( Greek)

​heat

hair

​heart

meat, flesh

hundredth

brain

chemicals

green

color

time

body

skull

ten

tenth

half

tooth

skin

two, double (Latin)

abnormal

in, within

insects

nature of

out of

outside

fiber

cut, divided

​break

stomach

land, earth

origin

sugar

heavy

blood

hemi

plants

different

six

man (Latin)

same (Greek)

garden

water

above

below, under

fire

not

below

a condition


same

one who practices

cell 

thousand

move

milk

white

one who studies

the study of

light

large

million

small

thousandth

incorrect

mass

one

form

many

new

nerve

not

center

eight

all

abnormal

egg

oxygen

thick

ancient

foot

five

light

leaf

lungs, air

foot

after

before

first

false

mind

lung

four

five

ray

again

lizard

divide, split

know

half

seven

six

condition

seed

round

seed

below, under

above

together

fast, quick

land

four

heat

three

beyond

one

vessel




Exam Help 
Example 3: 
Endoplasmic Reticulum a tubular system that is responsible for transporting proteins and other carbohydrates to other organelles. 

Notice the "plas" in the word Endoplasmic. Now picture small plastic tubes, like a straws, that allow packages of protein to move from one point to another.