The key words for Grade 7 science and the Rescue Run breakout — in plain language, with an example for each. Keep this open while you solve the locks.
🏃 Motion, Speed & Velocity
speed
How fast something moves. Speed = distance ÷ time.Example: a drone flying 12 km in one hour has a speed of 12 km/h.
average speed
The total distance divided by the total time for a whole trip.Example: 6 km in 30 minutes is an average speed of 12 km/h.
velocity
Speed plus a direction.Example: 12 km/h heading north.
displacement
The straight-line distance and direction from start to finish. It is zero if you end where you began.Example: fly out and loop back to base → displacement is zero.
distance–time graph
A graph that shows how far something is from the start over time.Example: a rising line means moving away.
slope
How steep a line is on a graph. On a distance–time graph, a steeper slope means faster speed; a flat line means stopped.Example: a flat line = the drone is hovering.
🌡️ Heat & Thermal Energy
thermal energy
The energy of moving particles that we feel as heat.Example: hot desert air has a lot of thermal energy.
temperature
A measure of the average motion (kinetic energy) of an object's particles.Example: a higher temperature means faster-moving particles.
heat transfer
Heat moving from a warmer place to a cooler place.Example: heat moving from hot air into a cold cooler.
conduction
Heat moving by direct touch between materials.Example: a metal spoon getting hot in soup.
convection
Heat carried by moving liquids or gases.Example: warm air rising off the sand.
radiation
Heat that travels as rays, even through empty space.Example: heat from the Sun.
thermal equilibrium
When two things reach the same temperature and heat stops flowing between them.Example: a drink and its melting ice ending at the same temperature.
insulator
A material that slows heat transfer. It cannot add cold or stop heat forever.Example: foam or cotton in a cooler.
🍃 Ecosystems & Energy
energy pyramid
A diagram showing that only about 10% of energy passes to the next level of a food chain.Example: grass → grasshopper → bird loses energy at each step.
trophic level
A step in a food chain, such as producers, then plant-eaters, then meat-eaters.Example: a hawk is at a high trophic level.