Physical Science - Energy - Middle School

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. alternating current
    an electric current that reverses direction sinusoidally
  2. ampere
    the basic unit of electric current adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
  3. amplification
    the act of increasing voltage or power or current
  4. atom
    the smallest component of an element
  5. battery
    a device that produces electricity
  6. bioluminescence
    luminescence produced by physiological processes
  7. biomass
    plant materials and animal waste used as fuel
  8. calorie
    unit of heat raising 1 gram of water by 1 degree centigrade
  9. cell
    a device that delivers an electric current
  10. charge
    the quantity of unbalanced electricity in a body
  11. chemical energy
    that part of the energy in a substance that can be released by a chemical reaction
  12. circuit
    an electrical device providing a path for current to flow
  13. closed circuit
    a complete electrical circuit around which current flows or a signal circulates
  14. conduction
    the transmission of heat or electricity or sound
  15. conductor
    a device designed to transmit electricity or heat
  16. conservation
    maintenance of constant physical or chemical quantities
  17. convection
    transfer of heat caused by molecular motion in liquid or gas
  18. conversion
    an event that results in a transformation
  19. current
    a flow of electricity through a conductor
  20. direct current
    an electric current that flows in one direction steadily
  21. efficiency
    the ratio of the output to the input of any system
  22. electric charge
    the quantity of unbalanced electricity in a body (either positive or negative) and construed as an excess or deficiency of electrons
  23. electric field
    a field of force surrounding a charged particle
  24. electrical
    relating to or concerned with electricity
  25. electrical energy
    energy made available by the flow of electric charge through a conductor
  26. electricity
    a physical phenomenon that can produce light, heat and power
  27. electromagnetic
    pertaining to or exhibiting magnetism produced by electric charge in motion
  28. electromagnetic radiation
    radiation consisting of waves of energy associated with electric and magnetic fields resulting from the acceleration of an electric charge
  29. electromagnetic spectrum
    the entire frequency range of electromagnetic waves
  30. emit
    give off, send forth, or discharge
  31. endothermic
    occurring or formed with absorption of heat
  32. energy
    any source of usable power
  33. exothermic
    occurring or formed with the release of heat
  34. field
    space around a radiating body within which it exerts force
  35. fluorescence
    light emitted during absorption of radiation of some other (invisible) wavelength
  36. force
    influence that results in motion, stress, etc. when applied
  37. fossil fuel
    energy-producing substance derived from preserved organisms
  38. fuel cell
    cell that produces electricity by oxidation of fuel
  39. gamma ray
    electromagnetic radiation emitted during radioactive decay and having an extremely short wavelength
  40. generator
    engine that converts mechanical energy into electricity
  41. geothermal energy
    energy derived from the heat in the interior of the earth
  42. gravitational field
    a field of force surrounding a body of finite mass
  43. gravity
    the force of attraction between all masses in the universe
  44. heat
    a form of energy transferred by a difference in temperature
  45. hydroelectric
    of or relating to or used in the production of electricity by waterpower
  46. hydroelectricity
    electricity produced by water power
  47. incandescence
    light emission by a body as its temperature is raised
  48. induction
    an electrical phenomenon generating an electromotive force
  49. infrared
    electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths longer than visible light but shorter than radio waves
  50. infrared radiation
    electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths longer than visible light but shorter than radio waves
  51. insulation
    reduction of the transmission of sound, heat, or electricity
  52. insulator
    a material with little electrical or thermal conductivity
  53. interaction
    the transfer of energy between elementary particles
  54. joule
    a unit of electrical energy
  55. kilowatt
    a unit of power equal to 1000 watts
  56. kinetic energy
    the mechanical energy that a body has by virtue of motion
  57. laser
    an optical device that produces an intense beam of light
  58. law of conservation of energy
    the fundamental principle of physics that the total energy of an isolated system is constant despite internal changes
  59. light
    electromagnetic radiation that can produce visual sensation
  60. luminescence
    the emission of light without heat
  61. magnetic field
    the lines of force surrounding a permanent magnet or a moving charged particle
  62. magnetism
    attraction for iron
  63. matter
    that which has mass and occupies space
  64. mechanical energy
    energy in a mechanical form
  65. microwave
    a relatively short electromagnetic wave used for cooking food
  66. molecule
    the simplest structural unit of an element or compound
  67. motion
    the act of changing location from one place to another
  68. newton
    force imparting acceleration of 1 m/sec/sec to 1 kilogram
  69. renewable
    capable of being replaced
  70. nuclear energy
    the energy released by a nuclear reaction
  71. nuclear fission
    a nuclear reaction in which a massive nucleus splits into smaller nuclei with the simultaneous release of energy
  72. nuclear reaction
    (physics) a process that alters the energy or structure or composition of atomic nuclei
  73. nucleus
    the positively charged dense center of an atom
  74. Ohm's law
    electric current is directly proportional to voltage and inversely proportional to resistance; I = E/R
  75. open circuit
    an incomplete electrical circuit in which no current flows
  76. parallel circuit
    a closed circuit in which the current divides into two or more paths before recombining to complete the circuit
  77. particle
    a body having finite mass but negligible dimensions
  78. pendulum
    an apparatus in which an object is mounted to swing freely
  79. photon
    a tiny bundle of matter that transmits light
  80. photovoltaic cell
    a cell that converts solar energy into electrical energy
  81. potential energy
    energy stored by a body or system by virtue of its position
  82. power
    (physics) the rate of doing work
  83. proportional
    having a constant ratio
  84. radiant energy
    energy that is transmitted in the form of radiation
  85. radiation
    energy transmitted in the form of rays or waves or particles
  86. radio wave
    an electromagnetic wave with a wavelength between 0.5 cm to 30,000 m
  87. resistance
    any mechanical force that tends to slow or oppose motion
  88. resistor
    an electrical device that resists the flow of electrical current
  89. series circuit
    a circuit having its parts connected serially
  90. solar cell
    a cell that converts solar energy into electrical energy
  91. solar energy
    energy from the sun that is converted into thermal or electrical energy
  92. solar radiation
    radiation from the sun
  93. sound
    mechanical vibrations transmitted by an elastic medium
  94. sound wave
    (acoustics) a wave that transmits sound
  95. spectrum
    an ordered array of the components of an emission or wave
  96. speed
    a rate at which something happens
  97. static electricity
    electricity produced by friction
  98. system
    a group of independent elements comprising a unified whole
  99. temperature
    the degree of hotness or coldness of a body or environment
  100. terminal
    a contact on a device at which current enters or leaves
  101. thermal
    relating to or associated with heat
  102. transfer
    the act of moving something from one form to another
  103. transformation
    the act of changing in form or shape or appearance
  104. transformer
    an electrical device changing one voltage to another
  105. turbine
    an engine that causes a bladed rotor to rotate
  106. ultraviolet
    having wavelengths shorter than light but longer than X-rays
  107. ultraviolet radiation
    radiation lying in the ultraviolet range
  108. volt
    a unit for measuring the force of an electric current
  109. voltage
    the rate at which energy is drawn from a source
  110. watt
    a unit of power equal to 1 joule per second
  111. wave
    (physics) a movement up and down or back and forth
  112. wind power
    power derived from the wind (as by windmills)
  113. work
    a manifestation of energy
  114. X ray
    electromagnetic radiation of short wavelength produced when high-speed electrons strike a solid target
Created on Mon Feb 20 15:44:17 EST 2017 (updated Wed Apr 19 11:34:25 EDT 2017)

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