Electromagnetism Vocab

Question 1

Anmeter

Answer 1

device used to measure current

Question 2

Amphere

Answer 2

the unit for current

Question 3

Circuit

Answer 3

a path for electric current to flow through

Question 4

Series Circuit

Answer 4

this type of circuit has all parts connected in a single path for the current to flow

Question 5

Parallel Circuit

Answer 5

this type of circuit has multiple paths or branches for the current to flow

Question 6

Conductivity

Answer 6

a property of materials describing how well they allow charges to move

Question 7

Conductor

Answer 7

a material whose electrons are able to easily move (conducts electricity)

Question 8

Coulomb

Answer 8

the unit for charge

Question 9

Coulomb’s Law

Answer 9

state that the electrostatic force a charge exerts on another charge is directly related to the product of the charges and inversely related to the distance squared

Question 10

Current

Answer 10

the rate at which charge passes a given point in a circuit

Question 11

Electric Field Line

Answer 11

an imaginary line along which a positive test charge would move in an electric field

Question 12

Electric Field Strength (E)

Answer 12

the force on a stationary positive test charge per unit charge in an electric field

Question 13

Electrical Potential Energy

Answer 13

the energy needed to move a charge against an electric field

Question 14

Electrical Power

Answer 14

the rate at which energy is used or work is done

Question 15

Electron

Answer 15

a negatively charged particle. Moving electrons create an electric current

Question 16

Electronvolt

Answer 16

the amount of work done to move an elementary charge against a potential difference of 1 volt

Question 17

Electroscope

Answer 17

a device with a knob and two leaves that is used to detect electric charge

Question 18

Electrostatics

Answer 18

the study of charges at rest

Question 19

Elementary Charge

Answer 19

the magnitude of the charge on an electron or a proton

Question 20

Proton

Answer 20

a charged particle with a +1 charge

Question 21

Neutron

Answer 21

a neutral particle (zero charge)

Question 22

Electron

Answer 22

a charged particle with a -1 charge. Moving electrons create an electric current

Question 23

Electrostatic Force

Answer 23

the force that one charged particle exerts on another charged particle

Question 24

Equivalent Resistance

Answer 24

another name for the total resistance in a circuit

Question 25

Induction

Answer 25

a material whose electrons are not able to easily move (conducts electricity poorly or not at all)

Question 26

Insulator

Answer 26

a material whose electrons are not able to easily move (conducts electricity poorly or not at all)

Question 27

Joule

Answer 27

the unit for energy and work

Question 28

Law of Conservation of Charge

Answer 28

in a closed, isolated system, the total charge of the system remains constant

Question 29

Magnet

Answer 29

object that produces a field that attracts or repels object (creates a magnetic field)

Question 30

Ohm

Answer 30

the unit for resistance

Question 31

Positive Test Charge

Answer 31

an imaginary charge that does not affect an electric field but can sense it

Question 32

Resistance

Answer 32

opposition to the flow of direct current caused by a device or material

Question 33

Resistor

Answer 33

a device designed to have a definite amount of resistance

Question 34

Resistivity

Answer 34

the property of a material that depends on its atomic structure and temperature and is directly related to resistance

Question 35

Volt

Answer 35

the unit for voltage/ potential difference

Question 36

Voltage

Answer 36

the work done per unit charge as a charged particle is moved between two points in an electric field. Also known as potential difference

Question 37

Voltmeter

Answer 37

a device used to measure voltage