Energy Flashcards
Natural Gas
a waste of coal and oil that comes from fossil fuels
Coal
a fossil fuel formed from land plants
Mechanical Energy
the sum of a system’s potential and kinetic energy
Temperature
A way to measure how fast the particles in an object or substance are moving on average.
Combustion Motor
a machine that turns chemical energy into mechanical energy
Ex: Car engine
Photovoltaics
panels get energy from the sun and turn it intoelectricity
Potential Energy
energy that is stored in the position or configuration of objects
Ex: ball on top of a hill
Oil
a fossil fuel made from sea creatures
Convection
the movement of heat by a fluid, like air or water, that is moving.
Kinetic Energy
the energy of motion
Ex: Person running
Dark Energy
a source of energy that hasn’t been found but is thought to be what makes the Universe grow bigger and bigger.
Photosynthesis
process by which plants use light, water, and carbon dioxide to make their own food (sugar) and oxygen
Heat
the thermal energy transferred from a hot object to a cooler object
Greenhouse Gases
When there are a lot of these gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, they trap the sun’s heat and warm the world.
Ex:Carbon dioxide
Solar Energy
energy from the sun in the form of electromagnetic radiation
Generator
A device that turns mechanical energy into electrical energy by using electromagnetic induction.
Radiation
heat transfer by an electromagnetic wave
Ex: standing by a hot fire
Hydroelectric Energy
gravity pulls water from higher elevations to lower elevations, collecting energy along the way.
Acid Rain
Rain with a pH that is lower than 7. Acid rain breaks down a lot of things, including rocks. Cause by pollution
Joule (J)
The units of heat and energy in the SI system (metric system).
Turbine
a device that transforms kinetic energy into mechanical energy
Thermal Energy
The amount of energy an item has on the inside because its atoms or molecules are moving, vibrating, or spinning.
Nuclear Fusion
a process in which the nuclei of light elements, like hydrogen, fuse together to make the nuclei of heavy elements, like helium.
Ex: reactions within the sun
Conduction
Transfer of thermal energy through a solid or between two materials that are touching
