Energy Flashcards
Potential Energy
Energy that has the potential to do work and so the energy is ‘stored’, such as gravitational energy, elastic energy and chemical energy
Kinetic Energy
Energy due to the motion of an object
Electrical energy
The energy made available by the flow of electric charge through a conductor
Gravitational Energy
Energy stored due to the height of an object above a base level
Chemical Energy
The energy derived from chemical reactions
Elastic Energy
The energy stored in a stretched elastic material
Nuclear Energy
The energy stored at the center of atoms, the tiny particles that make up all substances. Nuclear energy can be released from the radioactive metals uranium or plutonium, and transformed into electrical energy in a nuclear power station.
Heat Energy
Heat energy is a form of energy transfer among particles in a substance
Light Energy
Light energy is the only form of energy that we can actually see directly. It is formed through chemical, radiation, and mechanical means.
Sound Energy
Sound energy is a form of energy that is associated with vibrations of matter. It is a type of mechanical wave which means it requires an object to travel through.
Conduction
Transfer of heat through collisions between particles
Insulators
A material that is a poor conductor of heat
Convection
Transfer of heat through the flow of particles
Radiation
A method of heat transfer that does not require particles to transfer heat from one place to another
Radiant Heat
Heat transferred by radiation, as from the sun to the Earth
Reflected
Bounced off
Transmitted
Passed through something, such as light or sound passing through air
Absorbed
Taken in
Density
The amount of compactness of a substance
Law of Conservation of Energy
A law that states that energy cannot be made or lost. However, energy can be transformed from one type to another or transferred from one object to another.
Efficiency
The fraction of energy supplied to a device as useful energy. It is usually expressed as a percentage.
Insulation
A material that is a poor conductor of heat
Deciduous
Describes plants that lose their leaves during autumn and winter
Luminous
Releasing its own light
Incandescent
Describes objects that emit light when they are hot
Bio-luminescent
Describes living things that release light energy
Non-luminous
Describes objects that do not emit their own light, but can be seen by reflected light
Scattered
Describes light sent in many directions by small particles within a substance
Visible Spectrum
Different colours that combine to make up white light; they are separated in rainbows
Dispersion
Separation of the colours that make up white light. Each colour is bent differently when it enters or leaves a glass prism.
Electromagnetic Radiation
The radiant energy such as radio waves, infrared, visible light, X-rays and gamma rays released by magnetic or electric fields
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Complete range of wavelengths of energy radiated as electric and magnetic fields
Radio Waves
Low energy electromagnetic waves with a much lower frequency and longer wavelength than visible light
Infra-red Radiation
Low energy electromagnetic waves with a much lower frequency and longer wavelength than visible light
Ultraviolet Radiation
Invisible radiation similar to light but with a slightly higher frequency and more energy
X-rays
High energy electromagnetic waves that can be transmitted through solids and provide information about their structure
Gamma Rays
High energy electromagnetic radiation produced during nuclear reaction
Vibrations
Repeated fast, back-and-forth movements
Compression
The process of pushing a material into itself
Rarefaction
In sound waves, the layers of air particles that are spread apart (between compression)
Sound Waves
Vibrations of particles in the air
Frequency
Number of vibrations in one second, or the number of wavelengths passing in one second
Hertz
Unit of frequency; its abbreviation is Hz. One hertz is equal to one vibration every second.
Pitch
The highness or lowness of a sound. The pitch that you hear depends on the frequency of the vibrating air.
Wavelength
Distance between two neighboring crests or troughs of a wave. This is the distance between two particles vibrating in step.
Amplitude
Maximum distance that a particle moves away from its undisturbed position
Reverberation
Longer-lasting sound caused by repeated reflection from hard surfaces
