Energy Flashcards
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.
electrical energy
the energy made available by the flow of electric charge through a conductor
gravitational potential energy
energy stored due to the height of an object above a base level
nuclear energy
the energy stored at the centre 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.
efficiency
the fraction of energy supplied to a device as useful energy. It is usually expressed as a percentage.
conduction
transfering 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, like light or sound passing through air
absorbed
for something to be taken in
density
the degree of compactness of a substance
luminous
releasing its own light
incandescent
describes objects that emit light when they are hot
bioluminescent
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.
electromagnet radiation
the radiant energy such as radio waves, infrared, visible light, X-rays and gamma rays released by magnetic or electric fields
electromagnet 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
X-ray
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
elastic potential energy
Elastic energy is the potential mechanical energy stored in the configuration of a material or physical system
pitch
the quality of a sound governed by the rate of vibrations producing it; the degree of highness or lowness of a tone.
rarefration
being deflected in passing obliquely through the interface between one medium and another or through a medium of varying density
decibels
a unit used to measure the intensity of a sound or the power level of an electrical signal by comparing it with a given level on a logarithmic scale.
frequency
the rate at which something occurs over a particular period of time or in a given sample.
