Light

Question 1

Laws of conservation

Answer 1

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.

Question 2

Electrical energy

Answer 2

the energy made available by the flow of electric charge through a conductor

Question 3

gravitational potential energy

Answer 3

energy stored due to the height of an object above a base level

Question 4

chemical energy

Answer 4

potential energy derived from chemical reactions

Question 5

elastic potential energy

Answer 5

the potential energy stored in a stretched elastic material

Question 6

nuclear energy

Answer 6

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.

Question 7

efficiency

Answer 7

the fraction of energy supplied to a device as useful energy. It is usually expressed as a percentage.

Question 8

conduction

Answer 8

the process by which heat or electricity is directly transmitted through material

Question 9

convection

Answer 9

the movement caused within a fluid because of heat

Question 10

Radiation

Answer 10

the emission of energy as electromagnetic waves

Question 11

conductor

Answer 11

a material or device that conducts or transmits heat or electricity

Question 12

insulator

Answer 12

a substance which does not readily allow the passage of heat or sound.

Question 13

density

Answer 13

the degree of compactness of a substance.

Question 14

radiant heat

Answer 14

heat transferred by radiation, as from the sun to the Earth

Question 15

reflected

Answer 15

bounced off

Question 16

transmitted

Answer 16

passed through something, such as light or sound passing through air

Question 17

absorbed

Answer 17

taken in

Question 18

luminous

Answer 18

releasing its own light

Question 19

incandescent

Answer 19

describes objects that emit light when they are hot

Question 20

bioluminescent

Answer 20

describes living things that release light energy

Question 21

non-luminous

Answer 21

describes objects that do not emit their own light, but can be seen by reflected light

Question 22

scattered

Answer 22

describes light sent in many directions by small particles within a substance

Question 23

visible spectrum

Answer 23

different colours that combine to make up white light; they are separated in rainbows

Question 24

dispersion

Answer 24

separation of the colours that make up white light. Each colour is bent differently when it enters or leaves a glass prism.

Question 25

electromagnetic radiation

Answer 25

the radiant energy such as radio waves, infrared, visible light, X-rays and gamma rays released by magnetic or electric fields

Question 26

electromagnetic spectrum

Answer 26

complete range of wavelengths of energy radiated as electric and magnetic fields

Question 27

radio waves

Answer 27

low energy electromagnetic waves with a much lower frequency and longer wavelength than visible light

Question 28

infra-red radiation

Answer 28

low energy electromagnetic waves with a much lower frequency and longer wavelength than visible light

Question 29

ultraviolet radiation

Answer 29

invisible radiation similar to light but with a slightly higher frequency and more energy

Question 30

X-rays

Answer 30

high energy electromagnetic waves that can be transmitted through solids and provide information about their structure

Question 31

gamma rays

Answer 31

high energy electromagnetic radiation produced during nuclear reaction

Question 32

deciduous

Answer 32

describes plants that lose their leaves during autumn and winter