physics is electrifying vocab

Question 1

atom

Answer 1

the basic unit of matter and the smallest particle that retains its characteristics in a chemical reaction

Question 2

charge separation

Answer 2

the imbalance of charges between two locations (also known as ‘static electricity’)

Question 3

conductor

Answer 3

a material that has free electrons and allows electrons to flow through it

Question 4

electric current

Answer 4

the flow of charges from one location to another, measured in amperes (A)

Question 5

electrical resistance

Answer 5

the opposition to electron flow provided by a material, measured in ohms (Ω)

Question 6

elementary charge

Answer 6

the size of the charge of a single electron or proton

Question 7

EMF

Answer 7

the energy (per unit charge) provided to a circuit by a power source, measured in volts (V)

Question 8

energy

Answer 8

the ability to do work, measured in joules (J)

Question 9

free electron

Answer 9

an electron that is not tightly held by its nucleus

Question 10

insulator

Answer 10

a material that does not have free electrons and typically does not allow charge to flow through it

Question 11

ion

Answer 11

a particle that has a positive or negative charge

Question 12

load

Answer 12

any part of an electrical circuit that transforms electrical potential energy into another kind of energy

Question 13

potential difference

Answer 13

the energy (per unit charge) transformed by a load, measured in volts (V)

Question 14

power

Answer 14

the amount of energy that is transformed by a load every second