Science: Vocabulary Flashcards
Fuel
A material that releases energy when it burns
Fossil Fuel
Materials that formed as ancient plants and animals decayed underground, that are burned to transfer energy
Coal
A solid fossil fuel created by chemical changes that transform plant stems and leaves over a very long period of time into hard, black substances, that are burned to transfer energy
Petroleum
Gasoline and diesel, these are liquid fossil fuels formed by the decay of ancient plants and animals over a very long period of time that, are burned to transfer energy
Natural gas
A gas fossil fuel formed by the decay of ancient plants and animals over a very long period of time, that can be burned for energy
Nuclear fuel
Unstable elements such as uranium that release energy when they break down into smaller elements
Uranium
Element #92, it is an unstable metal that is the most commonly used source of nuclear fuel used in nuclear power plants
Outcome
The result of something happening
Fuel
A substance that releases energy when it burns
Combustion
The process of burning of fuel to produce heat and light, burning
Turbine
A device that spins as gas ( or steam ) flows and changes the heat energy of the steam into kinetic energy (motion)
Generator
A device that changes kinetic energy (motion) into electrical energy
Battery
A device that stores chemical energy and converts it into electric energy
DC Current
Direct current, which is an electric current that only flows in one direction (for example, electricity that flows from a battery)
AC Current
Alternating current, which is electric current that alternates or switches directions (for example, electricity from an electric outlet)
Device
Something made for a specific purpose
Primary
The original source of energy in an object or material
Electric motor
A device that changes electrical energy into kinetic energy
Steam engine
A device that combusts fuel to boil water into steam that is used to create kinetic energy
Internal combustion engine
A device that combusts fuel to create kinetic energy
Emissions
The release of substances into the environment
Pollutant
An emission that is dangerous or harmful to the environment
Scrubber
A material that reduces the pollutants released as gases into the air
Greenhouse gas
Pollutant that increases the earth’s atmosphere’s ability to hold heat
Power
Power describes how much energy is used to work over a certain amount of time.
Watt
The metric unit of power
Power = work / time
1 Watt = 1 Joule / second
1 W = 1 J/S
Geothermal energy
Energy obtained from heat beneath the earth’s surface which is very hot
Hydropower
Gravitational potential energy of water that is converted into kinetic energy in rivers, and is used to generate electricity
Biomass
Fuel made from plant matter and animal waste
Solar energy
Energy from the sun that is converted into electrical energy
Wind energy
Energy from the wind that is converted into electrical or kinetic energy
Available
Able to be had
Impact
The effect something has on something else
Wave
A disturbance that travels in a pattern and carries energy
Medium
The material or thing that waves travel through
Amplitude
The greatest height of a wave in its resting position
Wavelength
The distance between similar points on a wave
Frequency
The number of times a wave repeats in a certain period of time
Transverse wave
A wave that moves and carries energy perpendicular to the particles it travels through
Crest
The top point of a transverse wave
Trough
The bottom point of a transverse wave
Longitudinal wave
A wave that travels in the same direction as the particles it travels through
Compression
The most compressed point of a longitudinal wave
Rarefraction
The most stretched point of a longitudinal wave
Transfer
To relocate
A wave transfers energy through a medium, but not the medium’s particles
Wave period
The time it takes for a wave to move one back and forth motion (or one cycle)
Circular wave
A wave caused by a disturbance at a single point
Plane wave
A wave that is made when a line of matter is disturbed
Superposition
Waves moving through a medium that meet and can add together
Appear
To show up
Ray
A line of energy that moves in one direction until it hits an object
Reflect
When a ray bounces off a surface and moves in a new direction
Refract
When a ray bends after it enters a medium
Absorb
When a ray does not reflect or refract but is taken in by a medium
System
A group of parts that work together to complete a task
Signal
A message with information that is sent in a wave
Transmitter
The part of a device that sends out radio signals
Antennae
The part of the device that takes in (receives) radio signals
Receiver
The part of the device that changes radio signals into usable message
Digital
Signals that use clear cut numbers (which are called digits) to represent data
Analog
A continuous signals that sends information
Range
All possibilities between two points
Pitch
The frequency of a sound wave - for example, a piano’s different notes have different pitches
Volume
The amplitude of a sound wave.
The larger the amplitude, the louder the sound.
