scienceterms Flashcards
Scientific Method
A systematic process of learning that includes observations, stating the problem, hypothesizing, experimentation, gathering and analyzing data, and stating a conclusion.
Compression Wave
Waves in which the disturbance takes place in the direction of propagation.
Conduction
The transfer of energy that occurs when a body of high temperature transfers its heat through a connecting medium to one of lower temperature.
Convection
The process by which large amounts of energy are transferred through the movement of gas and liquid.
First Harmonic
Also known as the fundamental frequency; has two nodes at each end and one antinode in the middle, forming a single hill or trough.
Focal Length
The distance between the pole of a lens or mirror to the principal focus and is always equal to half of the radius of curvature of lens or mirror. f = R/2.
Harmonic Oscillator
Any object that oscillates about a stable equilibrium position and experiences a restoring force approximately described by Hooke’s law.
Kinetic Energy
In physics, the energy of an object in motion.
Kinetic Friction
Occurs when one object is moving with respect to the surface with which it is in contact. It has magnitude given by FK = uKN. (uK is the coefficient of kinetic friction and N is the magnitude of the Normal Force).
Newton’s First Law of Motion
A fundamental principle in physics which states that an object at rest will remain at rest and an object in motion will stay in motion, moving at the same velocity, unless an unbalanced force is applied to it.
Newton’s Second Law of Motion
A fundamental principle in physics which states that unbalanced forces acting on an object will produce a reaction, or acceleration, that is directly proportional to the amount of the force applied, and inversely proportional to the object’s mass.
Newton’s Third Law of Motion
A fundamental principle in physics which states that every action will create a reverse, or opposite, but equal reaction.
Normal Force
The force one surface exerts on another surface. It is perpendicular to the surface of contact.
Photovoltaic Cell
A specialized semiconductor diode that converts visible light into direct current.
Potential Energy
The capacity a resting object has to do work from a particular position; stored energy.
Radiation
The transfer of energy through waves and particles; emission and propagation of energy in the form of rays or waves without the requirement of a connective medium.
Refraction
The behavior of a single frequency wave traveling through a medium or field that comes into contact with an object and is bent before passing into a second medium.
Resultant Vector
The sum of two or more vectors.
Second Harmonic
A sine wave having two times the frequency of the fundamental wave.
Static Friction
Occurs when an object is in contact with the surface it is resting on. It has a magnitude given by Fs = usN (us is the coefficient of static friction, N is the magnitude of the Normal Force).
Third Harmonic
A sine wave having three times the frequency of the fundamental wave.
Transverse Wave
A wave that moves in a direction perpendicular to that of its medium.
Wave Amplitude
The magnitude of the greatest departure from equilibrium of the wave disturbance.
Wave Frequency
A wave characteristic referring to the number of cycles occurring per second.
Wavelength
The distance (measured in the direction of propagation) between two points in the same phase in consecutive cycles of a wave.
Alpha Decay
The radioactive decay of an atomic nucleus accompanied by emission of an alpha particle.
Atomic Mass
The mass of an atom expressed in atomic mass units (amu).
Atomic Number
The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.
Barometer
An instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure, used especially in weather forecasting.
Beta Decay
The radioactive decay of an atomic nucleus accompanied by emission of a beta particle.
Calorimetry
Measurement of the amount of heat evolved or absorbed in chemical reaction, change of state, or formation of a solution.
Conservation of Energy
A fundamental thermodynamics principle which states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, although it can be changed from one form to another.
Conservation of Mass
A fundamental thermodynamics principle which states that reactions and interactions which change the properties of substances leave their total masses unchanged.
Equilibrium Constant
A constant, characteristic for each chemical reaction; relates the specific concentrations of all reactants and products at equilibrium at a given temperature and pressure.
Gamma Decay
A radioactive process in which an atomic nucleus loses energy by emitting a gamma ray without a change in its atomic or mass numbers.
Gibb’s Energy
A mathematical expression, developed in the 1870s by the American mathematical physicist Willard Gibbs, defined as the energy portion of a thermodynamic system available to do work.
Heat Capacity
The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one mole or one gram of a substance by one degree Celsius without change of phase.
Heat of Combustion
The amount of heat released per unit mass or unit volume of a substance when the substance is completely burned.
Heat of Formation
The increase in enthalpy resulting from the formation of 1 mole of a substance from its elements at constant pressure.
Intermolecular Forces
Electromagnetic forces which act between molecules or between widely separated regions of a macromolecule. Listed in order of decreasing strength, these forces are: ionic interactions, hydrogen bonds, dipole-dipole interactions, London dispersion forces (Van der Waals forces).
Intramolecular Bonds
Forces which keep atoms held together in molecules and in solids, such as covalent, ionic, and aromatic bonds.
Ionic Bond
A chemical bond between two ions with opposite charges, characterized by the unequal sharing of electrons.
Ionization Constant
Analog of the dissociation constant, where k = [H+][A-]/[HA]; used for the application of the law of mass action to ionization; in the equation HA represents the acid, such as acetic acid.
Manometer
A pressure gauge for comparing pressures of a gas.
Molarity
The molar concentration of a solution, usually expressed as the number of moles of solute per liter of solution.
Specific Heat
The amount of heat, measured in calories, required to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance by one Celsius degree. Also known as heat capacity.
Spontaneous Process
A chemical reaction in which a system releases free energy (most often as heat) and moves to a lower, more thermodynamically stable, energy state. The sign convention of changes in free energy follows the general convention for thermodynamic measurements, in which a release of free energy from the system corresponds to a negative change in free energy, but a positive change for the surroundings.
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)
A chemical compound nucleotide found in all living organisms that releases energy for cellular reactions when it converts to ADP.
Bacteriophage
A virus that infects bacteria and may integrate into the genetic material of its host cell.
Cellular Respiration
The series of metabolic processes by which living cells produce energy through the oxidation of organic substances.
Eukaryote
Any organism with one or more cells that have visible nuclei and organelles. The group contains all living and fossil cellular organisms except bacteria and cyanobacteria.
Hydrophilic
Having a strong affinity for water; tending to dissolve in, mix with, or be wetted by water.
Hydrophobic
Not dissolving in, absorbing, or mixing easily with water.
Lipid Bi-layer
A double layer of regularly arranged phospholipid molecules that is widely accepted as forming the basic structure of cell membranes and other biological membranes.