Year 8 Physical Sciences defining terms Flashcards
Remember key terms
Explain the term ‘energy’
Energy is the ability to do work.
Energy is needed to move or heat something, to make a noise, or to change an object’s shape.
Energy makes things happen.
Explain the term ‘work’
Work is the transfer of energy.
Work is the name given to the effects of using energy.
Whenever an object is shifted or forced to change shape, then work has been done.
Name the units used to measure energy and state their abbreviations (letters)
- Joule (J)
- Calorie (cal)
- Kilojoule (kJ)
List at least 3 different types of energy
- Magnetic
- Kinetic
- Heat (Thermal)
- Light
- Gravitational Potential
- Chemical
- Sound
- Electrical
- Elastic Potential
- Nuclear
What is ‘potential energy’?
Energy stored in an object or substance.
Name at least 2 forms of potential energy
Gravitational
Elastic
Nuclear
Chemical
What is ‘gravitational energy’?
Energy in raised objects; causes objects to fall.
What is ‘elastic energy’?
Energy stored when an object is deformed (e.g., stretched spring, squashed ball); causes objects to move (e.g., catapult).
What is ‘nuclear energy’?
Energy released during nuclear fission or fusion, used to generate electricity.
What is ‘chemical energy’?
Energy stored in fuels, food, and batteries; our bodies convert chemical energy from food.
What is ‘kinetic energy’?
Energy possessed by moving bodies.
Name at least 2 forms of kinetic energy
o Thermal (Heat)
o Light
o Sound
o Electrical
What is ‘light energy’?
Energy carried by light waves.
What is ‘thermal energy’?
Thermal energy is also called heat and it is the energy from the moving particles in a substance.
What is ‘sound energy’?
Energy released by vibrating objects.
What is ‘electrical energy’?
Energy from the flow of electrons.
What is the law of conservation of energy?
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or transformed.
What is ‘particle theory’?
A theory that explains how particles behave in solids, liquids, and gases.
What is ‘conduction’?
The transfer of heat through direct contact between particles. Heat moves from the hotter part of the material to the cooler part.
What are ‘conductors’? Give an example.
Materials that transfer heat well (e.g., metals like copper and aluminum).
What are ‘insulators’?
Materials that do not transfer heat well (e.g., wood, plastic, rubber).
What is ‘convection’?
The transfer of heat through the movement of fluids (liquids or gases). Warm fluid rises, cool fluid sinks, creating a convection current.
What is ‘infrared radiation’?
The transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves.
What is ‘energy transfer’?
Energy Transfer refers to the movement of energy from one object or system to another without changing its form. For example, when you touch a hot stove, thermal energy (heat) transfers from the stove to your hand.
