Energy Forms, Calculations, and Heat Transfer

Vocabulary flashcards covering core concepts of energy, formulas for gravitational potential and kinetic energy, conservation principles, and modes of thermal energy transfer.

Kinetic Energy

The energy an object has because of its motion or because it is moving.

Potential Energy

Stored energy that an object has because of its position, shape, or condition.

Joules ($J$)

The unit of measurement used for energy.

Gravitational Potential Energy

Stored energy determined by an object's mass ($m$), height above the ground ($h$), and the gravitational field strength ($g$), calculated using the formula $E_P = m \times g \times h$.

Gravitational Field Strength ($g$)

The acceleration or force per unit mass due to gravity, which is approximately $9.8 Severed N/kg$ on Earth.

Kinetic Energy Formula

$E_K = 0.5 \times m \times v^2$, where $m$ is mass in kilograms ($kg$) and $v$ is velocity or speed in metres per second ($m/s$).

Law of Conservation of Energy

A foundational physical principle stating that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but can only be transferred or transformed.

Energy Transfer

The movement of energy from one object or place to another.

Energy Transformation

The process of energy changing from one form into another form, such as gravitational potential energy converting to kinetic energy as an object falls.

Thermal Energy

Energy associated with the movement of particles in matter, which increases as particles move or vibrate faster when heated.

Conduction

Heat transfer through direct contact between particles, such as a metal spoon becoming hot in hot water.

Convection

Heat transfer caused by the movement of liquids or gases, such as hot water rising and cooler water sinking.

Radiation

Heat transfer through electromagnetic waves that can travel through empty space without requiring particles or direct contact.

Thermal Conductor

A material that allows heat to transfer through it easily, such as copper, aluminium, iron, and steel.

Thermal Insulator

A material that resists or does not allow the easy transfer of heat through it.

Battery

Battery

A device that provides electrical energy to a circuit by converting chemical energy into electrical energy.

Ciruit

A complete, closed path that allows electric current to flow.

Electric current

The flow of electric charge through a circuit.It is typically measured in amperes (A) and consists of moving electrons in a conductor.

Voltage

The difference in electrical energy between two points that pushes current through a circuit

Switch

A device that opens or closes a circuit to control whether current flows. It can be mechanical or electronic and is essential for controlling electrical devices.

Load

A component in a circuit that uses electrical energy, such as a light bulb, motor or buzzer.

component

An individual part of an electrical circuit, such as a battery, switch, lamp or motor.

Series circuit

A circuit where components are connected in a single pathway, so the same current flows through every component.

Parallel circuit

A circuit where components are connected in separate branches, giving the current more than one pathway to flow through.

open circuit

circuit with a break in the pathway, so electric current cannot flow

Closed circuit

A complete circuit with no breaks, allowing electric current to flow.

Circuit diagram

A drawing that uses standard symbols to show the components and connections in a circuit

Electrical energy

Energy carried by electric charges that can be transferred to other forms of energy.