Elevate Science – Topic 7 and Topic 10 Study Guide

Vocabulary and core concepts from Topic 7 (Electric Circuits) and Topic 10 (Motion and Forces), including equations and laws of motion.

Circuit

A complete path through which electricity flows.

Current

The flow of electric charges.

Voltage

The electrical pressure that pushes charges.

Resistance

Opposition to the flow of electricity.

Conductor

A material that allows electricity to flow; examples include copper and aluminum.

Insulator

A material that does not allow electricity to flow; examples include rubber and plastic.

Series circuit

A circuit with one path for current; if one bulb goes out, the entire circuit stops working.

Parallel circuit

A circuit with multiple paths for current; other bulbs continue working if one goes out.

Switch

A device used to open or close a circuit.

Resistor

A component used to reduce or control current in a circuit.

Ohm's Law

The relationship between voltage ($V$), current ($I$), and resistance ($R$), expressed as $V = I \times R$.

Motion

A change in position over time.

Force

A push or pull measured in Newtons ($N$).

Balanced force

Forces that are equal in magnitude and do not change an object's motion.

Unbalanced force

Forces that are not equal, resulting in a net force and a change in motion.

Net force

The overall force acting on an object.

Distance

The total path traveled by an object.

Displacement

The change in position from start to finish.

Speed

Distance traveled divided by time, calculated using the formula $\text{Speed} = \frac{\text{distance}}{\text{time}}$.

Velocity

Speed in a specific direction.

Acceleration

The rate of change in velocity, which occurs when an object's speed or direction changes.

Average speed

Total distance divided by total time ($\text{Average speed} = \frac{\text{total distance}}{\text{total time}}$).

Newton's First Law of Motion

An object stays at rest or in motion unless acted on by a force.

Newton's Second Law of Motion

Force equals mass times acceleration ($F = m \times a$).

Newton's Third Law of Motion

Every action force has an equal and opposite reaction force.

Inertia

Resistance to changes in motion.

Friction

A force that opposes motion; types include sliding friction and rolling friction.

Gravity

The force that pulls objects toward each other, created by an object's mass.

Gravitational potential energy

Stored energy due to height, calculated as $\text{GPE} = mgh$.

Kinetic energy

The energy of motion.