Electrical Principles and Technologies Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering basic electricity, energy transformations, circuits, and environmental impacts of energy use.

Kinetic energy

The energy of motion possessed by any moving object or particle.

Potential energy

Stored energy possessed by an object or particle that is not currently being used.

Joule (J)

The standard unit of energy.

Mechanical energy

The combined total of kinetic and potential energies of an object or particle.

Chemical energy

A type of potential energy stored in the bonds of molecules.

Thermal energy

A type of kinetic energy representing the energy of vibrating particles in a material.

Electrical energy

A type of potential energy carried by charged particles.

Law of Conservation of Energy

A principle stating that energy cannot be created or destroyed but can only change forms.

Electric motor

A device used to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy.

Electromagnet

A magnet created by winding current-carrying wire into a coil and wrapping it around an iron core.

Commutator

A split ring in a motor that breaks the connection of the coil to change the direction of current and the magnetic force.

Armature

The spinning part of a motor that continues its motion due to momentum and magnetic force.

Generator

A device that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy.

Thermocouple

A device that produces electricity by converting thermal energy into electrical energy.

Direct Current (DC)

Electrical current that flows in only one direction.

Alternating Current (AC)

Electrical current that flows back and forth 60 times per second, commonly used in homes.

Transformer

A device that changes electricity at one voltage into electricity at a different voltage.

Static electricity

The build-up of electric charges resulting from an imbalance of protons and electrons.

Charge separation

A phenomenon where charged objects cause the distribution of charges to shift when brought close to neutral objects.

Current electricity

The flow of electric charges, where higher flow per second results in higher current.

Electrical conductor

A material, such as most metals, that allows charges to flow through it.

Superconductor

Materials, like mercury at absolute zero, that have almost no resistance to electron flow.

Resistance (R)

The property of a substance that hinders the motion of electric charge and converts it into light, heat, or sound, measured in Ohms ($\Omega$).

Electrical insulator

A material, such as rubber or plastic, that does not allow charges to flow through it easily.

Electrochemical cell

A package of chemicals, such as a battery, designed to produce small amounts of electricity.

Dry cell

A device that converts chemical energy to electrical energy using two electrodes and an electrolyte in the form of a paste.

Wet cell

A device that converts chemical energy to electrical energy using a liquid electrolyte, usually an acid.

Primary cell

A type of cell where the chemical reaction cannot be reversed, meaning it can only be used once.

Secondary cell

A rechargeable cell, such as Ni-Cd or Nickel metal-hydride.

Electrical circuit

A system composed of four subsystems: a source, a conductor, a control, and a load.

Rheostat

A variable resistor whose resistance value can be adjusted, such as a volume knob or dimmer switch.

Series circuit

A circuit with only one pathway for current to flow; if one load breaks, the entire circuit shuts down.

Parallel circuit

A circuit with more than one path for current to flow, where adding resistors decreases the total resistance.

Voltage (V)

A measure of the energy of each individual charge, measured in Volts ($V$) using a voltmeter.

Amperage (I)

The number of charges or electrons passing through a conductor per second; also called current and measured in Amps ($A$).

Ohm’s law

The mathematical relationship where voltage equals current multiplied by resistance ($V = IR$).

Power (P)

The rate at which a device converts energy, measured in Watts ($W$), where $1.0\,W = 1.0\,J/s$.

Efficiency

The percentage of original input energy that remains as useful output energy after an energy conversion.

Renewable source

An energy source that can be replenished naturally in a relatively short period, such as wind, sunlight, or tides.

Non-renewable source

An energy source that cannot be replenished naturally in a short period, such as fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas).

Cogeneration

The practice of using waste energy from one process for another purpose, such as heating or generating electricity.

Fly ash

Fine particles released into the air after burning coal, which contain mercury.

Strip-mining

A mining method used for deposits near the surface that removes all plants and animals from the area.