Year 9 Electricity & Global Systems

Vocabulary flashcards covering core topics from the Year 9 Electricity & Global Systems curriculum, including motors, generators, wind turbines, renewable energy, and greenhouse effects.

DC Motor

A device containing coils and magnetic fields that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.

AC Generator

A device containing coils and magnetic fields that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy.

Energy Transformations in a DC Motor

The conversion of electrical energy into mechanical (kinetic) energy.

Energy Transformations in an AC Generator

The conversion of mechanical (kinetic) energy into electrical energy.

Blade Speed (Wind Turbines)

The rotational speed of a wind turbine's blades, which directly relates to the amount of electricity produced measured as voltage.

Trials and Averages

Key experimental practices used to increase reliability, minimize experimental errors, and allow accurate data analysis.

Renewable Energy

Energy obtained from natural sources that naturally replenish, such as wind turbines.

Non-Renewable Energy

Energy obtained from finite natural sources that do not replenish on human timescales, such as fossil fuels.

Natural Greenhouse Effect

The naturally occurring process in which Earth's atmospheric gases trap heat to keep the planet at a temperature suitable for life.

Enhanced Greenhouse Effect

The increase in Earth's natural greenhouse effect caused by human activities releasing additional greenhouse gases, leading to greater heat retention.

Earth's Interacting Spheres

The interconnected systems of Earth (atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere) that interact through global processes like wind movement.

Hydrosphere

The hydrosphere is the total amount of water found on, under, and above the surface of a planet.

Geosphere

the solid, physical part of the Earth, including all rocks, minerals, soils, and landforms from the surface down to the inner core

Bioshpere

the global ecological system that includes every living organism on Earth along with the physical environments where they live

Atmostphere

a thin layer of gases held by gravity that surrounds the Earth or another planet

Solenoid

nsulated copper wire that lowers resistance and draws current

Explain the relationship between coils, magnetic fields and electricity in a DC motor and AC generator

a DC motor uses electricity to create motion, while an AC generator uses motion to create electricity

Explain the difference in wind temperature across our Earth

Wind temperature varies across the Earth because the sun heats our planet's surface and atmosphere unevenly

Compare features and impacts of the natural greenhouse effect and enhanced greenhouse effect

The natural greenhouse effect keeps Earth warm enough for life, while the enhanced greenhouse effect traps extra heat and causes rapid global warming due to human activities.

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