Science Midterm Study Guide

Kinetic energy

The energy of motion.

Heat

Thermal energy or the total of all energy within a substance.

Law of Conservation of Energy

States that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only changed in form.

Solid

State of matter with the slowest motion of molecules.

Liquid

State of matter with faster motion than a solid but slower than a gas.

Gas

State of matter with the fastest motion of molecules.

Boiling point

The temperature at which a liquid becomes a gas.

Freezing point

The temperature at which a liquid becomes a solid.

Specific heat capacity

The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1 degree Celsius.

Joules

Unit of energy.

Heat transfer

The transfer of thermal energy from areas of high temperature to low temperature.

Frictional force

The force that prevents two objects from easily moving against each other.

Acceleration

The rate at which an object changes velocity.

Positive acceleration

Speed increases as the object moves away from its starting position.

Negative acceleration

Speed decreases as the object moves away from its starting position.

Coefficient of friction

A number that describes the degree of mechanical and molecular interaction between forces.

Applied force

Force applied to an object from an outside force.

Standing waves

Waves that form in a vibrating object and do not move through space.

Frequency

The back and forth vibrations that cause sound to occur rapidly or slowly.

Pitch

The perceived highness or lowness of a sound.

Standing wave

A wave with two nodes (beginning and end) and two antinodes (one up, one down).

wavelength

the length in meters of a complete standing wave from the node that defines where it begins to the node that defines where it ends

high pitch

low frequency = ?

low pitch

high frequency = ?

nodes

the two end points

antinodes

middle points; one on top, one on bottom

less friction

if there’s a smoother surface, there is…

more friction

if there’s a rougher surface, there is…

low frequency

when there is a long wavelength there’s a…

high frequency

when there is a short wavelength there’s a…

HIGH frequency

vibrations occur frequently

LOW frequency

vibrations occur infrequently

more weight, more friction

relationship between weight and friction

greater speed of sound

greater attraction between particles = ?

less speed of sound

less attraction between particles = ?

hertz

the unit of frequency in 1/second

Mrs Frizzle’s dress

green w lighthouses, Christmas lights, and light bulbs

Mrs. Frizzle’s shoes + earrings

lamp earrings that light up; sun shoes that light up