Basic Electricity and Atomic Theory

Vocabulary flashcards covering atomic structure, fundamental forces, types of matter, and sources of Electromotive Force (EMF) based on the lecture notes.

Energy

The ability to work, that which comprises matter, and something whose presence affects space through gravity and time.

Electron (Greek Origin)

The Greek word for "Amber" (fossilized tree sap), which the Greeks found could pick up light objects like straw or feathers when rubbed against fur.

The Law of Charges

A principle stating that opposite charges attract each other and like charges repel each other.

Atom (Etymology)

Derived from the Greek word for "Indivisible."

John Dalton

A scientist who thought in 1808 that all matter was composed of discrete indivisible units called atoms.

JJ Thompson

The scientist who discovered the electron in 1897, proving the atom had separate parts by identifying a particle with a mass less than $1000th$ the mass of a hydrogen atom.

Neils Bohr

In 1913, he used Einstein’s and Planck’s theories to modify the Rutherford model to create the Bohr Atom, featuring electrons circling a positively charged nucleus.

Orbital Shells

The specific orbits that electrons can occupy; based on quantum effects, electrons cannot occupy the spaces in between these shells.

Atomic Number

A number determined by the quantity of protons at the nucleus of the atom, which also identifies what element the substance is.

Proton

A positively charged particle that resides in the nucleus, weighing $1840$ times as much as an electron but being only one-third the size of an electron.

Neutron

A particle discovered in 1932 that resides in the nucleus, has no charge, and weighs slightly more than a proton.

Strong Nuclear Force

The strongest known force in the universe, operating at distances of $10 \times 10^{-15}$ meter; it is $137$ times more powerful than electromagnetism.

Weak Nuclear Force

The force responsible for atomic decay; at high energies, it and electromagnetism become the same thing.

Graviton

A hypothetical subatomic particle thought to carry the force of gravity, though it has not yet been found.

Molecule

A collection of atoms electrically bound together; they can consist of the same type of atoms (element) or different types (compound).

Shell Capacity Formula

The formula used to determine the maximum number of electrons in a shell is $2 \times N^{2}$, where $N$ is the number of the orbit.

Valence Electrons

The electrons located in the outermost shell of an atom that give atoms their chemical properties.

Ion

A charged atom formed when an atom loses an electron (positive ion) or gains an electron (negative ion).

Conductor

A substance whose atoms have $1$, $2$, or $3$ electrons in their outer valence shell, allowing electrons to be easily displaced.

Insulator

A substance whose atoms have $5$, $6$, or $7$ electrons in their outer valence shell, or a full valence shell, making them resistant to electron movement.

Semiconductor

A substance that has exactly $4$ valence electrons and is mixed with other substances to create electronic components.

EMF

Stands for Electromotive Force, which is the movement of electrons through a conductor.

Piezoelectricity

Electricity generated by the pressure applied to certain crystals when they are bent.

Thermocouple

A sensor that measures temperature by generating electricity when the junction between two dissimilar metals is heated.

Leptons

Virtually massless force-carrying particles, such as photons of light.