Energy Fundamentals & Transformations

A set of practice flashcards covering vocabulary and fundamental concepts of energy, systems, and transformations based on the lecture notes.

Energy

The ability to do work or cause change, measured in Joules ($J$).

Joules ($J$)

The standard unit of measurement for energy.

Kinetic Energy (KE)

The energy of a moving object, such as a rolling ball.

Gravitational Potential Energy (GPE)

Stored energy due to an object's height, such as a coaster at the top of a hill.

Chemical Energy

Energy stored in substances like food, batteries, and fuel.

Elastic Energy

A form of energy mentioned as one of the types of energy transformations or stored forms.

Thermal Energy

Energy associated with heat.

Light Energy

A specific form of energy recognized alongside thermal and sound energy.

Sound Energy

A form of energy that results from vibrations and is categorized as a type of energy.

Electrical Energy

A type of energy listed among forms such as thermal, light, and nuclear.

Nuclear Energy

A specialized form of energy categorized as one of the types of energy fundamentals.

Law of Conservation of Energy

The principle that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or transformed.

Energy Transfer

The movement of energy from one place to another.

Energy Transformation

The process of energy changing from one type to another.

Open System

A system where both matter and energy can move in and out.

Closed System

A system where only energy can move in and out, while matter stays inside.

Absolute Zero

The temperature at which particles stop moving entirely, meaning they have zero kinetic energy.

GPE and Height

As height increases, Gravitational Potential Energy ($GPE$) increases.

Falling Object Rule

As an object falls, GPE is converted into Kinetic Energy ($KE$), causes speed to increase.

Maximum GPE

The state of a rollercoaster when it is at the top of a hill.

Maximum KE

The state of a rollercoaster when it is moving fast at the bottom of a hill.

Work

The capacity to perform this is a primary component of the definition of energy.

Particles at Absolute Zero

Entities that stop moving entirely and possess zero kinetic energy at specific temperature conditions.

Matter Movement

A characteristic used to distinguish between open systems (moves in/out) and closed systems (stays inside).

Transformed Energy

Energy that has been changed from one type to another type.