Matter, Thermal Energy, Properties of Fluids, and Gas Laws

A complete set of vocabulary flashcards covering matter, phase changes, fluid properties, and gas laws from lecture notes.

Kinetic Energy

The energy of motion.

Kinetic Theory

An explanation of how particles in gases behave, based on four principles: all matter is composed of tiny particles, particles are in constant random motion, particles collide with each other, and the energy lost in collisions is negligible.

Thermal Energy

The total energy of a substance's particles, which causes the particles in a solid to vibrate.

Temperature

A measure of the average kinetic energy of all the particles in an object.

Melting Point

The temperature at which a solid becomes a liquid.

Heat of Fusion

The amount of energy required to change a substance from a solid to a liquid.

Freezing Point

The temperature at which a liquid turns into a solid.

Vaporization

The change of state from a liquid to a gas.

Condensation

The change of state from a gas to a liquid.

Evaporation

Vaporization that occurs specifically at the surface of a liquid.

Boiling

Vaporization that occurs throughout a liquid when the vapor pressure of the liquid equals the external pressure.

Heat of Vaporization

The amount of energy required for a liquid to become a gas.

Sublimation

The process of a solid changing directly into a gas.

Plasma

The most common state of matter in the universe, consisting of matter that has enough energy to overcome attractive forces within and between atoms, causing electrons to be completely stripped off.

Thermal Expansion

An increase in the size of a substance when its temperature is increased, causing liquids to expand and rise.

Amorphous Solids

Solids that lack a crystalline structure and do not have a specific melting point, such as butter and glass.

Density

The mass per unit volume of a material, calculated using the formula $D = \frac{m}{V}$.

Buoyancy

The ability of a fluid (liquid or gas) to exert an upward pressure on an object immersed in it.

Pressure

The force exerted per unit area, represented by $P = \frac{F}{A}$ and measured in Pascals ($1\,Pa = 1\,N/m^2$).

Pascal's Principle

The principle stating that pressure applied to a fluid is transmitted throughout the fluid, expressed as $\frac{F_{in}}{A_{in}} = \frac{F_{out}}{A_{out}}$.

Hydraulic System

A system based on Blaise Pascal's principle that utilizes fluid pressure.

Bernoulli's Principle

The principle stating that as the velocity of a fluid increases, the pressure exerted by that fluid decreases.

Viscosity

The resistance of a fluid to flowing, where high viscosity fluids are thick and flow slowly, and low viscosity fluids are thin and flow quickly.

Boyle's Law

A gas law stating that at constant temperature, volume and pressure are indirectly proportional ($P_1 V_1 = P_2 V_2$).

Charles's Law

A gas law stating that at constant pressure, volume and temperature (in Kelvin) are directly proportional ($\frac{V_1}{T_1} = \frac{V_2}{T_2}$).