General Science: Chemistry, Buoyancy, Waves, and Electricity

Vocabulary flashcards covering notable chemists, buoyancy and Archimedes' principle, properties of light and sound waves, and electrical safety and efficiency.

Fritz Haber

A chemist who developed the Haber-Bosch process to produce ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen, which is used to make fertilizers that increase agricultural production.

Linus Pauling

A chemist known for his contributions to understanding chemical bonding and molecular structure, advancing the study of proteins, and researching the role of vitamin C in human health.

Percy Julian

A chemist who developed methods to synthesize medicinal compounds, such as steroids, from plant sources to make medicines more accessible and affordable.

Maria Y. Orosa

A Filipino food technologist and chemist who developed ways to preserve and improve food, creating nutritious products like Soyalac and Darak.

Thermodynamics

The branch of physical science that helps explain energy changes during chemical reactions.

Quantum Chemistry

A field of physical science that helps explain how atoms interact and how light interacts with matter.

Stainless Steel

An alloy made mainly of iron with chromium and other elements that is strong, durable, and resistant to rust and corrosion.

Smart Materials

Materials that can change their properties in response to external conditions, such as heat, light, pressure, or electricity.

Electrochemistry

The study of the relationship between chemical reactions and electrical energy, explaining how devices like batteries function.

Lithium-Ion Batteries

Rechargeable and reusable energy storage devices that store and release energy through chemical reactions.

Enzymes

Biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions without being consumed in the reaction.

Buoyancy

An upward force exerted by a fluid (liquid or gas) that opposes the weight of an immersed object.

Archimedes' Principle

A principle stating that an object partially or completely submerged in a fluid experiences an upward buoyant force equal to the weight of the fluid it displaces ($F_b = \rho_f g V_f$).

Ballast Tanks

Tanks used by submarines to control buoyancy by filling with water to sink and emptying with air to rise.

Wave

A disturbance or vibration that transfers energy from one place to another without transferring matter.

Electromagnetic Wave

A wave formed by oscillating electric and magnetic fields that does not require a material medium and can travel through empty space (vacuum).

Mechanical Wave

A wave formed by vibrating particles that requires a material medium to travel.

Wavelength ($\lambda$)

The distance between two identical points on consecutive waves.

Frequency ($f$)

The number of waves passing a given point every second, measured in Hertz ($\text{Hz}$).

Wave Speed ($v$)

The rate at which a wave travels, calculated as wave speed equals wavelength multiplied by frequency (v = \n\lambda f).

Reflection

The bouncing of light or sound waves off a surface, governed by the law where the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection ($\theta_i = \theta_r$).

Refraction

The bending of light as it enters another material or medium.

Doppler Effect

The apparent change in the frequency or pitch of a sound caused by the motion of the sound source or the listener.

Utilization of Electricity

The process of using electrical energy to power appliances, machines, technology, transportation systems, and communication devices.

Electrical Overload

A hazard caused when high-power appliances are plugged into a single outlet or extension cord, causing overheating and risk of electrical fires.

Damaged Insulation

A hazard where the protective covering of electrical wires becomes cracked, frayed, or cut, exposing live wires.

Electrocution

Death or severe injury caused by electric shock when electric current passes through the body.

Energy Efficiency

The practice of using less energy to perform the same task or obtaining more output from the same amount of energy input.

Phantom Load

The electricity consumed by an appliance or device even when it is turned off.