Electricity and Circuits

Vocabulary flashcards for review.

Energy

The ability to do work.

Work

Necessary to make changes happen; adds energy.

Gravitational Potential Energy (Ep)

Energy of position or place.

Chemical Potential Energy (ECP)

Energy stored in the bonds of atoms and molecules.

Nuclear Energy (EN)

Energy stored in the nucleus of an atom.

Elastic Potential Energy (EEP)

Energy stored in springs and elastic objects by the application of a force.

Electrical Potential Energy (EE)

The energy that is transferred in electrical circuits via the movement of charged particles like electrons.

Kinetic Energy (EK)

The energy of motion.

Sound Energy (ES)

The vibrational movement of particles that travels as a wave through gases, liquids, and solids.

Heat or Thermal Energy (Q)

The internal energy of substances that flows from one location to another due to a difference in temperature.

Light Energy (EL)

Electromagnetic energy that travels via waves.

Law of Conservation of Energy

Energy can only be transformed or transferred, It cannot be created or destroyed.

Atoms

Basic units of matter; smallest particles that retain their characteristics in a chemical reaction.

Electric charge

A basic property of some kinds of particles; can be positive or negative.

Law of Electrostatic Attraction

Objects that are oppositely charged will feel an attractive force, similarly charged objects feel a repulsive force.

Ions

Particles with a positive or negative charge.

Free electrons

Electrons that are not tightly held by their nuclei

Conductors

Materials that have free electrons and allow electrons to flow through them.

Insulators

Materials that do not have free electrons and do not allow electrons to flow through them.

Charge separation

The imbalance of charges between two locations.

Electric current

The flow of charges from one location to another.

EMF (Electro-motive force)

The energy (per unit charge) provided to a circuit by a power source.

Electrical resistance

Opposition to electron flow provided by a material.

Resistor

An object that resists the flow of electrons.

Complete Circuit

A complete path from one battery/power pack terminal to the other.

Circuit Diagram

A simplified drawing of an electrical circuit.

Filament

Thin wire filament inside of lightbulbs that is made of tungsten.

Load

Any part of an electrical circuit that transforms electrical energy into another kind of energy.

Potential difference (PD)

The energy (per unit charge) that is transformed by a load.

Voltmeter

Instrument used to measure voltage that is wired in parallel

Ammeter

Instrument used to measure current that is wired in series

Ohmmeter

Instrument used to measure resistance wired in parallel to a load.