Study Guide: Physical Science & Scientific Investigation

These flashcards cover key concepts from the Physical Science & Scientific Investigation lectures, focusing on definitions and fundamental principles of electricity, energy, chemical reactions, and the properties of matter.

Electric Current

The flow of electric charge that is responsible for the transfer of electrical energy.

Electromagnet

An object made by wrapping a wire around a nail and connecting it to a battery, allowing the nail to pick up metal objects.

Series Circuit

A circuit where the components are connected in a sequence so that the current flows through each component one after the other.

Parallel Circuit

A circuit where there are multiple paths for the current to travel, allowing each component to operate independently.

Potential Energy

The energy stored in an object due to its position or configuration, such as a weight held at a height.

Kinetic Energy

The energy that an object possesses due to its motion.

Conduction

The transfer of heat through a material without the movement of the material itself, typically through direct contact.

Convection

The transfer of heat by the movement of fluids (liquids or gases) where warmer areas of a fluid rise and cooler areas sink.

Radiation

The transfer of energy through electromagnetic waves, such as heat from the sun.

Refraction

The bending of light as it passes from one medium to another, changing its speed.

Reflection

The bouncing back of light waves when they hit a surface.

Diffraction

The bending of waves around obstacles and the spreading out of waves when they pass through small openings.

Chemical Reaction

The process where substances combine or break apart to form new substances, indicated by changes in temperature, color, and production of gas.

Acid

A substance that donates hydrogen ions (H+) in a solution, usually having a sour taste.

Base

A substance that donates hydroxide ions (OH-) or accepts hydrogen ions in a solution, typically having a bitter taste.

pH Scale

A scale used to measure the acidity or basicity of a solution, ranging from 0 to 14.

Ionic Bond

A type of chemical bond formed through the transfer of electrons from one atom to another, resulting in the formation of charged ions.

Covalent Bond

A type of chemical bond where two atoms share one or more pairs of electrons.

Lewis Dot Diagram

A representation of an atom's valence electrons, depicted as dots around the atom's symbol.

Mass Number

The total number of protons and neutrons in an atom's nucleus.

Periodic Table

An organized chart of elements arranged by increasing atomic number, which shows the recurring properties of elements.