Nuclear energy
Energy stored in the nucleus of an atom
Chemical energy
A form of potential energy that is stored in chemical bonds between atoms (ex: battery, food)
Thermal energy
The TOTAL energy of motion in the particles of a substance
Radiant energy
Energy carried by light
Kinetic energy
The energy an object has due to its motion
Law of conservation of energy
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only altered from one form to another
Gravitational potential energy
Potential energy that depends on the height of an object
Electrical energy
Energy caused by the movement of electrons
Elastic energy
The potential energy of an object that is stretched or compressed
Phase energy
The energy stored in the system due to the arrangement of particles that exert attractions on one another, increases when matter changes state of matter
Efficiency
The percentage of the input work that is converted to output work
Fahrenheit
A temperature scale with the freezing point of water 32 degrees and the boiling point of 212 degrees
Freezing point
The temperature at which a liquid changes into a solid, equal to melting point
Melting point
The temperature at which a solid becomes a liquid, equal to freezing point
Boiling point
The temperature at which a liquid changes to a gas
Condensing
The change of state from a gas to a liquid
Evaporation
When some (not all) particles get enough energy to break free, liquid to gas
Specific heat capacity
The amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1g of a substance by 1ºC
Absolute zero
The coldest temperature, 0 Kelvin, that can be reached. It is the hypothetical temperature at which all molecular motion stops.
Joule (J)
unit of energy, always capitalized
Frequency (f)
The rate of vibrations of a wave, measured in Hertz (Hz)
Period (T)
Amount of time for one cycle to be completed
Wavelength (λ)
The distance between two corresponding parts of a wave
Oscillation
Act of back and forth motion, cycle/vibration
Destructive interference
The interference that occurs when 2 waves combine to make a wave with a smaller amplitude, occurs when waves are out of phase
Constructive interference
The interference that occurs when two waves combine to make a wave with a larger amplitude, occurs when waves are in phase
Crest
The highest point of a transverse wave
Trough
tThe lowest point of a transverse wave
Wave
A repeating disturbance that transfers energy from place to place without transferring the medium
Rarefaction
The part in a longitudinal wave where the particles are spread apart
Compression
The part of a longitudinal wave where the particles of the medium are close together
Pitch
a tone's experienced highness or lowness, depends on frequency
Amplitude
The maximum displacement on either side of the equilibrium position
Absorption
The wave is absorbed and disappears
Transmission/Propagation
Waves pass through a given medium
Diffraction
Occurs when an object causes a wave to change direction and bend around it
Reflection
The bouncing back of a wave when it hits a surface through which it cannot pass.
Refraction
The bending of a wave as it passes at an angle from one medium to another
Resonant frequency
Frequency at which a standing wave occurs, natural/unforced resonance
Ultrasound
Sound waves with frequencies above 20,000 Hz
Interference
The combination of two+ waves that results in a single wave for a period of time
Electromagnetic (EM) waves
A type of wave that does not require a medium to propagate
Mechanical wave
A wave that requires a medium to propagate
Radio waves
EM waves with the longest wavelengths, lowest frequencies, and lowest energy
X-Ray Waves
Similar in size to an atom, used in telescopes and can be stopped by lead
Gamma rays
Electromagnetic waves with the shortest wavelengths (0.01 nm)and highest frequencies
Ultra-violet (UV) waves
longer than X-Rays but shorter than visible light waves, can cause cancer (100-400 nm)
Microwaves
very short electromagnetic wave, .1 cm to 30 cm
Visible light
Electromagnetic radiation that can be seen with the unaided eye, 740 to 435 nanometers.
Infrared waves
second on the electromagnetic spectrum going from lowest to highest frequency. can be felt as heat, 780nm - 1mm
Order of EM waves (longest to shortest)
Radio, microwave, infrared, visible, UV, x-ray, gamma
Latent heat of vaporization
The amount of energy required to change a unit mass of a substance from liquid to gas, Q = mL
Latent heat of fusion
The amount of energy required to change a unit mass of a substance from solid to liquid, Q = mL
Fission
The splitting of an atomic nucleus to release energy
Fusion
The process or result of joining two or more things together to form a single entity.
C
Specific heat capacity (J/kgºC)
d
Distance (m)
E
Energy (J)
Eff
Efficiency (%)
f
Frequency (Hz)
g
Gravitational acceleration (m/s)
Δh
Change in height (m)
KE
Kinetic energy (J)
λ
Wavelength (m)
m
Mass (kg)
Q
Heat added or removed (J)
v
Velocity
ΔT
Change in temp
T
Period (s)
ΔT
change in temperature
Celcius
Metric temperature scale on which water freezes at 0 degrees and boils at 100 degrees
Elastic energy
The potential energy of an object that is stretched or compressed
Gravitational potential energy
Potential energy that depends on the height of an object
System
A group of interacting, interrelated, or interdependent elements or parts that function together as a whole to accomplish a goal
Temperature
A measure of how hot (or cold) something is; specifically, a measure of the AVERAGE kinetic energy of the particles in an object
Alpha decay
A nuclear reaction in which an atom emits an alpha particle consisting of two protons and two neutrons. This increases the atomic number by 2 and the mass number by 4.
Beta decay
Radioactive decay which occurs when a nucleus with too many protons or too many neutrons emits an electron in order to transform one of the protons or neutrons into each other
Gamma decay
Radioactive decay in which an unstable nucleus emits a gamma photon in order to dissipate excess energy and stabilize the nucleus
Neutron decay
One neutron is emitted from the nucleus
Pressure energy
Pressure in gases or liquids has the potential to move objects due to the force it can exert