Lesson 8 - Thermal Energy - Vocabulary

System

A set of parts that work together (interact) toward a goal or outcome.

Evaporation

process where water slowly changes from a liquid to a gas and single molecules of water leave the surface to go into the air one at a time.

Model

Representation we use to understand or describe a phenomenon.

independent variable

variable that is changed

dependent variable

variable affected by the change

open system

matter can go in or out of it through the openings of the system

closed system

no matter can get in or out of the system

condensation

the process in which water in its gaseous form is changed into liquid water

transparent

a material that allows light to pass through so that objects behind can be seen

opaque

a material that does not allows light to pass through, not transparent

reflected light

when light bounces off an object

kinetic energy

the energy of movement

temperature

measure of average kinetic energy of particles in a substance

thermal energy

motion of particles in a substance

heat

a transfer of energy from warmer substances to cooler substances

transmitted light

 when light goes through an object 

criteria

requirements our design needs to meet to be considered successful

constraints

-things that we can and can’t do, 

-the limits that we will set on our design

absorption

when light transfers energy into particles 

condunction

when thermal energy is transferred via particle collisions

variable

things about a system that we can change

mean

the average of a set of numbers (add up all the numbers and divide by how many numbers you added up)

molecus

-particles that are too small to see with an unaided eye

-make up gases and liquids

control variable

variable that is kept the same

styrene / styrofoam

a porous material that is used in many objects

porous

a material that has lots of air pockets (like styrene or styrofoam)

vacuum insulated

a container that has a vacuum between the outer layer and the inner layer

air insulated

a container that has an inner and outer wall with air in between