PS Energy, Work, and Machines Vocabulary

Energy

The ability to do work or cause change

Work

Force exerted on an object that causes it to move

Compound Machine

a device that combines two or more simple machines

Kinetic Energy

energy of motion

Potential Energy

stored energy that results from the position or shape of an object

gravitational potential energy

Energy stored by objects due to their position above Earth's surface.

elastic potential energy

Energy stored by something that can stretch or compress

mechanical energy

Kinetic or potential energy associated with the motion or position of an object

chemical energy

Energy stored in chemical bonds

electrical energy

Energy caused by the movement of electrons.

electromagnetic energy

A form of energy that travels through space as waves

nuclear energy

Energy stored in the nucleus of an atom

power

the rate of doing work

mechanical advantage

the number of times a machine increases a force exerted on it

actual mechanical advantage

the mechanical advantage that a machine provides in a real situation

ideal mechanical advantage

the mechanical advantage of a machine in the absence of friction

efficiency

The percentage of the input work that is converted to output work

lever

A rigid bar that is free to move around a fixed point

wheel and axle

Two different sized circular objects that are attached together and turn as one.

inclined plane

a slanted surface along which a force moves an object to a different elevation

wedge

A device that is thick at one end and tapers to a thin edge at the other end.

screw

An inclined plane wrapped around a cylinder

pulley

A simple machine that consists of a rope that fits into a groove in a wheel

conservation of energy

Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it may be transformed from one form into another, but the total amount of energy never changes

simple machines

one of the six basic types of machines, which are the basis for all other forms of machines