Physical Science Unit 6 Academic Vocabulary

A complete set of vocabulary flashcards covering the core physical science concepts, systems, phase changes, and thermal energy terminology from Unit 6.

Boiling

The phase change from a liquid to a gas.

Closed System

An isolated system, not allowing matter to transfer in or out of the system.

Conduction

Transfer of thermal energy by collisions between particles in matter at a higher temperature and particles in matter at a lower temperature.

Conserve

Maintain (a quantity such as energy or mass) at a constant overall total.

Convection

Transfer of thermal energy in a fluid by the movement of warmer and cooler fluid from one place to another.

Density

Mass per unit volume of a material.

Directly Proportional

As one variable increases the other variable increases.

Fluid

A state of matter that flows; liquids and gasses.

Freezing

The phase changes from a liquid to a solid.

Gas

A phase that does not have a definite shape or volume.

Heat

Thermal energy that flows from a warmer material to a cooler material.

Insulator

A material that resists the flow of energy or electric charge.

Inversely Proportional

As one variable increases the other variable decreases.

Kinetic Energy

Energy that is associated with the motion of an object.

Liquid

A phase that has a definite volume but takes the shape of its container.

Mass

Amount of matter in an object.

Melting

The phase changes from a solid to a liquid.

Molecular Motion

The motion or vibration of particles in a solid, liquid, or gas that is related to the amount of heat in the substance.

Open System

A material system in which mass or energy can be lost to or gained from the environment.

Particle

The small units of matter such as atoms, molecules, and ions.

Phase

A distinctive form of matter such as a solid, liquid, gas, or plasma.

Phase Change

A change from one state of matter (e.g., solid) to another state of matter (e.g., gas).

Plasma

A phase of matter consisting of positively and negatively charged particles.

Pressure

Amount of force exerted per unit area.

Radiation

The transfer of thermal energy by electromagnetic waves.

Solid

A phase that has a definite shape and volume.

Speed

Rate at which something moves.

Specific Heat

The amount of thermal energy needed to raise the temperature of $1\,\text{g}$ of material $1^{\circ}\text{C}$.

System

A portion of the physical universe chosen for analysis.

Temperature

A measure of the average kinetic energy of all the particles in an object.

Thermal Energy

Energy in the form of heat.

Vacuum

Empty space where there are no particles.

Volume

Amount of space occupied by an object.