UNIT 1 DEFINITIONS: Thermal, Nuclear, and Electrical Physics

Describe the kinetic particle model of matter.

All matter is made of particles that always have kinetic energy and thus, are always randomly vibrating. There is space between particles and the collisions between particles are perfectly elastic (no kinetic energy loss).

Describe thermal energy.

Internal energy in a system

Describe temperature

Measurement of the average kinetic energy of the particles in a substance.

Describe kinetic energy

Describe heat

Energy in the process of being transferred from one place to another due to temperature difference. Measured in joules (J).

Describe internal energy