Matter, Electricity, and Battery Fundamentals

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering the building blocks of matter, principles of electricity, and the components and functions of batteries based on the lecture notes.

Matter

Anything that has mass and takes up space, which is composed of tiny particles called atoms.

Particle

A tiny building block of the universe; examples include electrons, quarks, photons, neutrinos, protons, and neutrons.

Atom

The basic building block of all ordinary matter, consisting of a nucleus made of protons and neutrons surrounded by electrons.

Electron

A fundamental subatomic particle with a negative electrical charge that acts as the "worker" of electricity by carrying energy when it moves.

Proton

A positively charged particle found in the nucleus of an atom that is made of three quarks and determines which element an atom is.

Neutron

A particle with no electrical charge found in the nucleus of an atom that consists of quarks and helps stabilize the nucleus.

Quark

One of the smallest known building blocks of matter that combine to form protons and neutrons, held together by the strong nuclear force.

Quantum

The atomic and subatomic scale where particles behave according to probabilities and can exhibit wave-like behavior.

Quantum Computing

A type of computing that uses qubits which, through superposition and entanglement, can represent both $0$ and $1$ simultaneously.

Cryptography

The science of protecting information by turning it into secret code using complex mathematical algorithms.

Current

The flow of electrons through a conductor, measured in amperes ($amps$), representing the rate at which electric charge moves.

Conductor

A material, such as copper wiring, that allows electricity to flow easily because it contains many free electrons.

Free Electron

An electron that is not tightly attached to a single atom and is free to move through a material.

Circuit

A complete, closed loop allowing electricity to flow, consisting of a power source, conductors, a load, and a return path.

Major Synchronized U.S. Grids

The three interconnected networks powering the United States: the Eastern Interconnection, the Western Interconnection, and Texas (ERCOT).

Battery

A device that stores chemical energy and converts it into electricity by creating a voltage difference that drives electrons through a circuit.

Anode

The negative side of a battery during discharge where oxidation occurs and electrons leave to enter the external circuit.

Cathode

The positive side of a battery during discharge where reduction reactions occur as electrons return from the external circuit.

Electrolyte

The internal material in a battery that conducts ions between the anode and cathode but does not conduct electrons.

Ion

An atom or molecule that has gained or lost electrons, resulting in a positive or negative electrical charge.

Cation

A positive ion that has lost electrons.

Anion

A negative ion that has gained electrons.

Solid-State Battery

A battery that uses a solid electrolyte (such as ceramics, sulfides, or polymers) instead of a liquid one.

Energy Density

The measure of how much energy a battery can store for its size or weight, typically expressed in $Wh/kg$ or $Wh/L$.

Voltage

The difference in electric potential between two points, measured in volts ($V$), that acts as the "push" to move electrons through a circuit.