Electricity, Magnetism, Energy, and Matter Vocabulary

Flashcards covering key vocabulary from lecture notes on electricity, magnetism, energy and matter. These flashcards are intended to assist in exam preparation and review of core concepts.

Generator

A device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy.

Motor

Converts electrical energy into mechanical energy by using a stationary magnet interacting with an electric current moving through a rotor.

Electromagnet

A magnet that consists of a coil of wire, often wrapped around a core, through which an electric current is passed to produce a magnetic field.

Static Electricity

The condition of an object when there is an imbalance of positive and negative electric charges.

Field Energy

Energy stored in electric and magnetic fields.

Force

An interaction between two objects either in contact or at a distance.

Thermal Energy

The random motion of particles (vibrations in solids or molecules in free motion in a gas).

Electrical Energy

The energy of electrons moving through a conductor.

Light Energy

A form of electromagnetic radiation produced by oscillating electric and magnetic disturbances.

Conduction

The movement of heat through an object or from one object to another through direct contact.

Convection

The movement of heat through fluids and gases due to differences in density caused by temperature variations.

Thermal Radiation

Energy that moves via electromagnetic waves and does not require matter to move through.

Matter

Anything that takes up space and has mass.

Energy

The ability to do work; using a force to move an object some distance.

System

Anything with parts that can be related, used by scientists to study how matter and energy interact.

Closed System

A system where nothing can get into or out of the boundaries.

Isolated System

A system where energy can flow into or out of the boundaries, but not matter.

Open System

A system where both matter and energy can flow into or out of the boundaries.

Efficiency

The ratio of energy output to energy input; it describes how much of the input energy is converted to the intended form.

Potential Energy

The energy possessed by an object due to its position or condition. Examples: gravitational, elastic, chemical.

Kinetic Energy

The energy possessed by an object due to its motion.

Law of Conservation of Energy

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but can be altered from one form to another.

Work

The transfer of energy that occurs when a force is applied over a distance. Measured in Joules.

Power

The rate at which energy is transferred or converted. Measured in Watts.

Nuclear Energy

Energy stored in the nucleus of an atom; released during nuclear fission or fusion.

Chemical Energy

Energy stored in the bonds of chemical compounds; released during chemical reactions.

Mechanical Energy

The sum of potential and kinetic energy in a mechanical system.

Nuclear Fission

A process where unstable atomic nuclei split into smaller nuclei, releasing energy.

Nuclear Fusion

A process where two or more atomic nuclei combine to form a single heavier nucleus, releasing a large amount of energy.

Ionization Energy

The energy required to remove an electron from an atom or ion.

Phase Energy

Energy stored in the arrangement of atoms and molecules; released or absorbed during phase changes.

Battery

A device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy through a chemical reaction.

Electricity

The energy of moving electrons; powers electrical devices and circuits.

Stored Energy

The energy associated with the position or configuration of an object.

Temperature

A measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in a substance.