Question | Answer |
Energy | The ability to do work. |
Potential Energy | The stored energy that an object has due to its position or chemical make-up. |
Kinetic Energy | The energy associated with an object in motion. |
Mechanical Energy | The sum of kinetic and potential energy in an object that is used to do work. |
Heat Energy | The energy of the internal motion of particles of matter. |
Chemical Energy | The energy stored in the bonds between atoms. |
Electromagnetic Energy | The energy associated with moving charges. |
Nuclear Energy | The energy stored in the nucleus of an atom. |
Energy Transfer | The moving of energy to from one place to another place or the passing of energy from one object to another object. |
Conduction | The transfer of heat energy through a substance or from one substance to another by direct contact of molecules. |
Convection | The transfer of heat energy through fluids (liquids and gases) by means of convection currents. |
Radiation | The transfer of heat energy by waves through space. |
Energy Conversion | The process of energy changing from one form to another. |
Wave | A traveling disturbance that transmits energy through matter and space. |
Vibration | The back and forth movement of particles in opposite directions that return to their original positions. |
Medium | The matter or substance that a wave travels through. |
Mechanical Wave | A wave that requires a medium (a solid, liquid, or gas) to travel. |
Electromagnetic Wave | A wave that can be transmitted through a vacuum. A vacuum is an empty space that is free of matter. |
Resting State | The position of the medium or field before it is disturbed by a wave passing through it. |
Crest | The peak, or high point of the wave. |
Trough | The low point of the wave. |
Amplitude | The distance between the resting state and the crest, or the resting state and trough and an indication of the amount of energy carried by the wave. |
Wavelength | The distance from one crest of a wave to the next crest of the wave and represented by the Greek letter Lambda (λ). |
Frequency | The number of complete wave cycles per second. The unit of measure for this wave property is the Hertz (Hz). 1 Hz = 1 wave per second. |
Transverse Wave | A type of mechanical wave in which the motion of the medium is at right angles to the direction of the wave. |
Longitudinal Wave | A type of mechanical wave in which the motion of the medium is parallel to the direction of the wave. |
Compression | The space in a longitudinal wave where the particles of the medium are crowded together. |
Rarefaction | The space in a longitudinal wave where the particles of the medium are spread out. |