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Unit 3
Electricity and Magnetism
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| electric charge | a property that leads to electromagnetic interactions between the particles that make up matter |
| static electricity | the buildup of electric charge on an object |
| electrical conductor | material through which charges can move freely |
| electrical insulator | material through which charges cannot move easily |
| semiconductor | special class of materials that conduct electric charges better than electrical insulators but not as well as electrical conductors |
| electric current | the rate of flow of electric charges |
| voltage | the amount of work required to move each unit of charge between two points |
| resistance | the opposition to the flow of electric charge |
| electric circuit | a complete closed path through which electric charges can flow |
| series circuit | all parts are connected in a row that forms one path for the electric charges to follow |
| parallel circuit | electric charges have more than one path that they can follow |
| magnet | material that attracts iron or objects made of iron |
| magnetic force | a push or pull created by two magnets |
| magnetic pole | magnet ends |
| magnetic field | the are surrounding a magnet where magnetic forces can be detected |
| electromagnetism | when electric currents and magnetic fields interact with each other |
| solenoid | a coil of wire that carries an electric current and produces a magnetic field |
| electromagnet | solenoid wrapped around an iron core |
| electric motor | changes electrical energy into mechanical energy |
| electromagnetic induction | using a magnetic field to create an electric current in a wire |
| transformer | uses induction to increase or decrease the voltage of alternating current |
| electric generator | use induction to change mechanical energy into electrical energy |
| electronic device | able to control the flow of electrons using integrated circuits |
| integrated circuit | a single, tint chip of specially treated silicon containing many circuit parts |
| analog signal | signals that change continuously in a given range |
| digital signal | a sequence of separate values |
| computer | an electronic device that performs tasks by following instructions given to it |