Energy

Question 1

a law that states that energy cannot be made or lost. However, energy can be transformed from one type to another or transferred from one object to another.

Answer 1

Law of Conservation of Energy

Question 2

the energy made available by the flow of electric charge through a conductor

Answer 2

electrical energy

Question 3

energy stored due to the height of an object above a base level

Answer 3

gravitational potential energy

Question 4

potential energy derived from chemical reactions

Answer 4

chemical energy

Question 5

the potential energy stored in a stretched elastic material

Answer 5

elastic potential energy

Question 6

the energy stored at the centre of atoms, the tiny particles that make up all substances. Nuclear energy can be released from the radioactive metals uranium or plutonium, and transformed into electrical energy in a nuclear power station

Answer 6

nuclear energy

Question 7

transfer of heat through collisions between particles

Answer 7

conduction

Question 8

a material that is a poor conductor of heat

Answer 8

insulators

Question 9

transfer of heat through the flow of particles

Answer 9

convection

Question 10

a method of heat transfer that does not require particles to transfer heat from one place to another

Answer 10

radiation

Question 11

heat transferred by radiation, as from the sun to the Earth

Answer 11

radiant heat

Question 12

luminous

Answer 12

releasing its own light

Question 13

incandescent

Answer 13

describes objects that emit light when they are hot

Question 14

bioluminescent

Answer 14

describes living things that release light energy

Question 15

non-luminous

Answer 15

describes objects that do not emit their own light, but can be seen by reflected light

Question 16

scattered

Answer 16

describes light sent in many directions by small particles within a substance

Question 17

visible spectrum

Answer 17

different colours that combine to make up white light; they are separated in rainbows

Question 18

dispersion

Answer 18

separation of the colours that make up white light. Each colour is bent differently when it enters or leaves a glass prism.

Question 19

electromagnetic radiation

Answer 19

the radiant energy such as radio waves, infrared, visible light, X-rays and gamma rays released by magnetic or electric fields

Question 20

electromagnetic spectrum

Answer 20

complete range of wavelengths of energy radiated as electric and magnetic fields

Question 21

radio waves

Answer 21

low energy electromagnetic waves with a much lower frequency and longer wavelength than visible light

Question 22

infra-red radiation

Answer 22

low energy electromagnetic waves with a much lower frequency and longer wavelength than visible light

Question 23

ultraviolet radiation

Answer 23

invisible radiation similar to light but with a slightly higher frequency and more energy

Question 24

X-rays

Answer 24

high energy electromagnetic waves that can be transmitted through solids and provide information about their structure

Question 25

vibrations

Answer 25

repeated fast, back-and-forth movements

Question 26

compression

Answer 26

the process of pushing material into itself

Question 27

rarefactions

Answer 27

in sound waves, the layers of air particles that are spread apart (between compressions)

Question 28

sound waves

Answer 28

vibrations of particles in the air

Question 29

frequency

Answer 29

number of vibrations in one second, or the number of wavelengths passing in one second

Question 30

hertz

Answer 30

unit of frequency; its abbreviation is Hz. One hertz is equal to one vibration every second.

Question 31

pitch

Answer 31

the highness or lowness of a sound. The pitch that you hear depends on the frequency of the vibrating air.

Question 32

wavelength

Answer 32

distance between two neighbouring crests or troughs of a wave. This is the distance between two particles vibrating in step.

Question 33

amplitude

Answer 33

the maximum distance that a particle moves away from its undisturbed position

Question 34

reverberation

Answer 34

the long-lasting sound caused by repeated reflection from hard surfaces

Question 35

deciduous

Answer 35

describes plants that lose their leaves during autumn and winter

Question 36

reflected

Answer 36

bounced off

Question 37

transmitted

Answer 37

passed through something, such as light or sound passing through the air

Question 38

absorbed

Answer 38

taken in

Question 39

efficiency

Answer 39

the fraction of energy supplied to a device as useful energy. It is usually expressed as a percentage.