week 1 Flashcards
(15 cards)
What is energy?
The ability to do work.
Energy is a fundamental concept in physics that enables change and work to be performed.
Define energy transfer.
Movement of energy from one object to another without changing its form.
An example is heat moving from a stove to a pot.
What is energy transformation?
Energy changing from one type to another.
An example is electrical energy turning into light energy in a bulb.
What is potential energy?
Stored energy based on position or condition.
An example is a rock held at a height.
Define kinetic energy.
Energy of motion.
An example is a moving car.
What does the conservation of energy principle state?
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only changed or moved.
This principle is fundamental in understanding energy systems.
List at least three forms of energy.
- Potential
- Kinetic
- Heat
- Elastic
- Sound
- Mechanical
- Gravitational
- Electrical
- Chemical
- Light
- Nuclear
These forms can transform into one another.
What is a wave?
A disturbance that carries energy through space or matter, without transporting the matter itself.
Waves can be mechanical or electromagnetic.
Define frequency in the context of waves.
How many waves pass a point in a certain amount of time.
Frequency is linked to pitch for sound and color for light.
What does amplitude refer to in waves?
The height of the wave from its rest position; relates to energy.
Amplitude affects loudness for sound and brightness for light.
What is wavelength?
The distance from one crest to the next crest of a wave.
Wavelength is inversely related to frequency.
True or False: Waves transfer energy and matter.
False.
Waves transfer energy without transferring matter.
How does frequency affect wave behavior?
Higher frequency means more waves are packed closer together; lower frequency means fewer, more spread out.
This affects the perception of sound and light.
What does higher amplitude indicate?
More energy in the wave.
This results in louder sound, brighter light, or bigger water waves.
Do water, sound, and light follow the same wave rules?
Yes.
Despite behaving differently, they all adhere to the principles of wave mechanics.
