| A | B |
|---|
| Proton | positively charged subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom |
| Neutral | having an equal number of positive and negative charges; no net charge |
| Electron | negatively charged subatomic particle found orbiting the nucleus of an atom |
| Static Electricity | a build up of charge on an object |
| Charge Separation | when a charged object is brought near a neutral object, like charges are repelled and opposite charges are attracted, separating the charge on the neutral object |
| Electrical Discharge | a sudden transfer of static charge from one object to another, indicated by a spark |
| Electrical Current | a constant flow of electrical charge |
| Circuit | a path along which current can flow |
| Ampere (A) | the unit for measuring current flow |
| Conductor | an object through which electrical charge can easily flow |
| Load | a device that converts electrical energy into another form of energy (e.g. a light bulb) |
| Voltage | the amount of electrical energy carried by charged particles |
| Potential Difference | change in the potential energy of electric charge compared to its potential energy at a reference point |
| Volt (V) | the unit for measuring voltage or potential difference |
| Voltmeter | an instrument that is used to measure voltage |
| Ammeter | an instrument used to measure the current flow in a circuit |
| Short Circuit | an accidental low resistance connection between two points in a circuit, often causing excess current to flow |
| Insulator | a substance that strongly resists the flow of electricity |
| Fuse | a wire that heats up and melts when excess current flows in a circuit |
| Circuit Breaker | a thin wire that heats up and turns off a switch when excess current flows in a circuit |
| Electrochemical Cell | a package of chemicals that uses chemical reactions to produce small amounts of electricity |
| Dry Cell | an electrochemical cell with a paste electrolyte |
| Electrolyte | liquid or paste that conducts electricity because it contains ions |
| Ion | an atom that has become charged by gaining or losing electrons |
| Electrode | conductor through which electric current enters or leaves a device or material |
| Wet Cell | an electrochemical cell with a liquid electrolyte |
| Primary Cell | an electrochemical cell using a chemical reaction that goes only one direction, can not be reversed |
| Rechargeable Cell | an electrochemical cell using a chemical reaction that can be reversed |
| Secondary Cell | a rechargeable cell |
| Battery | set of cells connected together |
| Electrolysis | decomposition of a substance by an electric current |
| Electrochemistry | the study of chemical reactions involving electricity |
| Electroplating | the use of electricity to coat a thin layer of metal onto an object |
| Superconductor | a substance that provides no resistance to electrical flow, a perfect conductor |
| Resistor | a device that provides resistance to the passage of electrical current, and is often used to control current in a circuit |
| Resistance | a measure of how difficult it is for current to flow through a substance |
| Ohm (Ω) | the unit for measuring resistance |
| Rheostat | a continuously variable resistor (e.g. dimmer switch) |
| Ohm's Law | law stating the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance (V=IR) |
| Voltage Drop | the voltage across a resistor or other device in a circuit |
| Galvanometer | an instrument used to measure small amounts of current |
| Millivoltmeter | an instrument used to measure small amounts of voltage |
| Multimeter | a meter that can measure voltage, current, or resistance in a circuit |
| Circuit Diagram (Schematic) | diagram using standardized symbols to show the components and connections in a circuit |
| Series Circuit | a circuit in which there is only one pathway for the current to flow, so the same current passes through each component |
| Parallel Circuit | a circuit in which the current can flow through two or more paths |
| Transistor | a device that is used to act as a switch or amplifier in microcircuits |
| Microcircuit | circuit made up of miniaturized components, especially an integrated circuit |
| Energy | the ability to do work |
| Chemical Energy | energy stored in chemicals and released when chemicals react; a form of potential or stored energy |
| Thermocouple | a device consisting of two wires of different metals joined such that a voltage is produced between the ends in proportion to the difference in their temperatures |
| Electromagnet | coil of insulated wire (usually wrapped around a soft iron core) that becomes a magnet when current flows through it |
| Commutator | split ring in a motor that breaks the flow of electricity for a moment and then reverses the connection of the coil |
| Brush | mechanism that makes electrical contact with the moving commutator in motor |
| Armature | rotating shaft and coil in a motor |
| Direct Current (DC) | current that flows in only one direction |
| Alternating Current (AC) | current that flows back and forth, changing directions 60 times per second; this is the current used in homes |
| Transformer | device that changes electricity at one voltage into electricity at a different voltage |
| Electromagnetic Induction | generation of electric current in a conductor by a changing magnetic field |
| Joule (J) | the standard unit for measuring energy |
| Power | the rate at wich a device converts energy |
| Watt (W) | the unit used to measure power |
| Kilowatt Hour (kWhr) | a larger unit for measuring energy (large amounts) |
| Law of Conservation of Energy | fundamental principle that energy can not be created or destroyed, only change forms |
| Efficiency | the ratio of useful energy produced divided by the total amount of energy put into a device |
| Fossil Fuel | fuel formed from dead plants and animals; coal, oil, and natural gas |
| Turbine | a machine that uses the flow of a fluid such as steam, water, or air to rotate a shaft |
| Nuclear Fission | the splitting of atoms which transforms them into lighter elements and releases large amounts of energy |
| Geothermal Energy | energy derived from the internal heat of the Earth |
| Biomass | organic matter such as food or agricultural waste used as an energy source |
| Fuel Cell | primary cell that generates electricity directly from a chemical reaction with a fuel (e.g. hydrogen) |
| Non-renewable Resource | a resource (such as coal or natural gas) that can not be replenished |
| Renewable Resource | a resource (such as wind or water energy) that is continually replenished and can therefore be used indefinitely |
| Cogeneration | use of waste energy from a process for another purpose such as heating or generating electricity |
| Fly Ash | fine airborne ash produced by burning coal or other solid fuels |
| Sustainability | use of resources at a rate that can be maintained indefinitely without depleting the resources or harming the environment |
| Binary Numbers | the language of computers using only two numbers (zeroes and ones) |
