Unit 3:Energy Vocabulary

Front

Kinetic Energy

Back

The energy of motion.

Front

Potential Energy

Back

The energy an object has based on its position or shape.

Front

Gravitational Potential Energy

Back

The potential energy an object has based on its vertical position (how high it is off the ground).

Front

Elastic Potential Energy

Back

The potential energy associated with objects that can be compressed or stretched.

Front

Chemical energy

Back

Chemical energy is energy stored in the bonds of atoms and molecules. Batteries, food, petroleum, natural gas, and coal are examples of chemical energy.

Front

Electrical Energy

Back

Electrical energy is energy that comes from moving charged particles, called electrons.

(Examples: batteries, electrical wires, appliances, electronic devices)

Front

Electromagnetic energy

(aka: radiation energy)

Back

Radiation that has both electric and magnetic fields and travels in waves.

(examples: radio waves, microwaves, infrared light, visible light, ultraviolet light, X-rays)

Front

Thermal Energy

Back

Heat: Energy in transfer between a system and its surroundings

(examples: the heat from the sun warming the Earth, cooking food on a stove, a hot iron ironing a shirt, a heater warming a room)

Front

Mechanical energy

Back

Mechanical energy refers to the energy an object possesses due to its motion (kinetic energy) or its position (potential energy)

(examples of mechanical energy include: a moving car, a swinging pendulum, a rolling bowling ball, a person riding a bicycle)

Front

What are the 6 simple machines?

Back

Screw: helps to fasten two objects together (examples: screw, bottle caps)

Inclined Plane: uses an angled plane, or surface, to move objects more easily (examples: ramp, stairs)

Wedge: uses two inclined converging planes in order to split, or separate, objects (examples: door stop, knife)

Lever: uses a surface situated on a fulcrum (pivoting point) to move an object (examples: seesaw, scissors)

Wheel and axle: a wheel attached to an axle used to turn or move a load (examples: bicycle, clock)

Pulley: uses a wheel and axle to change the direction of an object (examples: elevator, water well)