Download Physical Science Definitions Unit 1 1. Scientific method—series of

Physical Science Definitions
Unit 1
1. Scientific method—series of planned steps to solve a problem
2. Physical science—study of matter and energy
3. Technology—using scientific knowledge to help solve problems and accomplish
tasks
4. Hypothesis—making a prediction to a problem based on best information
available
5. Theory—a unifying explanation about a natural phenomenon supported by
hypotheses and observations that have been tested
6. Law—a rule of nature that predicts what will happen ever time a set of
conditions exists
7. Model—a representation of an object or system
8. Volume—amount of space an object occupies
9. Temperature—average kinetic energy of particles in a particular substance
10. Area –amount of surface an object has
11. Density—mass divided by volume
12. Meniscus—curvature of a liquid in that forms in a container
13. Mass—amount of matter in a particular object
14. Weight—measure of gravitational force exerted on an object
15. Inertia—tendency of an object to resist change in motion
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16. Motion—change in position over time
17. Speed—rate at which an object moves
18. Velocity—rate at which an object moves in a particular direction
19. Acceleration—rate a which velocity changes
20. Force—a push or pull
21. Newton—unit to measure force
22. Net force—the sum of forces that are exerted on an object
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Physical Science Definitions
23. Friction—force that opposes motion between two surfaces that in contact with
each other
24. Gravity –force of attraction between objects due to their masses
25. Terminal velocity—a constant velocity a falling object reaches when the
downward force equals upward force
26. Free fall—gravity is the only force acting on an object
27. Projectile motion—the curved path an object follows when thrown near the
surface of the Earth
28. Momentum—a property of a moving object that depends on the object’s mass
and velocity
29. Newton’s 1st law of motion—an object at rest will stay at rest and an object in
motion will stay in motion until an outside force acts on that object
30. Newton’s 2nd law of motion—acceleration of an object depends on the mass of
the object and force applied to object
31. Newton’s 3rd law of motion—for every action there is an equal and opposite
reaction
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32. Energy—ability to do work
33. Kinetic energy—energy in a moving object
34. Potential energy—energy in an object due to it’s position, shape, or
composition
35. Mechanical energy—sum of potential energy and kinetic energy
36. Law conservation of energy—energy cannot be created or destroyed but only
transferred to another form
37. Nonrenewable resources—an energy resource that cannot be replaced in an
adequate time period
38. Renewable resources—an energy resource that can be replaced in an adequate
time period
39. Thermal expansion—an increase in a substance’s volume due to an increase in
temperature
40. Absolute zero—temperature at which all particles stop moving
41. Heat – transfer of energy between objects of two different temperatures
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Physical Science Definitions
42. Thermal energy—total energy of particles that are in a substance
43. Conduction—transfer of energy by direct contact
44. Convection—transfer of energy by the movement of fluids
45. Radiation—transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves
46. Specific heat capacity—amount of energy needed to raise 1 kg of a substance
by 1oC
47. Conductor—a type of substance that transfers energy easily
48. Insulator—a type of substance that doesn’t transfer energy easily
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49. Fluid—a material that can flow and take the shape of its container
50. Pressure—amount of force exerted over a given area
51. Pascal’s Principle—a change in pressure in an enclosed fluid will be
transmitted equally throughout that fluid
52. Buoyant force—an upward force
53. Archimedes’ Principle—the buoyant force of a fluid is equal to the weight of
the volume of fluid displaced by the object
54. Bernoulli’s Principle—as a fluid’s speed increase the amount of force the fluid
exerts decreases
55. Lift—an upward force on an object that opposes the downward force of gravity
56. Thrust—forward force acting on an object
57. Drag—force that opposes a moving object’s forward movement through a fluid
58. Element—a substance made up of only one type of atom
59. Pure substance—a substance that contains only one type of particle; includes
elements and compounds
60. Metals—elements that are shiny, good conductor, malleable, and ductile
61. Nonmetals—elements that dull, brittle, and poor conductors
62. Metalloids—elements that semi-conductors
63. Compound—a pure substance composed of two or more elements that lose
their individual properties
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Physical Science Definitions
64. Mixture—combination of two or more substances that retain their own
individual properties
65. Solution—two or more substances that are combined together that appear as a
single phase
66. Solute—the substance that dissolves to form a solution
67. Solvent—the substance that does the dissolving to form a solution
68. Concentration—measure of the amount of solute dissolved in a solvent
69. Solubility—the amount of solute needed to make a saturated solution in certain
amount of solvent at a certain temperature
70. Suspension—a heterogeneous mixture that the particles settle out
71. Colloid—a heterogeneous mixture that the particles don’t settle out
72. Boyle’s Law—a fixed amount of gas at a constant temperature, the volume of a
gas will increase as its pressure decreases
73. Charles’ Law—a fixed amount of gas at a constant pressure, the volume of a gas
will increase as its temperature increases
74. Vaporization—changing from a liquid to gas
75. Sublimation—changing from a solid to gas
76. Evaporation—changing from a liquid to gas only at surface of a liquid
77. Boiling—changing from a liquid to gas throughout the liquid
78. Melting –changing from solid to liquid
79. Freezing—changing from liquid to solid
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80. Atom—building blocks of all matter
81. Electron—a negatively charged particle within the atom
82. Electron cloud—region where electrons are likely to be found within the atom
83. Proton—a positively charged particle within the atom
84. Neutron—a particle within the atom that has no charge
85. Isotopes—an atom that has the same number of protons but a different number
of neutrons
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Physical Science Definitions
86. Mass number—the sum of protons and neutrons
87. Atomic mass—weighted average of the masses of all naturally occurring
isotopes of an element
88. Periodic Law—the chemical and physical properties of elements are periodic
functions of their atomic numbers
89. Period—a horizontal row of elements on the periodic table
90. Group—a vertical column of elements on the periodic table
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91. Chemical bond—force of attractions that hold two atoms together
92. Valence electrons—number of electrons found in the outer energy level of an
element
93. Ionic bond—force of attraction between a positively charged atom and a
negatively charged atom
94. Ions—an atom that has lost or gained an electron
95. Crystal lattice—a repeating 3-D pattern of ions
96. Covalent bond—a force of attraction between atoms by sharing their electrons
97. Metallic bond—a force of attractions between a positively charged metal and
negatively charged electron
98. Cation— a positively charged atom
99. Anion—a negatively charged atom
100. Chemical reaction—a process by which one or more substances under goes a
change into a one or more new substances
101. Chemical formula—a shorthand notation using symbols and numbers to
represent a compound or diatomic element
102. Reactants—the starting materials in a chemical reaction
103. Products— the substances formed in a chemical reaction
104. Law of conservation of mass—mass cannot be created or destroyed during a
normal chemical or physical change
105. Synthesis reaction—two or more substances combine to form a single
compound
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Physical Science Definitions
106. Decomposition reaction—a single compound breaks down into two or more
substances
107. Single-replacement reaction—a single element replaces another element in a
compound
108. Double-replacement reaction—ions in two compounds switch places
109. Exothermic—during a chemical or physical change energy is given off
110. Endothermic—during a chemical or phyical change energy is taken in
111. Activation energy—minimum amount of energy to start a reaction
112. Catalyst—a substance that speeds up a reaction
113. Inhibitor—a substance that slows down or stops a reaction
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114. Law of electric charges—like charges repel and opposite charges attract
115. Electric force—the force between charged objects
116. Static electricity—build up of electric charges on an object
117. Electric discharge—loss of static electricity as a charge moves off an object
118. Cell—device that produces an electric current by converting chemical energy
into electrical energy
119. Battery—device that is made up of several cells working together
120. Potential difference—the difference in energy per unit charge as a charge
moves between two points
121.Current—the flow of electricity
122. Voltage—the difference in energy per unit of charge as a charge moves
between two points in an electric curcuit
123. Resistance—the opposition to the flow of electric charge
124. Electric power—the rate at which electrical energy is used to do work
124. Circuit—a complete, closed path through which electric charges flow
125. Load—a device that uses electrical energy to do work
126. Series circuit—a circuit in which all the parts are connected in a single loop
127. Parallel circuit—a circuit in which different loads are on separate branches
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Physical Science Definitions
128. Magnet—any material that attracts iron or materials containing iron
129. Poles—parts of a magnet where the magnetic effects are strongest
130. Magnetic force—the force of repulsion or attraction between the poles of
magnets
131. Electromagnetism—the interaction between electricity and magnetism
132. Solenoid—a coil of wire that produces a magnetic field when carrying an
electric current
133. Electromagnet—a magnet that consists of a solenoid wrapped around an iron
core
134. Electric motor—device that changes electric energy into kinetic energy
135. Electromagnetic induction—the process by which an electric current is
produced by changing the magnetic field
136. Generator—a device that uses electromagnetic induction to convert kinetic
energy into electrical energy
137. Transformer—a device that increases or decreases the voltage of alternating
current
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