Download Page 1 of 3 FOSS California Matter and Energy Module Glossary

FOSS California Matter and Energy Module
Glossary
2007 Edition
Absorb: To take in or soak up.
Accurate: Correct and precise.
Atom: The smallest particle of an element. Atoms are the building blocks of matter.
Battery: A source of stored electric energy.
Chemical energy: Energy in the connections between atoms in a substance.
Convert: To change.
Electric current: A flow of electricity through a conductor.
Electricity: A form of energy that can be converted to other forms of energy, such as
heat, light, and sound.
Element: A chemical substance that is made of only one type of atom.
Energy: The ability to do work. Energy can take a number of forms and can be converted
from one form to another.
Energy source: A place where energy comes from, such as batteries, food, fuels, and the
Sun.
Evaporate: To change from liquid to gas.
Evidence: Data used to support claims. Evidence is based on observation and scientific
data.
Food: The energy source that maintains life.
Fossil: The preserved remains of plants and animals that lived long ago.
Fossil fuel: The preserved remains of plants that lived long ago and changed into oil,
coal, and natural gas.
Fuel: Material that contains energy.
Gas: Matter that is shapeless and expands to fill any closed container it is placed in.
Generator: A device that converts motion into electric energy.
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Gram (g): The basic unit of mass in the metric system.
Heat: A form of energy.
Light: A form of energy.
Light source: Anything that makes light, such as the Sun, a lightbulb, or a flame.
Liquid: Matter that flows and takes the shape of the container it is in.
Liter (L): The basic unit of fluid volume in the metric system.
Mass: A quantity of matter.
Matter: Anything that has mass and takes up space.
Melt: To change from solid to liquid. Heat causes solids to melt.
Meter (m): The basic unit of distance or length in the metric system.
Metric system: A system of weights and measures based on multiples of ten.
Mirror: A shiny surface that reflects light.
Motion: A form of energy.
Motor: A device that converts electric energy into motion energy.
Moving object: An object that is changing position.
Opinion: A claim based on belief, not on scientific data or observations.
Periodic Table of the Elements: A display of the elements based on atomic number.
Periscope: A device with two mirrors used to change the path taken by light.
Property: A characteristic of an object, such as size, shape, and texture.
Ray: An informal unit of light.
Reaction: The process in which substances interact to make one or more new
substances that have different properties than the starting substances.
Reflection: The bouncing of light rays off an object or surface.
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Shaft: A part of a motor that spins.
Solid: Matter that has a definite shape.
Sound: A form of energy carried by sound waves.
State: A kind or form of matter. The three common states of matter are solid, liquid, and
gas.
Stored energy: Energy available for use.
Substance: A form of matter that can be defined by the atoms from which it is made.
Sun: The star around which Earth orbits. The Sun provides energy to Earth.
Synthetic: Something that is made by humans.
Temperature: A measure of how hot a sample of matter is.
Vibrate: To move back-and-forth quickly.
Vibration: A quick back-and-forth movement.
Volume: Three-dimensional space.
Water vapor: Water in its gas form.
Wave: A regular, repeating pattern, such as an ocean wave or a sound wave.
White light: Light that is all colors mixed together.
Wind: Air in motion.
Wire: A conductor through which electric energy moves.
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