| Terms |
Definitions |
| Science | use of knowledge in an organized and classified manner |
| Natural Science | the study of the universe and its contents |
| Two categories of natural science | physical and biological science |
| physical science | the study of nonliving matter |
| biological science | the study of living matter |
| Physics | a branch of physical science that studies matter and enery and their interrelationships |
| Matter | the substance that comprises all physical objects. It has shape and form and occupies space. Anything that has mass. |
| mass | the quantity of matter contained in an object and is a principle characteristic of matter |
| weight | the force that an object exerts under the influence of gravity |
| kilogram | unit of mass |
| mixture of substances | matter is most commonly found as this |
| substances | a material that has a definite and constant composition |
| mixture | two or more substances that have been combined |
| simple or complex | substances may be one of what two things |
| simple substance | is known as a element |
| complex substance | is known as a compound |
| element | a substance that cannot be broken down into any simpler substances by ordinary means |
| 92 | # of naturally occurring elements |
| atom | the smallest particle of an element that still possesses the chemical properties of that element |
| molecule | when two or more atoms are chemically united and is the smallest particle of a compund that still possesses the characteristics of the compound |
| energy | the ability to do work |
| Law of Conservation of Energy | the sum total of all matter and energy in the universe is a constant: matter and energy cannot be created or destroyed but can be converted from one form to another |
| nucleus | small dense center of the atom |
| nucleons | protons and neutrons |
| protons and neutrons | responsible for almost all the mass of an atom |
| electrons | subatomic particle that cannot be divided into smaller parts |
| protons | the key characteristic that distinguishes one element from another |
| atomic number | the number of nuclear protons in an atom |
| Z number | another name for the atomic number |
| atom becomes different element | what happens when a atom loses or gains a proton |
| isotope | if an atom loses or gains neutrons |
| ion | if an atom loses or gains an electron |
| ionization | the process of adding or removing an electron from an atom |
| electron binding energy | that amount of energy needed to remove the electron from the atom |
| centrifiugal and attractive electrostatic force | the stability of the electron orbit is contributed by these two opposing forces |
| electron volt (eV) | the binding energy of an electron is measured in this unit |
| one | shell number of K |
| two | shell number of L |
| three | shell number of M |
| four | shell number of N |
| five | shell number of O |
| six | shell numper of P |
| seven | shell Q |
| work | the result of a force acting upon an object over a distance |
| mechanical energy | the result of the action of machines or physical movement |
| potential and kinetic energy | the two types of mechanical energy |
| potential energy | the energy that an object has because of its position; stored by virtue of its position until it is converted to another form |
| kinetic energy | the energy of motion |
| chemical energy | form of energy released during a chemical reaction |
| thermal energy | the result of motion of atoms and molecules |
| temperature | a measure of thermal energy |
| electrical energy | the result of movement of electrons |
| nuclear energy | stored in the nucleus of each atom and holds the nuclear particles in a tight bond |
| electromagnetic energy | a form of energy that is the result of electric and magnetic disturbances in space. travels through space as a combination of electric and magnetic fields and is produced by the acceleration of a charge |
| speed of light (c) | the velocity of electromagnetic radiation in a vacuum |
| wave-particle duality of radiation | EM radiation behaves as a particle or a wave depending on the circumstance |
| wavelength | the distance between two successive crests or troughs |
| lambda | character for wavelength |
| 0.1 - 0.5 angstroms | the wavelength of diagnostic x-rays |
| amplitude | the intensity of the wave defined by it maximal height |
| frequency | the number of waves that passes a particular point in a given time frame, or the number of cycles per seconds |
| nu (v) | the greek letter that represents frequency |
| inversely proportional | the relationship between wavelength and frequency |
| waves | electromagnetic energy travels through space in the form of this |
| particles | when electromagnetic radiation interacts with matter in what form |
| photon or quantum | small bundle of energy |
| directly proportional | the relationship between the photon energy and frequency |
