| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Load | The part of an electric system that converts electric energy into another form of energy, such as an electric motor that converts electric energy into mechanical energy. |
| Metallic bonding | The method by which loosely held atoms are bound together in metals. |
| Ohm (Ω) | The unit of measurement of electric resistance. |
| Open circuit | A circuit that has a broken path so that no electric current can flow through it. A circuit with infinite resistance. |
| Orbit | The path along which electrons travel around the nucleus of an atom. |
| Orbital | Areas through which electrons move; designated as s, p, d, and f. |
| Path | The part of an electric system through which electrons travel from a source to a load, such as the electric wiring used in a building. |
| Potential energy | Energy that exists because of position. |
| Power | The rate at which work is done. |
| Resistance | (R) The opposition to the flow of electric current in a circuit; its unit of measurement is the ohm (Ω). |
| Semiconductor | A material that has a value of electric resistance between that of a conductor and an insulator and is used to manufacture solid-state devices such as diodes and transistors. |
| Short circuit | A circuit that forms a direct path across a voltage source (with little or no resistance) so that a very high and possibly unsafe electric current flows. |
| Source | The part of an electric system that supplies energy to other parts of the system, such as a battery that supplies energy for a flashlight. |
| Stable atom | An atom that does not release electrons under normal conditions. |
| Static charge | A charge on a material that is said to be either positive or negative. |
| Static electricity | Electricity at rest caused by accumulation of either positive or negative electric charge. |
| Valence electrons | Electrons in the outer orbit of an atom. |
| Volt (V) | The unit of measurement of electric potential. |
| Voltage | Electric force, or pressure, that causes current to flow in a circuit. |
| Watt (W) | The unit of measurement of electric power. |
| Work | The transforming or transferring of energy. |
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