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Physical Science B- Chapter 20 Vocab

Terms in this set (33)

Alternating Current
(AC) A flow of charge that regularly reverses its direction.
Analog Signal
A smoothly varying signal produced by continuously changing the voltage or current in a circuit.
Battery
A device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy.
Circuit Breaker
A switch that opens when the current in a circuit is too high.
Computer
A programmable device that can store and process information.
Digital Signal
A signal that encodes information as a string of 1's and 0's.
Diode
A solid-state component with an n-type semiconductor joined to a p-type semiconductor.
Direct Current
(DC) A flow of electric charge in only one direction.
Electric Charge
A property that causes a subatomic particle such as protons and electrons to attract or repel another.
Electric Circuit
A complete path through which electric charge can flow.
Electric Current
A continuous flow of electric charge.
Electric Field
A field in a region of space that exert s electric forces on charged particles; a field produced by electric charges or by changing magnetic fields.
Electric Force
The attraction or repulsion between electrically charged objects.
Electric Power
The rate at which electrical energy is converted to another form of energy.
Electrical Conductor
A material through which electric charge can flow easily.
Electrical Insulator
A material through which electric charge cannot flow easily.
Electronic Signal
Information sent as patterns in the controlled flow of electrons through a circuit.
Electronics
The science of using electric currents to process or transmit information.
Fuse
A device that prevents overheating due to current overload in a circuit.
Grounding
The transfer of excess charge through a conductor to Earth.
Induction
The transfer of charge without contact between materials.
Integrated Circuit
A thin slice of silicon that contains many solid-state components; a microchip.
Law of Conservation of Charge
Law stating that the total electric charge in an isolated system is constant; electric charge is never created or destroyed.
Ohm's Law
The relationship of voltage, current, and resistance: V=IR
Parallel Circuit
An electric circuit with two or more paths through which charge can flow.
Potential Difference
Voltage, or the difference in electrical potential energy between two places in an electric field.
Resistance
The opposition to the flow of electric charges in a material.
Semiconductor
A crystalline solid that conducts electric current only under certain conditions.
Series Circuit
An electric circuit with only one path through which charge can flow.
Static Electricity
The study of the behavior of electric charges, including how charge is transferred between objects.
Superconductor
A material that has almost zero resistance when it is cooled to low temperatures.
Transistor
A solid-state component with three layers of semiconductor material, used to turn current on or off or to increase the strength of electronic signals.
Voltage
Potential difference, the difference in electrical potential energy between two places in an electric field.
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