FOSS Electromagnetic Force Course Glossary NGSS Edition © 2019

acceleration a change to an object’s speed (SRB)

attract to pull toward each other (SRB, IG)

automobile a wheeled vehicle propelled by a motor (SRB)

battery a source of stored chemical energy (SRB, IG)

brush a conductor that makes contact inside a motor or a generator (SRB, IG)

circuit a pathway for the flow of electricity (SRB, IG)

climate change the change of worldwide average temperature and weather conditions (SRB)

closed circuit a complete circuit through which electricity flows (SRB)

commutator a switching mechanism on a motor or generator (SRB, IG)

compass an instrument that uses a free-rotating magnetic needle to show direction (SRB, IG)

complete circuit a circuit with all the necessary connections for electricity to flow (SRB)

component one item in a circuit (SRB, IG)

compress to squeeze or press (SRB)

conductor a material capable of transmitting energy, particularly in the forms of heat and electricity (SRB)

constraint a restriction or limitation (SRB, IG)

contact point the place on a component where connections are made to allow electricity to flow (SRB, IG)

core in an electromagnet, the material around which a coil of insulated wire is wound (SRB, IG)

criterion (plural: criteria) a standard for evaluating or testing something (SRB, IG) drag the resistance of air to objects moving through it (SRB) electric current the flow of electricity through a conductor (SRB, IG) electric force the force between two charged objects (SRB) electromagnet a piece of iron that becomes a temporary magnet when electricity flows through coils of insulated wire wrapped around it (SRB, IG)

electromagnetic force a fundamental force of nature that acts between charged particles and creates electric and magnetic fields (SRB, IG)

electromagnetic radiation energy emitted as an electromagnetic wave (IG)

electromagnetism the interaction of electric and magnetic fields (SRB, IG)

electron a tiny part of an atom that has a negative charge and moves around the nucleus (SRB)

energy the ability to apply force over a distance (SRB, IG)

energy transfer the movement of energy from one location to another (IG)

engineer a designer who tests ways to accomplish a goal or solve a problem (SRB, IG)

filament the material in a lightbulb (usually a thin wire) that makes light when heated by an electric current (SRB, IG)

force a push or a pull (SRB, IG) fossil fuel the remains of organisms that lived long ago preserved as oil, coal, or natural gas (SRB, IG)

friction a force acting between surfaces in contact. Friction acts to resist motion. (SRB, IG) fuel a material that stores energy (SRB) generator a device that produces electricity from motion (SRB, IG) gravitational field an invisible area of gravitational influence around a mass (SRB) gravitational force an attractive force between objects, like between Earth and objects on Earth (IG) gravity the natural attraction between masses. On Earth, all objects are pulled toward the center of Earth. (SRB) greenhouse gas a gas that absorbs and radiates energy in the atmosphere, effectively trapping heat (SRB) incandescent lightbulb a device that gives off light and heat when electric current runs through a filament (SRB) incomplete circuit a circuit that has a break in it (SRB) induced magnetism the influence of a magnetic field on iron, which makes the iron a temporary magnet (SRB, IG)

insulation a material that can reduce energy transfers (IG)

insulator a material that prevents the flow of electricity, commonly plastic, rubber, glass, or air (SRB)

interaction to act on and be acted upon by one or more objects (SRB, IG)

kinetic energy energy of movement (IG)

lamp a device that produces light, either by electricity or burning oil, gas, or wax (SRB)

maglev a device utilizing magnetic levitation (SRB)

magnet an object that responds to magnetic force (SRB, IG)

magnetic field an area of magnetic influence around a magnet (SRB, IG)

magnetism a property of certain kinds of materials that causes them to attract iron or steel (SRB, IG)

motor a device that produces motion from electricity (SRB, IG) net force the sum of all the forces acting on a mass (SRB, IG)

newton (N) the standard unit for measuring force in the metric system (SRB, IG)

nonrenewable a material that cannot be replaced once used up (SRB, IG)

open circuit an incomplete circuit through which electricity will not flow (SRB)

particle a very small piece or part (SRB)

permanent magnet an object that sticks to iron (SRB, IG)

pole the end of a magnet (SRB, IG)

potential energy energy that matter has because of its position (SRB, IG)

power grid a complex network of wires that delivers electricity to homes and other buildings (SRB)

renewable able to be replaced or restored by nature (SRB, IG)

repel to push away from each other (SRB, IG)

rotate to turn or spin (IG)

semiconductor a material, such as silicon, that has less electric conductivity than a conductor but more than an insulator (SRB)

shaft the part of a motor that rotates when energy is transferred to it (SRB, IG)

solar cell a silicon structure that converts sunlight into electrical energy and is used as a power source (SRB, IG)

spring scale an instrument used to measure force (SRB, IG)

static not moving (SRB)

sustainable able to be used without being completely used up or destroyed (SRB)

temporary magnet a piece of iron that behaves like a magnet only when it is under the influence of an external magnetic field (SRB, IG)

turbine a generator powered by the flow of air, steam, or another fluid (SRB)

weight the force of gravity on a mass (SRB)