Energy and Change Glossary

  • absorb: to take in
  • biofuel: a fuel made from biological materials such as soya, maize or sugar cane; examples of these fuels are biodiesel and methanol
  • conduction: the transfer of energy between objects that are in direct contact with each other
  • conductor: a substance which allows heat, sound or electric charge to pass through it easily; a good conductor alls free passage whilst a poor conductor allows partial passage
  • conservation: a quantity stays constant; something is not lost or destroyed
  • conserve: to make something last longer by using it carefully
  • consistent: reliable and predictable
  • consumption: using up a resource
  • convection current: the movement of liquid and gas particles as the substance warms up and rises and then cools and moves down again to form a current
  • convection: transfer of energy through a liquid or gas by the movement of liquid or gas particles
  • dynamo: a small generator that can be used for powering a bicycle light, a mine helmet or a wind up torch
  • fossil fuel: non-renewable energy sources, namely coal, oil and natural gas
  • generator: a machine used to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy
  • geyser: a cylindrical tank that is used to warm and store hot water
  • greenhouse gases: gases in the atmosphere that contribute to the greenhouse effect; these gases include carbon dioxide and methane
  • heat: heat is the energy transferred between two objects as a result of the temperature difference between them; it is also when energy is transferred between a system and the environment as a result of the temperature difference between them; it is measured in joules (J).
  • hydrocarbon: a molecule which consists of hydrogen and carbon atoms bonded together
  • hydropower: the energy harnessed from a moving water source, like a river or a waterfall
  • input: something that enters a system and is altered by the system to produce an output
  • insulator: a substance which resists the movement of heat, sound or electric charge through it
  • joule: the standard, international unit of measurement for energy
  • kinetic energy: energy that a body has when it is moving
  • law: in science, a law is a statement of what happens and it is based on repeated experiments and observations
  • matt: not glossy or shiny
  • methane: a colourless, odourless gas which is often called natural gas
  • national electricity grid: the network of cables, pylons and transformers which transfer electricity throughout the country
  • non-renewable: a resource, such as coal, that can not be replenished or there is a limited supply of it
  • nuclear: the type of energy released when a large atomic nucleus breaks up or two smaller ones combine
  • output: the end result of a process
  • potential energy: energy that is stored in a system
  • pylon: a large vertical steel tower which supports electrical power cables
  • radiation: the transfer of energy from a source that does not require physical contact or movement of particles
  • reflect: to throw back heat light or sound without absorbing it
  • renewable: something which is continuously replenished or there is an unlimited supply of it
  • reservoir: a large container or space in which a gas or liquid can be stored
  • Sankey diagram: a Sankey diagram is used to show the difference between input and output energy
  • solenoid: a current carrying coil or coils of conducting wire
  • system: a system is any set of parts working together to carry out a particular function
  • temperature: a measure of how hot or cold a substance feels; it is measured in degrees Celsius (oC).
  • theory: in science, a theory is an explanation of why or how something happens
  • thermal: relating to heat
  • transfer: to move from one object or place to another; in an energy system, we say energy is transferred from one object to another
  • transformer: an electrical device to transfer energy between two parts of the circuit in the national electricity grid
  • turbine: a set of curved blades on a central, rotating spire