particles vibrate in place giving the matter a definite ...

kinetic the idea that all matter is
molecular made up of constantly

theory moving particles (used to
explain why matter acts
the way it does when it

encounters energy)

solid a state or phase of
matter where the
particles vibrate in place
giving the matter a
definite shape and a
definite volume

liquid a state or phase of matter
where the particles rotate
around one another giving

the matter an indefinite
shape but a definite
volume

gas a state or phase of matter
where the particles are
free to move in any
direction (in straigh lines)
giving the matter an
indefinite shape and
indefinite volume

plasma a state or phase of matter where the particles are
free to move in any direction (in straight lines)
giving the matter an indefinite shape and
indefinite volume. It differs from a gas because
the particles collide with such force that they
break apart into sub-particles. This creates an
electrical charge and gives off light. Plasma is

the most common state of matter in the universe
(stars are made of it)

Bose-Einstein a state or phase of matter where
Condensate the particles have almost no motion
at all giving the matter some really

strange properties. The atoms in
this state actually overlap and

become like one super-atom. To
make one you need to be very near

absolute zero.

conduction A method of heat transfer. Hot (fast
moving) particles collide with cooler

(slower moving) particles that are
nearby. The result is that the

slowwer particles speed up and the
faster ones slow down as energy is

transferred during the collision
(think of a pool ball hitting another

pool ball).

convection A heat transfer that involves all the atoms in a
fluid acting together. Hotter (faster moving)

particles in the fluid collide more rapidly with one
another and they spread apart. This makes them

less dense. They rise above the more dense
particles in the fluid (the slower moving ones).
Then, when these hot particles get away from
the heat source they cool down, condense and
sink. The up and down motion forms a circular

current.

radiation A form of heat transfer that sips the heat
part! Without particle motion there can be

no heat. Radiation is a different form of
energy, it is a wave. Waves of light,
microwaves, radiowaves etc. are all
forms of radiation. These waves can

travel through empty space. When they
hit matter the matter absorbs them and
uses that energy to move...now you have

heat again!

absolute The theoretical temperature at which
zero matter will stop moving. (-273 degrees
Celsius or -458 degrees Fahrenheit). We
can get down to about a billionth of a
degree above absolute zero. Nobody has
ever gone below that because that would
mean all the energy in the UNIVERSE
was extinguished. What happens if we do
reach it? Nobody knows but we have

some cool hypotheses.

thermal Matter expands when it gets
expansion hot and contracts when it gets

cool (because the particle
collision become more or less

violent and therefore cause
more or less rebound effect)

Boyles The observation of the
Law fact that as the volume
of a gas is decreased its

pressure increases
(assuming temperture

stays constant)

Charles The observation of the
Law fact that as the

temperature of a gas
increases so does its
volume (assuming the
pressure stays constant)

Archimedes The observatio of the fact that
Principle when matter is placed in a
fluid it will displace its own

volume. The buoyant force on
the matter in the fluid will be

equal to the mass of that
displaced fluid.

fluid Any state of matter
that has the ability
to flow (liquids and

gases)

calories The metric units of heat
energy (it takes one

calorie of energy to heat
a gram of water by one

degree Celsius)

joules The SI units of heat
energy (it takes one
calorie of energy to heat
a gram of water by one

degree Celsius)

control The group of items in an
group experiment that are being

used for comparison.
Usually the control group
does not get treated to the

independent variable.

constant Any variable in an
experiment that is
deliberately kept the same
between the experimental
and control groups so that
it can't confuse your

results.

Independent The variable you
Variable the experimenter
are interested in
researching the

effects of.

Dependent The variable you the
Variable experimenter expect
to change as a result

of exposure to the
independent variable

Change state

Condense from a gas to

a liquid

Evaporate Change state from a
liquid to a gas (at the
surface of a liquid only
- happens below the
normal boiling point)

Melt Change state
from a solid
to a liquid

Boil Change state from a
liquid to a gas (happens

througout the liquid
causing bubbles of gas

to form)

Vaporize Change state to
a gas (includes
evaporation and

boiling)

sublime Change state from a
solid directly to a gas -
skipping the liquid state.
Dry ice (frozen carbon

dioxide) does this.

mass Amount of
resistance to
changes in

motion

Amount of

volume space
taken up

kinetic the ability to
energy cause changes

in matter
through motion

potential storage of the
ability to cause
energy changes in matter
through motion

pressure the amount of force
(of fluids) exerted per unit of area
(caused by collision of
particles with each other

and the walls of the
container)

atmospheres metric
(atm) units of
pressure

kilopascals SI units of
(kPa) pressure

temperature the average
speed of the
particles in a
sample of matter

thermal The total energy of
energy the particles in a
(heat) sample of matter (

includes BOTH kinetic
and potential energy)

buoyant the upward
pressure

force exerted on an
object in a fluid

the downward

weight pull of gravity
the mass of a
sample of matter

heat the kinetic
energy energy of
moving
particles