EFM vocabulary with definitions

Lesson 1

Energy / The ability to do work
Force / A push or pull between objects
Mass / The measure of the amount of matter in a body
Speed / A measure of how fast something is moving

Lesson 2

Predict / To make an educated guess about the outcome of a situation
Acceleration / The rate at which an object changes speed or direction
Average speed / The distance on object travels divided by its time of travel
Reference frame / The point from which you observe motion
Velocity / Speed at which an object is traveling in a single direction
Balanced forces / Two or more forces that act on an object without causing a change in the object’s motion
Diagram / A labeled drawing that explains or shows the parts of something
Net force / The sum of all forces acting on an object
Gravity / A force of attraction between two bodies that have mass, even thought the bodies may not be touching
Variable / Any factor that could affect the results of an experiment
Newton / (N) unit used to measure force
Weight / The measure of the force of gravity on an object.
Law / A statement that describes a cause-and-effect relationship in the universe and is based upon repeated experimental observations

Lesson 3

Magnet / A material that has the ability to attract or repel other magnetic materials
Magnetic field / The space or area in which magnetic forces can be observed
Magnetic pole / The two ends of a bar magnet, called the north pole and the south pole, where its magnetic forces can be observed
Magnetism / A phenomenon associated with magnets
Controlled experiment / A scientific investigation in which one variable (the independent variable) is changed and all others are kept the same
Dependent variable / The variable in an experiment whose value is determined by the experiment
Independent variable / The variable in an experiment that the experimenter purposefully changes in order to determine its effect
Modification / A chance in the form or qualities of an object with the intention of impacting how the object functions
Friction / A force that opposes the motion of an object

Lesson 4

Balanced forces / Two or more forces that act on an object without causing a change in the object’s motion
Unbalanced forces / Two or more forces that produce a net force on an object. This causes the object to change speed or direction
Inertia / An object’s tendency to resist change in motion
Net force / The sum of all forces acting on an object
Newton’s first law / If the forces on an object are balanced, the object will stay at rest or continue moving in the same direction at the same speed. If the forces on an object are not balanced, the net force will increase the object’s speed, decrease its speed, and/or change its direction of motion
Newton’s second law / The acceleration of an object is equal to the net force on the object divided by the object’s mass
Acceleration / The rate at which an object changes speed or direction
Diagram / A labeled drawing that explains or shows the parts of something
Mass / The measure of the amount of matter in a body
Speed / A measure of how fast something is moving
Force / A push or pull between objects
Gravity / A force of attraction between two bodies that have mass, even thought the bodies may not be touching
Inertia / An object’s tendency to resist change in motion
Lesson 5
Gravitational potential energy / The potential energy associated with Earth’s gravitational force; the energy an object gains upon being lifted
Kinetic energy / The energy associated with moving objects
Model / A tool scientists and engineers use to represent ideas or provide an explanation ( graphs, diagrams, drawing….)
Potential energy / Stored energy that can be released
Work / The product of a force and a distance through which it acts
System / A group of objects that function together as one unit; the set of related objects under study or consideration
Graphical representation / A labeled drawing that presents mathematical information in visual form (chart or graph)
Chemical energy / A form of potential energy that is stored in chemical bonds
Elastic energy / A form of potential energy found within materials that bounce back to a starting position when they are stretched
Electrical energy / A form of kinetic energy that involves the transfer of charge through an electrical conductor
Electromagnetic energy / A form of kinetic energy that consists of the range of waves making up the entire electromagnetic spectrum
Magnetic energy / A form of potential energy that produces a magnetic field
Mechanical energy / The sum of potential and kinetic energy in a system of interacting objects
Nuclear energy / A form of potential energy that is stored in atomic nuclei
Solar energy / A form of kinetic energy that reaches our planet from the sun
Thermal energy / A form of kinetic energy associated with molecules in motion

Lesson 6

Balanced forces / Two or more forces that act on an object without causing a change in the object’s motion
Collision / An event in which one object exerts a force on another over a relatively short time
Force pair / An action force and the reaction force that it produces, according to Newton’s third law of motion
Newton’s second law / The acceleration of an object is equal to the net force on the object divided by the object’s mass
Newton’s third law / When an object pushes on another, the second object pushes back on the first with an equal and oppositely directed force
Predict / To make an educated guess about the outcome of a situation
Diagram / A labeled drawing that explains or shows the parts of something
Reference frame / The point from which you observe motion
Unbalanced forces / Two or more forces that produce a net force on an object. This causes the object to change speed or direction
Friction / A force that opposes the motion of an object
Newton’s first law / If the forces on an object are balanced, the object will stay at rest or continue moving in the same direction at the same speed. If the forces on an object are not balanced, the net force will increase the object’s speed, decrease its speed, and/or change its direction of motion
Force / A push or a pull between objects
Gravity / A force of attraction between two bodies that have mass, even thought the bodies may not be touching
Inertia / An object’s tendency to resist change in motion
Kinetic energy / The energy associated with moving objects
Velocity / The speed at which an object is traveling in a single direction

Lesson 7

Collision / An event in which one object exerts a force on another over a relatively short time
Conservation of energy / Energy cannot be created or destroyed. Energy can be transferred or transformed, but the total amount of energy remains the same
Energy transfer / A movement of energy from one object or system to another
Energy transformation / A change in energy from one type to another
Kinetic energy / The energy associated with moving objects
System / A group of objects that function together as one unit; the set of related objects under study or consideration
Potential energy / Stored energy that can be released
Conservation of momentum / The total amount of momentum is the same before and after a collision
Momentum / The product of mass and velocity

Lesson 8

Constraints / Limitations or restrictions
Criteria / Standards or specifications that must be met
Requirements / Criteria and constraints
Modification / A preliminary version of a
Optimize / The process of changing an object or resource to be as effective as possible
Prototype / A preliminary version of a design that can be used to evaluate how well that design meets its design criteria