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Physics

Key Terms

PhysicsKey Terms

absolute zero
lowest possible temperature; the temperature at which all molecular motion ceases
Celsius scale
temperature scale in which the freezing point of water is 0 °C °C and the boiling point of water is 100 °C °C at 1 atm of pressure
condensation
phase change from gas to liquid
conduction
heat transfer through stationary matter by physical contact
convection
heat transfer by the movement of fluid
degree Celsius
unit on the Celsius temperature scale
degree Fahrenheit
unit on the Fahrenheit temperature scale
Fahrenheit scale
temperature scale in which the freezing point of water is 32 °F °F and the boiling point of water is 212 °F °F
freezing
phase change from liquid to solid
heat
transfer of thermal (or internal) energy due to a temperature difference
heat capacity
amount of heat necessary to change the temperature of a substance by 1.00 °C °C
Kelvin
unit on the Kelvin temperature scale; note that it is never referred to in terms of “degrees” Kelvin
Kelvin scale
temperature scale in which 0 K is the lowest possible temperature, representing absolute zero
latent heat
heat related to the phase change of a substance rather than a change of temperature
latent heat of fusion
amount of heat needed to cause a phase change between solid and liquid
latent heat of vaporization
amount of heat needed to cause a phase change between liquid and gas
melting
phase change from solid to liquid
phase change
transition between solid, liquid, or gas states of a substance
plasma
ionized gas that is a combination of the negatively charged free electrons and positively charged ions
radiation
energy transferred by electromagnetic waves
specific heat
amount of heat necessary to change the temperature of 1.00 kg of a substance by 1.00 °C °C
sublimation
phase change from solid to gas
temperature
quantity measured by a thermometer
thermal energy
average random kinetic energy of a molecule or an atom
vaporization
phase change from liquid to gas
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