glossary
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aAccurate
A measurement result is considered accurate if it is judged to be close to the true value Acid rain Rain that has become acidic (with a pH of less than 5.6) from the reaction between oxygen in the atmosphere reacting with NOx and SO2, released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels are burned, resulting in mild sulphuric, nitric and other acids being formed. When it falls, as a mild acidic solution, it can slowly corrode buildings and be harmful to the environment. bBioenergy
Energy produced from the use of biofuels. Biofuels Fuels made from any recent living organic materials or their by-products such as wood and straw,or sugar cane. Biofuels can be liquid such as bio-diesel or gasahol, gas such as biogas generated by the breakdown of biomass by bacteria or solid such as wood chippings. Biomass Any recently living or organic material for example trees, crops and vegetable peelings. Biological weathering When rocks are broken down by living things (e.g. plant roots, rabbits) cCarbon cycle
Carbon dioxide A colourless, odourless gas. It is denser than air. Each carbon dioxide molecule is made of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms. The symbol for carbon dioxide is CO2. A catalytic cracker, or "cat cracker," is the basic gasoline-making process in a refinery. The cat cracker uses high temperatures, low pressure, and a catalyst to create a chemical reaction that breaks the longer chain molecules in the mixture of heavy crude oil into smaller molecules which are more useful. With a cat cracker, more of each barrel of oil can be turned into petrol or gasoline. Chemistry Chemistry is the study of the constitution of matter and its interactions; it has numerous applications, including biochemistry, electrochemistry and nuclear chemistry. ChromatographyA method of separating a mixture of dissolved solids from each other. A chromatogram is the dried piece of paper produced by chromatography. The technique is often used to analyse dyes or colours e.g. in food additives. Climate all weather conditions for a given location over a period of time Condensation Change of a substance from a gaseous state to a liquid state; it results from cooling Corrode When a material deteriorates due to a chemical reaction with its environment it has been corroded. An example being the oxidation of iron to form iron oxide (rust). |
dData
Information, either qualitative or quantitative, that has been collected. A biogas "digester" can convert animal waste into usable energy. On some dairy farms, the muck from inside the barn is collected and put into a large digester, or tank. Inside the digester, methane gas is separated from the liquid and solid waste. The methane gas can then be used to generate electricity to light the barn, or to sell to the electric power grid Distillation A method of separating a mixture of liquids from a solution using evaporation because different liquids will have different boiling points. Fractional distillation is used to separate different fractions e.g when refining crude oil eElectrolysis
The process of producing chemical changes in a substance by passing an electric current through it. Energy A source of power that makes people move or objects work. Ethanol A form of alcohol. It is found in alcoholic beverages but can also be used as a fuel. Exhale To breathe out. fFiltering, filtration
A method to separate an undissolved (insoluble) solid from a liquid by passing through a filter Fossil fuel Any fuel made from ancient animal or plant remains, such as coal, oil, gas and peat. Freezing Change of a substance from a liquid state to a solid state; it results from cooling. Fungus Fungi are one of the taxonomic kingdoms, separate from plants and animals. They obtain nutrients by absorbing organic compounds from the surrounding environment. gGenerator
A device that either uses a rotating magnet and fixed coils of wire, or a fixed magnet and rotating coils of wire to produce electricity. Geothermal Heat energy from the Earth. GraniteAn igneous rock with large crystals Gravitational potential energy This is the energy that an object has if it is above the ground and could possibly fall under the effect of gravity. Greenhouse effect The process by which heat energy from the Sun is trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere. Certain gases in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, cause the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases Gases that absorb the heat of the Sun in the Earth's atmosphere, producing the greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide is a major greenhouse gas. Other greenhouse gases include methane, ozone, chlorofluorocarbons, and nitrous oxide. hHeat exchanger
A device that transfers heat from one liquid or gas to another. It can do this through a solid wall or even if the liquids or gases are in contact with each other. They are used in fridges and in air conditioning iIgneous a rock formed when larva or magma cools
Insulator A substance which is a poor conductor of either electricity or thermal energy Invertebrate An animal which has no backbone like a worm or an octapus jJoule
A Joule (J) is a unit of energy. kKilowatt
A kilowatt (kW) is one thousand watts. Kilowatt hour A kilowatt hour (kWh) is a unit of energy. One kilowatt hour is the amount of energy that would be used by a device with a power of 1 kilowatt which was left to operate for 1 hour. It is equivalent to 3,600,000 Joules. Electricity companies measure the amount of electricity we use in our homes in kilowatt hours and they often call each one a ‘unit’. Kinetic energy This is the energy that a body has because of its motion. lLava
Molten rock that flows from volcanoes Light year the distance light travels in 1 year Liquid Matter having a definite mass and volume but no shape; its atoms are relatively mobile in relation to each other. mMagma
Hot liquid rock, found under the Earth's crust Matter Any substance that has mass, is composed of atoms and occupies space. Megajoule A megajoule (MJ) is one million Joules. Megawatt A megawatt (MW) is one million Watts. Melting Change of a substance from a solid state to a liquid state; it results from heating Metamorphic Rocks formed by changing igneous or sedimentary rocks Moss A type of plant which has a stalk and leaves but no proper roots. They reproduce by spores and can often be found on rocks and trees. Motor A device for producing kinetic energy from another kind of energy. For example an electrical motor in a food mixer produces kinetic energy from electrical energy. A clockwork motor in a watch produces kinetic energy from strain energy in the spring. nNational Grid
A giant network of overhead lines and underground cables used to transport all of the electricity supplies around the country. Neutron A particle with no electrical charge which, together with the proton, makes up the nucleus of an atom. Non-renewable Energy resources which, once used, cannot be replaced. Examples are coal, oil and gas. Nuclear fission The process of releasing energy from the nucleus of a large atom by splitting it into two or more pieces. Nuclear fusion The process of releasing energy from the nucleus of a small atom by fusing it together with the nucleus of another small atom. oOrganism
Any living thing Omnivore An animal that eats plants and animals; humans are omnivores and have teeth and a digestive system adapted to eating plants and animals. Orbit The path a planet takes around a star or satellite/moon takes around a planet Ore A type of rock which contains enough metal compounds to make it economic to extract this, many are oxides, or chlorides. Oxide A compound that contains oxygen, for example copper oxide pPhases of the moon
different shapes the moon seems to have at different times Photovoltaic cells The use of semi-conductors, such as silicon, to produce electricity directly from sunlight. Often shortened to ‘PV’. Proton A particle with a positive charge which, together with the neutron, makes up the nucleus of an atom. qQuadrat
A measuring square used to estimate the number of organisms in a sample area of habitat. rRenewable
Any energy resource that cannot be ‘used up’. Examples are solar power, wind power and wave power. Recycle sSatellite
Anything that orbits a planet - this can be natural like a moon or man-made like a space station or weather satellite A scrubber is a technology that traps pollutants and keeps them from escaping into the air. Scrubbers in an electric power plant trap sulfur that is produced from burning coal or natural gas. Solar systemA star with planets and objects moving around it. Our solar system has eight planets around our star: the Sun. Solid Rigid body possessing mass, volume and a definite form; its atoms are linked to each other and are almost completely at rest. Spawning The production or depositing of large quantities of eggs in water States of matter Matter exists in three fundamental states (solid, liquid and gaseous), which depend on the temperature and pressure to which the matter is subjected. SubliminationChange of a substance from a solid state directly to a gaseous state without passing through the liquid state; it results from heating. Sulphur dioxide A colourless, rather smelly gas. It reacts with water and oxygen in the air to produce sulphuric and sulphurous acids, which can fall as acid rain. Sustainable Something that will be able to be maintained in the future. tThermometer
Instrument for measuring temperature by means of a substance (usually a liquid or a gas) contained in a graduated tube. Turbine A device where blades are rotated by the force of a stream of liquid or gas. uUnsustainable
Something that will not be able to be maintained in the future. Uranium-235 A type of uranium where the nucleus is made up from 92 protons and 143 neutrons. Uranium-236 A type of uranium where the nucleus is made up from 92 protons and 144 neutrons. vVaccination
An injection of a weak or dead micro-organism to create immunity Vacuole A small cavity in the cytoplasm of a cell, bound by a single membrane and containing water, food, or metabolic waste Vacuum A space which contains nothing at all Vein One of the large blood vessels carrying blood to the heart. Villi cells with finger like projections that absorb digested food Voltage Voltmeter wWaterproof
A material which repels water Watt A Watt (W) is unit of power. 1 Watt is equivalent to 1 Joule per second. Wave power Wind Farm A wind farm is a group of wind turbines used to generate electricity Wind power Womb Another name for uterus xx-ray
yYeastA type of fungus with only one cell (a microbe bigger than bacteria). Yeast can be used to make bread or in brewing beer and fermenting wine but yeast infections like candida can be unpleasant.
"Yellowcake" is another name for uranium oxide, named for its color and texture. After uranium is mined and separated from ore, it is made into "yellowcake" and shipped to a conversion plant for more processing. zZebra
Zinc An element with the symbol Zn. It is a white brittle metal and is commonly used as an alloy with copper to make brass. Another common use is for galvanising (coating) iron to prevent corrosion Zygote The cell formed by the joining together of a male gamete and a female gamete during fertilisation. The zygote develops into an embryo |