What is the definition of energy?
The ability to do work
What are the 4 common forms of energy?
Chemical Energy
Electrical Energy
Mechanical Energy
Thermal Energy
Explain Chemical energy
Explain electrical energy
Explain mechanical energy
Explain thermal energy
What is the type of energy found in food?
Chemical energy
What is a thermocouple?
A device that can convert thermal energy to electrical energy.
How does a thermocouple work?
Why are thermocouples useful?
Thermocouples are very useful for measuring temperatures in areas that are difficult to access or that are too hot for a liquid-filled glass thermometer.
How did early scientists make electromagnets?
By winding a current carrying wire into a coil around an iron core and putting electricity through it.
How do electromagnets keep spinning in an electric field?
By switching the direction that the current travels. That way it will align with the north and south fields so it will have to keep turning.
How do electric motors reverse the flow of electricity?
They use commutators and brushes
What is a commutator?
The commutator is a split ring that breaks the flow of electricity for a moment and then reverses the connection of the coil
What is a brush?
The part of an electric motor connected to the split rings and the power source usually made of carbon
What is the armature?
The rotating shaft with coils wrapped around it.
Explain how an electric motor works
Electricity runs through a wire to brushes which are connected to a split ring commutator. The split ring is connected to a coil that is wrapped around an armature. The electricity running through the coil creates an electric field which attracts magnets which cause it to spin to align with the electric fields.
What is direct current?
When electricity runs in only one direction
What is alternating current?
Current that flow back and forth 60 times per a second
What are transformers?
They change the amount of voltage with hardly any energy loss
Why are transformers necessary?
Because power lines carry very high voltage nd it must be transformed down before it reaches houses.
How does a transformer work?
A primary coil, with a lot of electricity flowing through it, is wrapped around an iron core with a secondary coil wrapped around the other side with fewer loops. If the loops are less than the voltage goes down.
What is electromagnetic induction?
When electrical current could be generated by moving a conducting wire through a magnetic field.
What does a generator use to function?
Electromagnetic induction