baghdadbclw
10-04-2005, 12:17 AM
Ampere - (abbrev. Amp; pl. Amperes [Amps]) A unit of electric current. One ampere of current is equal to one coulomb (6.25 x 1,018) of electrons passing a point in an electric circuit in one second. See Electric current.
Atom - 1. The smallest unit of an element, consisting of a dense, central core (the nucleus) made of protons and neutrons that is surrounded by orbiting electrons. 2. The smallest unit of matter that can enter into a chemical reaction.
Autotroph - An organism capable of synthesizing its own food from inorganic substances using light or chemical energy. Examples of autotrophs include plants and some protozoans.
Battery - A device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy, producing an electric current when connected in a circuit.
Biodiversity - The variety of individual organisms (genetic), species, and ecosystems.
Biogeochemical cycle - A natural process that cycles nutrients in various chemical forms from the environment, to organisms, and then back to the environment. Examples are the carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and hydrologic cycles.
Biological community - All the organisms (e.g., plants, animals, bacteria) that live in an area and interact with each other. See Ecosystem.
Biomass - Plant or animal matter. Biomass can be burned directly as a source of heat or converted to a more convenient gaseous or liquid fuel. Examples include wood and animal waste.
Biosphere - The parts of Earth where life is found, including the land, bodies of water, and the lower part of the atmosphere.
Biotic - Living components of an ecosystem.
British thermal unit - (abbrev. Btu) 1. A unit of energy equal to 1,055 joules or 252 calories. 2. The amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. 3. The approximate amount of potential energy in one match tip.
Calorie - (abbrev. cal; pl. calories; also small calorie) 1. A unit of energy content of food. One calorie equals 4.187 joules or 0.003969 Btu. 2. The amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water one degree Celsius.
Calorimeter - A device used to measure the heat energy that flows into or out of a substance.
Carbohydrate - An organic compound produced by photosynthesis, such as sugar, starch, and cellulose and used as a source of food energy by organisms.
Carbon cycle - A biogeochemical cycle in which carbon and its compounds are exchanged between organisms and Earth's oceans, atmosphere, and crust. See Biogeochemical cycle.
Carnivore - An organism that obtains its food energy by eating animals. See Secondary consumer.
CCF - One hundred cubic feet of water or natural gas. One CCF of natural gas is about equal to one therm.
Cell - The smallest living unit of an organism. A cell consists of genetic material contained in one or more nuclei plus other organelles to perform various life functions, all of which are encased in an outer membrane.
Celsius - (also Celsius scale, centigrade. Celsius is the term preferred over centigrade.) A temperature scale on which the freezing point of water is 0 degrees Celsius and the boiling point of water is 100 degrees Celsius (at one atmosphere of pressure). The formula for converting temperatures from the Celsius scale to the Fahrenheit scale is oC=5/9 (oF -32). See Fahrenheit.
Chain reaction - (also Nuclear chain reaction) 1. A reaction that stimulates its own repetition. 2. For example, nuclear reaction occurs when neutrons released from a split atom such as a uranium-235 (U235) nucleus go on to fission other nuclei. This reaction produces additional neutrons that cause more fissions, which release still more neutrons to cause even more fissions, which release even more neutrons, and so on. See Fission.
Chemical bond - An attractive force that holds atoms together to form molecules.
Chemical energy - See Chemical potential energy.
Chemical potential energy - The energy in chemical bonds holding the atoms of a compound together. Food, wood, batteries, and fossil fuels contain chemical potential energy. See Chemical bond.
Coal - A fossil fuel made of sedimentary organic rock that contains more than 40 percent carbon by weight after moisture has been removed. It is formed from plant matter that decayed in swamps and bogs that has been compressed and altered by geological processes over millions of years. Four main types of coal have been identified and ranked based on how much carbon and energy they contain: lignite, subbituminous coal, bituminous coal, and anthracite.
Compact fluorescent lamp (abbrev. CFL) - A small fluorescent lamp designed to fit in light fixtures that use standard incandescent lamps.
Compact fluorescent light bulb - See Compact fluorescent lamp.
Conduction - 1. Heat transfer from particle to particle, occurring most effectively in solids. 2. Transfer of electrical energy through a material via the flow of charged particles, usually electrons.
Conservation - Wise use and careful management of resources, so as to obtain the maximum possible social benefits from them for present and future generations. Energy resources can be conserved by reducing wasteful energy use, using energy for a given purpose more efficiently, or by reducing energy use altogether.
Consumer - 1. An organism that obtains nutrients and energy
Atom - 1. The smallest unit of an element, consisting of a dense, central core (the nucleus) made of protons and neutrons that is surrounded by orbiting electrons. 2. The smallest unit of matter that can enter into a chemical reaction.
Autotroph - An organism capable of synthesizing its own food from inorganic substances using light or chemical energy. Examples of autotrophs include plants and some protozoans.
Battery - A device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy, producing an electric current when connected in a circuit.
Biodiversity - The variety of individual organisms (genetic), species, and ecosystems.
Biogeochemical cycle - A natural process that cycles nutrients in various chemical forms from the environment, to organisms, and then back to the environment. Examples are the carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and hydrologic cycles.
Biological community - All the organisms (e.g., plants, animals, bacteria) that live in an area and interact with each other. See Ecosystem.
Biomass - Plant or animal matter. Biomass can be burned directly as a source of heat or converted to a more convenient gaseous or liquid fuel. Examples include wood and animal waste.
Biosphere - The parts of Earth where life is found, including the land, bodies of water, and the lower part of the atmosphere.
Biotic - Living components of an ecosystem.
British thermal unit - (abbrev. Btu) 1. A unit of energy equal to 1,055 joules or 252 calories. 2. The amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. 3. The approximate amount of potential energy in one match tip.
Calorie - (abbrev. cal; pl. calories; also small calorie) 1. A unit of energy content of food. One calorie equals 4.187 joules or 0.003969 Btu. 2. The amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water one degree Celsius.
Calorimeter - A device used to measure the heat energy that flows into or out of a substance.
Carbohydrate - An organic compound produced by photosynthesis, such as sugar, starch, and cellulose and used as a source of food energy by organisms.
Carbon cycle - A biogeochemical cycle in which carbon and its compounds are exchanged between organisms and Earth's oceans, atmosphere, and crust. See Biogeochemical cycle.
Carnivore - An organism that obtains its food energy by eating animals. See Secondary consumer.
CCF - One hundred cubic feet of water or natural gas. One CCF of natural gas is about equal to one therm.
Cell - The smallest living unit of an organism. A cell consists of genetic material contained in one or more nuclei plus other organelles to perform various life functions, all of which are encased in an outer membrane.
Celsius - (also Celsius scale, centigrade. Celsius is the term preferred over centigrade.) A temperature scale on which the freezing point of water is 0 degrees Celsius and the boiling point of water is 100 degrees Celsius (at one atmosphere of pressure). The formula for converting temperatures from the Celsius scale to the Fahrenheit scale is oC=5/9 (oF -32). See Fahrenheit.
Chain reaction - (also Nuclear chain reaction) 1. A reaction that stimulates its own repetition. 2. For example, nuclear reaction occurs when neutrons released from a split atom such as a uranium-235 (U235) nucleus go on to fission other nuclei. This reaction produces additional neutrons that cause more fissions, which release still more neutrons to cause even more fissions, which release even more neutrons, and so on. See Fission.
Chemical bond - An attractive force that holds atoms together to form molecules.
Chemical energy - See Chemical potential energy.
Chemical potential energy - The energy in chemical bonds holding the atoms of a compound together. Food, wood, batteries, and fossil fuels contain chemical potential energy. See Chemical bond.
Coal - A fossil fuel made of sedimentary organic rock that contains more than 40 percent carbon by weight after moisture has been removed. It is formed from plant matter that decayed in swamps and bogs that has been compressed and altered by geological processes over millions of years. Four main types of coal have been identified and ranked based on how much carbon and energy they contain: lignite, subbituminous coal, bituminous coal, and anthracite.
Compact fluorescent lamp (abbrev. CFL) - A small fluorescent lamp designed to fit in light fixtures that use standard incandescent lamps.
Compact fluorescent light bulb - See Compact fluorescent lamp.
Conduction - 1. Heat transfer from particle to particle, occurring most effectively in solids. 2. Transfer of electrical energy through a material via the flow of charged particles, usually electrons.
Conservation - Wise use and careful management of resources, so as to obtain the maximum possible social benefits from them for present and future generations. Energy resources can be conserved by reducing wasteful energy use, using energy for a given purpose more efficiently, or by reducing energy use altogether.
Consumer - 1. An organism that obtains nutrients and energy