Chemical Interactions Vocabulary

Investigation #4 Kinetic Energy

1. Matter (Materials) Anything with a measureable mass and measureable volume.

2. Particle The smallest piece of any substance.

3. Expansion An increase in volume (size).

4. Compression A reduction in volume (size) as a result of applied pressure or an applied force.

5. Solid phase of matter that has definite volume and definite shape. The particles of a solid are tightly bonded (stuck together) and cannot move around.

6. Liquid A phase of matter that has definite volume but no definite shape. Particles of liquid are loosely bonded (stuck together) but can flow over and around one another.

7. Gas A phase of matter that has no definite shape or volume. Particles of a gas fly independently through space.

8. Contraction A reduction in volume (size) as a result of the reduction of kinetic energy.

9. Kinetic Energy Energy of motion.

10. Temperature The average kinetic energy in a system. Put this together: This is not a measure of heat! Heat is a type of energy (thermal) that causes particles to move (kinetic). The higher the amount of energy, the faster the particles move; this equals a higher temperature. Not all particles in the system will move at the exact same speed. A thermometer measures the average motion; temperature is an average, not an exact quantity.

11. Thermometer A scientific instrument used to measure the average amount of kinetic energy in a system..