Energy Vocabulary Key Term Definition The ability to do work energy

Energy moving from matter to matter energy transfer

physical change

A change that affects one or more physical properties of a substance; many physical changes are easy to undo A change that occurs when one or more substances are changed into entirely new substances with different properties; cannot be reversed using physical means The transfer of thermal energy from one substance to another through direct contact; conduction can also occur with one substance

chemical change

conduction

The transfer of thermal energy by the movement of a liquid or a gas convection

radiation

The transfer of energy through matter or space as electromagnetic waves, such as visible light and infrared rays

transformation

Energy changing forms (example: kinetic energy transforms into potential energy)

kinetic energy

The energy of motion; kinetic energy depends on speed and mass

The energy of position or shape potential energy

work

The action that results when a force causes an object to move in the direction of the force

A push or pull; all forces have both size and direction force

The amount of matter that something is made of mass