Circuits and Electricity Vocabulary
Conductor - Material that allows electrical or heat energy to flow through easily
Insulator - Material that slows down or stops heat or electrical energy from
flowing
Electrical circuit - The pathway through which electrical current flows
Electromagnetic field - A magnetic field created by an electrical current
Atom - What all matter is made of
Electron - Tiny particles in an atom that have a negative charge
Closed circuit - A pathway that allows an electric current to flow freely
Open circuit - A pathway that prevents electric current from flowing freely
or stops the flow
Open
Circuit
Closed
Circuit
Current - The flow of electricity around a circuit
Electricity - Energy created by the movement of electrons
Electromagnetism – magnetism created by an electric current; examples MRI and
electric motor
Flow – to move or travel smooth in a certain direction
Electric current – the flow of electricity around a circuit
Light energy – radiant energy that our eyes can see from the visible part of the
electromagnetic spectrum
Heat energy - energy that causes a change in temperature between materials
Sound energy – energy produced from vibration that you can hear
Path- the course or route something travels
Parallel Circuit- When each bulb is wired separately to the battery in two or
three loops, the bulbs are said to be in parallel circuit.
Series Circuit- If a wire joins the battery to one bulb, to the next bulb, then back
to the battery, in one continuous loop, the bulbs are said to be in series circuit.