Electricity and Magnetism - Introductory

If circuits and batteries give you a charge, you'll want to learn this list of words related to electricity and magnetism. Just discharge any negative energy and get ready to study magnetic force, conductors, and ions. You might even develop a new attraction to this field of science.
50 words 2372 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. ampere
    the basic unit of electric current adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
  2. atom
    the smallest component of an element
  3. attract
    exert a force on
  4. attraction
    the force that one object exerts on another
  5. bar magnet
    a magnet in the form of a bar with magnetic poles at each end
  6. battery
    a device that produces electricity
  7. charge
    the quantity of unbalanced electricity in a body
  8. circuit
    an electrical device providing a path for current to flow
  9. closed circuit
    a complete electrical circuit around which current flows or a signal circulates
  10. compass
    navigational instrument for finding directions
  11. conduct
    transmit or serve as the medium for transmission
  12. conductivity
    the property of transmitting heat, electricity, or sound
  13. conductor
    a device designed to transmit electricity or heat
  14. current
    a flow of electricity through a conductor
  15. electric field
    a field of force surrounding a charged particle
  16. electricity
    a physical phenomenon that can produce light, heat and power
  17. electromagnet
    a temporary magnet made by coiling wire around an iron core
  18. electromagnetic
    pertaining to or exhibiting magnetism produced by electric charge in motion
  19. electron
    an elementary particle with negative charge
  20. field
    space around a radiating body within which it exerts force
  21. force
    influence that results in motion, stress, etc. when applied
  22. friction
    the resistance when a body is moved in contact with another
  23. inductor
    an electrical device (typically a conducting coil) that introduces inductance into a circuit
  24. insulator
    a material with little electrical or thermal conductivity
  25. ion
    a particle that is electrically charged positive or negative
  26. magnet
    a device that attracts iron and produces lines of force
  27. magnetic
    of or relating to or caused by attraction for iron
  28. magnetic field
    the lines of force surrounding a permanent magnet or a moving charged particle
  29. magnetic force
    attraction for iron
  30. magnetic pole
    one of the two ends of a magnet where the magnetism seems to be concentrated
  31. magnetism
    attraction for iron
  32. metal
    a chemical element or alloy that is usually a shiny solid
  33. negative charge
    the state of having a surplus of electrons
  34. neutral
    having no net electric charge
  35. nucleus
    the positively charged dense center of an atom
  36. open circuit
    an incomplete electrical circuit in which no current flows
  37. parallel circuit
    a closed circuit in which the current divides into two or more paths before recombining to complete the circuit
  38. permanent magnet
    a magnet that retains its magnetism after being removed from a magnetic field
  39. positive charge
    the state of having a deficiency of electrons
  40. proton
    a stable particle with positive charge
  41. repel
    cause to move back by force or influence
  42. resistance
    a material's opposition to the flow of electric current
  43. resistor
    an electrical device that resists the flow of electrical current
  44. semiconductor
    a substance as germanium or silicon whose electrical conductivity is intermediate between that of a metal and an insulator; its conductivity increases with temperature and in the presence of impurities
  45. series circuit
    a circuit having its parts connected serially
  46. static electricity
    electricity produced by friction
  47. switch
    device for making or breaking the connections in a circuit
  48. terminal
    a contact on a device at which current enters or leaves
  49. volt
    a unit for measuring the force of an electric current
  50. voltage
    difference in electrical charge between points in a circuit
Created on Wed Feb 22 17:00:44 EST 2017 (updated Mon Apr 10 16:05:20 EDT 2017)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.