Chapter #12: Glossary Terms

Current in which charged particles travel through a circuit in only one direction.

A current in which electrons move back and forth in a cirucuit.

An electrical device that changes the size of the potential difference of an alternating current.

A safety device that is placed in series with other circuits that lead to apliannces and outlets.

A safety device that is found in older buildings and some appliances; like a circuit breaker, it is placed in series with others circuits that lead to aplliances and outlets.

The rate at which an appliance uses electrical energy.

A unit of electrical power; 1kW=1000W

A practical unit of electrical power; 1kW=1000W

The energy that is used by an appiance at a given setting; it is determined by multiplying its power rating by the lentgh of time it is used. 

The practical unit of electrical energy. 

A label that gives detail about how much energy an appliance uses in one year of normal use. 

A meter tha records the total eletical energy used hour by hour and sends this information to the utility company automatically. 

A system of pricing in which the cost of each kW×h of energy used is different at different times of the day.

The electricty that is consumed by an aplliance or device when it is turned off.

The ratio of useful energy output to total energy input, expressed as a percentage.

The continuous minimum demand for electricity. Met by hydroelectric power and nuclear power.

The production of electricity using a source of moving water.

A demand for electrical energy that is greater than the base load and is met by burning voals and natural gas.

The greatest demand for electricity, which is met by using hydroelectric power an natural gas.

A source of energy that can be replaced in a relatively brief period of time. For example, hydroelectricity. 

A source of energy that cannot be replaced as quickly as it is used. For example the burning of fossil fuels.

Energy that is directly converted from the energy of the Sun into electricity.

The generation of direct current when certian materials are exposed to light.

Energy produced by the conversion of biomass directly to heat or to a liquid or gas that can be converted to energy.