MYP Integrated Sciences Energy Key Definitions

Air resistance is the frictional force acting on objects moving through air.

A small molecule that stores and releases energy for cell processes.

Living material that contains stored chemical energy.

A chemical process that releases energy from glucose.

Energy stored inside the bonds of molecules such as glucose. Organisms release this energy during respiration.

Double-membrane-bound organelles found in plant cells and algae containing chlorophyll, which are the site of photosynthesis.

A method of storing energy by using surplus electricity to compress air into a cavern or vessel, then releasing it later to drive a turbine and generate electricity.

Energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be converted from one form to another.

An organism that obtains energy by eating other organisms.

The breakdown of large food molecules into smaller, absorbable molecules.

Efficiency is the proportion of input energy transferred into useful output energy.

Matching energy gained from food with energy the body uses.

A source from which energy can be obtained for human use (for example, coal, sunlight, moving water, uranium).

A nutrient the body cannot produce and must obtain through the diet.

Fossil fuels are ancient energy sources formed over millions of years from the remains of plants and animals exposed to heat and pressure beneath Earth's surface

Gravitational potential energy is the energy stored due to the position of an object in a gravitational field.

A greenhouse gas is a gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation

The control of internal conditions to keep them within safe limits.

Kinetic energy is the energy an object possesses due to its motion.

An energy resource that will run out on a human timescale (roughly within 500 to 1,000 years) because it is not replaced fast enough.

Nuclear fission is the splitting of atomic nuclei to release energy.

A substance in food that provides energy or materials for life processes.

The extra oxygen needed after exercise to break down lactic acid.

A chemical process where light energy is used to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.