Geomagnetism - Key terms



CONSERVATION:

In physics and other sciences, "to conserve" something means "to result in no net loss of" that particular component. It is possible that within a given system the component may change form or position, but as long as the net value of the component remains the same, it has been conserved.

DIPOLE:

A pair of equal and opposite electric charges, or an entire body having the characteristics of a dipole—for instance, a magnet with north and south poles.

ELECTROMAGNETIC ENERGY:

A form of energy with electric and magnetic components that travels in waves.

ELECTROMAGNETIC FORCE:

The total force on an electrically charged particle, which is a combination of forces due to electric and magnetic fields around the particle. Electromagnetic force reflects electromagnetic interaction, one of the four fundamental interactions in nature.

ELECTRON:

A negatively charged particle in an atom, which spins around the nucleus.

ELEMENT:

A substance made up of only one kind of atom. Unlike compounds, elements cannot be broken chemically into other substances.

FIELD:

A region of space in which it is possible to define the physical properties of each point in the region at any given moment in time.

FUNDAMENTAL INTERACTION:

The basic mode by which particles interact. There are four known fundamental interactions in nature: gravitational, electromagnetic, strong nuclear, and weaknuclear.

GEOMAGNETISM:

A term referring to the magnetic properties of Earth as a wholerather than those possessed by a single object or place on Earth.

MAGNETIC DECLINATION:

The angle between magnetic north and geographic north.

MAGNETOSPHERE:

An area surrounding Earth, reaching far beyond the atmosphere, in which ionized particles(i.e., ones that have lost or gained electrons so as to acquire a net electric charge) are affected by Earth's magnetic field.

PALEOMAGNETISM:

An area of historical geology devoted to studying the direction and intensity of magnetic fields in the past, as discerned from the residual magnetization of rocks.

POTENTIAL:

Position in a field, such as a gravitational force field.

SOLAR WIND:

A stream of particles continually emanating from the Sun and moving outward through the solar system.

SYSTEM:

Any set of interactions that can be set apart mentally from the rest of the universe for the purposes of study, observation, and measurement.

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