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.