Absolute Value How far away a given number is from zero. Example: Both 10 and -10 are 10 units away from 0.
Absorption When a material takes in light instead of reflecting it. In color sensors, absorption helps determine what color something is by measuring how much light is absorbed by different colors. For example, if a sensor shines light on an object and the object absorbs a lot of red light, the sensor can tell that the object is red.
Acceleration Measurement of the change in velocity or how much an object speeds up over time (MB / BB)
Alarm A device that warns or signals, as by a bell, buzzer or whistle .
Algorithm A step-by-step set of operations performed to help solve a problem.
Alligator Clip A small metal clip shaped like an alligator's mouth that connects to one end of a wire. It is used to make temporary electrical connections by clipping onto different components or wires.
Animation Rapidly displaying a sequence of photos, images, or drawings to create the illusion of motion. (CAT)
Array A programming method for storing and retrieving more than one piece of information or data.
Autonomous vehicle A vehicle that can operate without direct human control, usually through a built-in autopilot system.
Battery A device that stores chemical energy and converts it into electrical energy to power electronic devices.
Binary A number system based only on the numerals 0 and 1; a base 2 numeral system. Composed of, relating to, or involving two; dual.
Bionics When we use biological systems (e.g., dogs, humans) to develop and design new robots.
Biotechnology A field that focuses on creating technologies to help sick or hurt people. (P)
Bit The smallest unit of data that a computer can process and store. A single digit of a binary number. It is either on (1) or off (0).
Blueprint A detailed plan or a map for building something.
Boolean A type of data or expression with two possible values: true and false.
Brainstorm Brainstorming is coming up with different ways to solve a problem or design a new project by sharing ideas and exploring different options before settling on the best one.
Breadboard A plastic board with many holes electrically connected by inner metal strips. Components and wires can be electrically connected by plugging them into the holes on the breadboard.
Bug An error in a software program that may cause it to unexpectedly quit or behave unintendedly (i.e., a problem to resolve).
Button A basic electronic component used to momentarily close (connect) a circuit.
Capacitance An object's ability to hold an electric charge.
Capacitor An electric component that can store or release energy for electronic devices when they need it. It is similar to a battery but cannot hold as much charge as a battery, and it releases its charge much faster than a battery can.
Celsius A scale used to measure temperature, where water freezes at 0 degrees and boils at 100 degrees. It’s commonly used around the world to describe how hot or cold something is.
Circuit A conductive path for the flow of current or electricity.
Climate The average weather conditions in a place over a long period of time, usually 30 years or more. It includes patterns of temperature, precipitation, and other weather factors.
Code Any set of instructions expressed in a programming language. Also, one component of a programming language that has a specific purpose.
Color Depth The number of different colors that can be displayed by each pixel in a computer graphic, usually measured in bits (e.g., 8-bit means 256 different colors because binary 11111111 is 255, and when you include 0, it is 256 different values ). (CAT)
Condensation The process where water vapor in the air cools down and changes back into liquid water. This happens when warm, moist air touches a cooler surface, like when you see water droplets on the outside of a cold drink or on windows during a chilly day. It’s an important part of the water cycle and helps form clouds and precipitation.
Conditional A part of a computer program where the computer makes a decision based on whether something (a condition) is true or false.
Conditional Statement A coding instruction used to compare values and express and make decisions, like an if-then statement.
Console Personal computers built for gaming (e.g., PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch).
Constraint A constraint is a limit or restriction that you have to work within when designing or building something. These constraints help guide your design and make sure it works properly within the set limits.
Current The measure of the flow of electricity. Specifically, how many electrons pass through a point in a conductor or wire in a given amount of time. Current is measured in units called Amperes, or Amps for short.
Data Values, such as numbers or text, that can be stored, retrieved, changed, or deleted.
Debug Finding and correcting errors (bugs) in programs.
Deconstruct To take something apart to understand how it works or to see how it’s built.
Design Drawing a detailed plan to make sure everything fits together and works correctly before you start building it. In computer science, design means planning and creating how a circuit or device will look and work. It involves figuring out where to place components, how they will connect, and how the device will perform its tasks.
Distance How far an object has traveled from one point to another. It’s the total length of the path taken, no matter the direction.
Doppler Effect When the sound or light changes as something moves closer or farther away from you. For example, when an ambulance with a siren drives past, the sound starts high and gets lower as it moves away. In electronics, this effect helps sensors detect how fast something is moving by measuring these changes.
Echolocation The ability to use sound to determine how far away an object is (instead of sight). By making a clicking sound, a sensor (or an animal like a bat or dolphin) listens for how long it takes for the original sound to bounce back (an echo). The longer it takes for the sound to bounce back, the further away the object is. This all happens in less than 1/100th of a second.
Efficiency The percent of work put into a machine by the user (input work) that becomes work done.
El Nino A weather pattern that happens when the ocean water in the Pacific Ocean gets warmer than usual. This can change the weather around the world, making it rain more in some places and cause droughts in others.
Electrical Current Electrical current is the flow of electric charge through a circuit.
Electromagnetism The interaction between electricity and magnetism. It’s the principle that electric currents create magnetic fields, and magnets can affect electric currents.
Empathy Understanding and caring about how other people feel or what they are going through. In a STEM occupation, empathy could involve considering how your design or project might impact others and making choices that improve their experience or address their needs.
Encryption Encoding messages to keep them secret so only the people you want can read them.
End-to-end Encryption A technology that allows only the sender and receiver to read the message.
Energy The ability to do work or cause change. In the science of temperature, energy refers to heat or thermal energy, which moves through materials or substances. For example, when you heat something up, you're adding energy to increase its temperature, causing it to become warmer.
Engineer Someone who designs, builds, or fixes things to solve problems.
Engineering Design Process A step-by-step way to solve problems and create new things. It includes figuring out what the problem is, brainstorming ideas, planning and designing a solution, building and testing it, and then making improvements.
Environment The natural world around us, including the air, water, land, plants, and animals.
Evaporation When water turns into vapor and goes up into the air. It happens when the sun heats up water in places like lakes or puddles, making it change from a liquid to a gas.
Event Something that can trigger the computer to perform an action, like button presses, switch turned on/off, mouse clicks, key presses.
Expression A word, phrase, or symbol that represents a value.
Fahrenheit A temperature scale where water freezes at 32 degrees and boils at 212 degrees. It’s used mainly in the United States to measure temperature. For example, a warm day might be around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, while a very cold day might be below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
Feedback The information or opinions you get about how well something is working or how it can be improved.
Feedback Sensors Instruments that robots can use to make adjustments based on their readings.
Fever A high temperature from the body responding to something wrong (e.g., infection). (P)
Firewall Software program or hardware to screen for and block hackers, viruses, and worms.
Force A push or pull on an object, measured in pounds (imperial) or Newtons (metric). (MB / BB)
Fossil Fuels Sources of energy made from prehistoric plants and animals (coal, oil, natural gas). (CE)
Frequency How many waves pass a point in one second. It’s like counting how many peaks of a wave move by in a specific amount of time. Higher frequency means more waves are passing by each second, which can make the waves carry more information, while lower frequency means fewer waves are passing by each second.
Game Design The process of planning and creating a video game, including its rules, characters, levels, and how it looks and plays.
GPIO (General Purpose Input Output) Pins Pins on a microcomputer or microcontroller that can be programmed to send or receive electrical signals. They can be connected to almost anything (such as buttons and LEDs).
Graphic User Interface (GUI) A way to display information on the computer screen where the user can use a mouse or touchscreen to click various buttons. (CAT)
Ground Pin A ground pin is a connection point in an electronic circuit that provides a common return path for electrical current. It helps complete the circuit by allowing excess electricity to flow safely away, which helps prevent damage to the circuit and keep everything working correctly.
Hardware Hardware refers to the physical parts of a computer or electronic device that you can touch and see .
Identity Theft A crime where someone uses personally identifiable data to pretend to be someone else.
Input Device A hardware device that sends data to a computer, allowing interaction and control.
Intensity How bright or strong a color is. For example, a really bright blue has high intensity, while a light blue has low intensity.
Invent To create something new that hasn’t been made before. In STEM fields, it involves designing and building new devices or technology to solve problems or improve how things work.
Inventory A list of all the things you have in one place.
IR Beam IR (Infrared) is a form of invisible light used in electronics for communication and sensing. A beam of IR can be pulsed to transmit data wirelessly, like the remote for your TV, or motion sensors can use it to detect movement or obstacles.
Iterate Repeating a process to improve and reach a desired goal or result.
Jumper Wires Wires used to connect from the GPIO to the breadboard. Jumper wires can have different kinds of connections on their ends, such as plugs, sockets, or alligator clips.
Kinetic Energy Energy an object has due to its motion. It can be converted from potential energy. (MB / BB)
Leak An opening or crack that lets something pass out or in by accident.
LED (Light Emitting Diode) A diode is like a one-way valve that only allows electricity to flow in one direction. All diodes give off some light (visible or invisible) when electricity passes through them, but LEDs give off lots of visible light in specific wavelengths (colors).
List A sequence of several values grouped under a single name in code. A group of items or components. A tool used to store multiple pieces of information at once.
Loop A part of a computer program that repeats a chunk of code a specified number of times or while a condition is true.
Maker Someone who builds or creates things, often using tools, electronics, or crafts.
Manufacturing The process of making products in large quantities using machines, tools, and workers. It’s how products are built and prepared for people to use.
Medium The materials used to create a piece of artwork, such as paint, marble, clay, or pastels. (CAT)
Microcontroller An integrated circuit containing a microprocessor with memory and associated circuits.
Modding Making "modifications" to how a game sounds, plays, looks, or functions, usually by users.
Momentum Measurement of mass in motion equal to the mass times the velocity of an object. (MB / BB)
Motion The change in an object's position over time. It can be described by its speed, direction, and distance traveled.
Mouse A small device that you move with your hand to control the arrow or pointer on a computer screen.
Operators Symbols (+, -, ⨉, ÷, "and," "or," "not," &, |) used in a computer program to compare two or more values or to change a value.
Output Device A piece of hardware that converts information into a form humans can sense and understand.
Parallel Circuit A type of electrical circuit where the components are connected in separate branches, so the electrical current splits and flows through multiple paths. This means that if one path is broken or turned off, the other paths can still carry electricity, allowing the rest of the circuit to continue working.
Parallelism When things happen at the same time. Sometimes also called Threading or Multiprocessing.
Particles The tiny bits of matter that make up everything around us, like atoms and molecules. In science, particles are important because they help us understand how things behave, like how they move, interact, and change. For example, when you heat a substance, its particles move faster, which can change its temperature or state.
Pattern Something that repeats in a predictable way. In color sensors, a pattern is something like stripes or spots that the sensor looks for to recognize and understand what it's seeing. It helps the sensor tell different colors or shapes apart by noticing these repeating designs.
Phenomena Events or things that happen in the natural world that we can observe and study. In science, phenomena are the interesting or unusual occurrences we want to understand better, like how a rainbow forms or why certain plants grow in specific places.
Photoreceptors Special parts in your eyes or electronic devices that detect light. In your eyes, they help you see by turning light into signals that your brain understands. In electronics, photoreceptors measure light and can help devices like cameras or light sensors work better by reacting to changes in light.
Phototransistor Similar to a switch or button, but instead of pressing it, it closes the circuit when enough light shines on it.
Piezo Buzzer An electronic component that vibrates to create a sound when a voltage is applied to it.
Pixel A shortened form of "picture element," one of the many tiny dots that, when combined, represent a picture in a computer’s memory. (The number of pixels in an image is called its "resolution.") (CAT)
Playtesting Playing through new inventions or builds to find bugs, test their ease of use, and get new ideas to build on.
Polarity Polarity in electronics means the difference between the positive and negative sides of a battery or power source. It’s important to connect these sides correctly to make sure the device works properly.
Pollution Anything that dirties the Earth, such as litter, smoke from cars and factories, or water contamination. (CE)
Portfolio A collection of your work and projects that shows what you’ve done and what you can do.
Potential Energy Energy stored by an object due to its state or position; can be converted to kinetic energy. (MB / BB)
Power The current or flow of electric charge and voltage.
Prediction An educated guess about what might happen in the future based on what you know or have observed. In science, predictions are often made before conducting experiments to see if the results match what was expected.
Program An algorithmic set of instructions a computer processes to achieve a particular objective. Humans use computational thinking to create programs.
Programming The creative process humans use to develop programs or Apps. The craft of analyzing problems and designing, writing, testing, and maintaining programs for computers to solve them.
Prototype A model you build to test and improve your ideas before making the final version. It helps you see if your design works as expected and make changes if needed.
Pseudocode An informal description of a computer program's or other algorithm's operating principles, written for a human to understand instead of a computer.
Pulse The regular beating of the arteries caused by the heart’s beat. (P)
Python A text-based programming language used in many career fields like web development, artificial intelligence, data analysis, and game development.
Qualitative Data Information that describes qualities or characteristics, rather than using numbers. It includes details like colors, textures, and feelings. For example, if you're studying a plant, qualitative data might describe the plant's leaf shape or color, rather than measuring its height or weight.
Raspberry Pi A small, low-cost microcomputer. Together with the Raspberry Pi OS, a special operating system, it can do many things that a full-sized computer can do.
Recycling The process of taking used materials or products and turning them into new ones instead of throwing them away.
Reflection When light or sound bounces off a surface instead of being absorbed. In color sensors, reflection helps determine the color of an object by measuring how much light is bounced back. For example, if a sensor shines light on an object and sees a lot of blue light coming back, it can tell that the object is blue. The range finder sensor measures the time it takes for the sound waves to return, which helps it calculate the distance to the object.
Renewable Energy Energy sources from natural resources that can be more easily replenished (solar, water, nuclear). (CE)
Resistor An electrical component that limits the flow of electrical current in a circuit. It is often used in the circuit of a PED to prevent too much current from damaging the LED.
Resolution The number of pixels in an image.
RGB (Red-Green-Blue) LED An LED that contains a red, a green, and a blue LED all in the same component. The three internal LEDs combine their light to produce almost any color.
RGB Value The letters stand for Red, Green, and Blue, which are the three basic colors of light used in electronics to create a wide range of colors. By combining different amounts of red, green, and blue light, screens and lights can produce various colors you see on TVs, computer monitors, and LED displays.
Robot A device that can execute a task independently of direct human control or activity.
Screwdriver A tool that helps you turn screws, which are small metal pieces that hold things together like when you are building or fixing a toy.
Sensor A device that produces an output signal to sense a physical phenomenon.
Sequence The series of steps that must be completed to perform a task. Also called an algorithm.
Servo Motor Self-contained electric devices that precisely rotate or push machine parts.
Software A set of instructions or programs that tell a computer or electronic device what to do. Software controls the hardware and makes it possible to perform tasks, play games, or run applications.
Solar Panel A device that converts light energy into electricity. A solar panel is made of many small units called solar cells that work together to harness the sun's energy and convert it to usable electricity.
Speaker A device that converts electrical signals into sounds, allowing you to hear music, voices, or other audio.
Speed How fast something is moving. It tells you how much distance an object covers in a certain amount of time.
Spyware Software that installs itself on a device and secretly monitors activity.
State In electronics, a high or 'on' or 1 state indicates that a pin or component has electric current flowing, and a low or 'off' or 0 state indicates no current flowing. Also, the status or particular condition that something is in at a specific time - such as a button in a pressed state. In programming, a snapshot of the data a program is currently looking at or analyzing.
Statement Any combination of words, phrases, or symbols used together to perform a task.
Switch A basic electronic component that opens or closes an electrical circuit depending on its position or setting.
Teamwork When a group of people work together to reach a goal.
Temperature Measures how hot or cold something is. It tells us the level of heat in a substance or environment, and we use tools like thermometers to find out.
Transmittance How much light passes through a material. In color sensors, it measures how much light goes through an object or material without being absorbed or reflected.
Troubleshooting The process of figuring out what’s wrong with something and finding a solution to fix it.
Ultrasound Frequencies of sound higher than what a human can hear. Doctors can use them to look inside the body by bouncing sound waves off the kidneys, the heart, or other places a doctor needs to check out. (P)
Vampire Power Electricity leakage from devices that use power even when they're off.
Variable A word or symbol that represents a small piece of memory that holds a value (data). The data stored in the variable can be retrieved, changed, or deleted.
Variables A value that can change depending on conditions or information passed to the program. A storage location with a symbolic name used to keep track of a value that can change while a program is running (similar concept to using X and Y in an algebraic equation). Variables are not only numbers; they can also hold text, including whole sentences (strings) or logical values (true or false).
Velocity Another word for speed or the rate of change in an object’s position. (MB / BB)
Virtual Reality (VR) Computer technology that makes someone feel like they are elsewhere. It requires a player to wear a headset and use input devices to play games.
Virus A malicious software program loaded onto a user’s computer without the user’s knowledge. Viruses can mess up your computer and steal your information.
Voltage The measure of electrical force or pressure in a circuit. It represents the push that moves electrons through a conductor or wire. Voltage is measured in units called Volts.
Water Cycle How water moves around the Earth. It evaporates into the air, forms clouds, and then falls back as rain or snow. The water then flows back into rivers and lakes, and the cycle repeats.
Wavelength The distance between one peak of a wave and the next peak. It’s important because it affects how different types of waves, like radio waves, microwaves, or light waves, travel and how they interact with objects.
Wearable Technology Any electronic device worn on the user’s body. (P)
Work Transfer energy from one type of activity to another.