Key terms & definitions

A vertical section through soil showing its layers and their characteristics.

The arrangement of soil particles and the spaces between them, which affects drainage, aeration and root growth.

The Protestant principle that justification, being made right with God, is received through faith alone rather than earned through human merit.

A device that transfers energy from sunlight directly to electricity.

A device that uses light to generate electricity, also called a photovoltaic cell.

The amount of energy emitted by the Sun.

Electricity generated by solar panels converting energy from sunlight.

The Sun and the natural bodies associated with it, including eight planets, natural satellites, dwarf planets, asteroids and comets.

The Protestant principle that the Bible is the ultimate authority for Christian belief and practice.

A low-melting alloy used to join metal parts, traditionally made from lead and tin.

An unintended connection made by solder between points that should remain electrically separate.

A process that melts a filler metal called solder to join metal surfaces, providing an electrical connection and mechanical attachment.

A mixture of powdered solder and flux applied to PCB contact pads before components are placed and the board is heated.

A coil of wire that produces a magnetic field when a current flows through it.

A wire wound into a coil with many turns, which produces a magnetic field when it carries a current.

An electromagnetic output device that produces linear movement.

A business owned by one person, who controls it and keeps its profits.

A trained legal professional who advises clients, prepares legal documents and cases, and can represent clients in court.

A state of matter in which particles are closely packed in a regular arrangement and vibrate about fixed positions.

A state of matter with a fixed shape and volume; its particles are close together and vibrate about fixed positions.

A three-dimensional shape that occupies space.

An independent Polish trade union led by Lech Wałęsa that used strikes and organised opposition to challenge communist rule.

Support for other people, especially through sharing responsibility for their struggle or cause.

Standing alongside others and accepting responsibility for their wellbeing, particularly people living in poverty.

Mutual support and a sense of shared interests or belonging between people.

A secondary storage device that uses solid-state technology to retain data in electrical circuits.

A type of secondary storage that uses electrical circuits and non-volatile memory to store data, with no moving parts.

Wood cut from a tree and used as a solid piece, rather than broken down and reconstructed into a board.

Stiff board with smooth, white surfaces on both sides, used for greeting cards, packaging and advertising.

A speech delivered by a character alone on stage, allowing the audience to hear thoughts concealed from other characters.