Glossary
The glossary draws on the NSW syllabus glossaries, the glossaries developed by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, and the Macquarie Dictionary.
Aboriginal Peoples are the first peoples of Australia and are represented by more than 250 language groups, each associated with a particular Country or territory. Torres Strait Islander Peoples are represented by 5 major island groups, and are associated with island territories to the north of Australia’s Cape York which were annexed by Queensland in 1879.
An Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person is someone who:
- is of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent
- identifies as an Aboriginal person and/or Torres Strait Islander person, and
- is accepted as such by the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community(ies) in which they live.
A recognised dialect of English which is the first, or home language, of many Aboriginal people. It differs from other dialects of English, such as Standard Australian English, in systematic ways including sounds, grammar, words and their meanings, and language use. Aboriginal English is a powerful vehicle for the expression of Aboriginal identity. Aboriginal English is not a target language study option for NSW Aboriginal Languages syllabuses.
Texts that describe landscapes and directions of the tracks forged in lands, waters and skies by Creator Spirits during the Dreaming.
The extent to which a system, environment or object may be used irrespective of a user’s capabilities or abilities. For example, the use of assistive technologies (AT) to allow people with disability to use computer systems, or the use of icons in place of words to allow young children to use a system.
The extent to which measurements are considered to be close to the true value.
Radioactive disintegration in which positively charged particles composed of 2 protons and 2 neutrons (and therefore equivalent to the nucleus of a helium atom) are emitted.
A point in a standing wave where the amplitude of oscillation is at its maximum, which occurs halfway between 2 nodes.
A vector that is perpendicular to a surface and whose magnitude equals the area of that surface. It’s used to calculate electric flux or magnetic flux through a surface.
A device or system whose primary purpose is to maintain or improve an individual's functioning and independence to facilitate participation and enhance overall wellbeing. This includes technologies specifically designed to meet an individual's needs, eg eye gaze technology, as well as more general technologies that can be used by anyone, eg speech-to-text applications. Assistive technology can also be referred to as inclusive technology.
The force that pulls opposite electric charges toward each other.
An umbrella term that encompasses the communication methods used to supplement or replace speech or writing. AAC can be unaided, such as gestures, body language and sign language, or aided such as pictures, symbols, objects or speech generating devices.
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The voltage that is induced in a motor's coil when the motor is running. It opposes the applied voltage and is a direct consequence of the Law of Electromagnetic Induction.
A type of subatomic particle made up of 3 quarks and are part of the hadron family – particles that experience the strong nuclear force.
A radioactive transformation in which high-energy, high-speed electrons are emitted.
A type of radioactive decay in which a neutron inside an unstable atomic nucleus transforms into a proton and, in the process, emits a beta particle (which is an electron) and an electron antineutrino.
A type of radioactive decay where a proton in an unstable nucleus is transformed into a neutron and emits a positron and an electron neutrino.
The energy required to split a nucleus of an atom into its individual protons and neutrons.
An object that absorbs all incident electromagnetic radiation, regardless of wavelength or angle, and emits radiation with a characteristic spectrum that depends only on its temperature, not its material or surface.
A phenomenon where light from a distant object in the universe shifts to shorter (bluer) wavelengths, indicating it is moving toward the observer.
A type of fundamental particle that carries forces in nature.
A stream of electrons observed in vacuum tubes which are emitted from the cathode (the negatively charged electrode) and travel toward the anode (the positively charged electrode).
The acceleration directed toward the centre of a circular path that keeps an object moving in a uniform circular motion.
The net force that acts toward the centre of a circular path, causing an object to move in uniform circular motion.
The ways people communicate and the communicative behaviours they use. Communication forms can be non-symbolic and/or symbolic. Non-symbolic forms include sounds, gestures, facial expressions and eye movements. Symbolic forms can be aided or non-aided. Aided forms of symbolic communication include objects, symbols, photographs and drawings. Aided forms can be digital. Non-aided forms of symbolic communication include formal gestures; speech; and signs, such as Key Word Sign.
Forces where work done on an object depends only on initial and final positions, not the path taken.
Occurs when 2 or more waves combine in phase, causing their amplitudes to add together to produce a wave with a larger amplitude than the original waves.
A variable that is kept constant (or changed in constant ways) during an investigation. For example, the same amount of water would be a controlled variable in an investigation comparing solubility.
The flow of positive charge from the positive terminal to the negative terminal of a power source in a circuit.
The protection provided to the creators of original works and makers of sound recordings and films, that offers a legal framework for the control and reproduction or transmission of their literary, dramatic, artistic or musical works.
Country is used to describe a specific area of a nation or clan including physical, linguistic and spiritual features. Aboriginal communities’ cultural associations with their Country may include or relate to languages, cultural practices, knowledge, songs, stories, art, paths, landforms, flora, fauna and minerals. These cultural associations may include custodial relationships with particular landscapes such as land, sea, sky, rivers as well as the intangible places associated with the Dreaming(s). Custodial relationships are extremely important in determining who may have the capacity to authentically speak for their Country.
Place is a space mapped out by physical or intangible boundaries that individuals or groups of Torres Strait Islander Peoples occupy and regard as their own. It is a space with varying degrees of spirituality.
The customs, habits, beliefs/spirituality, social organisation and ways of life that characterise different groups and communities. Cultural characteristics give a group or individual a sense of who they are and help them make sense of the world in which they live. Culture is a shared system but inherently diverse – there can be individual and group differences within cultures. Everyone has culture – it is a lens through which we see the world.
In Aboriginal communities, an individual charged with maintaining and passing on particular elements of cultural significance, eg language, stories, songs, rituals and imagery.
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When referring to deaf people who belong to a linguistic and cultural minority known as the Deaf community, the 'D' may be capitalised in reference to the individual, the group, or the culture in order to accord respect and deference, for example, the Deaf community. When referring simply to audiological status or when cultural affiliation is not known, as in the case of a person with a hearing loss in general, the lowercase 'd', as in 'deaf' is the more common usage.
A cultural identity for people with hearing loss who share a common culture and who usually have a shared sign language.
Represents the probability per unit time in which a given nucleus will decay.
The factor in an experiment that changes in response to changes to the independent variable.
Occurs when the crests and troughs of 2 interfering waves of equal frequency and opposite phase meet, and their amplitudes cancel out.
The bending and spreading of waves when they encounter an obstacle or pass through a narrow opening.
An umbrella term for any or all of the following components:
- impairments: challenges in body function or structure
- activity limitations: difficulties in executing activities
- participation restrictions: challenges an individual may experience in involvement in life situations. (World Health Organization)
Differences that exist within a group, for example, age, sex, gender, gender expression, sexuality, ethnicity, ability/disability, body shape and composition, culture, religion/spirituality, learning differences, socioeconomic background, values and experiences.
The Dreaming has different meanings for different Aboriginal groups. The Dreaming can be seen as the embodiment of Aboriginal creation which gives meaning to everything; the essence of Aboriginal beliefs about creation and spiritual and physical existence. It establishes the rules governing relationships between the people, the land and all things for Aboriginal Peoples. The Dreaming is linked to the past, the present and the future. Where appropriate, refer to Aboriginal names for the Dreaming.
A type of collision where both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved.
The custodians of knowledge and lore. They are chosen and accepted by their own communities as people who have the permission to disclose cultural knowledge and beliefs. Recognised Elders are highly respected people within Aboriginal communities. Proper consultation with local Aboriginal communities will often direct schools to recognised Elders.
A closed path through which electric current flows. It typically consists of a power source, conductive wires, and electrical components.
A measure of how much resistance is encountered when forming an electric field in a medium.
The energy in charged objects as a result of their position in an electric field.
The production of an electromotive force (emf) across an electrical conductor in a changing magnetic field.
The complete range of electromagnetic waves arranged by frequency or wavelength, spanning from low-frequency radio waves to high-frequency gamma rays.
The energy supplied per unit charge by an energy source such as an electric generator or a battery.
Refers to a region in an electric or gravitational field where the potential is the same at every point, meaning that no work is done when moving a charge or mass along an equipotential.
The sample in an experiment to which all the other samples are compared.
Extended in Science 11–12: The sample in an experiment that does not receive the independent variable.
The first language(s) that a person learns to speak.
A push or pull between objects, which may cause one or both objects to change speed, and/or direction of their motion, and/or their shape.
The observed change in the frequency of a wave when there is relative motion between the source and the observer.
The resistance to motion that occurs when 2 surfaces rub against each other.
A process in which 2 or more atomic nuclei combine to form a single, heavier nucleus, releasing a large amount of energy in the process.
A geosynchronous orbit of a satellite where a satellite orbits directly above the equator in the same direction as Earth’s rotation and has an orbital period equal to Earth’s period of rotation.
The energy possessed by a mass due to its position in a gravitational field.
The time it takes for half of the radioactive nuclei in a sample to decay.
A source that poses a potential risk of harm or injury.
The variable that is deliberately changed, often through a series of pre-set values.
An internationally recognised term for the first peoples of a land. In NSW the term Aboriginal person/Peoples is preferred.
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Includes, but is not limited to, objects, sites, cultural knowledge, cultural expression and the arts, that have been transmitted or continue to be transmitted through generations as belonging to a particular Indigenous group or Indigenous people as a whole or their territory.
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A type of collision where momentum is conserved but kinetic energy is not, as some of the kinetic energy is converted into other forms of energy.
A viewpoint in which Newton’s First Law (the law of inertia) holds true.
Non-material assets such as forms of cultural expression that belong to a particular individual or community. Intellectual property rights refer to the rights that the law grants to individuals for the protection of creative, intellectual, scientific and industrial activity, such as inventions.
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A physical quantity, like light, sound, or gravity, that diminishes in intensity in proportion to the square of the distance from its source, so doubling the distance reduces the intensity to one-fourth.
A communication strategy that incorporates signing with speech. It is used to support language development for people with communication difficulties. Although Key Word Sign uses a simplified form of manual signing, it is different to Auslan, as it is not a signed language.
A key aspect of Aboriginal cultures and values. It includes the importance of all relationships and of being related to and belonging to the land.
An Aboriginal community identified with a common language, both verbal and nonverbal, and with a particular territory. Used in preference to the term ‘tribe’.
The process and range of strategies for increasing knowledge and use of a language that is no longer spoken fluently across all generations in the context of language loss or language dispossession caused by colonisation. Aboriginal Languages and Torres Strait Islander Languages are being revived through community initiatives, linguistic research and school programs. ‘Language revival’ may be used as an overarching term that could also include ‘reclamation’, ‘revitalisation’, ‘renewal’ and ‘reawakening’.
A relativistic phenomenon where an object moving at a high velocity appears shorter along the direction of motion to a stationary observer.
A type of fundamental particle that does not experience the strong nuclear force.
A local Aboriginal community is constituted by those people who are Aboriginal and who reside in the near locality. Aboriginal communities will have a rich and diverse history that has been seriously affected by dispossession and relations, which sees families with spiritual connection to Country residing beside those who have been forced to move from other locations. The notion of locality is complex and multilayered: schools should seek advice from a range of people and/or organisations representing local interests.
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A type of wave in which the disturbance or oscillation of the medium occurs in the same direction as the direction of propagation of the wave.
A measure of how readily a material can support the formation of a magnetic field within itself when exposed to an external magnetic field.
The difference between the total mass of the individual nucleons in a nucleus and the actual mass of the nucleus itself.
The theory that mass and energy can be converted into each other, represented by the equation , where a body’s mass can transform into energy and vice versa, with representing the speed of light in a vacuum.
The sum of values in a dataset divided by the total number of values in the dataset. Also called the average.
Is the energy of an object due to its kinetic energy and potential energy.
A type of wave that requires a medium, such as air, water, or a solid material, to travel through.
A mathematical, conceptual or physical representation that describes, simplifies, clarifies or provides an explanation of the structure, workings or relationships within an object, system or idea. Models can provide a means of testing and predicting behaviour within limited conditions. Models may be physical or exist in digital form.
Light that consists of a single wavelength or frequency – meaning it is pure light of one colour of one specific energy.
Part of the lepton group which are a type of fundamental particle.
A point along a standing wave in a vibrating medium where the amplitude is always zero meaning no movement occurs at that position.
Forces that dissipate mechanical energy from a system, usually by converting it into other forms like heat, sound or deformation; the work done by non-conservative forces depends on the path taken.
A viewpoint that is accelerating relative to an inertial frame and to which Newton’s laws of motion do not apply directly.
The process by which new atomic nuclei are formed from pre-existing protons and neutrons.
Taking place away from Aboriginal land or Country of origin.
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Taking place on Aboriginal land or Country of origin.
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The velocity at which a satellite must travel to maintain a particular orbit at a given altitude under the influence of gravity alone.
A data value that appears to stand out from the other members of the dataset by being unusually high or low.
Each Aboriginal Language is recognised as belonging to a particular geographical area and thus to the people who can claim a connection to that area. Aboriginal community members acquire ownership of their language(s) at birth. Language proficiency is not essential for ownership.
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A pattern is made up of a number of elements that repeat or follow a rule.
The absolute error of a measurement expressed as a percentage of the recorded measurement.
The process in which a photon ejects an electron from an atom so that all the energy of the photon is absorbed in separating the electron and imparting kinetic energy to it.
An electron that is ejected from a material, usually a metal, when it absorbs energy from incident light (photons) as a result of the photoelectric effect.
A massless, chargeless particle that represents a quantum with its energy being proportional to the frequency of the radiation.
The energy that an object possesses due to its position in a force field or that is stored in a system by virtue of the configuration and interaction between bodies in that system, e.g. elastic potential energy.
The extent to which repeated measurements of the same item are close to each other.
A statement or estimate about what will happen in the future, often based on available evidence, past experiences, or statistical analysis.
The appropriate ways of behaving, communicating and showing respect for diversity of history and culture. This involves appreciation of the knowledge, standing and status of people within the local Aboriginal community and the school community. Protocols inevitably vary between communities, and between people within a community. In establishing a partnership between schools and Aboriginal communities, it is especially important that protocols are acknowledged and respected.
To use descriptive explanations involving features, characteristics or properties to identify important components. Data and information that is not numerical in nature.
The concept that energy in a physical system can only exist in discrete, fixed amounts, rather than any arbitrary value.
Data or components that can be expressed or measured numerically, including chemical formulae or numbers.
A fundamental subatomic particle that experiences all 4 fundamental forces (including the strong nuclear force) and combines to form hadrons.
The spontaneous emission of particles or energy from the unstable nucleus of certain atoms as they decay into more stable forms.
The difference between the highest and lowest values in a dataset.
Regions in a longitudinal wave where the particles of the medium are spread apart, resulting in decreased density and pressure compared to the surrounding areas.
A phenomenon where light from a distant object in the universe shifts to longer (redder) wavelengths, indicating it is moving away from the observer.
The changed direction of a wave when it bounces off a surface.
The changed direction (bending) of a wave when it passes through one transparent substance into another.
The momentum of an object moving close to the speed of light, where classical momentum formulas no longer apply: momentum increases more rapidly than classical momentum as an object’s speed approaches c.
An extent to which repeated observations and/or measurements taken under identical circumstances will yield similar results.
The force that pushes 2 like electric charges away from each other.
A term used commonly in NSW Aboriginal communities to refer to the way an individual treats others. Showing respect occurs in many ways, such as waiting to speak, listening and demonstrating understanding, not asking too many direct questions, ensuring that people are not made to feel uncomfortable or uneasy, and generally showing regard for others’ ideas, beliefs and culture.
A scientific process of answering a question, exploring an idea or solving a problem, which requires activities such as planning a course of action, collecting data, interpreting data, reaching a conclusion and communicating these activities. Investigations can include practical and/or secondary-source data or information.
Hand signs (or hand talk) used to supplement or replace oral language. Signs form part of nonverbal communication for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and may be used by people who are hearing, or d/Deaf or hard of hearing. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sign Languages may be used in some areas. Some Sign Languages may be associated with sacred ceremonial practices.
The use of words, graphic designs and/or symbols used to communicate a message, eg information signs, plaques, warning signs, road signs, signs that show direction.
The concept that 2 events that occur at the same for one observer may not appear to do so for another observer, depending on their relative motion.
A measure of the variability or spread of a dataset. It gives an indication of the degree to which the individual data values are spread around their mean.
Extended in Mathematics Standard and Advanced: For a random variable, the standard deviation is the square root of its variance.
It provides a measure of the spread of the probability density function.
A wave in which the nodes appear to remain stationary, while the antinodes oscillate with maximum amplitude.
Two or more waves meet at a point, the total displacement of which is equal to the algebraic sum of the displacements of the individual waves.
A type of assistive technology that enables people with cognitive and/or physical disability to access a range of devices, including computers and communication devices. Switches can be activated by touch, or triggered without contact, such as through eye gaze, sound or blowing.
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The release of electrons from the surface of a heated metal.
The relativistic effect where time passes at different rates for observers in relative motion.
The tendency of a force to cause rotation about a point or axis.
The rate at which an astronomical object changes position in space.
The process by which one chemical element or isotope is converted into another when the number of protons in a nucleus changes.
A wave motion in which all points of the wave oscillate along paths perpendicular to the direction of the wave's movement. Examples include surface ripples on water, seismic S (secondary) waves, and electromagnetic waves like radio and light.
A general direction or pattern in data or observations that shows how something changes over time or under different conditions.
The movement of an object along a circular path at a constant speed, with its direction continuously changing and causing a centripetal acceleration directed toward the circle's centre.
The extent to which the processes and resultant data measure what was intended.
One of the 4 fundamental forces of nature responsible for processes that change one type of particle into another, particularly within the nuclei of atoms.
The transfer of energy that occurs when an external force is applied to an object, causing it to move in the direction of the force.
The minimum energy required to liberate an electron from the surface of a material (typically a metal) into a vacuum.
Yarning circles are an important cultural practice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to learn within the collective group. Knowledge and information are shared in harmony and respect with all individuals.