2.3.8

Vacuums

Test yourself

Vacuums

A vacuum is described as a space totally devoid of matter.

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What is a Vacuum?

  • Vacuums contain no particles and are totally devoid of any matter.
  • It is from the Latin word vacuus meaning void.
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Making a vacuum

  • Vacuums can be created in the lab by using a vacuum pump which sucks out air from a container like a vacuum cleaner (hoover) sucks up dirt from a floor.
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Pressure in a vacuum

  • Vacuums have very low pressures measured in pascals.
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Waves and vacuums

  • Electromagnetic waves can travel in vacuums as they do not need particles to move.
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Examples of vacuums

  • Space is an example as a vacuum.
  • In the lab if you put a marshmallow in a jar and attach it to a vacuum pump and turn it on the marshmallow will expand.

Jump to other topics

1Biology

1.1Cells, Tissues & Organs

1.2Reproduction & Variation

1.3Ecological Relationships & Classification

1.4Digestion & Nutrition

1.5Plants & Photosynthesis

1.6Biological Systems & Processes

2Chemistry

2.1Particles

2.2Chemical Reactions

2.3Atoms, Elements, Compounds

2.4The Periodic Table

2.5Materials & the Earth

2.6Reactivity

2.7Energetics

2.8Properties of Materials

3Physics

3.1Energy

3.2Forces & Motion

3.3Waves

3.4Electricity & Magnetism

3.5Matter

3.6Space Physics

4Thinking Scientifically

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