Definitions
The rule of thumb is to use the worded equation when applicable
Highlighted definitions are likely to be asked
Highlighted definitions are likely to be asked
Mechanics
Motion
Acceleration - The rate of change of velocity
Area - The size of a part of a materials surface
Average Speed - Measure of the total distance travelled in a unit time
Displacement - The distance travelled in a particular direction
Distance - Difference between to points in different positionsInstantaneous Speed - Speed at a certain instance
Kelvin - Measure of Temperature
Scalar - A quantity with only magnitude
Speed - The distance travelled per unit time
Vector - A quantity with magnitude and direction
Velocity - The displacement in a unit time
Weight - Gravitational force of an object
Area - The size of a part of a materials surface
Average Speed - Measure of the total distance travelled in a unit time
Displacement - The distance travelled in a particular direction
Distance - Difference between to points in different positionsInstantaneous Speed - Speed at a certain instance
Kelvin - Measure of Temperature
Scalar - A quantity with only magnitude
Speed - The distance travelled per unit time
Vector - A quantity with magnitude and direction
Velocity - The displacement in a unit time
Weight - Gravitational force of an object
Force in Action
Braking Distance - The distance a vehicle travels while decelerating to a stop
Centre of Gravity/Mass - The point at which the entire weight of an object is said to act
Couple - Two forces that are equal and opposite to each other but not in the same straight line - acting in the same rotational direction
Crumple Zone - An area of a vehicle designed to increase the distance over which the vehicle decelerates and so reduces the average force acting
Density - Mass per unit volume
Drag - Resistive force that acts on an object
Drag coefficient - Determines how much drag acts upon the object
Equilibrium - Where there is no net force
Force - a push or pull
Free fall - When an object is accelerating under the force of gravity
GPS - A system using trilateration of three satellites giving an exact location
Gravitational Force - Acceleration due to gravity (on Earth = 9.81)
Moment of a force - The turning effect due to a force multiplied by it's perpendicular distance from a given point
Newton - Unit of Force
Perpendicular - right angled to
Pressure - Force per unit area
Principle of Moments - For a body in rotational equilibrium the sum of the clockwise moments equal the sum of the anti-clockwise moments
Stopping Distance - The sum of the thinking and braking distance - total distance for a vehicle to stop from point of visual contact with a need to stop
Thinking Distance - The distance it takes before the brakes are applied after noticing a need to stop
Thrust - Force due to an engine
Torque - Turning effect due to a couple
Upthrust - A force acting against an objects direction of travel
Centre of Gravity/Mass - The point at which the entire weight of an object is said to act
Couple - Two forces that are equal and opposite to each other but not in the same straight line - acting in the same rotational direction
Crumple Zone - An area of a vehicle designed to increase the distance over which the vehicle decelerates and so reduces the average force acting
Density - Mass per unit volume
Drag - Resistive force that acts on an object
Drag coefficient - Determines how much drag acts upon the object
Equilibrium - Where there is no net force
Force - a push or pull
Free fall - When an object is accelerating under the force of gravity
GPS - A system using trilateration of three satellites giving an exact location
Gravitational Force - Acceleration due to gravity (on Earth = 9.81)
Moment of a force - The turning effect due to a force multiplied by it's perpendicular distance from a given point
Newton - Unit of Force
Perpendicular - right angled to
Pressure - Force per unit area
Principle of Moments - For a body in rotational equilibrium the sum of the clockwise moments equal the sum of the anti-clockwise moments
Stopping Distance - The sum of the thinking and braking distance - total distance for a vehicle to stop from point of visual contact with a need to stop
Thinking Distance - The distance it takes before the brakes are applied after noticing a need to stop
Thrust - Force due to an engine
Torque - Turning effect due to a couple
Upthrust - A force acting against an objects direction of travel
Work and Energy
Brittle - A material that distorts very little
Compressive Force - Two or more forces that has the effect of reducing the volume of an object
Conservation of Energy - Energy cannot be created or destroyed only transformed or conserved
Ductile - Materials that have a large plastic region
Efficiency - The percentage of useful energy output
Elastic Deformation - The object will return to its original shape
Elastic Limit - The point where elastic deformation becomes plastic deformation
Elastic Potential Energy - The energy stored in a stretched or compressed object
Energy - The ability to do work
Extension - The change in length of an object subject to tension
Force/Spring Constant - The constant of proportionality in Hooke's Law
Hooke's Law - The extension of an elastic body is proportional to the force that causes it
Intensity - The energy incident per square metre of a surface per second
Joule - Unit of energy - work done when a force of 1 N moves its point of application 1m in the direction of force
Plastic Deformation - The object will not return to its original shape
Polymeric - Material which sustains large stress loads
Power - The rate of doing work
Spring Constant - Force per unit extension
Strain - The extension per unit length
Stress - The force per unit cross-sectional area
Tensile Force - Two or more opposite forces acting on an object extending it
Tensile Stress - Tensile force per unit cross sectional area
Ultimate Tensile Strength/Stress - The maximum force/stress that can be applied to an object before it breaks
Young's Modulus - The ratio of stress and strain
Compressive Force - Two or more forces that has the effect of reducing the volume of an object
Conservation of Energy - Energy cannot be created or destroyed only transformed or conserved
Ductile - Materials that have a large plastic region
Efficiency - The percentage of useful energy output
Elastic Deformation - The object will return to its original shape
Elastic Limit - The point where elastic deformation becomes plastic deformation
Elastic Potential Energy - The energy stored in a stretched or compressed object
Energy - The ability to do work
Extension - The change in length of an object subject to tension
Force/Spring Constant - The constant of proportionality in Hooke's Law
Hooke's Law - The extension of an elastic body is proportional to the force that causes it
Intensity - The energy incident per square metre of a surface per second
Joule - Unit of energy - work done when a force of 1 N moves its point of application 1m in the direction of force
Plastic Deformation - The object will not return to its original shape
Polymeric - Material which sustains large stress loads
Power - The rate of doing work
Spring Constant - Force per unit extension
Strain - The extension per unit length
Stress - The force per unit cross-sectional area
Tensile Force - Two or more opposite forces acting on an object extending it
Tensile Stress - Tensile force per unit cross sectional area
Ultimate Tensile Strength/Stress - The maximum force/stress that can be applied to an object before it breaks
Young's Modulus - The ratio of stress and strain
Electrons, Waves and Photons
Electrical Current
Ampere - Measure of current
Charge - Amount of current over a unit time
Conventional Current - The assumption current flow is + to -
Coulomb - Measure of Charge
Current - Flow of charge in a unit time
Drift Velocity - The average velocity of an electron as it travels through a wire due to pd
Electrolyte - A fluid that contains ions that are free to move
Electron - Negatively charged sub-atomic atom
Electron Flow - Current moving from - to +
Kirchhoff's First Law - The sum of the currents entering a junction are equal to the sum of the currents exiting a junction - conservation of charge
Charge - Amount of current over a unit time
Conventional Current - The assumption current flow is + to -
Coulomb - Measure of Charge
Current - Flow of charge in a unit time
Drift Velocity - The average velocity of an electron as it travels through a wire due to pd
Electrolyte - A fluid that contains ions that are free to move
Electron - Negatively charged sub-atomic atom
Electron Flow - Current moving from - to +
Kirchhoff's First Law - The sum of the currents entering a junction are equal to the sum of the currents exiting a junction - conservation of charge
Resistance
Conductor - A material with a high conduction electron number density
Insulator - Opposite of conductor
Ohm - Unit of resistance
Ohm's Law - The electric current through a conductor is proportional to the potential difference across it provided it is under standard conditions
Resistance - Regulation of current through a material
Resistivity - The intrinsic properties of a metal (best defined with equation)
Semiconductor - A material that electrons move when put in a circuit leaving gaps for electrons to replace
Insulator - Opposite of conductor
Ohm - Unit of resistance
Ohm's Law - The electric current through a conductor is proportional to the potential difference across it provided it is under standard conditions
Resistance - Regulation of current through a material
Resistivity - The intrinsic properties of a metal (best defined with equation)
Semiconductor - A material that electrons move when put in a circuit leaving gaps for electrons to replace
DC Circuits
Ammeter - A device connected in series to measure current
Components - Parts of electrical circuit
Electromotive Force - Electrical Energy transferred per unit charge when chemical is turned into electrical energy
Electronvolt - Energy change of one electron when it moves through a pd of 1V
Fuse - Component designed to melt when overloaded with current
Internal Resistance - The resistance of a battery or cell
Kilowatt hour - Unit of energy to monitor energy usage in a household
Kirchhoff's Second Law - The sum of the emfs is equal to the sum of the pds through a closed group
Light Dependent Resistor - Component that increases its resistance when light intensity decreases
Light Emitting Diode - A component that allows current traveling in one direction through
Parallel Circuit - Where there are components on separate loops
Potential Difference - Electrical Energy transferred per unit charge when electrical energy is converted into other energy
Potential Divider - A circuit designed to divide up the pds in proportion to the resistance of the components
Power - The rate of doing work
Series Circuit - Where all the components are on the same loop
Volt - Unit of pd or emf
Voltmeter - Device connected parallel to measure the pd across a loop
Watt - Unit of Power
Components - Parts of electrical circuit
Electromotive Force - Electrical Energy transferred per unit charge when chemical is turned into electrical energy
Electronvolt - Energy change of one electron when it moves through a pd of 1V
Fuse - Component designed to melt when overloaded with current
Internal Resistance - The resistance of a battery or cell
Kilowatt hour - Unit of energy to monitor energy usage in a household
Kirchhoff's Second Law - The sum of the emfs is equal to the sum of the pds through a closed group
Light Dependent Resistor - Component that increases its resistance when light intensity decreases
Light Emitting Diode - A component that allows current traveling in one direction through
Parallel Circuit - Where there are components on separate loops
Potential Difference - Electrical Energy transferred per unit charge when electrical energy is converted into other energy
Potential Divider - A circuit designed to divide up the pds in proportion to the resistance of the components
Power - The rate of doing work
Series Circuit - Where all the components are on the same loop
Volt - Unit of pd or emf
Voltmeter - Device connected parallel to measure the pd across a loop
Watt - Unit of Power
Waves
Amplitude - Maximum displacement of a wave from rest position
Antinode - Point of maximum amplitude caused by constructive interference
Coherence - Two waves constatly in phase
Diffraction - Spreading of a wave round an obstacle
Electromagnetic Wave - A self-propagating transverse wave that doesn't require a medium to travel through
Frequency - Number of oscillations per unit time
Fundamental Frequency - The lowest frequency in a harmonic series where a stationary wave forms
Gamma Rays - Electromagnetic wave with wavelength between 10^(-16 to -9)
Harmonics - Whole number multiples of the fundamental frequency of a stationary wave
Infrared - A form of electromagnetic wave with wavelength between 10^(-6 to -3)
Interference - The addition of two or more waves resulting in a new wave pattern
Longitudinal Wave - A wave where oscillations are parallel to the direction of wave propagation
Malus' Law - The change in intensity of a transverse wave passing through a Polaroid Analyser
Microwaves - Electromagnetic wave with wavelength 10^(-4 to -1)
Monochromatic Light - Light waves with a single frequency or wavelength
Node - A point where there is always zero amplitude caused by destructive interference
Period - Time taken to complete one oscillation
Phase Difference - The difference between two waves traveling parallel to each other
Plane Polarised Wave - A transverse wave operating in one plane
Polarisation - Turning of an unpolarised wave into a polarised wave
Progressive Wave - A wave that travels from one point to another
Propagation - The way a wave travels
Radian - A measure of angle
Radiowave - Electromagnetic wave with wavelength 10^(-1 to 4)
Reflection - Rebound of waves off a surface
Refraction - Change in direction of waves into a different medium
Standing/Stationary Wave - A wave formed by the interference of two waves traveling in opposite directions
Superposition - When two or more waves of the same type exist in the same place the resultant wave will be found by adding the displacements of the individual waves
Transverse Wave - A wave where the oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation
Ultraviolet - Electromagnetic wave with wavelengths 10^(-9 to -8)
Wave - A series of vibrations that transfer from one point to another
Wavelength - Smallest distance between on point to it nearest adjacent identical point on the next wave
X-ray - Electromagnetic wave with wavelength 10^(-12 to -7)
Young's double Slit - Experiment to show wave nature of light via superposition and interference
Antinode - Point of maximum amplitude caused by constructive interference
Coherence - Two waves constatly in phase
Diffraction - Spreading of a wave round an obstacle
Electromagnetic Wave - A self-propagating transverse wave that doesn't require a medium to travel through
Frequency - Number of oscillations per unit time
Fundamental Frequency - The lowest frequency in a harmonic series where a stationary wave forms
Gamma Rays - Electromagnetic wave with wavelength between 10^(-16 to -9)
Harmonics - Whole number multiples of the fundamental frequency of a stationary wave
Infrared - A form of electromagnetic wave with wavelength between 10^(-6 to -3)
Interference - The addition of two or more waves resulting in a new wave pattern
Longitudinal Wave - A wave where oscillations are parallel to the direction of wave propagation
Malus' Law - The change in intensity of a transverse wave passing through a Polaroid Analyser
Microwaves - Electromagnetic wave with wavelength 10^(-4 to -1)
Monochromatic Light - Light waves with a single frequency or wavelength
Node - A point where there is always zero amplitude caused by destructive interference
Period - Time taken to complete one oscillation
Phase Difference - The difference between two waves traveling parallel to each other
Plane Polarised Wave - A transverse wave operating in one plane
Polarisation - Turning of an unpolarised wave into a polarised wave
Progressive Wave - A wave that travels from one point to another
Propagation - The way a wave travels
Radian - A measure of angle
Radiowave - Electromagnetic wave with wavelength 10^(-1 to 4)
Reflection - Rebound of waves off a surface
Refraction - Change in direction of waves into a different medium
Standing/Stationary Wave - A wave formed by the interference of two waves traveling in opposite directions
Superposition - When two or more waves of the same type exist in the same place the resultant wave will be found by adding the displacements of the individual waves
Transverse Wave - A wave where the oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation
Ultraviolet - Electromagnetic wave with wavelengths 10^(-9 to -8)
Wave - A series of vibrations that transfer from one point to another
Wavelength - Smallest distance between on point to it nearest adjacent identical point on the next wave
X-ray - Electromagnetic wave with wavelength 10^(-12 to -7)
Young's double Slit - Experiment to show wave nature of light via superposition and interference
Quantum Physics
Absorption Spectrum - A spectrum of dark lines across the pattern of spectral colours produced when light passes through a gas
de Broglie Equation - Ratio of Planck's Constant to momentum
Electron Diffraction - The process of diffracting an electron through a gap
Emission Spectrum - A pattern of colours of light, each colour relating to a specific wavelength
Energy Levels - One of the specific energies of electron can have when in an atom
Line Spectrum - A spectrum of certain spectral colours produced when passed through a material
Photocell - A component that reduces its resistance when light shines on it due to the photoelectric effect
Photoelectric effect - The emission of electrons from the surface of a material when UV light is incident on the surface
Photon - A quantum packet of energy or light
Spectral Line - A line of a certain colour assigned to a discrete wavelength
Spectrum - A collection of waves with a range of frequencies
Threshold Frequency - The lowest frequency of electromagnetic radiation that will result in the emission of photoelectrons from a specific metal
Wave-particle duality - The theory that states all objects can exhibit both wave and particle properties
Work function Energy - The minimum energy required to release an electron from a material
de Broglie Equation - Ratio of Planck's Constant to momentum
Electron Diffraction - The process of diffracting an electron through a gap
Emission Spectrum - A pattern of colours of light, each colour relating to a specific wavelength
Energy Levels - One of the specific energies of electron can have when in an atom
Line Spectrum - A spectrum of certain spectral colours produced when passed through a material
Photocell - A component that reduces its resistance when light shines on it due to the photoelectric effect
Photoelectric effect - The emission of electrons from the surface of a material when UV light is incident on the surface
Photon - A quantum packet of energy or light
Spectral Line - A line of a certain colour assigned to a discrete wavelength
Spectrum - A collection of waves with a range of frequencies
Threshold Frequency - The lowest frequency of electromagnetic radiation that will result in the emission of photoelectrons from a specific metal
Wave-particle duality - The theory that states all objects can exhibit both wave and particle properties
Work function Energy - The minimum energy required to release an electron from a material