Introduction to Physics Lecture Notes

A collection of flashcards to assist in reviewing key topics and vocabulary from the physics lecture.

Science

A systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe.

Hypothesis

A scientific statement or proposal that has not yet been verified or tested.

Law/Principle

A statement that describes a consistently observed phenomenon, proven to be true under specified conditions.

Theorem

A statement or proposition that has been proven to be true within the confines of a formal mathematical or scientific system.

Physics

The branch of science that deals with the properties and interactions of matter and energy.

Mechanics

The study of motion of bodies under the influence of forces.

Electricity

The study of the movement of charge through a conductor.

Magnetism

The study of magnets and the magnetic fields they produce.

Thermodynamics

The study of heat and temperature and their relation to energy and work.

Optics

The study of light and its properties.

Waves

The study of disturbances that travel through a medium or vacuum.

Density

The mass per unit volume of a substance, symbolized by $<br /> ho$.

Force

A push or pull that can change an object's state of motion or shape, measured in Newtons (N).

Pressure

The force acting perpendicularly per unit area, measured in Pascals (Pa).

Conduction

The transfer of heat through solids from one part to another without any movement of the material.

Convection

The transfer of heat through fluids (liquids and gases) by means of the motion of the heated material.

Radiation

The transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves.

Electrostatics

The study of electric charges at rest and the forces they exert.

Conductors and Insulators

Conductors allow the flow of electric charge whereas insulators do not.

Cell

A device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy.

Circuit

A closed path through which an electric current flows.

Current (I)

The flow of electric charge, measured in amperes (A).

Voltage (V)

The electrical potential difference between two points, measured in volts (V).

Resistance (R)

The opposition to the flow of electric current, measured in ohms (Ω).

Thermal Expansion

The increase in volume of a substance as it is heated.

Molecules

The smallest particles of a substance that maintain its chemical properties.

Phase Change

The transition of matter from one state to another (solid, liquid, gas).

Electrochemical Cell

A device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy through redox reactions.

Thermocouple

A device that generates a voltage related to temperature difference.

Hydraulic Press

A device that uses hydraulic force generated by an incompressible fluid to amplify a small force.

Bimetallic Strip

A temperature-sensing device consisting of two bonded metal strips that expand at different rates.