Physics Flashcards

Flashcards for Sophmore and Freshman Introductory Physics Courses

(a) atto-

(a) atto-

1/10^18

(z) zetto-

1/10^21

(y) yocto-

1/10^24

(n) nano-

1/10^9

(p) pico-

1/10^12

(f) femto-

1/10^15

(c) centi-

1/10^2

(m) milli-

1/10^3

(μ) micro-

1/10^6

(z) zetta-

10^21

(y) yotta-

10^24

(d) deci-

1/10

(T) tera-

10^12

(P) peta-

10^15

(E) exa-

10^18

(k) kilo-

10^3

(M) mega-

10^6

(G) giga-

10^9

error

"the difference between a measured value and the true value"

(da) deca-

10^1 (10)

(h) hecto-

10^2

accuracy

The degree to which a measurement is free of error.

precision

The degree of resolution or fine-ness in a measurement.

significant digits

The digits in a measurement that represent its precision.

There are ___ ft. in 1 mi.

5280

There are ___ ft. in 1 yd.

3

There are ___ days in 1 year.

365

There are ___ sec. in 1 hr.

3600

There are ___ cm. in 1 in.

2.54

There are ___ cm^3 in 1 L.

1000

There are ___ L in 1 m^3.

1000

There are ___ mL in 1 cm^3.

1

There are ___ m in 1 Tm.

1,000,000,000,000

There are ___ m in 1 Gm.

1,000,000,000

There are ___ m in 1 Mm.

1,000,000

There are ___ m in 1 km.

1000

There are ___ pm in 1 m.

1,000,000,000,000

There are ___ nm in 1 m.

1,000,000,000

There are ___ μm in 1 m.

1,000,000

There are ___ mm in 1 m.

1000

There are ___ cm in 1 m.

100

base unit

One of the seven fundamental units of measure in the SI system of units. The base units are meter (length), kilogram (mass), second (time), ampere (electric current), candela (luminous intensity), kelvin (temperature), and mole (amount of substance).

MKS system

A subset of the units used in the metric system using only base units such as the meter, kilogram, and second, and units derived from there.

unit conversion factor

An expression, equivalent to unity (one), written by placing equivalent qualities expressed in different units of measure in the numerator and denominator of a fraction.

Cycle of Scientific Enterprise

Scientific knowledge is continuously changing and advancing through a cyclic process [called] the 'Cycle of Scientific Enterprise.'"

science

Science is the process of using experiment, observation, and logical thinking to build 'mental models' of the natural world. These mental models are called 'theories.'"

theory

A "theory" is a mental model or explanatory system that explains and relates together most or all of the facts (the data) in a certain sphere of knowledge."

experiment

Experiments are tests of the predictions in hypotheses, under controlled conditions.

response variable

A variable monitored by researchers in an experiment that varies in response to changes in another variable being manipulated (the explanatory variable).

lurking variable

A variable in an experiment that causes variation in the response variable without the researchers being aware that it is doing so.

explanatory variable

A variable manipulated by researchers in an experiment that produces variation in the response variable.

motion

A state in which an object is not at rest.

velocity

A quantity that describes how fast an object is moving and in which direction.

V = d

acceleration

Changing velocity; the rate at which an object’s velocity is changing.

a = (Vf-Vi)/2

speed

The rate at which an object is moving.

distance

The length traveled by an object.

speed of light

3.00 x 10^8 m/s

acceleration due to gravity

9.80 m/s^2

telos

A Greek word meaning purpose, goal, or end.

geocentric system

A solar system model in which the sun, moon and planets all orbit the earth.

heliocentric system

A solar system model in which the earth and other planets all orbit the sun and the moon orbits the earth.

epicycle

A mathematical idea in obsolete planetary models in which a planet moves in an orbit (the epicycle) around a point which in turn circles another heavenly body.

Firmament

The sphere containing the fixed stars in the Ptolemaic model of the heavens.

Primum Mobile

Latin for “first mover.” In the Ptolemaic model of the heavens, this is the 9th sphere that drives the other spheres, causing them all to rotate around the earth once each day.

Empyrean

In the Ptolemaic model of the heavens, the region beyond the spheres where God or the gods dwell.

Kepler’s 1st Law of Planetary Motion

Each of the planetary orbits is an ellipse, with the sun at one focus.

Nicolaus Copernicus

Polish
1514: Published his work privately to his friends On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres
1543: His friend Georg Joachim Rheticus persuaded him to publish the work before his death
Proposed one of the first heliocentric models, still using epicycles and circular orbits

Tycho Brahe

Danish
1563: Observed conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn.
1572: Observed what he called a “nova”, what we now call a “supernova”
Worked in his own observatory called the Uraniborg on an Danish island
Composed catalogs of stars and identified evidence that counterfeited the evidence of those who supported the Ptolemaic model.

Johannes Kepler

German
1600: Invited to join Tycho’s observatory in Prague
1601: Became Imperial Mathematician after Tycho’s death
1609: Published first two laws of Planetary Motion
1619: Published third Law of Planetary Motion

Galileo Galilei

Florentine
1610: Discovered moon craters and sunspots
1610: Published Starry Messenger
1616: Told not to publish or speak on heliocentrism
1632: Published major work on heliocentrism
1633: Submitted to Holy Inquisition Trial
1633: Submitted to House Arrest
Worked in Padua and Florence
Contributed to gravity’s acceleration, astronomic observations, and theories of motion.

Isaac Newton

English
Developed calculus.
Developed the laws of motion.
Developed theories of optics and lights.
Formulated the first quantitative law of gravity called the law of universal gravitation.
Published Principia Mathematica.

Albert Einstein

German
1915: Publishes general theory of relativity
1917: Predicts the bending of light
1919: Prediction confirmed during solar eclipse

volume

The variable used to quantify the amount of space an object takes up.

matter

Anything made of atoms or parts of atoms. Alternatively, anything that has mass and volume; one of the three basic things the universe is composed of, the other two being energy and intelligence.

mass

The variable used to quantify the amount of inertia in an object.

weight

The force acting on an object due to gravity.

inertia

A property of all matter that causes matter to prefer its present state of motion, quantified by the variable mass.

force

A push or pull.

Newton’s 1st Law of Motion

An object at rest remains at rest and an object in motion continues moving in a straight line at a constant speed, unless it is compelled to change that state by forces acting on it.

Newton’s 2nd Law of Motion

The acceleration of an object is proportional to the force acting on it, or

a = F/m

where a is the acceleration of the object (m/s²), F is the net force on the object in newtons (N), and m is the object’s mass (kg).

Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion

For every action force, there is an equal and opposite reaction force.

volume

The variable used to quantify the amount of space an object takes up.

matter

Anything made of atoms or parts of atoms. Alternatively, anything that has mass and volume; one of the three basic things the universe is composed of, the other two being energy and intelligence.

mass

The variable used to quantify the amount of inertia in an object.

weight

The force acting on an object due to gravity.

inertia

A property of all matter that causes matter to prefer its present state of motion, quantified by the variable mass.

force

A push or pull.

Newton’s 1st Law of Motion

An object at rest remains at rest and an object in motion continues moving in a straight line at a constant speed, unless it is compelled to change that state by forces acting on it.

Newton’s 2nd Law of Motion

The acceleration of an object is proportional to the force acting on it, or a = F/m where a is the acceleration of the object (m/s²), F is the net force on the object in newtons (N), and m is the object’s mass (kg).

Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion

For every action force, there is an equal and opposite reaction force.

Newtons

kg * m/s²

Equation to Determine Weight

Fw = m*g

acceleration due to gravity (g)

9.80 m/s²

Gravitational Potential Energy

Stored energy due to an object’s location in a gravitational field.

Kinetic Energy

Energy an object possesses by virtue of its motion.

Electromagnetic Radiation

Waves (or photons) of pure energy at any wavelength in the electromagnetic spectrum.

Chemical Potential Energy

The energy stored in the bonds between atoms in compounds.

Electrical Energy

Energy flowing in electrical conductors.

Thermal Energy

Energy an object possesses due to being heated.

Elastic Potential Energy

Energy stored in a stretched or compressed object or substance.