Physics (september)

Normal force, N:

The force or the component of a force which a surface exerts on an object with which it is in contact, and which is perpendicular to the surface. 

Frictional force f:

The force that opposes the motion of an object and which acts parallel to the surface. 

Static frictional force, f_s:

The force that opposes the tendency of motion of a stationary object relative to a surface. 

Kinetic frictional force, f_k:

The force that opposes the motion of a moving object relative to a surface. 

Newton's first law of motion:

A body will remain in its state of rest or motion at constant velocity unless a non-zero resultant/net force acts on it. 

Newton's second law of motion:

When a net force acts on an object, the object will accelerate in the direction of the force and the acceleration is directly proportional to the force and inversely proportional to the mass of the object. 

Newton's third law of motion:

When object A exerts a force on object B, object B SIMULTANEOUSLY exerts an oppositely directed force of equal magnitude on object A. 

Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation:

Each body in the universe attracts every other body with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centres. 

Momentum:

The product of an object's mass and its velocity.

Newton's second law of motion in terms of momentum:

The net (or resultant) force acting on an object is equal to the rate of change of momentum of the object in the direction of the net force.  

Impulse:

The product of the resultant/net force acting on an object and the time the net force acts on the object. 

Principle of Conservation of Linear Momentum: 

The total linear momentum of an isolated system remains constant (is conserved).  

Projectile

an object which has been given an initial velocity and then it moves under the influence of the gravitational force only. 

Free fall:

a motion during which the only force acting on an object is the gravitational force. 

Work done:

Work done on an object by a constant force F is FΔx cos θ , where F is the magnitude of the force, Δx the magnitude of the displacement and θ the angle between the force and the displacement.

Work-energy theorem:

The work done on an object by a net force is equal to the change in the object's kinetic energy. 

Conservative force:

is a force for which the work done in moving an object between two points is independent of the path taken.

Non-conservative force:

a force for which the work done in moving an object between two points depends on the path taken.  

Principle of conservation of mechanical energy

The total mechanical energy (sum of gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy) in an isolated system remains constant.  

Power:

the rate at which work is done or energy is expended.  

Coulomb's law:

The magnitude of the electrostatic force exerted by one point charge (Q₁) on another point charge (Q₂) is directly proportional to the product of the magnitudes of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance (r) between them. 

Electric field:

a region of space in which an electric charge experiences a force.

Electric field at a point:

The electric field at a point is the electrostatic force experienced per unit positive charge placed at that point. 

Ohm’s Law:

The potential difference across a conductor is directly proportional to the current in the conductor at constant temperature.

Power(Alt)

the rate at which work is done. 

Emf:

the maximum energy provided by a battery per unit charge passing through it. 

Threshold Frequency (fo)

It is the minimum frequency of light needed to emit electrons from a certain metal surface.

Work Function (Wo)

It is the minimum energy that an electron in the metal needs to be emitted from the metal surface.

Photoelectric Effect

The photo-electric effect is the process whereby electrons are ejected from a metal surface when light of suitable frequency is incident on that surface.

Photon

A Photon is an energy packet of light

Doppler Effect

the change in frequency (or pitch) of the sound detected by a listener, because the sound source and the listener have different velocities relative to the medium of sound propagation. 

Threshold wavelength

It is the maximum wavelength of light needed to emit electrons from a certain metal surface

rms potential difference

the AC potential difference which dissipates/produces the same amount of energy as an equivalent DC potential difference.

rms current

the alternating current which dissipates/produces the same amount of energy as an equivalent direct current (DC).