Physics and Environmental Science Revision Flashcards

A set of vocabulary-style flashcards covering key physics concepts including forces, energy stores, and variables, as well as environmental chemistry topics such as fuels and greenhouse gases.

Higher gas pressure

A condition where gas particles are closer together, causing the gas to react faster.

Hydrogen fuel

A clean fuel that produces only water when burned, though it is difficult to store and transport safely.

Carbon dioxide

A greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere; its release from burning fossil fuels contributes to global warming.

Recycling metals

A beneficial process that saves energy and reduces the need for mining.

Force equation

$$\text{force} = \text{mass} \times \text{acceleration}$$

Newton (N)

The unit of force.

Hooke's Law

The principle stating that extension is directly proportional to force up to the elastic limit.

Elastic limit

The point beyond which a spring becomes permanently deformed.

Spring calculation

A force of $3\,N$ is required to stretch a spring with a constant of $20\,N/m$ by $0.15\,m$.

Resultant force

The single force that has the same effect as all the forces acting on an object.

Zero resultant force

A state where an object stays at rest or moves at a constant speed.

Non-zero resultant force

A state where the object accelerates.

Independent variable

The variable that is changed on purpose during an investigation.

Dependent variable

The variable that is measured in an investigation.

Control variables

The variables kept the same to make the test fair.

Reliability

Improved by repeating measurements to reduce random error.

Random errors

Errors that can be reduced by taking multiple readings and calculating a mean.

Renewable energy resources

Examples include solar, wind, hydro, tidal, and geothermal.

Non-renewable resources

Examples include coal, oil, gas, and nuclear.

Nuclear power

A low-carbon energy source because it does not release carbon dioxide during electricity generation.

Wind power reliability

Considered unreliable because wind speed varies.

Solar power (winter)

Less effective because days are shorter and sunlight is weaker.

Energy store

A way in which energy is held, such as kinetic, gravitational potential, elastic, chemical, thermal, or nuclear.

Ball thrown upwards

A process where energy transfers from chemical to kinetic to gravitational potential and back to kinetic.

Energy transfer efficiency

No transfer is $100\%$ efficient because some energy is always dissipated as heat or sound.

Sound wave

A longitudinal wave that cannot travel in a vacuum because there are no particles to vibrate.