Physics Review Flashcards

Flashcards for thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, optics, and modern physics.

Temperature

Measure of the average kinetic energy of particles in a substance.

Heat

Transfer of energy between objects due to a temperature difference.

Thermal expansion

Tendency of matter to change in volume in response to temperature changes.

Ideal Gas Law

Relates the pressure, volume, and temperature of an ideal gas.

Kinetic Theory of Gases

Explains the macroscopic properties of gases in terms of the motion of their molecules.

Entropy

Measure of the disorder or randomness of a system.

Thermal Equilibrium

The state where two objects in thermal contact cease to have any net heat exchange.

Conduction

Heat transfer through direct contact.

Convection

Heat transfer by the movement of fluids.

Radiation

Heat transfer through electromagnetic waves.

Specific Heat Capacity

Amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree.

Isothermal

A process that occurs at constant temperature.

Adiabatic

A process that occurs without heat transfer.

Isobaric

A process that occurs at constant pressure.

Isochoric

A process that occurs at constant volume.

Efficiency of a Heat Engine

Ratio of work done to heat absorbed by heat engine

Carnot Efficiency

Theoretical maximum efficiency of a heat engine.

Electric Charge

Fundamental property of matter that causes electric force.

Electric Force

Force between charged objects.

Electric Field

Region around a charged object where other charged objects experience a force.

Electric Potential

Electric potential energy per unit charge at a point in an electric field.

Capacitance

Capacity of a system to store electric charge.

Current

The flow of electric charge.

Resistance

Opposition to the flow of electric charge.

Circuits

Closed path through which electric current can flow.

Magnetic Fields

Region around a magnetic material or moving charge where magnetic forces are exerted.

Electromagnetic Induction

Production of an EMF in a conductor due to a changing magnetic field.

Electric Flux

Measure of the electric field passing through a given area.

Gauss's Law

Relates electric flux through a closed surface to the enclosed electric charge.

Resistivity

Material's ability to resist electric current.

RC Circuits

Circuits containing resistors and capacitors, exhibiting time-dependent behavior.

Magnetic Flux

Measure of the magnetic field passing through a given area.

Lenz's Law

Direction of induced current opposes the change in magnetic flux.

Reflection

Bouncing back of light from a surface.

Refraction

Bending of light as it passes from one medium to another.

Lenses and Mirrors

Optical devices that form images by reflecting or refracting light.

Wave Optics

Study of optical phenomena that cannot be explained by geometric optics.

Interference

Superposition of waves, resulting in reinforcement or cancellation.

Diffraction

Bending of waves around obstacles.

Polarization

Oscillations of a transverse wave are limited to one plane.

Dispersion

Spreading of light into its different colors.

Huygens' Principle

Every point on a wavefront is a source of secondary wavelets.

Quantum Physics

Study of the behavior of matter and energy at the atomic and subatomic levels.

Atomic Physics

Study of the structure, properties, and behavior of atoms.

Nuclear Physics

Study of the structure, properties, and reactions of atomic nuclei.

Wave-Particle Duality

Light and matter exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties.

Photoelectric Effect

Emission of electrons when light strikes a material.

Bohr Model

Model of the atom with electrons in discrete energy levels.

Radioactive Decay

Unstable nucleus emits particles or energy to become more stable.

Nuclear Reactions

Reactions involving the nuclei of atoms, like fission and fusion.