AICE Physics Definitions Review

Flashcards

Conservation of Momentum

The total amount of momentum of a system is constant as long as there is no outside force.

Conservation of Energy

The total amount of Energy of a system is constant as long as there is no outside force.

Principle of Moments

For a system in equilibrium, the sum of clockwise moments (about a point) equals the sum of anticlockwise moments (about the same point).

Potential Difference

The amount of electrical energy converted per unit charge that passes through a component in a circuit.

Ohm’s Law

Current is equal to voltage/resistance.

Kirchhoff’s First Law

The amount of current entering a junction must leave that junction.

Kirchoff’s 2nd Law

The Emf of the battery must be equal to the sum of all voltage (Potential differences) for each loop of the circuit.

Progressive Waves

Carry energy from one place to another.

Transverse Wave

A wave where the particles oscillate in perpendicular angles compared to the direction in which the wave is traveling.

Longitudinal Wave

A wave where the particles oscillate in parallel angles compared to the direction in which the wave is traveling.

Principle of Superposition

When two or more waves meet and overlap in space, the resultant wave amplitude is the sum of the individual displacements of the waves.

Diffraction

When a wave goes through a slit, a new wave propagates on the other side and spreads out.

Stationary Wave

A wave pattern that occurs when two progressive waves with the same frequency traveling in opposite directions combine to form a standing wave pattern.

Coherent

For two waves to have a constant phase difference.

Node

A point on a stationary wave with zero amplitude.

Antinode

A point on a stationary wave with maximum displacement.

Fundamental Frequency

The lowest frequency possible for a Stationary wave.

Nucleon

Any particle found in the nucleus of the atom: proton, neutron.

Alpha Decay

Helium nucleus, Atomic mass unit 4, 2 protons + 2 Neutrons

Beta Positive decay

Emits a Positron and a neutrino.

Beta Negative decay

Emits an electron and an antineutrino.

Hooke’s Law

Force of a spring =kx

Elastic Collisions

Total momentum and total Kinetic Energy of a system is conserved.

Force

Rate of change of momentum.

Impulse

The product of a force & the time during which the force is applied.

Inelastic Collisions

Total momentum of a system is conserved, but the total Kinetic Energy is not conserved.

Linear Momentum

Product of an object's mass & velocity, with its direction always being the same as the direction of velocity.

Mass

Measure of inertia of a body or the property of a body that resists change in motion.

Newton's 1st Law

A body remains at rest or constant velocity unless acted on by a resultant (external) force.

Newton's 2nd Law

The (resultant) force is proportional to the rate of change of momentum.

Newton's 3rd Law

If one body exerts a force on another, it will experience a force by the other body, which is equal in magnitude & opposite in direction.

Weight

The force due to the gravitational field.

Centre Of Gravity

The point on an object at which the entire weight of the body seemingly acts.

Density

Amount of mass per unit volume of a substance.

Equilibrium

Net / resultant force and moment is zero.

Moment / Torque

Product of the force and the perpendicular distance to the pivot.

Pressure

The perpendicular/normal force applied per unit area.

Principle Of Moments

The sum of the clockwise moments about a point equals the sum of the anticlockwise moments about that point.

Torque Of A Couple

Product of one of the forces and perpendicular distance between forces.

Upthrust

The resultant force on a submerged object due to pressure difference.

Energy

The stored ability to do work.

Work Done

Product of a force & the distance moved in the direction of the force.

Gravitational Potential Energy

Energy stored due to height/position of mass.

Internal Energy

It is the total of the microscopic Kinetic & Potential energies of particles of a material.

Kinetic Energy

Energy of an object due to its motion.

Potential Energy

Energy stored by an object to do work

Elastic Potential Energy

Energy stored due to deformation or change in shape of an object

Electric potential energy

Potential energy (stored) when charge moved due to work done in electric field

Power

Rate of work done.

Efficiency

The fraction of the useful power output obtained from the total power input.

Brittle Materials

Materials which do not undergo plastic deformation. Force proportional to extension until it breaks

Ductile Materials

Materials which undergo plastic deformation after a considerable elastic deformation.

Elastic Deformation

Object returns to its original length (zero extension) when load is removed

Force-Extension Graph

The area under such a graph is the work done in stretching a material.

Hooke's Law

Force/load is proportional to extension/compression if proportionality limit is not exceeded.

Necking

When a sufficiently large force is applied, localized narrowing occurs at weak points.

Plastic Deformation

Wire/body object does not return to its original shape / length when load is removed

Polymeric Materials

Materials which can undergo great strain, & deform to a very great degree.

Strain

Extension over original length (ratio).

Stress

Force per unit cross-section area required to stretch a material.

Ultimate Tensile Strength

The maximum force / original cross-sectional area the wire is able to support before it breaks.

Ultimate Tensile Stress

The maximum value of stress that an object can sustain before it breaks.

Young's Modulus

Ratio of stress to strain.

Progressive Waves

The transfer or propagation of energy as a result of oscillations/vibrations

Transverse Waves

A wave in which displacement of particles is perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation.

Longitudinal Waves

A wave in which displacement of particles is parallel to the direction of wave propagation.

Wavelength

Distance moved by wave energy / wavefront during one cycle of the source

Period

The time taken to complete one oscillation/cycle.

Amplitude

Maximum displacement of a particle in the wave.

Displacement

Distance (of point on wave) from rest / equilibrium position.

Phase Difference

The difference in the relative positions of the crests or troughs of two waves of the same frequency.

Wave Speed

Speed at which energy is transferred / speed of wavefront.

Doppler Effect

Change in observed frequency when source moves relative to the observer.

Electromagnetic Waves

Electromagnetic waves (a transverse wave) can travel through a vacuum/free space

Polarisation

Oscillations or vibrations are in one direction, perpendicular to direction of propagation.

Coherence

Two waves with a constant phase difference are said to be coherent.

Principle of Superposition

When two waves meet/overlap, the resultant displacement is the sum of the individual displacement of each wave.

Node

Position along wave with no motion / zero amplitude

Antinode

Position along wave with maximum amplitude.

Constructive Interference

Two waves' path difference is either A or nλ, OR phase difference is 360°or n *360° or n2π

Destructive Interference

Two waves' path difference is either N/2 or (n+ 1/2) A OR phase difference is odd multiple of either 180° or π rad

Stationary Waves

Two waves of same frequency/wavelength travelling (along the same line) in opposite directions overlap/meet.

Stationary Wave Properties

Does not transfer energy (no energy transfer). The amplitude of standing wave varies along its length/nodes and antinodes.

Fringe Width/Separation

The separation between one bright fringe & the next bright fringe.

Interference

When two waves superpose/overlap, the resultant displacement is the sum of individual displacements of overlapping waves, forming alternating maxima and minima.

Diffraction

When a wave (front) passes by/incident on an edge/slit, the wave spreads into the geometrical shadow

Diffraction Grating

When waves pass through the gaps / slits in the grating, the wave bends/spreads (into the geometrical shadow)

Refraction

The change in direction of a wave due to change in speed.

Ampere

If a charge of 1 Coulomb passes through an electrical component per second, then the current maintained is 1 Ampere

Charge

current x time

Coulomb

The SI unit of electrical charge.

Electric Current

It is the amount of charge flowing pass a point per unit time.

Ohm

volt/ampere

Ohm's Law

The current through a metallic conductor is proportional to the P.D across it provided that its temperature remains constant.

Potential Difference

Energy converted from electrical to other forms of energy per unit charge that passes through it.

Quantised

Charge only exists in discrete amounts. Charge on Carriers is quantised.

Resistance

The ratio of P.D over the current for an electrical component.

Resistivity

The resistivity of a wire of a particular material is its resistance for unit length.

Thermistor

A specific type of resistor, in which, as temperature increases, the magnitude of the resistor's resistance decreases, & vice versa.

Volt

P.D between two points in a circuit in which 1J of energy is converted when 1C of charge passes from one point to the other.