Final Exam Review – Spring 2026: Physics Flashcards

Vocabulary-style practice flashcards covering Circular Motion, Static Electricity, Circuits, Magnetism, Waves, Sound, and Light based on the Spring 2025 Final Exam Review.

Centripetal Force ($F_c$)

The force that causes objects to constantly change direction to move in a circular path; it always acts towards the center and perpendicular to the direction of motion.

Centripetal Acceleration ($a_c$)

The acceleration an object experiences in a circular path due to the continually changing direction of the velocity vector, always pointing toward the center.

Period ($T$)

The time ($sec$) it takes to complete one full cycle of motion or one complete wave cycle.

Apparent Weightlessness

The state experienced by objects in orbit when they are constantly falling around the Earth, resulting in no normal force ($F_N$).

Friction (Static Electricity)

The process where two materials with different electro-negativities are rubbed together, stripping electrons from one and collecting them on the material with a higher desire for electrons.

Conduction

The transfer of charge when a charged object touches a neutral object, resulting in the originally neutral object gaining the same type of charge.

Induction

Charging a neutral object by bringing a charged object near it to cause polarization and then momentarily grounding the neutral object to transfer electrons.

Electro-negativity

The desire or ability of molecules to hold onto electrons.

Electric Potential Difference ($V$ or $\Delta V$)

Also known as voltage, it is the difference in electric potential from one location to another, representing the motivation for current to flow.

Electric Potential

The potential for electric potential energy to exist at a certain location, often described as the average energy each electron has.

Conductors

Materials that allow the free flow of electrons and the ready transfer of kinetic energy (heat).

Insulators

Materials that are possessive of their electrons, preventing them from flowing freely.

Current ($I$)

The flow of electrical charge, measured in Amps ($A$), which traditionally moves from positive to negative.

Resistance ($R$)

The property of a material that opposes the flow of current, measured in Ohms ($\Omega$).

Power ($P$)

The rate at which electrical energy is changed into another type of energy, measured in Watts ($W$).

Series Circuit

A circuit with only one path for electrons where all resistors are dependent on each other; a break anywhere stops the current for the whole circuit.

Parallel Circuit

A circuit where resistors are wired independently with multiple paths for current; if one branch breaks, the others remain unaffected.

Fuse / Circuit Breaker

A safety device designed to be the weakest link in a circuit, breaking the connection if a dangerous amount of current flows to prevent fires.

Direct Current (DC)

Current that always flows in one direction, typically created by batteries.

Alternating Current (AC)

Current that continually changes direction back and forth, usually 60 times a second, typically created by generators.

Magnetic Domains

Clusters of magnet crystals inside materials like iron that, when aligned in the same general direction, create a magnet.

Magnetic Field ($B$)

A field that exerts forces on moving charges or magnets, with field lines directed from North to South.

1st Right-Hand-Rule

A rule used to determine the direction of the magnetic field around a wire: thumb points in the direction of current, and fingers curl in the direction of the field.

2nd Right-Hand-Rule

A rule used for force: thumb points to velocity ($v$), fingers to magnetic field ($B$), and the palm indicates force direction ($F_B$) for a positive charge.

Electric Motor

A device that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy by using a current-carrying loop in a magnetic field to create rotation.

Electric Generator

A device that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy by spinning a wire loop in a magnetic field to induce a current.

Transformer

A device that uses a changing magnetic field in a primary coil to induce voltage and AC current in a secondary coil.

Transverse Wave

A wave where particles move back and forth perpendicular to the motion of the wave, such as electromagnetic waves.

Longitudinal (Compression) Wave

A wave where particles move back and forth parallel to the motion of the wave, such as sound.

Amplitude

The displacement of a wave from the x-axis, determining volume in sound and brightness in light.

Frequency ($f$)

The number of cycles completed each second, measured in Hertz ($Hz$), which determines pitch in sound and color in light.

Wavelength ($\lambda$)

The distance of one complete wave cycle.

Doppler Effect

The change in perceived frequency of a sound as a source moves toward or away from an observer.

Resonance

The phenomenon occurring when a forced vibration matches an object's natural frequency, resulting in increasing vibrations due to constructive interference.

Standing Wave

A wave pattern that forms when constructive interference always happens at anti-nodes and destructive interference always happens at nodes.

Index of Refraction ($n$)

A ratio comparing the speed of light in a vacuum to its speed in a specific material ($n = c/v$).

Critical Angle ($\theta_c$)

The angle of incidence for which the angle of refraction is $90^\circ$; it only occurs when light travels from a higher index of refraction to a lower one.

Dispersion

The separation of white light into its color spectrum through refraction, because higher frequencies refract more than lower frequencies.

Atmospheric Scattering

The process where small molecules in the atmosphere scatter high-frequency light (blue and purple) across the sky.

What kills?

Current is what kills. The voltage is what motivates how much the electrons want to flow, but you also

have to take into account the resistance before you can determine how much current is going through an

object. Voltage does NOT flow, current does.

Electric companies charge what?

kW * hr

What is the same throughout a series circuit?

Current

What is the same for a parallel circuit?

Voltage.

Which way do magnetic field lines go?

Out of North into South for outside. South to North in the inside.

What pole does the North end of the compass seek?

It seeks the South pole because it is attracted to it.

What does current in a wire create?

A magnetic field.

What does current moving perpendicularly in a pre-existing magnetic field create?

A force.

A conductor experiencing a changing magnetic field creates what?

Voltage.

Constructive Interference

Sound: Louder

Light: Brighter

Destructive Interference

Sound: Quieter

Light: Dimmer

Characteristics of electromagnetic waves

Don’t require a medium.

Types of electromagnetic waves.

Radio waves, Micro waves, Infrared waves, Visible light, Ultraviolet rays, X-rays, Gamma rays

How do polarized sunglasses take away the glare off of another car’s windshield?

The reflection off glass comes off polarized and if the polarized glasses are oriented perpendicular to the

way the light waves are oscillating (going back and forth) it doesn’t allow them through.

If you are swimming with a mask on and you looked at your friend standing on the side of pool, does

he look shorter or taller?

Taller. Remember, the light waves from your friend goes through the water first. Then you trace that line back to see it is higher.