Physics Lecture Notes Flashcards

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from the physics lecture notes.

Longitudinal Wave

When the direction of the oscillations of particles disturbed by the wave is parallel to the direction in which the wave transfers energy.

Transverse Wave

When the direction of the oscillations of particles disturbed by the wave is perpendicular to the direction in which the wave transfers energy.

Time Period (T)

The time it takes for one complete cycle of the wave to pass a fixed point.

Frequency (f)

The number of cycles of the wave passing a fixed point per unit time.

Amplitude (A)

The distance the particle is away from its equilibrium position when it is as far away as it gets from the equilibrium position during a complete cycle of its oscillation.

Wavelength

The distance (in the direction in which the wave transfers energy) between one point on the wave (e.g., a peak) and the adjacent point that is the same.

Rays

Straight lines with arrows showing the direction of wave propagation (i.e., the direction in which the wave transfers energy).

Wavefront

A line joining all the particles that are at a peak of a wave.

Normal

An imaginary line drawn perpendicular to a mirror at the point where the incident ray meets the mirror.

Angle of Incidence (i)

The angle between the incident ray and the normal.

Angle of Reflection (r)

The angle between the reflected ray and the normal.

Law of Reflection

States that the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.

Medium (plural media)

Any substance or material through which a wave can travel.

Refraction

Phenomenon where light bends as it crosses a boundary between different transparent materials due to a change in speed.

Angle of Refraction (r)

The angle between the refracted ray and the normal.

Total Internal Reflection (TIR)

Phenomenon where all light is reflected by the boundary.

Critical Angle

The smallest angle at which total internal reflection occurs.

Transmitted

When light travels through a media it is being __.

Emits

Gives out or produces light.

Reflects

Bounces off without being 'taken in'.

Absorbs

Takes in light.

Transmits

Passes through without being absorbed.

Luminous

Objects that emit light.

Non-luminous

Objects that do not emit light.

Apparent Depth

The phenomenon where objects in water appear closer to the surface than they actually are.

Reflect

The colour of a surface depends on which colours of light it can absorb and which colours of light it can __.

Filter

A device that transmits one particular colour of light and absorbs all other colours of light.

Colour Addition

The process of producing coloured light from white light using filters.

Compressions

Regions in the air where the average distance between air particles is less than it would be if the air was not being disturbed by a sound wave.

Rarefactions

Regions in the air where the average distance between air particles is greater than it would be if the air was not being disturbed by a sound wave.

Wavelength (sound wave)

The distance (in the direction of wave propagation) between adjacent compressions in a sound wave.

Microphone

When a sound wave is incident on it, the microphone will output a (small) voltage that changes with time.

Oscilloscope

Used to investigate voltages that vary with time; plots a graph of voltage vs. time.

Auditory Canal

Sound waves travel through the air in this canal to the eardrum.

Ossicles

These small bones pass the oscillations of the eardrum on to the cochlea.

Cochlea

The motion of the ossicles produces sound waves traveling through the fluid. Lined with cells that produce nerve impulses.

Auditory Nerve

Carries the nerve impulses produced in the cochlea to the brain.

Unit

A physical quantity's __ is the standard by which that physical quantity is measured.

Physical Quantity

A standard quantity used for measurement.

Wave equation

A wave can be represented by this equation: v = fλ

Compass

An instrument that is free to move, then it will line up with the Earth’s magnetic field.

Attract

Magnet(s) will __ magnetic materials.

Repel

Materials where the like poles (e.g., north and north) will __.

Magnetic Field

We can represent this with field line diagrams where the spacing of the field lines gives information about its strength

Medium

A substance or material through which a wave can travel is a __

Magnetic Fields

Currents give rise to __. You imagine gripping the wire with your right hand with your thumb pointing along the wire in the direction in which the current flows.

Heat

Suppose can be transferred between two bodies (for example, both bodies are good conductors of heat and the two bodies are touching).

Conduction

A method of transfer involving the transfer of heat without the transfer of matter.

Heat

Can be transferred by objects emitting and absorbing infra-red radiation.

Convection

Heat transfer where a hot fluid moves, carrying energy with it.

Density

Equals Mass/ Volume and is determined by floating and sinking.

Convection Current

The movement of a fluid caused by differences in temperature giving rise to differences in density

Draughts

Homes are not air-tight boxes; windows and loft hatches may not fit perfectly into their frames, leaving gaps through which air can move.

Vacuum

The vacuum flask that reduces heat transfers by conduction and convection.