physics midterm 2023

Nuclear energy

Energy stored in the nucleus of an atom

Chemical energy

A form of potential energy that is stored in chemical bonds between atoms (ex: battery, food)

Thermal energy

The TOTAL energy of motion in the particles of a substance

Radiant energy

Energy carried by light

Kinetic energy

The energy an object has due to its motion

Law of conservation of energy

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only altered from one form to another

Gravitational potential energy

Potential energy that depends on the height of an object

Electrical energy

Energy caused by the movement of electrons

Elastic energy

The potential energy of an object that is stretched or compressed

Phase energy

The energy stored in the system due to the arrangement of particles that exert attractions on one another, increases when matter changes state of matter

Efficiency

The percentage of the input work that is converted to output work

Fahrenheit

A temperature scale with the freezing point of water 32 degrees and the boiling point of 212 degrees

Freezing point

The temperature at which a liquid changes into a solid, equal to melting point

Melting point

The temperature at which a solid becomes a liquid, equal to freezing point

Boiling point

The temperature at which a liquid changes to a gas

Condensing

The change of state from a gas to a liquid

Evaporation

When some (not all) particles get enough energy to break free, liquid to gas

Specific heat capacity

The amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1g of a substance by 1ºC

Absolute zero

The coldest temperature, 0 Kelvin, that can be reached. It is the hypothetical temperature at which all molecular motion stops.

Joule (J)

unit of energy, always capitalized

Frequency (f)

The rate of vibrations of a wave, measured in Hertz (Hz)

Period (T)

Amount of time for one cycle to be completed

Wavelength (λ)

The distance between two corresponding parts of a wave

Oscillation

Act of back and forth motion, cycle/vibration

Destructive interference

The interference that occurs when 2 waves combine to make a wave with a smaller amplitude, occurs when waves are out of phase

Constructive interference

The interference that occurs when two waves combine to make a wave with a larger amplitude, occurs when waves are in phase

Crest

The highest point of a transverse wave

Trough

tThe lowest point of a transverse wave

Wave

A repeating disturbance that transfers energy from place to place without transferring the medium

Rarefaction

The part in a longitudinal wave where the particles are spread apart

Compression

The part of a longitudinal wave where the particles of the medium are close together

Pitch

a tone's experienced highness or lowness, depends on frequency

Amplitude

The maximum displacement on either side of the equilibrium position

Absorption

The wave is absorbed and disappears

Transmission/Propagation

Waves pass through a given medium

Diffraction

Occurs when an object causes a wave to change direction and bend around it

Reflection

The bouncing back of a wave when it hits a surface through which it cannot pass.

Refraction

The bending of a wave as it passes at an angle from one medium to another

Resonant frequency

Frequency at which a standing wave occurs, natural/unforced resonance

Ultrasound

Sound waves with frequencies above 20,000 Hz

Interference

The combination of two+ waves that results in a single wave for a period of time

Electromagnetic (EM) waves

A type of wave that does not require a medium to propagate

Mechanical wave

A wave that requires a medium to propagate

Radio waves

EM waves with the longest wavelengths, lowest frequencies, and lowest energy

X-Ray Waves

Similar in size to an atom, used in telescopes and can be stopped by lead

Gamma rays

Electromagnetic waves with the shortest wavelengths (0.01 nm)and highest frequencies

Ultra-violet (UV) waves

longer than X-Rays but shorter than visible light waves, can cause cancer (100-400 nm)

Microwaves

very short electromagnetic wave, .1 cm to 30 cm

Visible light

Electromagnetic radiation that can be seen with the unaided eye, 740 to 435 nanometers.

Infrared waves

second on the electromagnetic spectrum going from lowest to highest frequency. can be felt as heat, 780nm - 1mm

Order of EM waves (longest to shortest)

Radio, microwave, infrared, visible, UV, x-ray, gamma

Latent heat of vaporization

The amount of energy required to change a unit mass of a substance from liquid to gas, Q = mL

Latent heat of fusion

The amount of energy required to change a unit mass of a substance from solid to liquid, Q = mL

Fission

The splitting of an atomic nucleus to release energy

Fusion

The process or result of joining two or more things together to form a single entity.

C

Specific heat capacity (J/kgºC)

d

Distance (m)

E

Energy (J)

Eff

Efficiency (%)

f

Frequency (Hz)

g

Gravitational acceleration (m/s)

Δh

Change in height (m)

KE

Kinetic energy (J)

λ

Wavelength (m)

m

Mass (kg)

Q

Heat added or removed (J)

v

Velocity

ΔT

Change in temp

T

Period (s)

ΔT

change in temperature

Celcius

Metric temperature scale on which water freezes at 0 degrees and boils at 100 degrees

Elastic energy

The potential energy of an object that is stretched or compressed

Gravitational potential energy

Potential energy that depends on the height of an object

System

A group of interacting, interrelated, or interdependent elements or parts that function together as a whole to accomplish a goal

Temperature

A measure of how hot (or cold) something is; specifically, a measure of the AVERAGE kinetic energy of the particles in an object

Alpha decay

A nuclear reaction in which an atom emits an alpha particle consisting of two protons and two neutrons. This increases the atomic number by 2 and the mass number by 4.

Beta decay

Radioactive decay which occurs when a nucleus with too many protons or too many neutrons emits an electron in order to transform one of the protons or neutrons into each other

Gamma decay

Radioactive decay in which an unstable nucleus emits a gamma photon in order to dissipate excess energy and stabilize the nucleus

Neutron decay

One neutron is emitted from the nucleus

Pressure energy

Pressure in gases or liquids has the potential to move objects due to the force it can exert