Comprehensive Review: Physics, Electricity, Wave Dynamics, and Earth Science

A comprehensive collection of vocabulary flashcards covering Newton's Laws of Motion, Electricity and Ohm's Law, the Electromagnetic Spectrum, and Continental Drift Theory.

Newton's First Law of Motion (Law of Inertia)

States that an object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion at a constant velocity unless acted upon by a net unbalanced force.

Inertia

The tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion, where mass is the direct measure of inertia (more mass = more inertia).

Newton's Second Law of Motion (Law of Acceleration)

States that acceleration is directly proportional to the net force acting on an object and inversely proportional to its mass, expressed by the formula $F = ma$.

Newton's Third Law of Motion (Law of Interaction / Action-Reaction)

States that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction; forces always come in pairs, so if Object A exerts a force on Object B, Object B exerts an equal force back on Object A in the opposite direction.

Electric Current ($I$)

The flow of electrons or electric charges through a conductor, measured in Amperes ($A$).

Voltage ($V$)

The electrical potential difference or "push" that causes charges to flow, measured in Volts ($V$).

Resistance ($R$)

The opposition to the flow of electric current, measured in Ohms ($\Omega$).

Ohm's Law

States that the current in a circuit is directly proportional to the voltage and inversely proportional to the resistance, with formulas $V = IR$, $I = \frac{V}{R}$, and $R = \frac{V}{I}$.

Series Circuit

A circuit with one single path for current; if one bulb burns out, all go out.

Parallel Circuit

A circuit with multiple paths for current; if one bulb burns out, others stay lit. Ideal for home appliances.

Electromagnetic (EM) Waves

Transverse waves created by vibrating electrical charges that can travel through empty space (vacuum).

Radio Waves

The EM waves with the longest wavelength and lowest frequency, used for radio and TV broadcasting.

Microwaves

EM waves used for satellite communication, radar, and cooking.

Infrared

EM waves felt as heat, used in remote controls and thermal imaging.

Visible Light

The only part of the EM spectrum visible to humans, where red has the longest wavelength ($\lambda$) and violet has the shortest.

Ultraviolet (UV)

EM waves used for sterilization that cause sunburns.

X-rays

EM waves used to view bone structures in medical imaging.

Gamma Rays

The highest energy EM waves, used in cancer radiation treatments.

Wavelength ($\lambda$) and Frequency ($f$) Relationship

An inverse relationship where as wavelength ($\lambda$) gets shorter, frequency ($f$) and energy get higher.

Continental Drift Theory

Theory proposed by Alfred Wegener, stating that Earth's continents were once joined together as a single supercontinent and have since drifted apart.

Pangaea

The ancient supercontinent meaning "All Earth".

Continental Jigsaw Fit

A line of evidence for continental drift showing that the shorelines of continents (like South America and Africa) fit together like puzzle pieces.

Fossil Clues (Continental Drift)

A line of evidence for continental drift where identical fossils of plants (Glossopteris) and reptiles (Mesosaurus) are found on widely separated landmasses.

Rock Formations (Continental Drift)

A line of evidence for continental drift showing matching mountain ranges and rock layers across different oceans (e.g., Appalachians and Caledonian mountains).

Paleoclimate Evidence

A line of evidence for continental drift consisting of glacial stretch marks (striations) and coal deposits found in equatorial regions where they shouldn't naturally form.