AS Level Physics A H156/01 Breadth in physics

Vocabulary flashcards based on the AS Level Physics A H156/01 Breadth in physics exam papers.

Kirchhoff's First Law

The sum of the currents entering a point in a circuit is equal to the sum of the currents leaving the same point; this law is based on the conservation of charge.

Equilibrium

An object is said to be in equilibrium when the net force acting on it is zero and the net torque is zero.

Terminal Velocity

The constant speed that a freely falling object eventually reaches when the resistance of the medium through which it is falling prevents further acceleration.

Potential Difference

The difference in electrical potential between two points, which represents the work done in moving a unit charge from one point to the other.

Progressive Wave

A wave that transfers energy through space.

Stationary Wave

A wave that remains in a constant position with no net transfer of energy.

De Broglie Wavelength

The wavelength associated with a moving particle, illustrating the wave-particle duality.

Mean Drift Velocity

The average velocity attained by charged particles, such as electrons, in a material due to an electric field.

Hooke's Law

The force needed to extend or compress a spring by some distance is proportional to that distance.

Moment of a Force

A measure of the tendency of a force to cause a body to rotate about a specific point or axis.

Upthrust

An upward force exerted by a fluid that opposes the weight of an immersed object.

Momentum

The quantity of motion of a moving body, measured as a product of its mass and velocity.

Reaction Time

The delay between a stimulus and a response.

Braking Distance

The distance a vehicle travels from the point when the brakes are applied to when it comes to a complete stop.

Electrical Charge (S.I. Unit)

Coulomb (C)

S.I. Base Units

The fundamental units of measurement in the International System of Units (SI).

Fundamental Frequency

The lowest frequency of a periodic waveform.

Stress

Force per unit area acting on a solid.

Strain

The deformation of a solid due to stress.

Electrolyte

A substance that produces an electrically conducting solution when dissolved in a polar solvent, such as water.

Elastic Collision

A collision in which both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved.

Air Resistance

The force that opposes the motion of an object through the air.

Young Modulus

A measure of the stiffness of a solid material.

Resistivity

A measure of a material's ability to resist electric current.

Electromotive Force (e.m.f.)

The voltage generated by a battery or power source.

Potential Difference (p.d.)

The difference in electric potential between two points.

Coherent Waves

Waves with a constant phase relationship.

Principle of Superposition

When two or more waves overlap, the resultant displacement is the sum of the displacements of the individual waves.

Photoelectric Effect

The emission of electrons when electromagnetic radiation hits a material.

Archimedes’ Principle

The upthrust acting on an object in a fluid is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced.

Light-Dependent Resistor

A resistor whose resistance decreases with increasing incident light intensity.

Threshold Frequency

The minimum frequency of electromagnetic radiation required to remove an electron from the surface of a metal

Diffraction

The bending of waves around obstacles or through an opening.

Polarisation

A property applying to transverse waves that specifies the geometrical orientation of the oscillations.

Refractive Index

A measure of how much the speed of light is reduced inside a medium

Work Function

The minimum energy required to remove an electron from the surface of a solid.