This is Physics.

We all know where we are. We all know what we want. We know the path we went through. In our hearts, in our eyes, I can see it, we are focused. Guys, don’t forget, I might repeat myself, but we are only 120 +5 minutes away from an amazing story. One exam. I don’t know how many exams weve sat in our careers, in our lives. But here, it is one exam and it will change everything. It will change history. There are other students and one exam. It is the same for them, they want it. We failed the checkpoint, we know. We still have it here, here and here (showing hearts, guts and mind). Today, we don’t let another student take what is ours. Today we look at each other and we don’t let another team take what is ours. I want that tonight we make our place in every physics student’s memory. And their kids, their grandkids… Today, 120 + 5 minutes to make it into history. For ever, for ever guys. So now I am looking at you, I don’t want to shout. I want us to get in the exam as warriors, leaders. And after I want to see tears, tears of joy not tears of sadness.

Isotope

Atoms of the same element which have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons and therefore mass.

Strong Force

The strongest fundamental force in nature, responsible for binding quarks together to form subatomic particles like protons and neutrons, and for holding protons and neutrons together to form the nucleus of an atom.

Electromagnetic Force

The force experienced when a charged object is placed in an electromagnetic field. Infinite range.

Weak Force

The force that causes some elements to spontaneously decay.

Gravitational Force

The attraction between objects with mass.

Strong Force is repulsive at short distances so that…

Quarks do not occupy the same space, and thus the nucleus doesn’t implode.

Strong force is most attractive at 1fm because…

This is the point where the nucleons are essentially touching. It is most stable here.

Radiation

The emission of energy as electromagnetic waves or as moving subatomic particles, which causes ionisation.

Non-ionising radiation

Electromagnetic radiation with low energy that does not change the electron configuration around the nuclei of atoms.

Ionising Radiation

High energy radiation that can affect the electrons surrounding an atom so that a charged ion is formed.

The Strong Force struggles to hold together large nuclei…

Due to its short range, so nuclei emit particles and energy to become more stable.

Alpha Decay

A type of ionising radiation consisting of alpha particles. High ionising ability due to positive charge, slow speed, can be stopped by paper.

Beta Decay

A type of ionising radiation consisting of electrons or positrons. Moderate ionising ability as particles are smaller and less charged. Very fast speed, can be stopped by aluminium.

Gamma Decay

A type of ionising radiation where an unstable nucleus releases energy as a high energy photon. Can be slowed by concrete or lead.

Isotopes with heavier mass numbers tend to undergo…

Alpha decay

Isotopes with too many neutrons to protons, or vice versa, tend to undergo…

Beta decay

Isotopes with excess energy tend to undergo…

Gamma decay

Beta plus

A proton transforms into a neutron, releasing a positron and a neutrino.

Beta minus

A neutron transforms into a proton, emitting an electron and antineutrino.

Transmutation

When a nucleus changes to that of another element. Can occur spontaneously or artificially.

Half-Life

The half-life of a radioactive element is the average time that it takes for half the atoms in a sample to decay.

Mass Defect

The mass defect is the difference in the sum of the mass of the individual nucleons and the mass of the nucleus.

Binding Energy

The energy required to separate the nucleus into nucleons.

Fission

The splitting of a parent nucleus into two smaller daughter nuclei.

Critical Mass

The smallest amount of mass needed to sustain a chain reaction.

Fusion

The combining of two smaller nuclei to create a larger one. The nuclei must have enough energy to overcome the electrostatic repulsion between their protons, so that they can get close enough to be attracted by the strong nuclear force.

Vector

Physical quantities which have both magnitude and direction

Scalar

Quantities which have a magnitude but no direction.

Displacement

Displacement is the change in position with respect to the distance and direction travelled. It is a vector quantity.

Distance

The total length of the path travelled.

Velocity

The rate of change in displacement with respect to time.

Acceleration

The rate of change of velocity.

The gradient of a velocity - time graph is…

Acceleration

The net area between acceleration - time graph is…

Change in velocity

The net area between velocity - time graph is…

Change in position (displacement).

Force

A push or pull between objects that may cause one or both objects to change speed and/or direction of their motion or change their shape.

Inertia

The reluctance of a body to change its velocity. Inertial mass is the measure of a body’s inertia.

Newton’s First Law

An object in motion will remain in motion unless acted upon by an external unbalanced force.

Newton’s Second Law

The acceleration of an object is inversely proportional to its mass and directly proportional to the force applied to it.

Newton’s Third Law

If object A exerts a force on object B, then object B exerts a force that is the same size but opposite in direction on object A.

Terminal Velocity

The point at which the air resistance force is equal in magnitude to the weight of the object. The air resistance force increases with velocity, as more collisions will occur between the air molecules and the object.

Momentum

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

Law of Conservation of Momentum

Total momentum after interaction = Total momentum before interaction.

Impulse

The change in an object’s momentum.

The area underneath a force - time graph is…

Impulse

Work

The transfer of energy via the application of a force over a displacement.

The area under a force - displacement graph is…

Work

Conservation of Energy

The total mechanical energy of a object is given by the sum of its potential energy and its kinetic energy.

Power

The rate of energy transfer.

Elastic Collision

An interaction in which both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved. No energy is lost to the environment.

Inelastic Collision

An interaction in which kinetic energy is not conserved, but momentum is.

Wave

A disturbance (or oscillation) that propagates energy without propagating matter.

Periodic Wave

A wave that exhibits a constant wavelength and frequency, and has a consistent pattern of oscillation.

Pulse

A single disturbance that travels through a medium

Transverse Wave.

A wave in which the oscillations of the medium are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer.

Longitudinal Wave

A wave in which oscillations of the medium are parallel to the direction of energy transfer.

Intensity

The power of a wave per unit area.

Polarised Waves

Waves that vibrate in only one plane.

Unpolarised Waves

Waves that vibrate in multiple planes.

The Principle of Superposition

The displacement at any point when two waves travel through the same medium is the sum of the individual displacements of the wave at that point.

Reflection

When a wavefront encounters a boundary and bounces back into the original medium.

Resonance

Where a system's amplitude of vibration increases significantly when it is subjected to an external driving force at a frequency that matches its natural or resonant frequency

Mechanical Wave

A wave that travels through a medium.

Electromagnetic Waves

Waves that do not require a medium to transfer energy.

Wavelength

The distance between corresponding points on a successive wave.

Amplitude

The distance from the rest position of a wave (equilibrium position) to the crest position.

Specular Reflection

Light is reflected in parallel lines.

Diffuse Reflection

Light is scattered in different directions.

Refraction

A change in the direction of light caused by changes in its speed. Changes in the speed of light occur when light passes from one medium into another.

If a wave travels from a less dense medium to a more dense medium…

The light will bend towards the normal

Fixed End Reflection

When a transverse wave pulse reflects from a fixed end, the shape of the reflected pulse is a 180 degree rotation of the incident pulse.

Fixed end reflection occurs due to…

Newton’s Third Law. When the incident pulse exerts a force on the fixed end, the fixed end has an equal and opposite reaction.

Open End Reflection

When a transverse wave pulse reflects from a free end, the shape of the reflected pulse is mirrored in the vertical.

Diffraction

The bending of waves around obstacles or the spreading of waves as they pass through small openings.

Diffraction occurs with…

All types of waves

Wavefront

A surface over which an oscillation or wave phase is constant.

Single Slit Diffraction

When light passes through a single slit, it creates a pattern of dark and bright regions on a screen.

Double Slit Diffraction

When light passes through two closely spaced slits, it produces an interference pattern of alternating bright and dark fringes, as a result of constructive and destructive interference.

Smaller slits cause…

Greater diffraction

An increase in wavelength

Increases diffraction

Constructive Interference

Where the amplitudes of two waves are added in superposition.

Destructive Interference

Where the amplitudes of two waves are cancelled in superposition.

An open ended instrument has…

An antinode at the end of its standing wave.

A closed-end or stringed instrument has…

A node at the end of its standing wave.

Standing Waves

Occurs when two waves with matching amplitude and frequencies/wavelength travel in opposite directions through a medium. They continuously interfere constructively or destructively, and appear to stand still due to the net effect of the superposition of each wave.

Nodes occur when…

Interference results in a net zero amplitude/displacement.

Antinodes occur when…

Interference results in the net greatest amplitude/displacement.

How is diffraction involved in interference patterns?

Diffraction enables interference patterns by causing waves to spread out and become secondary sources, allowing these waves to overlap and interfere constructively or destructively.

Path Difference

The difference in distance two waves travel from their sources to a common point, determining whether they will interfere constructively or destructively at that point.

A path difference that is a whole number of wavelengths result in…

Constructive Interference

A path difference that is a whole number of half wavelengths results in…

Destructive Interference

If a wave moves from a thick string to a thin string…

Reflection is like a free end. More of the wave is transmitted than reflected.

If a wave moves from a thin string to a thick string…

Reflection is like a fixed end. more of the wave is reflected than transmitted.

Waves propagate slower in thick string as…

a denser string has higher inertia, meaning more force isrequired to accelerate particles, and the wave propagates slower.

Free Oscillations

The oscillation of a system with its own natural frequency and under no external influence, other than the impulse that initiated the motion.

Forced Oscillation

The oscillation of a system with the frequency of some external vibrator.