Physics 2 Lab Practical Vocab

Angle of incidence

The angle between an incoming light ray and the line that is perpendicular to the surface at the point of contact

Angle of reflection

The angle between a reflected light ray and the line that is perpendicular to the surface at the point of contact

Angular magnification

The ratio of how large an object appears when viewed through an optical instrument compared to how large it appears to the naked eye

Ammeter

A measuring device that is placed in series in a circuit to measure the electric current in a branch

Balmer lines

The visible spectral lines of hydrogen that correspond to electron transitions ending in the second energy level

Central maximum

The bright central region in a diffraction or interference pattern where the light intensity is greatest

Compass

A small magnetized needle that aligns with the net magnetic field and points along the direction of that field

Converging lens

A lens that bends incoming parallel rays of light so that they come together at a focal point and can form real or virtual images

Critical angle

The smallest angle of incidence in a dense medium for which the refracted ray grazes along the boundary, and total internal reflection begins

Diffraction

The spreading and bending of waves when they pass through an opening or around an obstacle

Diffraction grating

An optical device with many evenly spaced slits that separates light into its component wavelengths by diffraction and interference

Diode

A circuit element that allows current to flow much more easily in one direction than the other and has a highly nonlinear current-voltage relationship

Diverging lens

A lens that causes incoming parallel rays of light to spread apart and that forms only virtual images.

Double slit interference

The pattern of bright and dark fringes produced when light from two narrow slits overlaps and interferes

Electric field lines

Imaginary lines that show the direction a positive test charge would move in an electric field and indicate the field's strength by their spacing

Equipotential lines

Lines or curves that connect points with the same electric potential, where no work is done when a charge moves along them

Focal length

The distance from the center of a lens to its focal point, where parallel rays either meet or appear to come from

Grating spacing

The distance between adjacent slits in a diffraction grating

Index of refraction

A number that describes how much a medium slows down light compared to its speed in a vacuum

Junction rule

Kirchhoff's rule states that the total current entering a junction in a circuit equals the total current leaving the junction.

Loop rule

Kirchhoffs rule that states the sum of all voltage rises and drops around any closed loop in a circuit is zero

Magnification

The ratio of image size to object size is often described by how many times larger or smaller the image is compared to the object

Maxima and minima

The bright regions and dark regions in an interference or diffraction pattern caused by constructive and destructive interference

Ohm's law

The relationship in which the voltage across a conductor is proportional to the current through it for materials that behave linearly

Percent error

A measure of accuracy found by taking the absolute difference between the accepted value and the measured value, dividing by the accepted value, and multiplying by one hundred

Percent difference

A measure of how different two experimental values are found by taking the absolute difference between them, dividing by their average, and multiplying by one hundred

Plane mirror

A flat mirror that produces a virtual upright image that is the same size as the object and appears the same distance behind the mirror as the object is in front

Real image

An image formed where light rays actually converge so that it can be projected onto a screen

Rydberg constant

A constant that appears in the formula for the wavelengths of hydrogen spectral lines and characterizes the energy levels of the hydrogen atom

Single slit diffraction

The diffraction pattern produced by light passing through one narrow slit is characterized by a vast central bright region and diminishing side regions

Snell's law

The rule that describes how a light ray changes direction when it passes from one medium to another based on the indices of refraction and the angles in each medium

Total internal reflection

The complete reflection of light back into a denser medium when it tries to pass into a less dense medium at an angle greater than the critical angle

Virtual image

An image that appears to be located at a position from which light rays seem to diverge and that cannot be projected on a screen

Voltmeter

A measuring device that is placed in parallel across a circuit element to measure the potential difference or voltage across it