SAAT Standard Achievement Admission Test Course - Physics

A set of vocabulary flashcards designed to assist in studying key terms and concepts from a physics course.

Physics

A branch of science that studies the physical world, energy, matter, and their relationships.

Scientific Method

A systematic process used by scientists to gather knowledge, explain phenomena, and test hypotheses.

Hypothesis

A possible explanation for a problem based on observations.

Model

A representation of an idea, event, structure, or object that aids understanding.

Scientific Theory

An explanation based on a body of evidence and numerous experiments.

Scientific Law

A statement about what happens in nature that seems to be universally true.

Measurement

A comparison between an unknown quantity and a standard.

SI Units

The International System of Units used for scientific measurements.

Prefixes

Terms that denote multiples or submultiples of a unit based on powers of ten.

Dimensional Analysis

A method of converting units using their dimensions as algebraic quantities.

Independent Variable

The variable that is changed or manipulated in an experiment.

Dependent Variable

The variable that depends on the independent variable in an experiment.

Distance

The total length of the path traveled by an object regardless of direction.

Displacement

The shortest straight-line distance from an object's initial to its final position.

Velocity

The rate of change of displacement, including direction.

Acceleration

The rate of change of velocity over time.

Kinetic Energy

The energy that an object possesses due to its motion; calculated as KE = rac{1}{2}mv^2.

Potential Energy

The energy stored in an object due to its position or configuration.

Work-Energy Theorem

The work done on a system results in a change in its energy.

Conservation of Energy

The principle stating that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed.

Electromagnetism

The interaction between electric currents and magnetic fields.

Electric Field

A region around a charged object where other charged objects experience a force.

Magnetic Field

A vector field around a magnet where magnetic forces are present.

Wave

A disturbance that transfers energy through matter or space without transferring matter.

Doppler Effect

The change in frequency or wavelength of a wave in relation to an observer moving relative to the wave source.

Refraction

The bending of light as it passes from one medium to another.

Reflection

The bouncing back of a wave when it hits a surface.

Thermal Energy

The total energy of all particles in a substance, including both kinetic and potential energy.

Entropy

A measure of the energy dispersal in a system, often associated with the second law of thermodynamics.

Nucleus

The dense, positively charged center of an atom containing protons and neutrons.

Isotope

Atoms of the same element with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

Fission

The splitting of a nucleus into smaller nuclei, releasing energy.

Fusion

The process where two light atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, releasing energy.

Capacitor

A device that stores electric charge and energy in an electric field.

Current

The flow of electric charge in a circuit.

Voltage

The electric potential difference between two points in a circuit.

Resistance

The opposition to the flow of electric current, measured in ohms (Ω).

Ohm's Law

The relationship between voltage, current, and resistance; stated as $V = IR$.

Coulomb's Law

The law that describes the force between two charged objects.

Energy Levels

The specific energies that electrons can have in an atom.

Quantum Theory

The branch of physics that describes matter and energy at the atomic and subatomic levels.