Physics Honors - Vocabulary

vocab

Absolute error

The difference between an experimental value and the accepted value of a measured quantity.

Absolute index of refraction

A property of a material medium equal to the ratio of the speed of a light in a vacuum to the speed of light in the material medium

absorption spectrum

A series of dark lines resulting from the selective absorption of particular frequencies of the continuous spectrum produced by white light.

Acceleration

The time rate of change of velocity; a vector quantity

Accepted value

the most probably value for a measured quantity, which is usually published in reference books

Accurate

Describes a measurement that is the same or very close to the accepted value

ammeter

A device fro measuring electric current when connected in series in an electrical circuit

ampere (A)

the fundamental SI unit of electric current; equal to one coulomb per second

Amplitude

the magnitude of the maximum displacement of a particle of a medium from its reset or equilibrium position.

Angle of incidence

The angle between an incident ray and the normal to the surface point where the ray strikes the surface

Angle of refraction

The angle between a reflected ray and the normal to the surface at the point where the ray is reflected

Antimatter

Material consisting of atoms which are composed of antiprotons, antineutrons, and positrons

Antinode

The point of maximum displacement of a medium when two waves are interacting

Antiparticle

A particle having mass, lifetime, and spin identical to the associated particle, but with charge of opposite sign, (if charged) and magnetic movement reversed in sign.

Antiquark

The antiparticle of. quark, having electric charge, baryon number, and strangeness opposite in sign to those of the corresponding quark.

Atom

The smallest particle of an element

Atomic spectrum

A specific series of frequencies of electromagnetic radiation produced when electrons in excited atoms of an element in the gaseous state return to lower energy levels.

Baryon

A heavy particle composed of three quarks; an elementary particle which can be transformed into a proton or neutron and some number of mesons and lighter particles

Battery

A combination f two or more electrochemical cells; also, a direct-current voltage source which converts chemical, thermal, nuclear, or solar energy into electrical energy

Bright-line spectrum

An emission spectrum or a series of bright lines against a dark background that results from the emission of radiation of specific frequencies by a heated gas

Cell

A device that converts chemical energy to electrical energy

Centripetal acceleration

the acceleration that results in the uniform motion of an object in a circular path; a vector quantity directed toward the center of curvature

Closed system

A group of objects, not acted upon by any external force

Coefficient of friction

The ratio of the frictional force to the normal force

Compression

A decrease in spring length from its equilibrium position or length

Condensation

A region of maximum compression in a longitudinal wave

Conductivity

A property of a material that describes the availability of charges that are free to move under the influence of an electric field

Conductor

A material, usually a metal, in which electric charge moves easily

Conservative force

Name given to a. force when work done against it is independent of the path taken.

Constant proportion

The relationship that exists between two quantities when an increase in one causes no change in the other.

Constructive interference

The effect produced when two in-phase waves pass simultaneously through a medium causing an increase in amplitude

Coulomb (C)

The derived SI unit of electric charge equal to a current of one ampere passing through a given area in one second; 6.25 × 10^18 elementary charges

Coulomb’s law

States that the magnitude of the electrostatic force that one point charge exerts on another point charge is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the share of the distance between them.

Crest

In a transverse wave, the position of maximum displacement of a particle of the medium in the positive direction (for example, upward)

Current

In an electric circuit, the rate at which charge passes a given point; a scalar quantity

Dependent variable

The quantity that changes in an experiment as a result of changes made by the experimenter

Derived unit

A combination of two or or more fundamental units used to simplify notation

Destructive interference

The effect produced when two waves of equal frequency and amplitude, whose phase difference is 180 degrees or ½λ, pass simultaneously through. medium.

Diffraction

The spreading of wave fronts into the region behind a barrier in a wave’s path.

Direct squared proportion

The relationship that exists between two quantities in which an increase in one causes an increase in the other; the quotient of the quantities in a non-zero constant

Directly proportional

Applies to the relationship between tow quantities in which an increase in one quantity causes an increase in the other; the quotient of the quantities in a non-zero constant.

Displacement

The change in position of an object described by the vector that begins at the initial position of the object and ends at its final position

Distance

the total length of the path that an object travels; a scalar quantity.

Doppler effect

A change in observed frequency and wavelength due to the relative motion of a wave source and an observer

Dynamics

The branch of mechanics dealing with how forces affect an object’s motion

Elastic potential energy

The energy stored in a spring when work is done in compressing or stretching it; a scalar quantity

Electric circuit

A closed path along which charged particles move

Electric field

The region around a charged particle through which a force is exerted on another charged particle.

Electric field line

The imaginary line along which a positive test charge would move in an electric field

Electric field strength

The force per unit charge on a stationary positive test charge in an electric field; a vector quantity

Electrical energy

the total amount of energy in an electrical circuit; equal to the product of power consumed and the time of the charge flow; a scalar quantity

Electrical power

The rate at which electrical energy is converted into other forms; a scalar quantity

Electromagnetic energy

The energy associated with electric or magnetic fields

Electromagnetic induction

The process of generating a potential difference in a conductor due to the relative motion between the conductor and a magnetic field.

Electromagnetic spectrum

The complete range of frequencies and wavelengths of electromagnetic waves

Electromagnetic wave

Periodically changing electric and magnetic fields that move through a vacuum at speed c = 3.00 X 10^8 m/s

Electron

The fundamental negatively charged (-) subatomic particle of matter, particle charge is equal in magnitude to that of a proton; mass is negligible compared to the mass of a proton

Alectronvolt (eV)

a unit of energy equal to the work done in moving an elementary charge through a potential difference of one volt