Conceptual Physics: Gases

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to Gases in Conceptual Physics.

Atmospheric Pressure

The pressure exerted by the weight of air above a given point and varies with location.

Barometer

A device that measures atmospheric pressure, consisting of a mercury column in a dish of mercury.

Boyle’s Law

The principle stating that at constant temperature, the pressure and volume of a gas are inversely proportional.

Buoyancy

The upward force experienced by an object submerged in a fluid, equaling the weight of the fluid displaced.

Archimedes’ Principle

An object surrounded by a fluid is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced.

Bernoulli’s Principle

States that as the speed of a fluid increases, the internal pressure within the fluid decreases.

Plasma

The fourth state of matter, an electrified gas composed of ionized atoms and free electrons.

Magdeburg Hemispheres

A demonstration by Otto von Guericke in 1654 that showcased the power of atmospheric pressure.

Inversely Proportional

A relationship between two quantities where one quantity increases as the other decreases.

Aneroid Barometer

A barometer that measures changes in atmospheric pressure using a flexible metal box.