Year 10 Physics Review

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering basic kinematics, dynamics, energy, waves, optics, and electricity from Year 10 Physics notes.

Distance

The total length of the path travelled by an object, regardless of direction. It is a scalar quantity measured in metres ($m$).

Displacement

The straight-line distance and direction from an object's starting point to its ending point. It is a vector quantity measured in metres ($m$).

Speed

The rate at which an object covers distance, telling how fast an object moves without direction. It is a scalar quantity measured in metres per second ($m/s$).

Velocity

The rate of change of displacement, describing both speed and direction. It is a vector quantity measured in metres per second ($m/s$).

Acceleration

The rate at which an object's velocity changes over time (speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction). It is a vector quantity measured in metres per second squared

($m/s^2$).

Scalar

A quantity that has magnitude (size) only and no direction.

Vector

A quantity that has both magnitude and direction.

Mass

The amount of matter in an object, which remains constant regardless of location. It is a scalar quantity measured in kilograms ($kg$).

Weight

The force of gravity acting on an object's mass. It is a vector quantity measured in newtons ($N$) and can change depending on the gravitational field strength.

Force

A push or pull acting on an object that can change its motion, shape, or direction. It is a vector quantity measured in newtons ($N$).

Push

A force that moves an object away from the source of the force.

Pull

A force that moves an object towards the source of the force.

Friction

A contact force that opposes motion between two surfaces that are touching, acting in the opposite direction to movement.

Drag

A type of frictional force that opposes the motion of an object moving through a fluid like air or water.

Resistance (Physics)

A force that opposes motion or flow, such as air resistance slowing an object or opposition to the flow of electric current.

Energy

The ability to do work or cause change; it cannot be created or destroyed but only transferred or transformed.

Kinetic Energy (KE)

The energy an object possesses because it is moving; it increases with the object's mass and speed.

Potential Energy (PE)

Stored energy that an object has because of its position or condition, such as gravitational potential energy.

Contact Force

A force that acts only when two objects are physically touching.

Non-contact Force

A force that acts without physical contact between objects.

Balanced Forces

Forces that are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, resulting in no change in motion.

Unbalanced Forces

Forces that are not equal, causing a change in an object's motion.

Net Force (Resultant Force)

The overall force acting on an object after all individual forces have been combined.

Inertia

The tendency of an object to resist changes in its motion.

Direction

The path or orientation in which a vector acts.

Average Speed

The total distance travelled divided by the total time taken.

Instantaneous Speed

The speed of an object at a particular moment in time.

Constant Speed

Motion in which an object travels equal distances in equal time intervals.

Constant Velocity

Motion in which an object moves at a constant speed in a constant direction.

Uniform Motion

Motion at a constant velocity.

Non-uniform Motion

Motion where either the speed or the direction of the object changes.

Static Friction

The friction that prevents an object from starting to move.

Sliding (Kinetic) Friction

The friction acting between surfaces that are moving across each other.

Air Resistance

A type of drag force that opposes motion through the air.

Water Resistance

A type of drag force that opposes motion through water.

Gravity

The non-contact force of attraction between objects with mass.

Gravitational Force

The force with which Earth or another massive object attracts another object.

Tension

The pulling force transmitted through a rope, cable, or string.

Normal Force

The support force exerted by a surface on an object in contact with it.

Applied Force

A force exerted on an object by a person or another object.

Magnetic Force

A non-contact force acting between magnets or magnetic materials.

Electrostatic Force

A non-contact force acting between electrically charged objects.

Gravitational Field Strength

The force of gravity acting on each kilogram of mass. Earth's strength is approximately $9.8\,N/kg$ (often rounded to $10\,N/kg$).

Newton's First Law

An object remains at rest or moves at a constant velocity unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

Newton's Second Law

The acceleration of an object depends on the net force acting on it and the mass of the object.

Newton's Third Law

For every action force, there is an equal and opposite reaction force.

Gravitational Potential Energy

Stored energy due to an object's height above the ground.

Elastic Potential Energy

Stored energy in objects that are stretched or compressed, such as springs or rubber bands.

Chemical Energy

Energy stored in chemical bonds.

Thermal Energy

The internal energy associated with the movement of particles.

Electrical Energy

Energy carried by moving electric charges.

Light Energy

Energy carried by electromagnetic waves visible to the human eye.

Sound Energy

Energy transferred through vibrations travelling as waves.

Nuclear Energy

Energy stored within the nucleus of atoms.

Work

The transfer of energy that occurs when a force moves an object through a distance.

Power

The rate at which work is done or the rate at which energy is transferred.

Efficiency

The percentage of input energy that is converted into useful output energy.

Useful Energy

Energy that is transferred into the desired form for a specific task.

Wasted Energy

Energy transferred into unwanted forms, usually heat or sound.

Energy Transfer

The movement of energy from one object or system to another.

Energy Transformation

The conversion of one form of energy into another form.

Law of Conservation of Energy

Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be transferred or transformed.

Wave

A disturbance that transfers energy without transferring matter overall.

Medium

The material through which a wave travels.

Transverse Wave

A wave in which particles vibrate perpendicular to the direction of wave travel.

Longitudinal Wave

A wave in which particles vibrate parallel to the direction of wave travel.

Crest

The highest point of a transverse wave.

Trough

The lowest point of a transverse wave.

Compression

A region of high particle density in a longitudinal wave.

Rarefaction

A region of low particle density in a longitudinal wave.

Wavelength

The distance between identical points on consecutive waves.

Amplitude

The maximum displacement of a particle from its resting position.

Frequency

The number of complete waves passing a point each second, measured in hertz ($Hz$).

Period

The time taken for one complete wave to occur.

Wave Speed

The speed at which a wave travels through a medium.

Reflection

The bouncing of light from a surface.

Refraction

The bending of light as it passes between different materials.

Normal (Optics)

An imaginary line perpendicular to a surface at the point of incidence.

Angle of Incidence

The angle between the incoming ray and the normal.

Angle of Reflection

The angle between the reflected ray and the normal.

Transparent

A material that allows almost all light to pass through it.

Translucent

A material that allows some light through but scatters it.

Opaque

A material that does not allow any light to pass through.

Electromagnetic Spectrum

The full range of electromagnetic waves, from radio waves to gamma rays.

Visible Light

The small part of the electromagnetic spectrum detectable by the human eye.

Electric Charge

A property of matter responsible for electrical forces.

Current

The rate of flow of electric charge, measured in amperes ($A$).

Voltage (Potential Difference)

The energy supplied per unit charge that drives current through a circuit.

Resistance (Electricity)

The opposition to the flow of electric current.

Circuit

A complete path through which electric current flows.

Conductor

A material that allows electric current to flow easily.

Insulator

A material that resists the flow of electric current.

Series Circuit

A circuit with only one path for current to flow.

Parallel Circuit

A circuit with multiple paths for current to flow.

Battery (Cell)

A source of electrical energy that provides voltage.

Switch

A device used to open or close a circuit.