Physics Concepts Review

A set of flashcards covering key concepts in physics, including scalars, vectors, force, acceleration, energy, and electricity.

What are scalars and give examples?

Scalars are quantities that only have size (magnitude), such as distance, speed, mass, and energy.

What are vectors and give examples?

Vectors are quantities with size and direction, such as displacement, velocity, acceleration, force, and weight.

What does the resultant force refer to?

Resultant force is a vector quantity that results from combining all forces acting on an object.

How can forces acting in the same direction be combined?

Forces acting in the same direction can be added together.

What happens to forces acting in opposite directions?

Forces acting in opposite directions can be subtracted.

How can resultant forces be resolved?

Resultant forces can be resolved into their horizontal and vertical components.

What is acceleration?

Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity, which can involve speeding up, slowing down, or a change in direction.

What is the SI unit for acceleration?

The SI unit for acceleration is meters per second squared (m/s²).

What is Newton's Third Law?

Newton's Third Law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

What does Newton's First Law state about motion?

Newton's First Law states that an object's motion will not change unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

What does a horizontal line on a velocity-time graph represent?

A horizontal line shows a constant velocity.

What does a straight line with a positive gradient on a velocity-time graph show?

It shows that an object has a positive acceleration (speeding up).

What is conduction?

Conduction is thermal transfer by the vibration of particles.

What is convection?

Convection is thermal transfer occurring when particles in a heated fluid rise.

Define specific heat capacity.

Specific heat capacity is the energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kg of a substance by 1 °C.

What is the specific latent heat of fusion?

The specific latent heat of fusion refers to the energy needed to change the state from solid to liquid.

What is the potential difference?

Voltage, or potential difference, is measured in Volts (V).

What are the components of a simple circuit?

A simple circuit has two wires: a live wire and a neutral wire.

What does the earth wire do in a circuit?

The earth wire serves as a safety feature and connects to the case of the appliance to prevent electric shock.

What is the difference between direct current (d.c.) and alternating current (a.c.)?

Direct current (d.c.) travels in one direction only, while alternating current (a.c.) continually reverses direction.

What is fossil fuel?

Fossil fuels are non-renewable energy resources, examples include coal, oil, and natural gas.

What happens when thermal energy is transferred to an object?

Its temperature changes, depending on the substance, its mass, and the amount of energy transferred.

Define static electricity.

Static electricity is an electric charge that cannot move.

What is the function of an appliance?

To bring about an energy transfer.

What is the formula for calculating energy transferred?

Energy transferred = Power x Time.