Physics SAAT Tajmeat Review Flashcards

Exactly 220 vocabulary practice flashcards based on the provided physics lecture notes covering mechanics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, and atomic physics.

Physics

A branch of science concerned with studying matter, energy, and their relationship.

Hypothesis

A testable explanation for a phenomenon.

Experimentation

The process needed to confirm the validity of a hypothesis.

Law of Conservation of Energy

The statement that energy is neither created nor destroyed but only transforms from one form to another.

Scientific Theory

A scientific explanation of a phenomenon based on observations and investigations over time.

Two-point calibration

A common method used to test the accuracy of a measuring device.

SI

The abbreviation for the International System of Units.

Mole

The SI unit for measuring the amount of substance.

Scalar quantity

A quantity described by magnitude only, such as time, distance, or mass.

Vector quantity

A quantity described by both magnitude and direction, such as force, velocity, or impulse.

Candela ($cd$)

The SI unit for measuring luminous intensity.

Micro ($\mu$)

A prefix representing the mathematical value of $10^{-6}$.

Light-year

The distance light travels in one year.

Displacement

The straight line distance from the starting point to the endpoint of an object's motion.

Speed

The rate of change of distance over time.

Velocity

The change in displacement divided by the time during which the change occurred.

Acceleration

The rate of change of velocity over time ($\Delta V / \Delta t$).

Average Acceleration

Represented by the slope of the velocity-time graph.

Instantaneous Speed

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

Free Fall

The motion of an object falling toward the Earth due to gravity, neglecting air resistance.

Acceleration due to Gravity ($g$)

The constant value of acceleration for falling bodies, approximately $9.8\,m/s^2$ on Earth.

Field Force

A force that acts on objects regardless of whether there is direct contact, such as gravitational or magnetic force.

Contact Force

A force resulting from the physical interaction between two objects, such as pushing or friction.

Newton's First Law

States an object remains in its state of rest or uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force; also called the Law of Inertia.

Inertia

A measure of an object's resistance to any change in its motion.

Newton's Second Law

States that the acceleration of an object is proportional to the resultant force acting on it ($F = m \times a$).

Newton's Third Law

States that all forces appear in pairs that are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.

Normal Force ($F_N$)

The perpendicular support force exerted by a surface on an object.

Apparent Weight

The weight reading on a scale when an object is accelerating, such as inside an elevator.

Terminal Velocity

The constant velocity reached when the drag force equals the gravitational force.

Balancing Force

A force equal in magnitude but opposite in direction to the original resultant force.

Static Friction

The friction force between two surfaces when there is no relative movement.

Kinetic Friction

The friction force between surfaces when there is relative motion between them.

Centripetal Acceleration

The acceleration of an object moving in a circular path directed toward the center.

Centripetal Force

The force required to keep an object moving in a circular path.

Kepler's First Law

States that the orbits of planets around the Sun are elliptical.

Kepler's Second Law

States that a planet moves faster when it is closer to the Sun.

Kepler's Third Law

States the square of the orbital period ratio equals the cube of the average distance ratio.

Inertial Mass

A measure of an object's resistance to any applied force.

Angular Displacement

The change in the rotational angle of a body, measured in radians ($rad$).

Angular Velocity ($\omega$)

The change in angular displacement divided by the rotational time.

Angular Acceleration ($\alpha$)

The change in angular velocity divided by the time taken.

Torque ($\tau$)

A measure of a force's ability to cause rotation about an axis ($F \times r$).

Lever Arm

The perpendicular distance from the pivot point to the point where force is applied.

Mechanical Equilibrium

Condition when the sum of the forces and the sum of the torques are both zero.

Impulse

The product of the force applied to an object and the time the force acts ($F \Delta t$).

Momentum ($P$)

The product of an object's mass and its velocity ($m \times v$).

Closed System

A system that neither gains nor loses mass.

Isolated System

A system where no external forces are acting on it.

Work ($W$)

The product of the force and the displacement moved in the direction of that force ($F \times d$).

Kinetic Energy ($KE$)

The energy of a body due to its motion, calculated as $1/2 m v^2$.

Gravitational Potential Energy ($PE$)

The energy stored in an object due to its height above the Earth's surface ($mgh$).

Mechanical Energy

The total sum of kinetic energy and potential energy in a system.

Power ($P$)

The rate at which work is done or energy is converted over time ($W / t$).

Watt ($W$)

The SI unit of power, equivalent to one Joule per second ($J/s$).

Elastic Potential Energy

The energy stored in a stretched string or a compressed spring.

Efficiency ($e$)

The ratio of mechanical advantage to ideal mechanical advantage ($MA / IMA \times 100$).

Mechanical Advantage

The ratio of the resistance force to the effort force.

Specific Heat Capacity ($c$)

The energy required to raise the temperature of one-unit mass of a substance by one degree Celsius.

Latent Heat of Fusion ($H_f$)

The amount of heat required to melt $1\,kg$ of a solid at its melting point.

Latent Heat of Vaporization ($H_v$)

The heat required to convert $1\,kg$ of a substance from liquid to gas without a temperature change.

Conduction

A method of heat transfer occurring via direct contact, fastest in metals.

Convection

Heat transfer via the movement of fluids (liquids or gases).

Thermal Radiation

The transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves.

Entropy ($S$)

The measure of disorder in a system; change is calculated by heat divided by temperature ($Q/T$).

Density ($\rho$)

The mass of a substance relative to its volume ($m / V$).

Pressure ($P$)

The force applied perpendicularly to a body divided by its surface area ($F / A$).

Pascal ($Pa$)

The unit of pressure equivalent to one Newton per square meter ($N/m^2$).

Pascal's Principle

States that pressure applied to a fluid is transmitted undiminished throughout the fluid.

Bernoulli's Principle

States that fluid pressure decreases as the speed of the fluid increases.

Archimedes' Principle

Principle underlying buoyancy and the floating of objects in fluids.

Cohesive Forces

Forces of attraction that bind identical molecules of a substance together.

Adhesive Forces

Forces of attraction between molecules of different substances.

Surface Tension

The property that allows objects or insects to remain on the surface of water.

Capillary Action

The rise of liquids inside narrow tubes due to adhesion and surface tension.

Viscosity

The measure of a liquid's internal resistance to flow and movement.

Plasma

The high-energy state of matter common in stars and galaxies.

Absolute Zero

The temperature at which molecular motion theoretically stops ($0\,K$ or $-273^{\circ}C$).

Simple Harmonic Motion

Periodic motion where the restoring force is proportional to the displacement (e.g., a pendulum).

Resonance

Occurs when a force is applied to an oscillating object at its natural frequency, increasing amplitude.

Wavelength ($\lambda$)

The distance between two consecutive crests or troughs in a wave.

Frequency ($f$)

The number of vibrations or oscillations completed per second, measured in Hertz ($Hz$).

Period ($T$)

The time required to complete one full cycle of motion.

Amplitude

The maximum displacement of medium particles from their equilibrium position.

Standing Wave

A wave produced by the interference of two waves traveling in opposite directions.

Node

A point on a standing wave where displacement is zero.

Antinode

A point on a standing wave with maximum displacement.

Doppler Effect

The change in wave frequency due to the relative motion of the source and observer.

Pitch

Characteristic of sound that depends on the frequency of the sound wave.

Decibel ($dB$)

The unit of measurement for sound level intensity.

Echo

The repetition of sound caused by the reflection of sound waves from a surface.

Luminous Flux ($P$)

The rate at which light energy is emitted from a source, measured in Lumens ($lm$).

Illuminance ($E$)

The rate at which light strikes a surface per unit area, measured in Lux ($lx$).

Diffraction

The bending of light around obstacles or edges.

Polarization

The production of light that oscillates in a single plane.

Complementary Color

Two light colors that combine to produce white light (e.g., yellow and blue).

Law of Reflection

States that the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection ($\theta_i = \theta_r$).

Diffuse Reflection

Light reflection off a rough surface causing rays to scatter in various directions.

Concave Mirror

A spherical mirror that converges light and can form real or virtual images.

Convex Mirror

A spherical mirror that diverges light and always forms literal virtual images.