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University Physics > APH4001 Particles, Waves & Quanta > Flashcards

APH4001 Particles, Waves & Quanta Flashcards

1
Q

Define Velocity

A

The rate of change of position with time

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2
Q

Define Acceleration

A

The rate of change of velocity with time

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3
Q

What is Newton’s First Law?

A

An object will remain at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an external force

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4
Q

What is Newton’s Second Law?

A

The rate of change of momentum is directly proportional to the net force applied, in the direction of the applied force

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5
Q

What is Newton’s Third Law?

A

When one body exerts a force on a second body, the second body simultaneously exerts a force equal in magnitude & opposite in direction of the first body

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6
Q

Define Momentum

A

In the absence of external forces, a body at rest will stay at rest and in motion will continue with the same inertia

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7
Q

Define the Work-Energy Theorem

A

The net work done on an object equals its Kinetic Energy, K

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8
Q

Define Potential Energy

A

The negative integral of the force, and it follows that the force is the negative derivative of the potential energy

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9
Q

Define Gravitational Potential Energy

A

The energy an object possesses because of its position in a gravitational field

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10
Q

Define Power

A

The rate at which work is performed with respect to time

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11
Q

Define Radian

A

1 radian is the angle at which the arc has the same length as the radius. Radian=arc/radius

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12
Q

Define Angular Velocity

A

The rate of change of the angle with respect to time

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13
Q

Define Angular Acceleration

A

The time derivative of the angular velocity vector
OR
The rate of change of angular velocity with respect to time

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14
Q

Define Moment of Inertia

A

The product of the mass of a particle & the square of its distance from the centre of rotation

the torque required to achieve a particular angular acceleration along a rotational axis

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15
Q

Define Torque

A

The measure of the tendency of a force to cause or change a bodies rotational motion
Rate at which angular momentum changes

T = rFsin

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16
Q

Define Angular Momentum

A

The rotational analogue of linear momentum

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17
Q

Define Coulombs Law

A

Charges interact with a force proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the distance between them

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18
Q

What is the Principle of Superposition?

A

If one charge is involved, the net force is the vector sum of all forces

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19
Q

Define Magnetic Domain

A

A region in which the magnetic fields of atoms are grouped together and aligned

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20
Q

What is Einstein’s 1st Postulate?

A

The laws of Physics are the same in every inertial frame of reference

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21
Q

What is Einstein’s 2nd Postulate?

A

The speed of light in a vacuum is the same in all inertial frames of reference and is independent of the motion of the source

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22
Q

Define the Ultimate Speed Limit

A

It is impossible for an inertial observer to travel at the speed of light,c

23
Q

Define Inertial Frame

A

A reference frame with constant linear velocity

24
Q

Define Non-Inertial Frame

A

A reference frame without constant linear velocity

25
Q

Define Time Dilation

A

The difference in the elapsed time measured by two observers

26
Q

Define Amplitude

A

The maximum magnitude of displacement from equilibrium

27
Q

Define Frequency

A

The number of cycles in a unit of time

28
Q

Define Angular Frequency

A

The rate of change of angular quantity

29
Q

Define Time period

A

The time taken for one complete cycle of a wave

30
Q

Define Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM)

A

An oscillation where the restoring force is directly proportional to the displacement from the equilibrium

31
Q

Define Harmonic Oscillator

A

A body that undergoes SHM

32
Q

Define Mechanical Wave

A

A disturbance that travels through a medium. The particles in the medium undergo displacement

33
Q

Define Transverse Wave

A

Particles undergoing perpendicular displacement to the direction of the wave

34
Q

Define Longitudinal Wave

A

Particles undergo displacement in line with the motion of the wave

35
Q

Define Wave Function

A

The vertical displacement of the wave, y, is a function of both the horizontal displacement, x, and time, t. y=y(x,t)

36
Q

Define Phase Velocity

A

The rate at which the phase of a wave propagates in space

37
Q

Define Damping

A

The decrease in amplitude caused by a dissipative force

38
Q

Define Forced Oscillation

A

When a Sinusoidally varying force is added to a damped harmonic oscillator

39
Q

Define Beating

A

The periodic variation in the amplitude at a given point due to superposition of two waves having slightly different frequencies

40
Q

Define the Photoelectric Effect

A

When a photon collides with an electron, that electron is knocked out of obit of the atom, the photon ceases to exist. This only takes place if the photon has a high enough energy

41
Q

Define Excited State

A

A photon can collide with an electron to bring it to a higher state in that electron

42
Q

Define the Compton Effect

A

A photon can scatter from an electron & in the process it looses some of its energy. In such a case the photon has a lower frequency but still travels at the speed of light

43
Q

Define Pair Production

A

A photon creates an electron & positron. In this process the photon will disappear

44
Q

Define the Photoelectric Effect

A

Emission, or rejection, of electrons from the surface of, generally, a metal in response to an incident light

45
Q

What are the transformations to turn Cartesian co-ordinates into Spherical co-ordinate?

A

r=√(x^2+y^2+z^2 )
θ=tan^(-1)((√(x^2+y^2 )/z)
ϕ=cos^(-1)( z/r)

46
Q

What are the transformations to turn Spherical co-ordinates into Cartesian co-ordinates?

A

x=r cosθ sinϕ
y=r sinθ cosϕ
z=r cosϕ

47
Q

What is the general equation for a scalar product?

A

a. b= |a| x |b| x cosθ

a. b= ax x bx + ay x by + az x bz

48
Q

What is the general equation for a cross product

A

axb= |a| x |b| x sinθ

49
Q

What are the suvat equations?

A 
v=u + at
s=ut + 1/2at^2 
s=vt - 1/2at^2 
v^2=u^2 + 2as 
s= (u + v)/2 x t
50
Q

What is the equation for impulse?

A

F= dp/dt

51
Q

What is the work done equation

A

W=Fs.cosθ

52
Q

What does the law of conservation state?

A

That the all forms of energy are conserved in the system in an ideal world i.e. energy before = energy after

53
Q

Define Power and state its equation

A

The rate of change of work done with respect to time

dW/dt

University Physics (2 decks)

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