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AS Definitions Flashcards

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1
Q

Absolute refractive index

A

The ratio between the speed of light in a vacuum and the speed of light in a material

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2
Q

Absolute uncertainty

A

The uncertainty of a measurement given as a fixed quantity

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3
Q

Absorption (fibre optics)

A

Where some of the energy of a fibre-optic signal is absorbed by the material of the optical fibre

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4
Q

Acceleration

A

The rate of change of velocity

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5
Q

Accurate result

A

An accurate result is really close to the true answer

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6
Q

Alpha decay

A

A type of decay in which an unstable nucleus of an atom emits and alpha particle

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7
Q

Alpha particle

A

A particle made up of two protons and two neutrons

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8
Q

Ammeter

A

A component used to measure the current flowing through a circuit

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9
Q

Amplitude

A

The maximum displacement of a wave, i.e. The distance from the undisputed position to a crest or trough

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10
Q

Angle of incidence

A

The angle that incoming light makes with the normal of a boundary

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11
Q

Angle of refraction

A

The angle that refracted light makes with the normal boundary

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12
Q

Annihilation

A

The process by which a particle and its antiparticle meet and their mass gets converted to energy in the form of a pair of gamma ray photons

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13
Q

Anomalous result

A

A result that doesn’t fit in with the pattern of the other results in a set of data

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14
Q

Antimatter

A

The name given to all antiparticles

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15
Q

Antineutrino

A

The antiparticle of a neutrino

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16
Q

Antineutron

A

The antiparticle of a neutron

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17
Q

Antinode

A

A point of maximum amplitude in a stationary wave

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18
Q

Antiparticle

A

A particle with the same rest mass and energy as its corresponding particle, but equal and opposite

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19
Q

Antiproton

A

The antiparticle of a proton

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20
Q

Atom

A

A particle made up of protons and neutrons in a central nucleus, and electrons orbiting the nucleus

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21
Q

Atomic number

A

The number of protons in an atom of an element

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22
Q

Average velocity

A

The change in displacement of an object divided by the time taken

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23
Q

Baryon

A

A type of hadron made up of three quarks. For example, protons and neutrons

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24
Q

Baryon number

A

The number of baryons in a particle

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25
Q

Beta minus decay

A

A trop of decay in which an unstable nucleus of an atom emits a beta minus particle (an electron) and an antineutrino

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26
Q

Beta plus decay

A

A type of decay in which an unstable nucleus of an atom emits a beta plus particle (a positron) and a neutrino

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27
Q

Breaking stress

A

The lowest stress that’s big enough to break a material

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28
Q

Brittle

A

A brittle material doesn’t deform plastically, but snaps when the stress on it reaches a certain point

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29
Q

Brittle fracture

A

When a stress applied to a brittle material causes tiny cracks at the material’s surface to get bigger until the material breaks completely

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30
Q

Calibration

A

Making a scale on a measuring instrument or checking a scale by measuring a known value

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31
Q

Categoric data

A

Data that can be sorted into categories

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32
Q

Centre of mass

A

The point which you can consider all of an object’s weight to act through

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33
Q

Circuit symbol

A

A pictorial representation of an electrical component

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34
Q

Cloud chamber

A

A chamber filled with a vapour which is used to track the motion of charged particles

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35
Q

Coherent

A

Sources (or waves) that have the same wavelength and frequency and a fixed phase difference between them are coherent

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36
Q

Compressive force

A

A force which squashes something

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37
Q

Conservation of energy (principle of)

A

Energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can be transferred from one form to another, but the total amount of energy in a closed system will not change

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38
Q

Constructive interference

A

When two waves interfere to make a wave with a larger displacement

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39
Q

Continuous data

A

Data that can have any value on a scale

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40
Q

Control variable

A

A variable that is kept constant in an experiment

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41
Q

Cosmic ray showers

A

Lots of high-energy particles that are produced from cosmic rays interacting with molecules in the atmosphere

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42
Q

Cosmic rays

A

Radiation in the form of charged particles that come from space and hit the Earth

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43
Q

Coulomb (C)

A

A unit of charge. One coulomb is the amount of charge that passes in 1 second when the current is 1 ampere

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44
Q

Couple

A

A pair of forces of equal size which act parallel to each other but in opposite directions

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45
Q

Critical angle

A

The angle of incidence at which the angle of refraction is 90 degrees

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46
Q

Crumple zone

A

Part of a car or other vehicle designed to deform plastically in a crash so less energy is transferred to the people inside

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47
Q

Current

A

The rate of flow of charge in a circuit. Measured in amperes (A)

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48
Q

Density

A

The mass per unit volume of a material or object

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49
Q

Dependent variable

A

The variable that you measure in an experiment

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50
Q

Destructive interference

A

When two waves interfere to make a wave with a reduced displacement

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51
Q

Diffraction

A

When waves spread out as they pass through a narrow gap or go round obstacles

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52
Q

Diffraction grating

A

A slide or other thin object that contains lots of equally spaced slots very close together, used to show diffraction patterns of waves

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53
Q

Diode

A

A component designed to allow current flow in one direction only

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54
Q

Discrete data

A

Data that can only take certain values

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55
Q

Dispersion

A

A form of signal degradation that causes pulse broadening of a fibre optic signal as it travels

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56
Q

Displacement

A

How far an object has travelled from its starting point in a given direction. In the case of a wave, it is the distance a point on wave has moved from its undisturbed position

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57
Q

Drag

A

Friction caused by a fluid

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58
Q

Efficiency

A

The ratio between useful energy given out by a machine to the amount of energy put into the machine

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59
Q

Elastic

A

An elastic material returns to its original shape/ length once the forces acting on it are removed

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60
Q

Elastic limit

A

The force (or stress) beyond which a material will be permanently stretched

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61
Q

Elastic strain energy

A

The energy stored in a stretched material

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62
Q

Electromagnetic force

A

A fundamental force that causes interactions between charged particles. Virtual photons are the exchange particle

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63
Q

Electromagnetic spectrum

A

A continuous spectrum of all the possible frequencies of EM radiation

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64
Q

Electromotive force (emf)

A

The amount of electrical energy a power supply transfers to each coulomb of charge

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65
Q

Electron

A

A lepton with a relative charge of -1 and a relative mass of 0.0005. Sometimes called a β- particle

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66
Q

Electron capture

A

The process of a proton-rich nucleus capturing an electron to turn a proton into a neutron, emitting a neutrino

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67
Q

Electron-proton collision

A

The process of an electron colliding with a proton and producing a neutron and a neutrino

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68
Q

Electron volt

A

The kinetic energy carried by an electron after it has been accelerated from rest through a potential difference of one volt

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69
Q

Equilibrium

A

An object is in equilibrium if all the forces acting on it cancel each other out

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70
Q

Evidence

A

Valid data arising from an experiment, which can be used to support a conclusion

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71
Q

Exchange particle

A

A virtual particle which allows force to act in a particle interaction. They are also known as gauge bosons

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72
Q

Excitation

A

The movement of an electron to a higher energy level in an atom

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73
Q

Fair test

A

An experiment in which all variables are kept constant apart from the independent and dependent variables

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74
Q

First harmonic

A

The lowest frequency at which a stationary wave is formed where the wavelength is double the length of the vibrating medium

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75
Q

Fractional uncertainty

A

The uncertainty given as a fraction of the measurement taken

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76
Q

Free fall

A

The motion of an object undergoing an acceleration of g

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77
Q

Frequency

A

The number of whole wave cycles (oscillations) per second passing a given point. Or the number of whole wave cycles given out from a source per second

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78
Q

Friction

A

A force that opposes motion. It acts in the opposite direction to the motion. It arises when two objects are moving past each other, or an object is moving through a fluid

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79
Q

Fundamental particle

A

A particle which cannot be split up into smaller particles

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80
Q

Gauge boson

A

A virtual particle which allows forces to act in a particle interaction. They are also known as exchange particles

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81
Q

Geiger counter

A

A device to measure the amount of ionising radiation

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82
Q

Gravitational force

A

A fundamental force which causes attraction between objects with a force proportional to their masses

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83
Q

Gravitational potential energy

A

The energy an object gains when lifted up in a gravitational field, due to its position

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84
Q

Ground state

A

The lowest energy level of an atom or the lowest energy level for an electron in an atom

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85
Q

Hadron

A

A particle made up of quarks that is affected by the strong nuclear force

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86
Q

Hooke’s law

A

The extension of a stretched object is proportional to the load or force applied to it. This applies up to the limit of proportionality

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87
Q

Hooke’s law limit

A

The point beyond which force is no longer proportional to extension. Also known as the limit of proportionality

88
Q

Hypothesis

A

A suggested explanation for a fact or observation

89
Q

I-V characteristic

A

A graph which shows how the current flowing through a component changes as the potential difference across it is increased

90
Q

Impulse

A

The impulse acting on an object is equal to the change in momentum of the object

91
Q

Independent variable

A

The variable that you change in an experiment

92
Q

Instantaneous velocity

A

The velocity of an object at a particular moment in time

93
Q

Intensity (of light)

A

The power per unit area

94
Q

Interference

A

The superposition of two or more waves

95
Q

Internal resistance

A

The resistance created in a power source when electrons collide with atoms inside the power source and lose energy

96
Q

Ionisation

A

The process where an electron is removed from (or added to) an atom

97
Q

Ionisation energy

A

The energy required to remove an electron from an atom in its ground state

98
Q

Isotope

A

One of two or more forms of an element with the same proton number but a different nucleon number

99
Q

Isotopic data

A

The relative amounts of isotopes in a substance

100
Q

Kinetic energy

A

The energy possessed by a moving object due to its movement

101
Q

Lepton

A

A fundamental particle that is not affected by the strong nuclear force

102
Q

Lepton number

A

The number of leptons in a particle. Lepton number is counted separately for different types of leptons

103
Q

Lever

A

A structure made of a rigid object rotating around a pivot, in which an effort force works against a load force

104
Q

Lift

A

An upwards force on an object moving through a fluid

105
Q

Light-dependent resistor (LDR)

A

A resistor with a resistance that depends on the intensity of light falling on it. The resistance decreases with increasing light intensity

106
Q

Line absorption spectrum

A

A light spectrum with dark lines corresponding to different wavelengths of light that have been absorbed

107
Q

Line emission spectrum

A

A spectrum of bright lines on a dark background corresponding to different wavelengths of light that have been emitted from a light source

108
Q

Line spectrum

A

A pattern of lines produced by photons being emitted or absorbed by electrons moving between energy levels in an atom

109
Q

Longitudinal wave

A

A wave in which the oscillations are parallel to the direction of energy propagation

110
Q

Lost volts

A

The energy wasted per coulomb overcoming the internal resistance of a power source

111
Q

Mass

A

The amount of matter in an object

112
Q

Mass number

A

The number of nucleons in an atom of an element

113
Q

Material dispersion

A

Dispersion caused by different wavelengths of light traveling at different speeds through the material of an optical fibre

114
Q

Matter

A

The name given to all particles

115
Q

Maximum (interference)

A

A point in an interference pattern where the intensity is locally brightest (a location of constructive interference)

116
Q

Meson

A

A type of hadron made up of a quark and an antiquark. For example, pions or kaons

117
Q

Minimum (interference)

A

A point in an interference pattern where the intensity is locally lowest (a point of destructive interference)

118
Q

Modal dispersion

A

Dispersion caused by reflected light taking paths of different lengths in an optical fibre

119
Q

Moment

A

The turning effect of a force around a turning point

120
Q

Moment of a couple

A

The moment caused by two equal forces acting parallel to each other but in opposite directions around a turning point

121
Q

Momentum

A

The momentum of an object is the product of its mass and velocity

122
Q

Monochromatic

A

A light source that is all of the same wavelength (or frequency)

123
Q

Neutrino

A

A lepton with (almost) zero mass and zero charge

124
Q

Neutron

A

A neutral baryon with a relative mass of 1

125
Q

Newton’s first law of motion

A

The velocity of an object will not change unless a resultant force acts on it

126
Q

Newton’s second law of motion

A

The acceleration of an object is proportional to the resultant force acting on it

127
Q

Newton’s third law of motion

A

If an object A exerts a force on object B, then object B exerts an equal but opposite force on object A

128
Q

Node

A

A point of minimum amplitude on a stationary wave

129
Q

Nuclear decay

A

The process of an unstable nucleus emitting particles in order to become more stable

130
Q

Nucleon

A

A particle in the nucleus of an atom (which can be a proton or a neutron)

131
Q

Nucleon number

A

The number of neutrons and protons in an atom of an element

132
Q

Nucleus

A

The centre of an atom, containing nucleons

133
Q

Nuclide notation

A

A notation that tells you the nucleon number, A, and proton number, Z, of an element

134
Q

Optical density

A

The property of a medium that describes how fast light travels through it. Light moves slower through a medium with a higher optical density

135
Q

Optical fibre

A

A thin flexible tube of glass or plastic that can carry light signals using total internal reflection

136
Q

Ordered/ ordinal data

A

Categoric data where the categories can be put in order

137
Q

Pair production

A

A process of converting energy to mass in which a gamma ray photon has enough energy to produce a particle-antiparticle pair

138
Q

Path difference

A

The amount by which the path travelled by one wave is longer than the path travelled by another wave

139
Q

Period

A

The time taken for one whole wave cycle to pass a given point

140
Q

Phase

A

A measurement of the position of a certain point on a wave cycle, measured as an angle (in degrees or radians) or in fractions of a cycle

141
Q

Phase difference

A

The amount by which one wave lags behind another, measured as an angle (in degrees or radians) or in fractions of a cycle

142
Q

Photoelectric effect

A

The emission of electrons from a metal when light of a high enough frequency is shone on it

143
Q

Photoelectron

A

An electron released through the photoelectric effect

144
Q

Photon

A

A discrete wave-packet of EM waves

145
Q

Plastic

A

A plastic material is permanently stretched once the forces acting on it are removed

146
Q

Polarised wave

A

A wave in which all the vibrations are in one direction or plane

147
Q

Polarising filter

A

A filter that only transmits vibrations of a wave in one direction or plane, called the plane of transmission

148
Q

Potential difference

A

The work done moving a unit charge between two points in a circuit

149
Q

Potential divider

A

A circuit containing a voltage source and a pair of resistors. The voltage across one of the resistors is used as an output voltage. If the resistors aren’t fixed, the circuit will be capable of producing a variable output voltage

150
Q

Power

A

The rate of transfer of energy or the rate of doing work. It’s measured in watts (W), where 1 watt is equivalent to 1 joule per second

151
Q

Precise result

A

The smaller the amount of spread of your data from the mean, the more precise it is

152
Q

Principle of conservation of energy

A

Energy cannot be created or destroyed. Energy can be transferred from one form to another but the total amount of energy in a closed system will not change

153
Q

Progressive wave

A

A moving wave that carries energy from one place to another without transferring any material

154
Q

Projectile motion

A

Motion with a constant horizontal velocity and a vertical velocity affected by acceleration due to gravity

155
Q

Proton

A

A positively charged baryon with a relative mass of 1

156
Q

Pulse broadening

A

When signal in an optical fibre gets wider as it is transmitted, due to dispersion

157
Q

Quantum number

A

A number hat represents a property of a particle that must be conserved in all interactions; for example, baryon number and lepton number. (Strangeness is an exception to this as it is not conserved in weak interactions)

158
Q

Quark

A

A fundamental particle that makes up hadrons

159
Q

Random error

A

An error introduced by variables which you cannot control

160
Q

Reflection

A

When a wave bounces back as it hits a boundary

161
Q

Refraction

A

When a wave changes direction and speed as it enters a medium with a different optical density

162
Q

Relative refractive index

A

The ratio of the speed of light in one material to the speed of light in a second material

163
Q

Resistance

A

A component has a resistance of 1Ω if a pd of 1V across it makes a current of 1A flow through it.

164
Q

Resistivity

A

The resistance of a 1m length of a material with a 1m2 cross-sectional area. It is measured in ohm-metres

165
Q

Repeatable result

A

A result is repeatable if you can repeat an experiment multiple times and get the same results

166
Q

Reproducible result

A

A result is reproducible if someone else can recreate your experiment using different equipment or methods, and get the same result you do

167
Q

Resolution

A

The smallest change in what’s being measured that can be detected by the equipment

168
Q

Resonant frequency

A

A frequency at which a stationary wave is formed because an exact number of waves are produced in the time it takes for a wave to get to the end of the vibrating medium and back again

169
Q

Rest energy

A

The amount of energy that would be produced if all of a particle’s mass were transformed into energy

170
Q

Resultant vector

A

The vector that’s formed when two or more vectors are added together

171
Q

Scalar

A

A quantity with a size but no direction

172
Q

Second harmonic

A

A resonant frequency at which the wavelength is the length of the vibrating medium. It is twice the frequency of the first harmonic

173
Q

Semiconductor

A

A group of materials which conduct electricity (but not as well as metals). When their temperature rises, they can release more charge carriers and their resistance decreases

174
Q

Signal degradation

A

When an optical signal loses amplitude or is broadened whilst travelling. This can lead to information loss

175
Q

Spark counter

A

A device to detect ionising radiation

176
Q

Specific charge

A

The charge per unit mass of a particle

177
Q

Speed

A

How fast something is moving, regardless of direction

178
Q

Stationary wave

A

A wave created by the superposition of two progressive waves with the same frequency (or λ) and amplitude, moving in opposite directions

179
Q

Stiffness constant

A

The force needed to extend an object per unit extension. The units are Nm-1. Each object has its own stiffness constant

180
Q

Stopping potential

A

The potential difference needed to stop the fastest moving photoelectrons in the photoelectric effect

181
Q

Strain

A

The change in length divided by the original length of the material

182
Q

Strangeness

A

A property which particles that contain strange quarks have. Strange particles are always produced in pairs

183
Q

Stress

A

The force applied divided by the cross-sectional area

184
Q

Strong nuclear force

A

A fundamental force with a short range which is attractive at small separations and repulsive at very small separations. Responsible for the stability of nuclei

185
Q

Superconductor

A

A material that has zero resistivity when cooled below a critical (transitional) temperature

186
Q

Superposition

A

The combination of displacements experienced in the instant that two waves pass each other

187
Q

Systematic error

A

An error introduced by the experimental apparatus or method

188
Q

Tensile force

A

A force which stretches something

189
Q

Tensile strain

A

The change in length divided by the original length of the material

190
Q

Tensile stress

A

The force applied divided by the cross-sectional area

191
Q

Terminal pd

A

The potential difference between the two terminals of a power supply. This is equal to emf when there is no internal resistance

192
Q

Terminal speed

A

The speed at which the driving force(S) match the frictional force(S)

193
Q

Thermistor (NTC)

A

A resistor with a resistance that depends on its temperature - it is a type of semiconductor

194
Q

Threshold frequency

A

The lowest frequency of light that when shone on a metal will cause electrons to be released from it (by the photoelectric effect)

195
Q

Total destructive interference

A

Destructive interference in which the waves completely cancel each other out

196
Q

Total internal reflection

A

When all light is completely reflected back into a medium at a boundary with another medium, instead of being refracted. It only happens at angles of incidence greater than the critical angle

197
Q

Transitional temperature

A

The critical temperature at and below which a superconductor has zero resistivity

198
Q

Transverse wave

A

A wave in which the oscillations is perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer

199
Q

Ultimate tensile stress (UTS)

A

The maximum stress that a material can withstand

200
Q

Uncertainty

A

An interval in which the true value of a measurement is likely to lie, given with a level of confidence or probability that the true value lies in that interval

201
Q

Vector

A

A quantity with a size and a direction

202
Q

Velocity

A

The rate of change of displacement

203
Q

Vibration transducer

A

A piece of equipment which has a moving plate that is able to oscillate rapidly at a set frequency

204
Q

Virtual particle

A

A particle that only exists for a short amount of time, e.g. An exchange particle

205
Q

Volt (V)

A

The unit of potential difference. The pd across a component is 1 volt when you convert 1 joule of energy moving 1 coulomb of charge through the component

206
Q

Watt (W)

A

The unit of power. A watt is defined as a rate of energy transfer equal to 1 joule per second

207
Q

Wave-particle duality

A

All particles have both particle and wave properties. Waves can also show particle properties

208
Q

Wavelength

A

The length of one whole wave oscillation or wave cycle, e.g. The distance between two crests (or troughs) of a wave

209
Q

Weak interaction

A

A fundamental force that has a short range and can change the character of a quark

210
Q

Weight

A

The force experienced by a mass due to a gravitational field

211
Q

Work

A

Work is the amount of energy transferred from one form to another when a force moves an object through a distance

212
Q

Work function

A

The minimum amount of energy required for an electron to escape a metal’s surface

213
Q

Worst lines

A

Lines of best fit which have the maximum and minimum possible slopes for the data and which should go all of the error bars

214
Q

Yield point (or yield stress)

A

The stress at which a large amount of plastic deformation takes place with a constant or reduced load

215
Q

Young modulus

A

The stress divided by strain for a material, up to its limit of proportionality

216
Q

Zero error

A

When a measuring instrument falsely reads a non-zero value when the true value being measured is zero

217
Q

Zero order line

A

The line of maximum brightness at the centre of a diffraction grating interference pattern. It’s in the same direction as the incident beam

Physics (2 decks)

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