Basic Physics Flashcards
What is science?
The use of knowledge in an organized and classified manner
What is natural science?
The study of the universe and its contents
What 2 categories can natural sciences be divided into?
Physics and biology
Define physics
Study of nonliving matter
Define biology
Study of living matter
What is matter?
Substance that comprises all physical objects (anything that has mass and occupies space— all physical things)
What is matter comprised of?
Very small particles known as atoms
What is mass?
Matter is mass - quantity of matter contained in an object
What is weight?
Force that an object exerts under the influence of gravity?
What is substance?
A material that has a definite and constant composition
Simple substances are called…
Elements
Complex substances are called…
Compounds
What forms a mixture?
2 or more substances together
What is the structure of matter?
Elements cannot…
Be broken down into any simpler substance
How many elements are naturally occurring and how many elements are created in a lab?
92 naturally occurring elements
18 elmements created in the lab
What is a compound?
2 or more elements chemically united
What is an atom?
Smaller divided part of matter than can enter into combinations or chemical reactions with other atoms
What is a molecule?
2 or more atoms chemically united
Define energy
The ability to do work
What is radiation?
When energy is emitted and transferred through matter
Heat and light can radiate by…
Glowing
Ancient Greeks thought only these 4 things existed.
- Water
- Earth
- Fire
- Air
What did Dalton do in the early 1800s?
Separated elements based on mass
What did separating elements based on mass lead to?
Mendeleev’s development of the periodic table of elements
Describe this image
Midieval atom
The Greeks envisioned 4 different atoms representing air, fire, earth, and water. These symbols were adopted by midievel alchemists.
Describe this image
Dalton’s atom — had hooks and eyes to accoun for chemical combination
Describe this image
Thomson’s model of atom
Described as plum pudding with plums representing electrons
Describe this image
Bohr’s atom
small, dense, positively charged nucleus surrounded by electrons in precise energy levels
What was Rutherford’s (1911) atomic theory?
Dense, positive nucleus surrounded by cloud of negative electrons
Who is Niels Bohr (1913)?
He expanded on Rutherford’s work –
- miniature solar system
- aotms are actually more complex than this models but is simple to understand
Schrodinger
- Foundation of modern physics
- quantum physics or wave mechanics (orbital electrons are assigned probabilities for occupying any located with the atom
Define nucleus
Central body (small, dense center contains nucleons (protons + and neurons 0)
What do electrons do?
Orbit around the nucleus in the shells
What are the building blocks of all matter?
Nucleons and electrons
Electrons ____ be divided into smaller parts
Electrons CANNOT
Protons and neutrons are composed of even smaller subnuclear structures called
QUARKS
What is M theory?
Electrons and quarks may not be particles but instead small loops of rapidly vibrating string-like matter. This theory is now called the string-theory.
How is electrical stability maintained?
Through equal number of protons and electrons
What is atomic number or Z number?
Distinguishes elements by number of protons contained in nucleus
If you change the Z # you change…
The element
ex)
Radioactive decay
- radium (z#88) emits alpha particle
- decays to radon (z#86)
What is ionization?
Process of adding or subtracting an electron from its shell
The removal of an electron results in the ______ of the atom
IONIZATION (unstable atom)
What is a charged atom called?
Ion
In what 2 ways does ionization occur
- Bombarding matter with x-radiation
- Bombarding matter with electrons
What is atomic mass (A)?
Number of protons and neutrons
Define orbital shells
The location where an electron might be at any given time
What are the orbital shells?
What is the electron capacity?
2n²
Find O in orbital electrons
2(5)²
2x 25=50
What is electron binding energy (Eb)?
Energy needed to eject electron from atom
Electron binding energy is related to…
How close electron is to nucleus (closer the shell to the nucleus, the more binding energy)
What is the octet rule?
An atom never has more than 8 electrons in its outer shell
An atom with 8 electrons in its outer shell is…
Chemically stable (inert)
What is electron volt (eV)?
The unit of measurement of the binding energy of an electron
The outer electrons have greater energy when the electrons are closer to the…
Nucleus
To “knock” out an electron from their shell, the incoming energy must be…
Greater than the binding energy of the electron
Define energy
The ability to do work
Define work
Force x distance
A force acting upon an object over a distance expends…
Energy
What is mechanical energy?
Action of physical movement
What are 2 types of mechanical energy
Potential and kinetic
Define potential mechanical energy
Stored energy
Define kinetic mechanical energy
Energy in motion
Define chemical energy
Energy released from a chemical reaction
ex) a body converts chemical energy from food into mechanical energy or movement
ex) a battery converts chemical energy into electrical energy
What’s another term for heat energy?
Thermal energy
Heat energy is a result of…
Movement of molecules
What measures thermal energy?
Temperature
ex) a toaster converts electrical energy into heat energy
What is electrical energy?
Electricity
What is electricity?
Result of movement of electrons in a conductor
How is nuclear energy obtained?
By breaking bonds between particles within a nucleus
Nuclear power plants convert nuclear energy to…
Electricity
Define electromagnetic (EM) energy
Combination of electric and magnetic fields traveling through space
ex) radio, microwaves
What 3 things do electromagnetic waves consist of?
Wavelength, amplitude, frequency
Define wavelengh
Distance between any 2 successive crests
Define amplitude
Height of crest to valley
Define frequency
of crest passing a given point in a given time
Wavelength and frequency are…
Inversely proportional (one goes up, the other goes down)
As wavelengh decreases (shortens), what increases?
Penetrating power
What travels at the speed of light?
Wavelengths
What is the electromagnetic spectrum?
Ranking of the wide ranges of energy
(wavelengths, frequency, and energy)
What is an angstrom (Å) equal to?
10-10 meters
(one ten-billionth of a meter)
What are the units of diagnostic x-ray wavelengths?
Å 0.1 - 0.5
As wavelength goes up, what goes down?
As wavelengths go up, FREQUENCY goes down
Put these in order of electromagnetic spectrum
cosmic rays, Gamma rays, heat, infrared ray, radar, radio, TV, ultraviolet rays, visible light (Roy G Biv)
POSSIBLE TEST QUESTION PER DONNA
