Definitions Flashcards
Define quantum tunneling
A quantum mechanical phenomena whereby particles are able to pass through an energy barrier.
What is Newton’s First Law of Motion?
An object at rest remains at rest and an object in
motion remains in motion at a constant speed in a straight line unless acted on by an unbalanced force.
What is Newton’s Second Law of Motion?
An unbalanced force will cause an object to accelerate in the direction of the net force. The acceleration of the object is proportional to the net force and inversely proportional to its mass.
What is Newton’s Third Law of Motion?
When two bodies A and B interact (push or pull), the force that A exerts on B is equal and opposite to the force that B exerts on A.
What is the principle of conservation of energy?
Energy can be neither created nor destroyed
but only transformed from one form to another or transferred from one object to another.
What is Newton’s universal law of gravitation?
The force of gravity between two point masses is directly proportional to the product of the two masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them and acts along a line joining their centers.
Define gravitational potential energy
the work done in moving a mass from infinity to a point in space
Define gravitational potential
the work done per unit mass in moving a mass from infinity to a point in space
What is Kepler’s Third Law?
The ratio of the orbital period squared to the average orbital radius cubed is constant for all planets
Define specific heat capacity
Energy required per unit mass to raise the temperature of an object by 1K
What is the first law of thermodynamics?
The thermal energy transferred to a system from its surroundings is equal to the work done by the system plus the change in internal energy of the system.
What is the second law of thermodynamics?
The overall entropy of the universe is increasing.
Define Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM)
The motion that takes place when the acceleration of an object is proportional to its displacement from its equilibrium position and is always directed toward its equilibrium position
What is Snell’s Law?
The ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction is a constant, for a given frequency.
What is the principle of superposition?
When two waves meet, the resultant displacement is
the vector sum of the displacements of the component waves.
What is Rayleigh’s Criterion?
When the central maximum of one diffraction pattern
overlaps the first minimum of a second diffraction pattern, the two sources are “just
resolved.”
What is Malus’ Law?
The transmitted intensity of polarized light is equal to the product of the incident intensity times the square of the cosine of the angle between the direction of the analyzer and the direction of the electric field vibration of the polarized light
What is Coulomb’s Law?
The electric force between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of the two charges and inversely proportional to square of the distance between them, and directed along the line joining the two charges.
Define Electric Potential
work done per unit charge moving a small positive test charge in from infinity to a point in an electric field.
Define Electric Potential Energy
Work done in moving a small positive test charge in from infinity to a point in an electric field
What is Ohm’s Law?
The current flowing through a device is proportional to the potential difference applied across it providing the temperature is constant.
Define magnetic flux
The product of the magnetic field strength and a cross-sectional area and the cosine of the angle between the magnetic field and the normal to the area
What is Faraday’s Law?
The emf induced by a time changing magnetic flux linkage is proportional to the rate of change of the flux linkage.
What is Lenz’s Law?
The direction of an induced emf is such that it produces a magnetic field whose direction opposes the change in magnetic field that produced it.
