Definitions Flashcards
Annihilation
When a particle and it’s antiparticle meet they destroy each other and form radiation
Amplitude
Maximum displacement of a wave
Antinode
Fixed point on a stationary wave where the amplitude is at maximum
Baryon
A hadron made up of 3 quarks
Kirchhoff’s 1st law (current)
Current in a series is the same through all components.
Current in a parallel current splits across each branch.
Kirchhoff’s 2nd law (PD)
PD in a series splits for each component.
PD in a parallel is the same for each branch.
Coherent wave
Waves of a constant phase difference
Elastic limit
The point beyond which a material is permanently deformed
EMF
The amount of electrical energy per unit charge inside a battery
Excitation
The process is which an electron absorbs energy (without being ionised) and moves to an outer shell
Hooke’s law
The extension of a spring is directly proportional to the force applied up until the elastic limit
Newton’s 1st law (resultant forces)
An object remains at rest or uniform motion unless acted upon by a result and force
Newton’s 2nd law (equation)
Resultant force = mass X acceleration
Node
A fixed point on a stationary wave of zero displacement
Photoelectric effect
Emission of an electron from a metal surface when illuminated with light of a high enough frequency that is above the threshold frequency
Polarised waves
Waves that vibrate in only one plane
Scalar quantity
A physical quantity with magnitude only
Vector quantity
A physical quantity with magnitude AND direction
Specific charge
Charge/mass
Threshold frequency
Minimum frequency of light that can cause photoelectric emission. Different for each metal.
Weak interaction
Interaction between two leptons
Strong interaction
Interaction between two hadrons
Work function
Minimum energy needed for an electron to escape from a metal surface
