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Physics > Definitions > Flashcards

Definitions Flashcards

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Physics 101 flashcards AP® Physics flashcards
1
Q

Scalar quantity

A

A physical quantity that has magnitude only

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2
Q

Resultant vector

A

The single vector which has the same effect as the original vectors acting together

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3
Q

Position

A

A location relative to an origin

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4
Q

Distance

A

Length of path travelled

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5
Q

Displacement

A

Change in position

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6
Q

Speed

A

Rate of change of distance

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7
Q

Velocity

A

Rate of change of displacement

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8
Q

Acceleration

A

Rate of change of velocity

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9
Q

Weight

A

The gravitational force which the earth exerts on any object on or near its surface

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10
Q

Normal force

A

The perpendicular force exerted by a surface on an object in contact with it

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11
Q

Frictional force

A

A force that opposes motion

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12
Q

Newton’s First Law

A

An object will remain at rest or continue moving at a constant velocity in a straight line unless a net force acts on it

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13
Q

Inertia

A

The property of a body that causes it to resist change to its state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line

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14
Q

Newton’s Second Law

A

When a net force acts on an object, the object will accelerate in the direction of the net force. The acceleration is directly proportional to the force applied and inversely proportional to the mass of the object.

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15
Q

Newton’s Third Law

A

When object A exerts a force on object B, object B will simultaneously exert a force back on object A that is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.

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16
Q

Momentum

A

The product of mass and the velocity of an object.

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17
Q

Law of conservation of linear momentum

A

The total linear momentum of an isolated system is constant

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18
Q

Elastic collision

A

A collision in which both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved

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19
Q

Inelastic collision

A

A collision in which only momentum is conserved

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20
Q

Impulse

A

Product of net force and contact time

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21
Q

Work done on an object by a force

A

The product of the displacement and the component of the force parallel to the displacement

22
Q

Gravitational potential energy

A

The energy an object possesses due to its position above a reference point

23
Q

Kinetic energy

A

The energy an object possesses as a result of its motion

24
Q

Mechanical energy

A

The sum of gravitational potential and kinetic energy

25
Q

The Law of Conservation of Energy

A

The total energy in a system cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred from one form to another

26
Q

The Principle of Conservation of Mechanical Energy

A

In an isolated system, the mechanical energy of an object is constant

27
Q

Work-Energy Theorem

A

The work done by a net force on an object is equal to the change in the kinetic energy of the object

28
Q

Power

A

The rate at which work is done / The rate at which energy is transferred

29
Q

Watt

A

The power when one joule of work is done in one second

30
Q

Efficiency

A

The ratio of output power to input power

31
Q

Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation

A

Every object in the universe attracts every other particle of matter in the universe with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centres

32
Q

Coulomb’s Law

A

The force between two charged is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the distance between the charges squared

33
Q

Electric Field

A

The space in which an electric charge experiences a force

34
Q

The magnitude of the electric field at a point

A

The force per unit positive charge

35
Q

Potential difference

A

The work done per unit positive charge

36
Q

Current

A

Rate of flow of charge

37
Q

Ohm’s Law

A

The current through a conductor is directly proportional to the potential difference across the conductor at a constant temperature

38
Q

Resistance

A

A material’s opposition to the flow of electric current

39
Q

Emf

A

The total energy supplies per coulomb of charge by the cell

40
Q

Magnetic flux linkage

A

The product of the number of turns in the coil and the flux through the coil

41
Q

Faraday’s Law of Electromagnetic Induction

A

The emf induced is directly proportional to the rate of change of magnetic flux (flux linkage)

42
Q

Lenz’s Law

A

The induced current flows in a direction so as to set up a magnetic field to oppose the change in magnetic flux

43
Q

Diode

A

A component that allows current to flow in one direction only

44
Q

Threshold frequency

A

The minimum frequency of incident radiation at which electrons will be emitted from a particular metal

45
Q

Work function

A

The minimum amount of energy needed to emit an electron from the surface of a metal

46
Q

Instantaneous velocity

A

The velocity at a particular instant in time

47
Q

Electric field intensity

A

The force exerted on a unit positive charge (+1C) placed at a point in a field

48
Q

Energy

A

The capacity for doing work

49
Q

Field

A

A modified space in which an object experiences a force

50
Q

Terminal velocity

A

When the upward force due to air resistance and the downward gravitational force become equal, the net force acting on the object is zero. The object is now moving downwards at a constant velocity called terminal velocity

51
Q

Triangle law for forces in equilibrium

A

When three forces are in equilibrium, they can be represented by the 3 sides of a triangle taken in order in both magnitude and direction

52
Q

Vector

A

A physical quantity that has both magnitude and direction

Physics (3 decks)

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