Definitions Flashcards
Archimedes principle
For an object partially or fully submerged in a fluid the upthrust acting on an object is equal to the weight
Centre of mass
A point where the weight of an object appears to act
Hooke’s law
Force is directly proportional to extension as long as the elastic limit is not exceeded
Density
Mass per unit volume
Electromotive force
Work done per unit charge from when other forms of energy have converted into electrical energy
Principles of superposition of waves
When 2 or more waves meet at a point the resultant displacement at the points is the sum of the displacements of the individual waves
Kirchhoff’s first law
the sum of currents entering a junction is equal to the sum of the current leaving the junction
Kirchhoff’s second law
The sum of e.m.f.s is equal to the sum of the p.d.s in a closed loop
Linear momentum
Mass x velocity
Moment
Force X perpendicular distance from pivot
Newton’s first law
An object will remain at rest or have a constant velocity unless a resultant force acts on it
Newton’s second law
Force is directly proportional to the rate of change of momentum
Newton’s third law
If an object A exerts a force on object B, object B exerts an equal and opposite force on object A of the same type
Photoelectric effect
The emission of photoelectrons from a metal surface when electromagnetic radiation above a threshold frequency is incident on the metal
Potential difference
Work done per unit charge from electrical energy to other forms
Principle of conservation of momentum
Momentum is conserved in a closed system
Principle of moments
When a body is in equilibrium the sum of the moments clockwise is equal to the sum of the moments anti-clockwise
Torque of a couple
One of the forces X perpendicular distance between forces
Young’s modulus
Stress/ strain as long as the elastic limit is not exceeded
Binding energy
Minimum energy required to completely separate a nucleus into protons and neutrons
Boyle’s law
Pressure is inversely proportional to volume for a fixed mass with a constant temperature
Brownian motion
The continuous random motion of small particles suspended in a fluid visible under a microscope
Cosmological principle
The universe is homogenous and isotropic and the laws of physics are universal