Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Physics Definitions > Definitions > Flashcards

Definitions Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Physics 101 flashcards AP® Physics flashcards
1
Q

Principle of Superposition

A

When two or more waves meet at a point. The resultant displacement is the algebraic sum of each of the individual displacements

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Diffraction

A

When a wave is incident on an edge of an obstacle and the wave bends or spreads

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Tension

A

The force that is transmitted through a rope or cable when it pulls an object

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Law of conservation of momentum

A

The total linear momentum of a closed system remains constant in direction and magnitude

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Conditions for Standing Wave

A

When two waves of equal frequency moving in opposite directions meet and superimpose

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Harmonic

A

A note whose frequency is a whole number multiple of the fundamental frequency

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Coherent

A

Waves which have a constant phase relationship and have the same frequency

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Electromotive Force (of battery)

A

It is the energy converted from chemical energy to electrical energy per unit charge
The energy transferred by a source in driving a unit charge round a complete circuit

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Potential Difference (of battery)

A

The energy transferred to heat in a resistor per unit charge

The workdone in moving a unit of a positive test charg from one point to another between2 points in an electric field

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Electrovolt

A

The energy acquired by an electron when it moves through a potential difference of one volt 1.6x10^-19 (the same a the charge of 1 electron)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Ohm’s Law

A

At a constant temperature, the potential difference across the ends of a conductor is directly proportional to the current flowing through the conductor

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Resistance

A

It is the ratio between the potential difference across the ends of a conducotr and the cureent running through the conductor

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Kirchoff’s Current Law

A

The sum of total current entering a junction or node is equal to the sum of the total current leaving the junction.
Conservation of charge

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Kirchoff’s Voltage Law

A

In any closed loop, the sum of all the emfs around the loop is equal to the sum of all the voltage drops within the same loop

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Work done by a gas

A

When a gas does work against constant external pressure by being expanded or compressed. Area under a pV graph

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Buoyancy Force

A

Fb=W+T

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Radiowaves

A

1-10^4m

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Microwaves

A

10^-3 to 10^-1

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Infrared waves

A

10^-6 to 10^-3

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Visible waves

A

7x10^-7 to 4x10^-7

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Ultraviolet

A

10^-8 to 10^-7

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

X rays

A

10^-10 to 10^-8

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Gamma waves

A

10^-13 to 10^-10

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Internal resistance

A

The gradient of a EMF to Vexternal graph. Vexternal=Emf when the current is 0

25
Q

Line of action

A

The geometric representation of how the force is applied. It is the line through the point at which the force is applied

26
Q

Couple

A

2 parallel forces that are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction and do not share a line of action

27
Q

Elastic collisions

A

When the relative speed of approach and the relative speed of separation of two bodies is the same before and after the collision

28
Q

Electric Field Strength

A

The force that a unit of a positive test charge experience at a point in an electric field

29
Q

Electric Field

A

The region around an electric charge where another charged object experiences an electrostatic force

30
Q

Velocity

A

The change in displacement over time taken

31
Q

Conditions for Equilibrium no velocity

A

The alegebraic sum of the forces acting on the object in any direction must be zero. No resultant force
The alegebraic sum of the moments about any pont must be zero

32
Q

Conditions for Equilibrium in relation to velocity

A

The object is in equilibrium when it has a constant velocity and NO RESULTANT FORCE

33
Q

Oil droplet in Equilibrium in a electric field and gravitational field

A

It is in equilibrium because the electric FORCE upwards. The weight FORCE and the electric FORCE are equal.

34
Q

Oil droplet accelerates downwards in an electric field and gravitational field

A

The electric FORCE has decreased because the electric field is weaker. The weight FORCE is greater than the electric FORCE and thus the oil droplet ACCELERATES downwards.

35
Q

What does Gold foil experiment reveal

A

The mass of the atom is concentrated in the nucleus. The nucleus in positiviely charged. Anything reasonable

36
Q

Charge of strange quark

A

-1/3e

37
Q

Strangeness of a strange quark

A

-1

38
Q

Charge of an up quark

A

+2/3e

39
Q

Charge of a down quark

A

-1/3e

40
Q

Principle of Moments

A

For a body in equilibrium the total sum of the clockwise moments about a point is equal to total sum of the anticlockwise moments about the same point

41
Q

Why you can ignore air resistance with heavier objects

A

The weight force is must greater than the force due to air resistance. The air resistance is NEGLIGIBLE COMPARED to the weight

42
Q

How an intensity maximum is created at a point

A

The waves must be in phase
The waves must have a path difference of n lambda
The waves must constructively interfere
The waves must meet at a point

43
Q

How an intensity minimum is created at a point

A

The waves must be out of phase by 180
The waves must have a bath difference of n-1/2 lambda
The waves must destructively interfere with a crest and trough meeting
The waves must meet a point

44
Q

When drawing a graph with weird stuff

A

Equate the axes to from something that you can understand. Substitute random values to double check

45
Q

Kirchoff’s First Law

A

The total sum of the current entering a junction or a node is equal to the total sum of the current exiting a node

46
Q

Wavelength of progressive wave

A

Distance between 2 abjacent wavefronts

47
Q

Displacement

A

The distance travelled in a specified direction by an object

48
Q

How a stationary wave is formed on the string

A

Incident wave reflects at a fixed point/end.
The incident and reflected waves superimpose

(if the question ask the same question with regard to the principle of superposition just add the the resultant displacement of two waves meeting at point etc.)

49
Q

Energy transformation of pd across a resistor

A

Electrical energy converted to thermal energy per unit charge

50
Q

What is meant by kinectic energy

A

The energy of an object due to its motion/velocity

51
Q

Formula for length of string in standing waves

A

L=n/2 lambda

52
Q

Formula for length of open pipe in standing waves

A

L=n/2 lambda

53
Q

Formula for lenght of closed pipe in standing waves

A

L=n/4 lambda

54
Q

Newton’s First law of motion

A

A body continues at rest or constant velocity unless acted upon by a resultant force.

55
Q

Resultant force tension and weight relationship

A

Fres=T-W

Depends on the situation as well

56
Q

Volt

A

Joule/coulomb

57
Q

Antinode

A

It is a point of maximum amplitude on a stationary wave

58
Q

Node

A

It is a point of minimum amplitude on a stationary wave

Physics Definitions (1 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions