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physics > Definitions for Physics A2 > Flashcards

Definitions for Physics A2 Flashcards

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1
Q

Absolute zero

A

With the temperature at which a system has a minimum internal energy equivalent to -273.15c

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2
Q

Acoustic impedance

A

Acoustic impedance Z is the product of the density of the substance and the speed of sound in that substance

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3
Q

Activity

A

The rate of decay or disintegration of nuclei in a radioactive sample

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4
Q

Amplitude

A

The maximum displacement of a particle from its equilibrium position

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5
Q

Angular displacement

A

The angle through which an object moves in a circle

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6
Q

Angular frequency

A

The rate of change of angle expressed in radian per second. angular frequency (ω) = 2π/T

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7
Q

Astronomical unit

A

The average distance of the Earth from the sun

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8
Q

Avogadro constant

A

The number of particles in one mole of any substance (6.02x10^23)

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9
Q

Big bang

A

An event that describes a very hot explosion from which space and time evolved - The beginning of the universe

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10
Q

Binding energy

A

The minimum external energy required to separate all the neutrons and protons of an nucleus

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11
Q

Black hole

A

A remnant of a massive star formed as a result of matter collapsing to a point (singularity) The density of a black hole is so intense that even light cannot escape from it

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12
Q

Boyles Law

A

The pressure exerted by fixed mass of gas is inversely proportional to to its volume, provided the temperature of the gas remains constant

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13
Q

Braking radiation

A

X-rays produced when electrons are decelerated

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14
Q

Capacitance

A

The ratio of charge stored by capacitor to the potential difference across it

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15
Q

Carbon dating

A

A technique used to date relics of using the carbon-14 isotope

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16
Q

Centripetal force

A

The net force acting on an object moving in a circle; it is always directed towards the centre of the circle

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17
Q

Chain reaction

A

And exponential growth of a fission reaction caused by the increasing flux of neutrons causing fission

18
Q

Chandrasekhar limit

A

The maximum mass of the white dwarf - about 1.4 solar masses

19
Q

Characteristic radiation

A

Very intense x-rays produced in an x-ray tube having specific wavelengths that depend on the target metal

20
Q

Charles’s law

A

The volume occupied by gas at constant pressure is directly proportional to its thermodynamic temperature (absolute)

21
Q

Closed system

A

A system of interacting objects where there are no external forces

22
Q

Closed universe

A

And model of the universe in which gravitational force is strong enough to hold its expansion and reverse the process towards a big crunch

23
Q

Collimated beam

A

A parallel sided beam of radiation

24
Q

Collimator

A

A device for producing a parallel beam of radiation

25
Q

Compton scattering

A

An interaction between an x-ray photon and an electron in which the photos are scattered with a longer wavelength

26
Q

Computerised axial tomography

A

A technique where x-rays are used to image slices of the body in order to produce a computerised 3-D image

27
Q

Conservation of momentum

A

In a closed system, when bodies interact, the total momentum in any specified direction remains constant

28
Q

Contrast

A

In a high contrast image there is a big difference in brightness between bright and dark areas

29
Q

Contrast media

A

Material such as Bury and that is the absorb x-rays. Contrast medium is used to reveal the outlines or edges of soft tissues in an x-ray image

30
Q

Control rods

A

Rods of a neutron absorbing material are used to reduce the rate of a nuclear chain reaction

31
Q

Coolant

A

A substance used to transfer thermal energy from the core of a nuclear reactor

32
Q

Cosmic microwave background radiation

A

Electromagnetic radiation in the microwave region of the spectrum that corresponds to a temperature of the universe of 2.7 K

33
Q

Cosmological principle

A

The principal states that the universe has the same large-scale structure when observed from any point in the universe

34
Q

Coulombs law

A

Any two point charges exert an electrical force on each other that is proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them

35
Q

Count Rate

A

The number of particles (beta or alpha) or gamma-ray photons detected per unit time by Geiger-Müller tube. Can’t rate is always a fraction of the activity of a sample

36
Q

Critical density

A

The density of the universe that will give rise to a flat universe, given by the equation 3Ho^2/8πG

37
Q

Damped

A

Describes an oscillary motion with the amplitude decreases with the time due to energy losses

38
Q

Dark energy

A

A form of energy thinly distributed throughout the universe which may be causing the expansion of the universe to accelerate

39
Q

Dark matter

A

Matter that emits or reflects little electromagnetic radiation, making it difficult to detect

40
Q

Decay constant

A

The constant λ for an isotope that appears in the equation A=λN. It is equal to the probability of an isotope decaying per unit time interval

physics (2 decks)

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