introduction to physics Flashcards

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1
Q

what is physics?

A
  • physics is a branch of science.
    uses experiments, measurements
    -maths to describe everything in the universe.
    -laws to predict everything in the universe
    -describes energy and matter
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2
Q

what is energy?

A

ability to do work
light/kinetic/gravitational/electric/thermal

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3
Q

what is matter?

A

tiny atoms and particles but also large structures like stars and galaxies

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4
Q

how are energy and matter related?

A

energy and matter have a relationship that produces laws

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5
Q

what are the two types of physics

A

theoretical and experimental

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6
Q

what is theoretical physics?

A

theories of physics.
explains the results of experimental data and observations using maths and scientific concepts

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7
Q

what is experimental physics?

A

creating a hypothesis (idea) and testing the hypothesis with experiments, observing the results and coming to a conclusion. potentially establishing new scientific laws to understand and predict something.

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8
Q

how does physics link to chemistry?

A

chemistry involves atoms and molecules this links to molecular physics

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9
Q

how does physics link to architecture?

A

structural ability of buildings, heating, lighting and cooling of building are all linked to physics

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10
Q

how does physics link to geology?

A

the study of rocks, radioactive dating of rocks, earthquake analysis and heat transfer in earth

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11
Q

how does biology link to physics?

A

heat/work/power in human body

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12
Q

what is a quantity in physics

A

an amount, a measurement of something and its unit

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13
Q

what is the units for length, volume, area, time,mass,speed,energy, charge and resistance

A

m/m cubed/m squared/s/kg/ (m/s) / j / coloumbs/ ohms

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14
Q

what are SI units

A

6 main base units that all units are derived from.

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15
Q

what are significant figures

A

the important values

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16
Q

force (units and equation)

A

mass x acceleration - newton or kg m/s -2

17
Q

pressure (units and equation)

A

force /area - pascal or nm -2

18
Q

work done (units and equation)

A

force x distance - joule or Nm

19
Q

power (units and equation)

A

energy/time - watt or Js-1

20
Q

potential difference (units and equation)

A

energy/charge - JC-1 or volts

21
Q

resistance (units and equation)

A

voltage/current - ohm / VA -1

22
Q

charge (units and equation)

A

current x time - columb / As

23
Q

how to check if an equation is correct

A

units on the left = units on right
units must be homogenous

24
Q

what is a mistake?

A

-measuring incorrectly
-completing an experiment incorrectly
-we can rectify our mistakes by repeating our procedures in the right way

25
Q

what is an error?

A

-all measurements have errors
-errors are the difference between a measured value and the true value for the quantity being measured

26
Q

what is a random error?

A
  • affects precision
    -cant be completely removed
    -causes differences in measurements
    -random errors can not be corrected
  • take repeated measurements and report the mean value
27
Q

what is a systematic error?

A

-affects accuracy
-due to faults in equipment or experimental method
-causing the result to be too large/small by same amount each time.

28
Q

what are the causes of systematic errors?

A

the time/place a measurement is taken
or
faulty measurement tools

29
Q

what is accuracy?

A

a measure of how close the experimental values are to the known values .
closer the measurements are to the known value more accurate it is

30
Q

what is precision?

A

a measure of how close the experimental measurements agree with each other.

31
Q

what is the combination of random and systematic errors called?

A

measurement uncertainty

32
Q

what is the interval in which the true value lies called?

A

uncertainty in the measurement

33
Q

what is the absolute uncertainty in the mean value of measurements ?

A

half the range of measurements

34
Q

what is fractional uncertainty?

A

uncertainty given as a fraction

35
Q

what is percentage uncertainty?

A

uncertainty given as a percentage

36
Q

what is the equation of percentage uncertainty?

A

percentage uncertainty= absolute uncertainty/ measured (mean) value x100

37
Q

what do you do to the uncertainty when you add or subtract quantities in an equation?

A

absolute uncertainty of each value is added together

38
Q
A