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MCAT Review > Kaplan — Physics & Math > Flashcards

Kaplan — Physics & Math Flashcards

1
Q

Fluid

A

Have ability to flow and conform to the shapes of their containers

Both liquids and gases

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2
Q

Solid

A

Does not flow and is rigid enough to retain a shape independent of their containers

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3
Q

Density

A

Ratio of mass to volume

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4
Q

Specific gravity

A

Density of a substance over the density of water (1 g/cm^3)

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5
Q

Pressure

A

Ratio of force per unit area

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6
Q

Absolute (hydrostatic) pressure

A

Total pressure that is exerted on an object that is submerged in a fluid

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7
Q

Absolute pressure formula

A

P = P_0 + rho x g x z

P_0 → incident or ambient pressure (pressure @ the surface)
Rho → density
g → gravitational acceleration
z → depth of object

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8
Q

Gauge pressure

A

Difference between the absolute pressure and the atmospheric pressure

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9
Q

Hydrostatics

A

Study of fluids at rest and forces & pressures associated with standing fluids

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10
Q

Pascal’s principle

A

For incompressible fluids, a change in pressure will be transmitted undiminished to every portion fo the fluid and to the walls of the containing vessel

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11
Q

Hydraulic system relationships

A

If pressure is the same:
F_2 = A_2 * F_1 / A_1
F_1 * d_1 = F_2 * d_2

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12
Q

Archimedes’ principle

A

F_buoy = rho_fluid * V_fluid displaced * g = rho_fluid * V_fluid submerged * g

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13
Q

Surface tension

A

Causes the liquid to form a thin but strong layer like “skin” at liquid’s surface

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14
Q

Cohesion

A

Attractive force that a molecule feels toward other molecules of the same liquid

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15
Q

Adhesion

A

Attractive force that a molecule of the liquid feels toward the molecules of some other substance

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16
Q

Meniscus

A

Curved surface in which liquid “crawls” up the side of the container a small amount

Adhesion > cohesion

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17
Q

Convex meniscus

A

Inverted form of meniscus

Adhesion < cohesion

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18
Q

Fluid dynamics

A

Study of fluids in motion

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19
Q

Viscosity

A

Resistance of fluid to flow

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20
Q

Viscous drag

A

Non-conservative force that is analogous to air resistance

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21
Q

Inviscid

A

Fluids with no viscosity

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22
Q

Laminar flow

A

Smooth orderly flow

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23
Q

Poiseuille’s law

A

Q = pi * r^4 * delta P / (8 * eta * L)

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24
Q

Turbulent flow

A

Rough and disorderly

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25
Eddies
Swirls of fluid of varying sizes occurring typically on the downstream side of an obstacle
26
Critical speed
Turbulence can arise when the speed of the fluid exceeds a certain speed
27
Boundary layer
Thin layer of fluid where laminar flow occurs
28
Critical speed equation
v_c = N_r * eta / (rho * D) N_r → Reynolds number eta → viscosity rho → density D → tube diameter
29
Reynolds number
Depends on factors such as the size, shape, surface roughness of any objects within the fluids
30
Streamlines
Representation of the molecular movement Velocity will always be tangential to streamlines
31
Continuity equation
Q = v_1 * A_1 = v_2 * A_2
32
Bernoulli’s equation
P_1 + 0.5 * rho * v_1 ^ 2 + rho * g * h_1 = P_2 + 0.5 * rho * v_2 ^ 2 + rho * g * h_2
33
Dynamic pressure
Pressure associated with the movement of a fluid Example: 0.5 * rho * v^2
34
Energy density
Pressure can be thought of as a ratio of energy per cubic meter
35
Temperature
Proportional to the average kinetic energy of the particles that make up the substance Difference in temperature between two objects that determines the direction of heat flow
36
Heat
Transfer of thermal energy from a hotter object with higher temperature (energy) to a colder object with lower temperature (energy)
37
Thermal equilibrium
If no net heat flows between two objects in thermal contact
38
Fahrenheit-Celsius conversion
F = 1.8 x C + 32
39
Celsius-Kelvin conversion
K = C + 273
40
Absolute zero
Theoretical temperature at which there is no thermal energy
41
Third law of thermodynamics
Entropy of a perfectly organized crystal at absolute zero is zero
42
Zeroth law of thermodynamics
If A = B and B = C, then A = C
43
System
Portion of the universe that we are interested in observing or manipulating
44
Surroundings
Rest of the universe
45
Isolated systems
Not capable of exchanging energy or matter with their surroundings Total change in internal energy is zero
46
Closed systems
Capable of exchanging energy but not matter
47
Open systems
Exchange both matter and energy with the environment
48
State functions
Thermodynamic properties that are a function of only the current equilibrium state of a system Independent of the path taken to get to a particular state
49
Process functions
Path taken to get from one state to another
50
First law of thermodynamics
An increase in total energy of a system is caused by transferring heat into the system or performing work on the system U = Q - W
51
(+) change in internal energy
Increasing temperature
52
(-) change in internal energy
Decreasing temperature
53
(+) heat
Heat flows into the system
54
(-) heat
Heat flows out of the system
55
(+) work
Work is done by the system (expansion)
56
(-) work
Work is done on the system (compression)
57
Universal law of energy conservation
Energy can be neither created nor destroyed; it can only be changed from one form to another
58
Second law of thermodynamics
Objects in thermal contact and not in thermal equilibrium will exchange heat energy such that the object with a higher temperature will give off heat energy to the object with a lower temperature until both objects have the same temperature at thermal equilibrium
59
Heat
Process by which a quantity of energy is transferred between two objects as a result of a difference in temperature
60
Conduction
Direct transfer of energy from molecule to molecule through molecular collisions — requires direct contact
61
Convection
Transfer of heat by physical motion of a fluid over a material Involves flow — only gases and liquids can transfer heat by this means
62
Radiation
Transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves
63
Specific heat (c)
Amount of heat energy required to raise one gram of a substance by one degree Celsius
64
Freezing
Change from liquid to solid At melting point
65
Melting
Change from solid to liquid At melting point
66
Boiling
Change from liquid to gas At boiling point
67
Condensation
Change from gas to liquid At boiling point
68
Heat of vaporization
Heat of transformation for boiling and condensation
69
Heat of fusion
Heat of transformation for freezing and melting
70
Isothermal process
Constant temperature — no change in internal energy Q = W
71
Adiabatic process
No heat exchange Delta U = -W
72
Isobaric process
Constant pressure
73
Isovolumetric (isochoric) process
No change in volume, no work accomplished Delta U = Q
74
Entropy
Measure of the spontaneous dispersal of energy at a specific temperature — how much energy is spread out or how widely spread out energy becomes in a process
75
Second law in terms of entropy
Delta S universe = delta S system + delta S surroundings > 0
76
Entropy & microstates
As the number of available microstates increases, the potential energy of a molecule is distributed over that larger number of microstates, increasing entropy

MCAT Review (7 decks)

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