Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

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


See full index

Physics > Key Terms > Flashcards

Key Terms Flashcards

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

Acceleration

A

The rate of increase of velocity with time

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

Air resistance (Drag)

A

The force opposing the motion of bodies moving through the air

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

Alpha particle

A

A type of nuclear radiation consisting of a helium nucleus ejected from an unstable nucleus

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

Alternating current

A

A current that continually changes direction

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

Ammeter

A

An instrument used to measure the size of current in a circuit

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

Amplified

A

Increased in size or power

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

Amp

A

The unit of electric current

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

Analogue signals

A

Electrical signals that have continuously variable values

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

Angle of incidence

A

The angle measured between a ray of light reflected from a surface and the normal

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

Balance

A

Equal in size but opposite in sign, therefore summing to zero (forces, charge, etc)

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

Becquerel

A

The rate of disintegration of a radioactive substance; one disintegration per second

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

Beta particle

A

A type of nuclear radiation consisting of a high speed electron emitted from an unstable nucleus

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

Braking distance

A

The distance a vehicle travels before coming to rest after the brakes have been applied

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

Brownian motion

A

The continuos, random, jerky motion of pollen grains as observed by botanist Robert Brown

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

Cell mutation

A

A change in the function of a living cell, sometimes caused by ionising radiation

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

Centre of gravity

A

The point in a body through which the whole of its weight appears to act

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

Chain reaction

A

An escalating nuclear process in which each decay of an unstable nucleus triggers two or more unstable nuclei to decay

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

Circuit breakers

A

The modern equivalent of a fuse; breaks the path of a circuit when a set current is exceeded. Can be reset by the push of a switch once the fault is repaired.

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

Comet

A

A relatively small ice and rock body orbiting the song with an elongated (eccentric) orbit

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

Conductors

A

Materials that allow electricity to pass through them easily

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

Contact force

A

The forces acting on bodies in contact

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

Control rods

A

Used in nuclear reactors to slow down the rate of nuclear fission, or stop the fission process completely, by removing neutrons from the process

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

Controlled nuclear fission

A

An uncontrolled fission involves the release of vast amounts of energy in a very short time, which would result in an explosion. A controlled nuclear fission prevents this

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

Critical angle

A

Light arriving at a boundary between any material, in which light travels more slowly than air, and air at an angle of greater than the critical angle, is TIR

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

current

A

The rate of flow of electric charge

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Density

A

The mass per unit volume of a substance

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Diffraction

A

The curving of waves as they pass the edges of objects

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Digital signals

A

A digital signal that has only 2 possible values

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Displacement

A

Distance moved in a specific direction (a vector quantity)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Distance

A

Distance moved without considering direction (a scalar quantity)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

Double insulation

A

Having an outer casing which is an electrical insulator so there is no exposed metal casing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

Drag force

A

The force that opposes the motion of an object through a gas or liquid

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

Earthed

A

Having a very low resistance connection to the general mass of the earth, taken always as being a 0V

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

Efficiency

A

A measure of how effectively energy is transformed into a useful form

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

Elastic

A

Able to return to its original size and shape after having been deformed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

Elastic Limit

A

The point at which a stretched spring or wire no longer obeys Hooke’s law

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

Electric charge

A

The property of particles that causes electric effects

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

EM waves

A

Waves that require no material medium in which to travel and carry energy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

EM spectrum

A

The family of EM waves, ranging from radio waves to gamma and cosmic waves

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

Electron

A

Extremely small particle carrying negative charge and making up the outer shell or shells of an atom

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

Endoscope

A

A fibre optic device used to image the inside of living bodies as a diagnostic tool

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

Energy

A

Is required to do work

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

Evaporation

A

The process by which liquids change into gases

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

Extension

A

In springs, this is the increase in length that results from applying a force to stretch the spring

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

Fissile

A

Referring to unstable materials; something that can be readily split or will split spontaneously

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

Force

A

A push or a pull which causes a change in the state of motion of a body or the shape of the object

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

Fossil Fuels

A

Fuels formed from dead organic matter over millions of years, including gas, oil and coal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

Free Electrons

A

Electrons which are not bound to any particular atom, and are therefore free to move and enable an electric current to flow through a material

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

Frequency

A

The number of waves produced in one second

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

Friction

A

The force that opposes motion between two surfaces

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

Fuse

A

A length of wire designed to melt when a specified current value is exceeded, thus breaking the circuit

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

Galaxy

A

A group of many billions of stars rotating around a common centre

53
Q

Gamma rays

A

Highly penetrating EM radiation produced when an unstable atom disintegrates

54
Q

Geothermal energy

A

Heat energy produced by nuclear processes in the earth’s core

55
Q

Gradient

A

The slope of a graph line measured by y/x

56
Q

Gravitational field strength

A

The force in newtons exerted per kilogram of mass by gravity (on Earth this is 10 N/kg)

57
Q

Half-Life

A

The time taken for half the atoms in a sample of radioactive material to decay

58
Q

Hard magnetic materials

A

Materials that retain their magnetism well

59
Q

Hydroelectric power

A

Power produced using the potential energy of water stored in reservoirs

60
Q

Hydroelectricity

A

Electricity produced by generators using hydroelectric power

61
Q

Inelastic

A

Materials that are unable to return to their original shape after deformation by a force

62
Q

Infrared

A

A part of the EM spectrum; radiation emitted by hot objects

63
Q

Insulators

A

Materials that electricity cannot pass through

64
Q

Joule

A

The unit of energy. 1 joule is the amount of work done when a force of 1 newton is applied through a distance of 1 metre

65
Q

Kelvin

A

The scale of temperature with 0 set as the lowest possible temperature (absolute 0), which is -273°C

66
Q

Light waves

A

A part of the EM spectrum that can be detected by the human eye

67
Q

Longitudinal waves

A

Waves in which the particles of the medium move backwards and forwards along the same line as the direction of transfer of energy

68
Q

Loudness

A

The power of strength of a sound, depending on the amplitude of the sound wave

69
Q

Magnetic

A

Possessing the ability to attract iron and its compounds

70
Q

Mechanical waves

A

Waves that require a material medium through which energy may be transferred

71
Q

Microwaves

A

A part of the EM spectrum; used to heat water and in telecom systems

72
Q

Moderator

A

A material used in nuclear reactions to slow the neutrons to allow the reaction to take place; often made of graphite

73
Q

Moons

A

Natural satellites held in orbits around planets by the force of gravity

74
Q

Motor rule

A

The rule devised by Fleming to predict the direction of the force produced on a wire when it carries current in a magnetic field

75
Q

Negative electric charge

A

The type of charge possessed by an electron

76
Q

Neutral

A

Having no overall charge

77
Q

Neutron

A

Uncharged particle found in the nucleus of the atom

78
Q

Normal

A

Perpendicular to, as in the normal drawn as a construction line

79
Q

Normal reaction

A

A contact force acting at right angles to a surface

80
Q

Ohm

A

Unit of resistance; the resistance of a conductor that passes a current of 1 amp when a voltage of 1 volt is applied across it

81
Q

Optical fibre

A

A thing glass tube designed to carry information in the form of light using TIR

82
Q

Parallel circuit

A

A circuit with two or more conducting paths between any two points in the circuit

83
Q

Parent nuclide

A

An unstable nucleus that decays and splits into two or more lighter nuclei

84
Q

Partially elastic

A

Description of a collision in which kinetic energy is not conserved after the colliding bodies have separated

85
Q

Period

A

The time taken for one complete cycle of an oscillation or wave

86
Q

Pitch

A

How high a musical note is; related to the frequency of the sound

87
Q

Planets

A

Massive objects held in regular orbit around a star by the force of gravity

88
Q

Positive electric charge

A

The type of charge possessed by the proton

89
Q

Power

A

The rate of transfer or conversion of energy

90
Q

Pressure

A

Force acting per unit area

91
Q

Proton

A

A positively charged particle found in the nucleus of an atom

92
Q

Radio waves

A

A part of the EM spectrum; used in communication and radio and TV transmission

93
Q

Reaction time

A

The time taken until there is a conscious response to humans to some event

94
Q

Resistance

A

A measure of how difficult it is for current to pass through a part of a circuit

95
Q

Resultant force

A

The net force acting on a body when two or more forces are unbalanced

96
Q

Sankey diagram

A

Diagrams used to represent the relative size of energy conversions that take place in a process or system

97
Q

Satellites

A

Man-made objects held in orbit around a planet by the force of gravity

98
Q

Scalar

A

A quantity with magnitude but no specific direction

99
Q

Second

A

The base unit of time measuremement

100
Q

Series circuit

A

A circuit with only one path for an electric current to flow

101
Q

Soft magnetic materials

A

Materials that are easy to magnetise and demagnetise

102
Q

Solar power

A

Power obtained from the energy transferred by the EM waves from the sun

103
Q

Sound waves

A

Longitudinal waves in gases, liquids and solids with frequencies in the range 20Hz to 20kHz

104
Q

Speed

A

Distance travelled per unit of time

105
Q

Star

A

Huge nuclear fission explosions releasing vast amounts of energy as light, heat and other forms of EM radiation

106
Q

Tension

A

The force in stretched materials

107
Q

Thermal radiation

A

Heat radiation

108
Q

Thinking distance

A

The distance travelled by a moving vehicle in the time that it takes for the driver to react to an emergency before applying the breaks

109
Q

Tidal power and wave energy

A

Power obtained from the rise and fall of the oceans due to tidal motion

110
Q

Transformers

A

Electromagnetic devices used to either step-up or step-down the size of alternating voltage electricity suplies

111
Q

Transverse waves

A

Waves in which the particles of the medium move at right angles to the direction of transfer of energy. EM waves are transverse waves

112
Q

UV

A

Part of the EM spectrum; used in forensics and tanning

113
Q

Unbalanced

A

Not adding up to zero (eg. unbalanced forces)

114
Q

Universe

A

The system comprising of every galaxy

115
Q

Upthrust

A

The upward force that acts on an object because it has displaced a volume of liquid or gas

116
Q

Vector

A

A quantity that has both size and direction

117
Q

Velocity

A

The rate of increase of distance travelled in a specified direction with time

118
Q

Virtual image

A

The image formed in mirrors that appears to be behind the mirror. Any image that is not the actual source of real rays of light

119
Q

Viscous drag

A

The force that opposes the motion of an object through a liquid

120
Q

Visible light

A

EM waves in the range of frequencies that can be detected by the human eye

121
Q

Voltage

A

A measure of the energy converted per unit of charge passing through a component; the measure of the amount of energy transferred to electrical form per unit by an electrical power supply

122
Q

Voltmeter

A

A measuring instrument for measuring the voltage between two points in a circuit

123
Q

Volt

A

The unit of voltage; 1 volt is equal to 1 joule of energy per coulomb of charge passed through a component

124
Q

Watt

A

The unit of power; equal to the rate of transfer of energy of 1 joule per second

125
Q

Weight

A

The force acting on a body due to its presence in a gravitational field

126
Q

Wind power

A

Power obtained from the kinetic energy of moving air

127
Q

Work

A

The transfer of energy to a body. Mechanical work is the transfer of energy which occurs when a force is applied through a distance in the direction of the force

128
Q

X-rays

A

EM waves; can be used medically or industrially to see inside people or infrastructure

Physics (3 decks)

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