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AP® Physics flashcards Physics 101 flashcards
1
Q

What is meant by displacement?

A

Displacement is defined as the change in position of an object.

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2
Q

What is a vector quantity?

A

A quantity that has both magnitude and direction.

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3
Q

What is a scalar quantity?

A

A quantity that has magnitude but no direction.

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4
Q

How do you represent a vector quantity?

A

Tip to tip
Head to head
Tip to head

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5
Q

What is a resultant force?

A

When forces are acting on an object in two DIFFERENT directions, the DIFFERENCE between the forces is called the resultant force.
When forces are acting on an object in the SAME direction, the resultant forces is the SUM of those forces.

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6
Q

What happens if the resultant force is zero?

A

The object is stationary or moving at a constant speed

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7
Q

What is a free body force diagram?

A

It models the forces acting on an object.

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8
Q

What is the parallelogram of forces?

A

A parallelogram that has two adjacent sides that represent two force vectors and a diagonal line between them that represents the vector (force) sum.

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9
Q

What is the parallelogram of forces used for?

A

The parallelogram of forces is a method for solving the results of applying two forces to an object.

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10
Q

What is meant by resolution of a force?

A

A single force can be resolved (broken down) into two component forces at right angles to each other.

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11
Q

What is net force?

A

The net force is the vector sum of all the forces that act upon an object.

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12
Q

What are forces on an object in equilibrium?

A

If the size and direction of the forces acting on an object are exactly balanced, then there is no net force acting on the object

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13
Q

How do you use a force diagram to tell whether an object is in equilibrium?

A

The arrows are balanced/same size.

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14
Q

How do you calculate speed?

A

SPEED = DISTANCE/TIME

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15
Q

How do you calculate acceleration?

A

ACCELERATION = CHANGE IN VELOCITY/TIME

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16
Q

What does the gradient of distance time graphs show?

A

The gradient of the line is equal to the speed of the object.

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17
Q

How do you calculate constant speed?

A 
      time taken
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18
Q

What is the difference between velocity and speed?

A

Speed is how fast something is moving. Velocity is how fast and in what direction.

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19
Q

What is acceleration?

A

The rate at which velocity changes with time.

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20
Q

What is the difference between acceleration and deceleration?

A

Acceleration is the rate at which velocity changes with time.
Deceleration is acceleration that causes a reduction in speed (negative).

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21
Q

What is newton’s law of motion?

A
  1. An object will not change its motion unless a force acts on it.
  2. The force on an object = mass x acceleration.
  3. When two objects interact, they apply forces to each other of equal magnitude and opposite direction.
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22
Q

What is the equation that links force, mass and acceleration?

A

FORCE = MASS X ACCELERATION

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23
Q

How does the acceleration of an object depend on the size of the resultant force acting on it?

A

The acceleration of an object is proportional to the resultant force on the object.

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24
Q

What is inertia?

A

The resistance an object has to a change in its state of motion.

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25
Q

What is the equation for final velocity?

A

Final velocity squared = initial velocity squared + 2(acceleration x time)
V2 = U2 + 2AS

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26
Q

What is the difference between mass and weight?

A

Mass is a measure of how much matter there is in an object, while weight is a measure of the size of the pull of gravity on the object.

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27
Q

What is the motion of falling objects?

A

An object that is moving only because of the action of gravity is said to be free falling (not much air resistance).

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28
Q

What is terminal velocity?

A

Steady speed achieved by an object freely falling.

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29
Q

What is the resultant force acting on an object falling at terminal velocity?

A

Zero.

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30
Q

What does the stopping distance of a vehicle depend on?

A

The speed of the car
The mass of the car
How worn the brakes and tyres are
The road surface

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31
Q

What are some car safety features?

A

Seat belts, air bags, brakes.

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32
Q

How do you calculate work done with kinetic energy?

A

WORK DONE = CHANGE IN KINETIC ENERGY

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33
Q

How can you calculate work done?

A

WORK DONE = FORCE X DISTANCE

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34
Q

What is electric charge measured in?

A

Coulombs.

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35
Q

What is the formula for braking force?

A

BRAKING FORCE = WORK DONE / DISTANCE

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36
Q

How do you calculate momentum?

A

MOMENTUM = MASS x VELOCITY

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37
Q

What is the unit for momentum?

A

Kg m/s

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38
Q

What does momentum mean for a closed system?

A

Momentum is constant in time (conserved).

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39
Q

What happens when two objects collide (momentum)?

A

The force exerted by object 1 upon object 2 is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the force exerted by object 2 upon object 1.

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40
Q

What quantity is momentum?

A

Vector.

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41
Q

What happens to the total momentum of two objects when they collide?

A

The momentum stays the same the whole way though.

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42
Q

Why do two objects that push each other apart move away at different speeds?

A

One object gains momentum and one loses momentum.

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43
Q

What is meant when an object is called elastic?

A

The ability of a deformed object to return to its original shape and size when the forces causing the deformation are removed.

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44
Q

What is the elastic limit of an object?

A

The furthest amount an object can be stretched or deformed without being able to return to its previous shape.

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45
Q

How do you measure the extension of an object?

A

EXTENSION = FORCE / SPRING CONSTANT

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46
Q

How does the extension of a spring change with the force applied to it?

A

The extension of a spring is directly proportional to the force applied.

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47
Q

What is the limit of proportionality?

A

The limit of proportionality is the point where the object no longer deforms elastically, and starts to deform inelastically.

48
Q

What is the difference between an battery and a cell?

A

A battery is a collection of cells.

49
Q

What determines the size of an electrical current?

A

The voltage of the battery, and the resistance of the components in the circuit.

50
Q

How do you calculate charge flow?

A

CHARGE FLOW = CURRENT x TIME TAKEN

51
Q

What is meant by potential difference?

A

Potential difference is a measure of how much energy is transferred between two points in a circuit.

52
Q

What is resistance and its unit?

A

Resistance is opposition to the flow of current in the circuit. Its measured in Ohms.

53
Q

What is Ohm’s law?

A

Ohm’s law states that the voltage across a conductor is directly proportional to the current flowing through it.

54
Q

How do you find the potential difference of a component in a circuit?

A

POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE = CURRENT x RESISTANCE

55
Q

What is the total resistance of two resistors in a series circuit?

A

TOTAL R = R1 + R2

56
Q

What is the total potential difference of several cells?

A

Total potential difference of several cells = all voltages in cells added together.

57
Q

What is the potential differences of components in a parallel circuit?

A

For components connected in parallel, the potential difference across each component is the same.

58
Q

What is the current in a series circuit?

A

The same throughout.
I1 = I2 = I3…

59
Q

What is the total potential difference in a circuit?

A

TOTAL V = V1 + V2 + V3…

60
Q

What is the current of components in a parallel circuit?

A

The total amount of current in all the branches when added together is the same as the amount of current for the entire circuit.

61
Q

How do you calculate the current through a resistor in a parallel circuit?

A

Current through each resistor can be found using Ohm’s law I=V/R (current = voltage/resistance), where the voltage is constant across each resistor.

62
Q

Why is the total resistance of two resistors in a parallel circuit less than resistance of the smallest individual resistor?

A

In a parallel circuit, the net resistance decreases as more components are added, because there are more paths for the current to pass through.

63
Q

What happens when you add resistors in a parallel circuit?

A

The total resistance decreases.

64
Q

What happens to the resistance of a filament lamp as it’s temperature increases?

A

The resistance increases.

65
Q

What is a thermistor?

A

A resistor whose resistance is dependent on temperature.

66
Q

What is a LDR?

A

They are light dependent resistor and are used to indicate the presence or absence of light, or to measure the light intensity.

67
Q

Investigate the resistances of LDR’s.

A

In the DARK and at low light levels, the RESISTANCE of an LDR is HIGH and little current can flow through it.
In bright LIGHT, the RESISTANCE of an LDR is LOW and more current can flow through it.

68
Q

Investigate the resistance of a thermistor.

A

At LOW temperatures, the RESISTANCE of a thermistor is HIGH and little current can flow through them
At HIGH temperatures, the RESISTANCE of a thermistor is LOW and more current can flow through them

69
Q

What do we mean by power?

A

Power is the rate at which work is done/ energy is transferred.

70
Q

What are the units for power?

A

Watts.

71
Q

How do you calculate power in a device?

A

POWER = POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE x CURRENT

72
Q

What is DC and AC?

A

DC = direct current = when an electrical current flows consistently in one direction.
AC = alternating current = when an electrical current flows back and forth (not in one direction).

73
Q

What is meant by the live wire of a mains circuit?

A

Colour = brown. This carries the alternating potential difference from the power supply.

74
Q

What is meant by the neutral wire of a mains circuit?

A

Colour = blue. This completes the circuit from the appliance back to the supply.

75
Q

What is the casing of a mains plug made of and why?

A

Copper wire coated in striped plastic that provides a path for current to flow from the case of the device to the ground if there is a fault.

76
Q

What is in a mains cable?

A

Cable grip, fuse, outer insulation, earth wire (stripy), live wire (brown) and neutral wire (blue).

77
Q

Why is there an earth pin in plugs?

A

The purpose of having an earth pin is for safety purposes.

78
Q

How are energy and power related?

A

POWER = ENERGY TRANSFERED / TIME TAKEN

79
Q

How is power, current and voltage connected?

A

POWER = CURRENT X VOLTAGE

80
Q

How do you work out what fuse to use?

A

You find the current using CURRENT = POWER / VOLTAGE then decide if it should be a fuse that is either 3A, 5A or 13A

81
Q

What fuse would you use for a current of 2A?

A

3A

82
Q

What fuse would you use for a current of 5A?

A

13A

83
Q

What fuse would you use for a current of 4A?

A

5A

84
Q

What fuse would you use for a current of 9A?

A

13A

85
Q

How do you calculate charge flow?

A

CHARGE FLOW = CURRENT x TIME

86
Q

What energy transfers happen when electrical charge flows through a resistor?

A

Electrical energy is transferred as heat.

87
Q

How is the energy transferred by a flow of electrical charge related to potential difference?

A

For a given amount of electrical charge that moves, the amount of energy transferred increases as the potential difference increases.

88
Q

How do you calculate energy transfer?

A

ENERGY TRANSFER = POWER x TIME

89
Q

How do you work out the useful energy output of an electrical appliances?

A

efficiency = useful power / total power

90
Q

How do you work out output power?

A

INPUT POWER = OUTPUT POWER

91
Q

What can waves be used for?

A

Radios
TV
Cooking food
Lamps
Sun tanning

92
Q

What are transverse waves?

A

Basically the wavy lines (perpendicular).

93
Q

What are longitudinal waves?

A

Basically the straight lines (parallel).

94
Q

What are examples of transverse waves?

A

Radio waves.
Light waves.

95
Q

What are examples of longitudinal waves?

A

Sound waves.
Ultrasound waves.

96
Q

What is the amplitude of a wave?

A

Distance between the line and the highest point of the wave.

97
Q

What is the frequency of a wave?

A

The number of waves produced by a source each second.

98
Q

What is the wavelength of a wave?

A

The distance between two successive crests/arcs of a wave.

99
Q

How is the period of a wave related to its frequency?

A

FREQUENCE = 1/ time period

100
Q

What is the relationship between speed wavelength and frequency of a wave?

A

SPEED = WAVELENGTH x FREQUENCY

101
Q

Do plane waves that cross boundary between two different materials is refracted?

A

Waves change speed when they pass across the boundary between two different substances. This causes them to change direction and this effect is called refraction.

102
Q

How can the behaviour of waves be used to explain reflection and refraction?

A

In reflection, a wave encounters an obstacle and is reflected back. In refraction, a wave bends when it enters a medium through which it has a different speed.

103
Q

What can happen to a wave when it crosses a boundary between two different materials?

A

Waves transmitted at the boundary between two materials may change direction. This is refraction.

104
Q

What is the difference between refraction and reflection?

A

In reflection, the light ray striking the plane returns to the originating source/medium. However, in refraction, the waves go through the surface and it alters their speed and direction.

105
Q

What are the parts of electromagnetic spectrum?

A

Gamma rays
X-rays
Ultraviolet radiation
Visible light
Infrared radiation
Radio waves.

106
Q

What are the range of wavelengths within the electromagnetic spectrum that the human eye can detect?

A

380 to 700 nanometres.

107
Q

What is the nature of white light?

A

White light consists of seven constituent colours.

108
Q

What are infrared radio waves used for?

A

Electrical heaters, cooking food, short-range communications.

109
Q

What are microwaves waves used for?

A

Cooking food, communications, satellite communications.

110
Q

What are radio waves used for?

A

TV, mobile phones, broadcasting.

111
Q

What is mobile phone radiation?

A

The type of radiation emitted from mobile phones is electromagnetic radiation.

112
Q

Why is electromagnetic radiation hazardous?

A

It can cause internal heating of body tissues.

113
Q

Which waves are used in satellite TV?

A

Radio waves.

114
Q

What are carrier waves?

A

A carrier wave is a pure wave of constant frequency.

115
Q

How are optical fibres used in communications?

A

They used to transmit signals over long distances..

PHYSICS (12 decks)

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