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MCAT prep > Physics > Flashcards

Physics Flashcards

1
Q

Positron

A

an anti-electron, denoted beta+ or e+, emitted in a nuclear reaction

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2
Q

Radiation

A

Form of heat transfer accomplished by electromagnetic waves, which can travel through a vacuum

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3
Q

Capacitor

A

an electric device used in circuits that is composed of two conducting plates separated by a short distance. When voltage is applied to it, a capacitor stores electric charge

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4
Q

bulk modulus

A

a term that describes a substance’s resistance to compression under a pressure, denoted by the variable B and measured by the ratio of stress (pressure change) to strain: changeP/(changeV/V)

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5
Q

Fundamental Unit of Charge

A

the smallest measured electric charge,which belongs to a single proton or electron; this charge is equal to 1.6 X 10^-19 C, and is positive for a proton and negative for an electron

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6
Q

Acceleration

A

A vector quantity describing a change in velocity over the elapsed time during which that change occurs, expressed as a=changeV/changeT

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7
Q

Velocity

A

a vector quantity describing an object’s displacement over the elapsed time, expressed as v=changeX/changeT

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8
Q

Potential Difference

A

the difference in electric potential between two points in an electric field, also termed the voltage (changeV)

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9
Q

Force

A

a vector quantity describing a push or pull on an object. The SI unit for force is the Newton (N)

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10
Q

Weight

A

a force that measures the gravitational pull on an object, given by the object’s mass times its gravitational acceleration (mg, where g is 9.8m/s^2 on Earth)

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11
Q

Half-Life

A

the amount of time it takes for one-half of a radioactive sample to decay, given by the equation t 1/2 = (ln2)/lambda, where lambda is a decay constant

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12
Q

Gamma Decay

A

the atom emission of high energy photons, also known as y-particles

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13
Q

electric dipole

A

the effect, often found in chemical bonds, of having two charges of opposite sign and equal magnitude separated by a short distance d

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14
Q

torque

A

the magnitude of a force acting on a body times the perpendicular distance between the acting force and the axis of rotation, denoted by the Greek letter T with the SI units N*m

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15
Q

Resonance

A

if a standing wave undergoes a forced oscillation due to an external periodic fore that has a frequency equal to the natural frequency of the oscillating system, resonance will occur, and the amplitude of the standing wave will approach its maximum

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16
Q

Converging Lens

A

A lens with a thick center that converges light rays at a point where the image is formed

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17
Q

Diverging Lens

A

a lens with a thin center that diverges light after refraction and always forms a virtual image

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18
Q

Exponential Decay

A

a decrease in the amount of substance N through radioactive decay, given by the equation: N=N0 X e^-lambdaT

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19
Q

Ferromagnetic

A

a material whose atoms have net magnetic field and, below a critical temperature, are strongly attracted to a magnet pole

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20
Q

Power

A

the rate at which work is done, given by the equation P=W/changeT, where W is work and T is time in seconds

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21
Q

Kinetic Energy

A

the energy of an object resulting from the objects motion through space, calculated by the equation KE =1/2mv^2 and given in the SI unit of Joules (J)

22
Q

Magnetic Force

A

a force exerted on a charged particle moving through a magnetic field, calculated using the equation FB = qvBsin0. The sin0 represents the fact that only the component of motion perpendicular to the magnetic field contributes to the magnetic force on the particle

23
Q

Work Function

A

The minimum amount of photon energy required to emit an electron form a certain metal. This quantity, denoted by the letter W, is used to calculate the residual kinetic energy of an electron emitted by a metal, given by KE =hf - W, where hf is the energy of a photon

24
Q

Amplitude

A

in a wave, the point of maximum displacement from equilibrium

25
Q

electric field

A

the electrostatic force that a source charge qs would exert on a positive test charge q0 within its proximity divided by the magnitude of that test charge; E = Fcoul/q0

26
Q

Calorie

A

a unit for heat. A calorie (lowercase c) is equal to 4.184 J, but an alternate unit, the Calorie (uppercase C, also abbreviated kcal) equals 1,000 calories, or 4,184 Joules

27
Q

Work-Energy Theorem

A

a theorem stating that the net work performed on an object is related to the change in kinetic energy of that body, given by the equation W = changeKE

28
Q

Hooke’s Law

A

the equation describing the restoring force of a mass-spring system, given by F= -kx, where x is the dispalcement from the equilibrium position

29
Q

Converging Mirror

A

A concave mirror with a positive focal length that converges light rays at a point where the image is formed

30
Q

Speed

A

a scalar quantity describing the distance traveled over the time required to travel that distance

31
Q

Thermal Expansion

A

the expansion of a solid as a result of increasing temperatures, calculated by the equation changeL = aLchangeT, where L is length, a is the coefficient of linear expansion of the material, and T is the temperature

32
Q

Fluorescence

A

the phenomenon observed when an atom is excited by UV light and the electrons return to the ground state in two or more steps, emitting photons of lower frequency (often in the visible light spectrum) at each step.

33
Q

Density

A

a scalar quantity defined as the mass per unit volume, often denoted by the Greek letter p

34
Q

Electromotive Force

A

The energy gained by an electron when it is accelerated through a potential difference of 1 volt, given by qV where q is 1.6 x 10^-19 C and V is 1 volt

35
Q

Current

A

the flow of charge as it moves across a potential difference (voltage), denoted by the letter I and measured by the amount of charge passing through a conductor over a unit of time: changeQ/changeT

36
Q

Magnetic Field

A

field vectors created by moving charges and permanent magnets that in turn exert a magnetic force on moving charges and current-carrying wires

37
Q

Diverging Mirror

A

a convex mirror with a negative focal length. Diverging mirrors always produce virtual images.

38
Q

Center of Mass

A

The point on an object or body, calculated by averaging the distribution of mass in each dimension, at which all of the objects mass can be considered to be concentrated

39
Q

Doppler Effect

A

when a source emitting a sound and a detector receiving the sound move relative to each other, the virtual frequency f’ detected is less than or greater than the actual frequency source and detector move toward or away from each other f’ = f (v +- vD)/v+-vS)

40
Q

Law of reflection

A

law stating that when light waves strike a medium, the angle of incidence 0i is equal to the angle of reflection 0r

41
Q

Viscosity

A

the measure of internal friction in a liquid, often denoted by the Greek letter n

42
Q

Vector

A

a quantity that has both magnitude and direction

43
Q

Absolute Pressure

A

the pressure below the surface of a liquid, depending on gravity and surface pressure and calculated by p= P0 + pgz, where P0 is the surface pressure, p is the density of the fluid, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and z is depth (the vertical distance from the surface)

44
Q

Conservation of Momentum

A

the momentum of a system remains constant when there are no net external forces acting on it

45
Q

Volume Expansion

A

the expansion in volume of a liquid as a result of increasing temperatures, calculated by the equation changeV = betaVchangeT, where V is volume and beta is the coefficient of volume expansion of the material, and T is the temperature

46
Q

Rotational Equilibrium

A

State where the sum of the torques acting on a body is zero, giving it no net angular acceleration

47
Q

Photoelectric Effect

A

The phenomenon observed when light above a certain frequency is incident on a sheet of metal and causes it to emit an electron

48
Q

Direct Current

A

Current that flows through a conductor in one direction only

49
Q

Dielectric

A

an insulating material placed between the two plates of a capacitor. When a dielectric is inserted, if the circuit is plugged into a current source, more charge will be stored in the capacitor; if the circuit is not plugged into a current source, the voltage of the capacitor will decrease

50
Q

Work

A

the quantity measured when a constant force acts on a body to move it a distance d, calculated by the equation W = Fdcos0. The cos0 represents the fact that only the component of the force parallel to the direction of motion is considered

MCAT prep (4 decks)

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