physics Flashcards
Define displacement, velocity, and acceleration.
Displacement: distance in a specific direction; Velocity: rate of change of displacement; Acceleration: rate of change of velocity.
State Newton’s 1st Law.
An object will remain at rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force.
State Newton’s 2nd Law.
Force equals mass times acceleration (F = ma).
State Newton’s 3rd Law.
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Define momentum and give the formula.
Momentum is the product of an object’s mass and velocity; Formula: p = mv.
Define work, energy, and power.
Work: force applied over a distance (W = Fd); Energy: the ability to do work; Power: rate of doing work (P = W/t).
Describe potential and kinetic energy, with formulas.
Potential Energy: energy stored due to position (PE = mgh); Kinetic Energy: energy of motion (KE = 1/2 mv²).
Explain the principle of conservation of energy.
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or transformed.
Define and calculate gravitational potential energy.
GPE is the energy an object has due to its position in a gravitational field; Formula: GPE = mgh.
Define torque and give the formula.
Torque is a force that causes rotation; Formula: Torque = Force x Distance from pivot (τ = Fd).
Define frequency, wavelength, and amplitude.
Frequency: number of waves per second; Wavelength: distance between wave peaks; Amplitude: height of wave from midpoint.
State the wave equation and explain terms.
Wave equation: v = f λ; where v is velocity, f is frequency, and λ is wavelength.
Explain the Doppler Effect and its applications.
The Doppler Effect is the change in frequency due to motion of source or observer; used in radar and ultrasound.
Define resonance and natural frequency.
Resonance occurs when an object vibrates at its natural frequency due to external vibrations.
Describe the properties of longitudinal and transverse waves.
Longitudinal: particles move parallel to wave direction; Transverse: particles move perpendicular to wave direction.
Define sound intensity and decibel scale.
Sound intensity is the power per unit area; Decibel scale measures sound intensity levels logarithmically.
Explain the speed of sound in different media.
Sound travels faster in solids, slower in liquids, and slowest in gases due to particle density.
Define interference and types of interference.
Interference: two waves meet and combine; Constructive interference (waves add) and Destructive interference (waves cancel).
Explain reflection, refraction, and diffraction of waves.
Reflection: wave bounces off a surface; Refraction: wave changes direction in a new medium; Diffraction: wave spreads around obstacles.
Define polarization and applications.
Polarization: filtering of waves in one direction; used in sunglasses and LCD screens.
Define reflection and the law of reflection.
Reflection: light bounces off a surface; Law of reflection: angle of incidence equals angle of reflection.
Explain Snell’s Law of refraction.
Snell’s Law: n_1 sin θ_1 = n_2 sin θ_2; relates refractive indices and angles of incidence/refraction.
Define critical angle and total internal reflection.
Critical angle: angle above which total internal reflection occurs; happens when light goes from denser to less dense medium.
Describe concave and convex lenses.
Concave: diverges light, thinner in middle; Convex: converges light, thicker in middle.
