physics Flashcards

1
Q

Define displacement, velocity, and acceleration.

A

Displacement: distance in a specific direction; Velocity: rate of change of displacement; Acceleration: rate of change of velocity.

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2
Q

State Newton’s 1st Law.

A

An object will remain at rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force.

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3
Q

State Newton’s 2nd Law.

A

Force equals mass times acceleration (F = ma).

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4
Q

State Newton’s 3rd Law.

A

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

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5
Q

Define momentum and give the formula.

A

Momentum is the product of an object’s mass and velocity; Formula: p = mv.

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6
Q

Define work, energy, and power.

A

Work: force applied over a distance (W = Fd); Energy: the ability to do work; Power: rate of doing work (P = W/t).

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7
Q

Describe potential and kinetic energy, with formulas.

A

Potential Energy: energy stored due to position (PE = mgh); Kinetic Energy: energy of motion (KE = 1/2 mv²).

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8
Q

Explain the principle of conservation of energy.

A

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or transformed.

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9
Q

Define and calculate gravitational potential energy.

A

GPE is the energy an object has due to its position in a gravitational field; Formula: GPE = mgh.

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10
Q

Define torque and give the formula.

A

Torque is a force that causes rotation; Formula: Torque = Force x Distance from pivot (τ = Fd).

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11
Q

Define frequency, wavelength, and amplitude.

A

Frequency: number of waves per second; Wavelength: distance between wave peaks; Amplitude: height of wave from midpoint.

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12
Q

State the wave equation and explain terms.

A

Wave equation: v = f λ; where v is velocity, f is frequency, and λ is wavelength.

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13
Q

Explain the Doppler Effect and its applications.

A

The Doppler Effect is the change in frequency due to motion of source or observer; used in radar and ultrasound.

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14
Q

Define resonance and natural frequency.

A

Resonance occurs when an object vibrates at its natural frequency due to external vibrations.

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15
Q

Describe the properties of longitudinal and transverse waves.

A

Longitudinal: particles move parallel to wave direction; Transverse: particles move perpendicular to wave direction.

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16
Q

Define sound intensity and decibel scale.

A

Sound intensity is the power per unit area; Decibel scale measures sound intensity levels logarithmically.

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17
Q

Explain the speed of sound in different media.

A

Sound travels faster in solids, slower in liquids, and slowest in gases due to particle density.

18
Q

Define interference and types of interference.

A

Interference: two waves meet and combine; Constructive interference (waves add) and Destructive interference (waves cancel).

19
Q

Explain reflection, refraction, and diffraction of waves.

A

Reflection: wave bounces off a surface; Refraction: wave changes direction in a new medium; Diffraction: wave spreads around obstacles.

20
Q

Define polarization and applications.

A

Polarization: filtering of waves in one direction; used in sunglasses and LCD screens.

21
Q

Define reflection and the law of reflection.

A

Reflection: light bounces off a surface; Law of reflection: angle of incidence equals angle of reflection.

22
Q

Explain Snell’s Law of refraction.

A

Snell’s Law: n_1 sin θ_1 = n_2 sin θ_2; relates refractive indices and angles of incidence/refraction.

23
Q

Define critical angle and total internal reflection.

A

Critical angle: angle above which total internal reflection occurs; happens when light goes from denser to less dense medium.

24
Q

Describe concave and convex lenses.

A

Concave: diverges light, thinner in middle; Convex: converges light, thicker in middle.

25
Q

Define focal point and focal length.

A

Focal point: where light rays converge or appear to; Focal length: distance from lens/mirror to focal point.

26
Q

Explain magnification and its formula.

A

Magnification: ratio of image size to object size; Formula: M = image height / object height.

27
Q

Describe the electromagnetic spectrum.

A

Range of all types of electromagnetic radiation, from radio waves to gamma rays.

28
Q

Define diffraction and give an example.

A

Diffraction: bending of light around obstacles; Example: light spreading through a narrow slit.

29
Q

Explain Young’s double-slit experiment.

A

Demonstrated wave nature of light; showed interference pattern with alternating bright and dark fringes.

30
Q

Define wave-particle duality.

A

Concept that light and particles exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties.

31
Q

Define atom and molecule.

A

Atom: smallest unit of an element; Molecule: group of atoms bonded together.

32
Q

Describe atomic number and mass number.

A

Atomic number: number of protons; Mass number: sum of protons and neutrons.

33
Q

Define isotopes.

A

Atoms of the same element with different mass numbers (different neutrons).

34
Q

Describe ionic bonding.

A

Bond formed when atoms transfer electrons, resulting in charged ions.

35
Q

Describe covalent bonding.

A

Bond formed when atoms share electrons.

36
Q

Explain polar and nonpolar covalent bonds.

A

Polar: uneven electron sharing; Nonpolar: equal sharing of electrons.

37
Q

Define metallic bonding.

A

Bonding in metals where electrons are delocalized over a lattice of metal ions.

38
Q

Describe the electron configuration notation.

A

Notation representing electron arrangement in orbitals (e.g., 1s² 2s²).

39
Q

Explain what a Lewis structure is.

A

Diagram showing bonding and lone pairs of electrons around atoms.

40
Q

Describe the octet rule.

A

Atoms tend to bond in a way that gives them eight valence electrons.