Physics Flashcards
Antimatter
- matter that consist of antiparticles, such as antiprotons, that have opposite charge from normal particles
- when matter meets antimatter, both are destroyed and their combined mass = energy
- e.g. certain decay process
Atom
basic unit of chemical element
Atomic mass
total mass of an atom of given element
atomic number
the number of protons
Axion
hypothetical subatomic particle with low mass and energy that is thought to exist bc of properties of the strong nuclear force
Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC)
- super-atom made of of atoms super-cooled to with a few hundred millionth of degree of absolute zero and condenses into lowest energy state
- atoms in BEV behave at the same time, giving BEC wavelike properties
Boson
- one of two primary categories of particles in the Standard Model
- Higgs boson and force carrying particles eg. photons, gluons, and the W and Z particles
Dark energy
mysterious, undefined energy leading to a repulsive force pervading all space-time
- predicted to make up 68.3% of universe composition
Dark matter
- hypothetical, invisible matter
- 26.8% of universe
- account for inexplicable gravitational force observed in space
Doppler effect
change in frequency of sound, light, or radio waves caused by the motion of the source emitting the waves
Electron
negatively charged particle that is the least massive electrically charged fundamental particle
entropy
measure of disorder in a system
Absolute Zero
theoretical temperature which all motion within a molecule stops, corresponds to 273.315ºC
Fermion
any one of a number of matter particles including electrons, protons, neutrons, neutrinos, and quarks; one of the two primary categories of particles in Standard Mode, the other being bosons
Field
the existence of physical effects such as forces (gravitational, electric, etc.) is visualized and described with math by physicists in terms of showing the strength and direction of a force at a given position
fission
a nuclear reaction that occurs when the nuclei of large, unstable atom break apart, releasing large amount of energy
fluorescence
luminescence that is caused by the absorption of radiation at one wavelength followed by an almost immediate re-radiation, usually at a different wavelength, that stops almost immediate when the radiation stops
force
cause acceleration in a body; can be thought of a push or pull
fusion
a nuclear reaction occurring when atomic nuclei colliding at high temperatures and combine to form one heavier atomic nucleus, releasing enormous energy in the process
gravity
attraction of force between two objects or particles, proportional to the mass (or energy) of the object
half life
the time it takes for half of a given amount of radioactive element to decay
Hertz (Hz)
measure of frequency, or how many times a given event occurs per second; applied to sound waves, electrical current, and microchip clock speeds
higgs boson
a boson associated with a field accounting for the existence of mass in many particles
light-emitted diodes (LED)
a semiconductor that emits light when an electrical current is passed through it
Neutrino
a tiny fundamental particle with no electrical charge and very small mass that moves very quickly through the universe; comes in varities (flavors): electron, muon, and tau
particle accelerator
a large machine with a circular or long, straight tunnel in which charged particles are accelerated to extremely high speeds
phosphorescence
luminescence that is caused by the absorption of radiation at one wavelength followed by a delayed re-radiation
photon
the elementary unit, or quantum, of electromagnetic radiation, such as light
plasma
a high-energy state of matter different from solid, liquid, or gas in which atomic nuclei and the electrons orbiting them separate
quantum
a natural unit of some physically measurable property, such as energy or electrical charge
quark
a fermion and a fundamental matter particle that makes up neutrons and protons, forming atomic nuclei; there are six different varieties pairs: up and down, charm and strange, and top and bottom
radiation
energy emitted as ray or particles
e.g. heat, light, UV rays, gamma rays, x-rays, cosmic
General theory of relativity
Theory of space and time by Albert Einstein in 1915, links gravity to the curvature of space-time
Special theory of relativity
Einstein theory if space and time: all laws of physics are valid in all uniformity moving frame of reference, and the speed of light in vacuum is always the same, so long as source and the observer are moving uniformly (not accelerating)
