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A-level Physics > Physics definitions > Flashcards

Physics definitions Flashcards

1
Q

photon

A
  • a very small quanta of discrete light energy

- can be an electromagnetic wave or particle

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2
Q

Absorption spectrum

A
  • a coloured background with black lines
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3
Q

Emission spectrum

A

a black background with coloured lines

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4
Q

a moment

A

the perpendicular distance to the pivot times the force

  • forces up equal forces down
  • anticlockwise moments equal clockwise moments
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5
Q

Equilibrium

A

an object is in equilibrium when the resultant forces acting on a particle is zero

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6
Q

Couples

A

a pair of forces equal in magnitude and opposite in direction

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7
Q

Centre of mass

A

the point at which your mass acts through

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8
Q

Difference between centre of mass and centre of gravity

A

the gravitational field is not uniform

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9
Q

How to improve centre of mass

A

lower centre of mass

widen base of the object

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10
Q

kinetic energy

A

energy associated with anything that is moving

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11
Q

elastic collisions

A

kinetic energy and momentum is conserved

small scale

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12
Q

inelastic collisions

A

momentum is conserved

large scale

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13
Q

Impulse

A

the rate of change of momentum

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14
Q

current

A

the flow of charge per unit time

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15
Q

voltage

A

how many joules of work each coulomb of charge is capable of doing

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16
Q

potential difference

A
  • the energy transfer per unit/ from electrical to other

- charge losing energy

17
Q

Electromotive force

A

the charge gaining energy

18
Q

resistivity

A

the resistance a metal puts up to electric current

19
Q

hooke’s law

A

the force exerted on a spring is proportional to its compression, such that force divided by compression is equal to a constant k, which is measured in Nm

20
Q

thermistor

A

a device that decreases its resistance as temperature increases

21
Q

Young modulus

A

the modulus of elasticity

22
Q

Brittle

A

something which shatters if a large stress is applied

23
Q

Ductile

A

a material that can be easily shaped under tension

24
Q

Malleable

A

a material that can be easily shaped under compression

25
Q

Wavelength

A

the distance between two identical points on successive waves

26
Q

amplitude

A

the maximum displacement of a wave

27
Q

period

A

the time taken for one complete wave to pass a point

28
Q

frequency

A

the number of waves that passes a fixed point per unit time

29
Q

transverse waves

A

waves that have their displacement at 90 degrees to the direction of energy transfer

30
Q

longitudinal waves

A

waves that have their displacement in the same direction as the energy transfer

31
Q

phase difference

A

the amount a wave is in or out of sequence with another wave

32
Q

Coherence

A

when two waves have a constant phase difference

33
Q

refraction

A

when a wave travels from a fast medium to a slow medium or vice versa causing waves to slow down and speed up and turn

34
Q

Interference

A

when two waves meet at a point, the resultant displacements the sum of individual displacements

35
Q

path difference

A
  • if the path difference is even and whole waves, the waves will arrive in phase
  • if odd the waves will arrive out of phase
36
Q

superconductivity

A

zero resistance

  • occurs at low temperature
  • has no resistance after a certain critical temperature
37
Q

antiparticle

A

different charge

same mass, rest mass energy

38
Q

hadrons

A

heavier
not fundamental
made of fundamental quarks
interacts with SNF,WNF and electrostatic if charged

39
Q

leptons

A

lighter
fundamental
does not interact with the SNF
interacts with WNF and electrostatic force if charged

A-level Physics (18 decks)

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