Physics Flashcards Part 1
Properties of an Alpha particle (Four)
- Very easily stopped
- Strongly affected by a magnetic field
- Not penetrating
- Can’t travel far
8 energy types
Could Karen Grab Ellie’s Massive Elephant Next Thursday
-chemical
- Kinetic
- Gravitational potential
- Elastic potential
- Magnetic
- Electrical
- Nuclear
- Thermal
When does radiation of waves work happen?
This occurs when sound, light, or mechanical waves transfer energy from one place to another (water waves)
Describe longitudinal waves
Vibrations are parallel to direction of energy travel
- Need compression to push against each other to transfer the energy
What is wasted energy
Energy that is transferred by an undesired pathway
What is a half-life
Time it takes for half of an unstable nuclei in a sample to decay or for the activity of the sample to halve
Properties of gamma radiation (Five)
- MOST penetrating
- Has no mass
- Electromagnetic waves
- Stopped by lead
- Not affected by a magnetic field
When does thermal work happen?
When a thermal energy transfers FROM a hotter object to a cooler object (E.g. Tea cooling down)
What does Internal Energy consist of?
Kinetic and Potential energy
What do numbers at top and bottom of an element represent/mean?
Top is no. of protons + neutrons
Bottom is Atomic number = no. of protons
Principle of the conservation of energy
Energy cannot be created or destroyed
What is a closed system?
A system where no energy transfers take place out or into the energy stores
Properties of Beta radiation (Three)
- More penetrating than Alpha
- Lighter than Alpha radiation
- Affected by a magnetic field
What do vectors measure?
Magnitude + Direction
What is conservation of momentum?
The total momentum before a collision is the same as the total momentum after a collision
Newton’s Second Law
The force acting on an object is equal to the mass of that object TIMES its acceleration
Newton’s first law
A body will remain at rest, and a body in motion will remain in motion unless it is acted upon by an external force
What do step-down transformers do?
Step-down transformers change the potential difference to a lower voltage before it enters our homes. It needs to be at a lower voltage to make it safe.
What do step-up transformers do?
- Step- up transformers increase the potential difference of the electricity.
- It is transmitted at a very high voltage to minimise energy wasted.
What is the national grid?
- Network of transformers, pylons and electrical cables.
- These connect power stations to users (e.g. homes, factories, schools)
What is a direct current?
Means the current and potential difference is always in the SAME direction
What is potential difference?
What is it measured in?
- The amount of energy given to each coulomb of charge
- Coulombs
What is electrical resistance?
How difficult it is for the charged particles (electrons) to move
