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Physics Glossary CliffsNotes Flashcards

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1
Q

Absorption Spectrum

A

The specific wavelengths of light absorbed by a gas

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2
Q

Acceleration

A

(Vector; m/s^2) The rate of change in velocity

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3
Q

Adiabatic

A

Without the exchange of heat with the external universe

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4
Q

Alternating Current

A

(Scalar; A) A type of electrical current that changes direction regularly in time

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5
Q

Alternating Voltage

A

An electrostatic potential that changes regularly in time

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6
Q

Ammeter

A

A device used to measure electrical current

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7
Q

Ampere

A

(A) The SI unit of measurement of current; equivalent to Coulombs/s

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8
Q

Amplitude

A

(Scalar; m) The maximal displacement of an object in simple harmonic motion; the peak-to-peak height of a wave

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9
Q

Angular Acceleration

A

(Scalar; radians/s^2) The rate of change of angular velocity in time

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10
Q

Angular Displacement

A

(Scalar; radians) The angle between the initial and final radii after a given time of an object moving in a circle

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11
Q

Angular Momentum

A

(Vector; J-s) The cross product of the distance an object is from point and its momentum with respect to this point

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12
Q

Angular Velocity

A

(Scalar; radians/s) The rate of change of angular displacement in time

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13
Q

Antinodes

A

Points on a standing wave that have maximum displacement, due to the constructive interference of the component waves

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14
Q

Atomic Mass

A

The total number of nucleons in a nucleus

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15
Q

Atomic Mass Unit

A

(amu) The unit of mass appropriate to the nucleus of an atom, equivalent to 1/12 of the mass of a carbon nucleus

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16
Q

Atomic Number

A

The number of protons in a nucleus

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17
Q

Avogadro’s Number

A

(6.02214×10^23) The number of objects or particles in a mole of substance

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18
Q

Beats

A

The effect produced by interference of waves of slightly different frequency, producing a pattern of alternating intensity

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19
Q

Binding Energy

A

The energy difference between the mass energy of a nucleus and its separate constituent particles. Binding energy is released when nuclei come together during fusion

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20
Q

Blackbody

A

An object that absorbs all radiation falling on it and radiates it perfectly

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21
Q

Bohr Radius

A

(5.29×10^-11 m) The average radius of an electron orbiting a single proton

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22
Q

Boltzmann’s Constant

A

(1.38×10^-23 J/K) A fundamental constant, usually encountered in thermodynamics

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23
Q

British Thermal Unit

A

(252 calories of 1.054 kJ) A unit of energy frequently used in engineering

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24
Q

Bulk Modulus

A

(Scalar; N/m^2) The ration of pressure to the resulting compressional strain

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25
Q

Buoyant Force

A

The upward force on an object placed in a fluid

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26
Q

Calorie

A

(cal) A unit of energy, defined as the energy needed to raise one gram of water by one degree Celsius, and equivalent to 4.184 J

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27
Q

Calirometer

A

A device used to measure the specific heat capacity of a substance

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28
Q

Capacitance

A

(Scalar; F) A measure of how much charge a capacitor can store

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29
Q

Capacitor

A

An electrical device for storing separated charge and therefore storing electrostatic potential energy

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30
Q

Carnot Cycle

A

An ideal series of states through which a heat engine may move, which maximizes the amount of heat converted into work. The Carnot cycle consists of two isothermal processes and two adiabatic processes

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31
Q

Centripetal Acceleration

A

(Vector; m/s^2) the acceleration of an object in uniform circular motion which is pointed toward the center of the circle

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32
Q

Centripetal Force

A

(Vector; N) The force that holds an object in circular motion, pointed toward the center of the circle

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33
Q

Charge

A

(Scalar; C) An intrinsic property of matter that causes it to produce an electric field and, when it is moving, a magnetic field, and to feel a force due to these fields as well

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34
Q

Circuit

A

A closed loop arrangement of elements such as capacitors, resistors, inductors, and batteries, through which electrical current flows

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35
Q

Compressional Strain

A

(Scalar) The fractional volume change of an object due to uniform pressure

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36
Q

Compton Scattering

A

The deflection of electrons by photons

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37
Q

Concave Mirror

A

A mirror with an inwardly curved surface, such as the inner surface of a sphere

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38
Q

Conduction

A

The transfer of heat through a stationary substance; also the movement of ions or electrons through a material

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39
Q

Conductor

A

A material through which electrical charges can easily flow

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40
Q

Conservation of Energy

A

A fundamental law of physics which states that the energy of a system does not change unless an external force acts upon the system

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41
Q

Constructive Interference

A

The phenomenon in which waves present simultaneously at the same position add together to form a bigger wave

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42
Q

Convection

A

The transport of heat due to the motion of heated substance, such as a gas

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43
Q

Converging Lens

A

A lens that causes parallel light rays to converge

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44
Q

Convex Mirror

A

A mirror with an outwardly curved surface, such as the outer surface of a sphere

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45
Q

Coloumb

A

(C) The SI unit of measurement of charge

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46
Q

Critical Angle

A

The angle of incidence for a light ray, below which total internal reflection occurs

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47
Q

Current

A

(Scalar; A) The amount of electric charge passing a point per unit time

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48
Q

Daughter Nucleus

A

The nucleus remaining after a radioactive decay

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49
Q

Degrees

A

(°) The gradations of a temperature scale; also a unit of measurement of an angle

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50
Q

Density

A

(Scalar; kg/m3) Mass per unit volume

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51
Q

Destructive Interference

A

The phenomenon in which waves present simultaneously at the same position add together to form a smaller wave, or momentarily cancel entirely

52
Q

Dichroic

A

Having the property of naturally emitting light with only a single polarization

53
Q

Dielectric Constant

A

(Scalar) An intrinsic property of a substance that indicates the amount of charge induced in the substance when it is placed in an electric field

54
Q

Diffraction

A

The process of a wave spreading as it passes around an object or passes through a narrow opening

55
Q

Direct Current

A

(Scalar; A) A type of electrical current that flows in only one direction. Direct current flows between the terminals of a simple battery when they are connected to a circuit

56
Q

Dispersion

A

The effect of separating waves, especially light, into constituent wavelengths by passing through a medium with an index of refraction that varies with wavelengths

57
Q

Displacement

A

(Vector; m) Change in position of an object

58
Q

Diverging Lens

A

A lens that causes parallel light rays to diverge

59
Q

Doppler Effect

A

The change in frequency of a wave produced by a moving source. Approaching sources have a higher frequency, and retreating sources have a lower frequency

60
Q

Elastic Collision

A

A collision between two objects in which the kinetic energy of both is conserved

61
Q

Elastic Modulus

A

(Scalar; N/m2) The ratio of stress to strain

62
Q

Elasticity

A

The property of an object to restore its shape after deformation

63
Q

Electric Field

A

(Vector; V/m) The force felt by a positive unit test charge in a region of space, due to the influence of other charges. Electric fields are produced by stationary and moving charges

64
Q

Electric Flux

A

(Scalar; V-m) The total sum of electric field vectors passing perpendicularly through a surface. According to Gauss’s law, the electric flux through a closed gaussian surface is proportional to the total net charge contained within the surface

65
Q

Electromotive Force

A

(emf; scalar; V) The electrostatic potential difference between the terminals of a circuit or battery when no current is flowing

66
Q

Electron

A

The negatively charged fundamental particles present in ordinary matter, surrounding the nucleus

67
Q

Electroscope

A

A simple device for indicating the presence of net electrical charge

68
Q

Electrostatic Pressure

A

(Scalar; V) The amount of energy per unit positive charge required to move a charge between two points within an electric field

69
Q

emf

A

(Scalar; V) The electrostatic potential difference between the terminals of a circuit or battery when no current is flowing. Also called electromotive force

70
Q

Emmisivity

A

(Scalar) An intrinsic property of a material indicating how well it radiates heat

71
Q

Energy

A

(Scalar; J) The ability to do work

72
Q

Energy Level Diagram

A

A diagram illustrating the discrete energies that an electron orbiting a nucleus may possess

73
Q

Entropy

A

(Scalar; J/K) A fundamental thermodynamic quantity which measures how much heat energy is unavailable for conversion to work

74
Q

Equipotential Surface

A

An array of positions within an electric field that all have the same electrostatic potential value. A charge may move along an equipotential surface without requiring or releasing energy

75
Q

Equivalence Potential

A

The principle of general relativity which states that experiments conducted in an inertial frame in a gravitational field and experiments conducted in an accelerating reference frame will give the same results

76
Q

Luminiferous Aether

A

The medium on which light waves were once presumed to propagate
Note: Luminiferous Ether is fictional

77
Q

Farad

A

(F) The SI unit of measurement of capacitance; equivalent to A-s/V

78
Q

Field Lines

A

A pictorial representation of an electric field or magnetic field or any other vector field

79
Q

Focal Length

A

(Scalar; m) The distance from the focal point of a lens or mirror to the surface of the lens or mirror

80
Q

Focal Point

A

The point at which light rays from a mirror or lens intersec

81
Q

Force

A

(vector; N) A push or pull that causes an object to accelerate

82
Q

Force Diagram

A

A diagram displaying all of the forces acting on an object

83
Q

Forced Vibrations

A

The vibrations produced in an object connected to another vibrating object, with the effect of amplifying the vibrations of the first object

84
Q

Free-Body Diagram

A

Another name for force diagram

85
Q

Frequency

A

(Scalar; Hz) The number of complete cycles of simple harmonic motion per unit time; the reciprocal of period; the number of wave cycles passing a fixed point per unit time

86
Q

Friction

A

A retarding force between two objects that inhibits motion

87
Q

Galvanometer

A

A device used to measure electrical current

88
Q

Gaussian Surface

A

An imaginary surface-enclosing charge used to calculate the electric field at points on the surface using Gauss’s law

89
Q

General Relativity

A

The theory of mechanics that treats gravitational fields as equivalent to relative acceleration and introduces the notion that mass curves space and time

90
Q

Generator

A

A device that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy

91
Q

Half-Life

A

The time required for half of a radioactive sample to decay

92
Q

Heat Capacity

A

(Scalar; J/K) The amount of heat energy required to change the temperature of an object by one degree

93
Q

Heat Fusion

A

(Scalar; J) The heat that must be added per unit mass for a phase change of a substance between solid and liquid states. For a change from liquid to solid, the heat of fusion is released

94
Q

Heat of Vaporization

A

(Scalar; J) The heat that must be added per unit mass for a phase change of a substance between liquid and gas states. For a change from liquid to solid, the heat of vaporization is released

95
Q

Henry

A

(H) The SI unit of measurement of inductance, equivalent to V-s/A

96
Q

Hertz

A

(Hz) The SI unit of measurement of frequency; equivalent to s^-1

97
Q

Ideal Gas

A

A collection of identical, infinitesimally small particles that interact only by elastic collisions

98
Q

Impulse

A

(Vector; N-s) The product of the average force acting on an object and the time over which it acts

99
Q

Index of Refraction

A

(Scalar) An intrinsic property of a transparent substance, which measures the speed of light in the material compared to the speed of light in a vacuum

100
Q

Inductance

A

(Scalar; H) A property of a circuit that is the proportionality constant between the rate of change of the current in that circuit and the emf that this changing current produces

101
Q

Induction

A

The process by which electromotive forces are generated in a circuit due to changes in a magnetic field

102
Q

Inelastic Collision

A

A collision between objects in which the kinetic energy changes, for example, due to deformation or frictional loss

103
Q

Inertial Frame

A

A set of coordinates that is not accelerating

104
Q

Insulator

A

A material through which electrical charges cannot flow

105
Q

Intensity

A

(Scalar; W/m2) The amount of energy carried by a wave across a unit area in a unit time

106
Q

Isobaric

A

At constant pressure

107
Q

Isochoric

A

At constant volume

108
Q

Isothermal

A

At constant temperature

109
Q

Isotopes

A

Atoms with nuclei possessing the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons

110
Q

Joule

A

(J) The SI unit of measurement of energy; equivalent to kg-m2/s2

111
Q

Kelvin

A

(K) The SI unit of measurement of temperature

112
Q

Kilogram

A

(kg) The SI unit of measurement of mass

113
Q

Kinetic Energy

A

(Scalar; J) The energy of an object in motion

114
Q

Kinetic Friction

A

A friction that acts to resist motion of an object that is already moving

115
Q

Kinetic Theory of Gases

A

A model of an ideal gas that treats it as a collection of molecules undergoing motion according to Newton’s laws of classical mechanics and predicts macroscopic quantities such as pressure and temperature in terms of molecular properties, such as the velocity of the molecules

116
Q

Latent Heat

A

(Scalar; J/kg) The heat required for a phase change of a substance per unit mass

117
Q

Law of Conservation of Momentum

A

Fundamental law of physics which states that the linear momentum of a system does not change unless an external force acts upon the system

118
Q

Line Spectrum

A

The specific wavelengths of light absorbed and emitted by a gas. The line spectrum is different for each type of gas

119
Q

Linear Momentum

A

(Vector; kg-m/s2) The product of mass and velocity

120
Q

Lines of Force

A

A pictorial representation of an electric field or magnetic field or any other vector field. Also called field lines

121
Q

Longitudinal Wave

A

A wave in which points on the wave move parallel to the direction of wave propagation

122
Q

Lorentz Contraction

A

The effect that an observer moving with respect to a given object will find the object to be shortened compared with the measurement by an observer at rest relative to the object

123
Q

Loudness

A

(Scalar; decibels) The intensity of a sound wave compared to a set standard, namely, the lowest threshold of human hearing

124
Q

Magnetic Field

A

(Vector; T) The force felt by a unit positive test charge moving through space, due to the influence of magnets or moving charges. Magnetic fields are produced by moving charges

125
Q

Magnetic Flux

A

(Scalar; T-m2) The total sum of magnetic field vectors passing perpendicularly through a surface. According to Faraday’s law, the rate of change of the magnetic flux through a surface is proportional to electromotive force generated on the closed loop containing the surface

126
Q

Mass

A

(Scalar; kg) The intrinsic property of matter that causes it to resist acceleration

127
Q

Mass Spectrometer

A

An instrument that separates ionized atoms or molecules based upon their ratio of charge to mass

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