Physics Final

Front 1

absolute index of refraction

Back 1

the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in a medium

Front 2

absolute temperature

Back 2

the temperature as measured on the Kelvin scale; a measure of the average kinetic energy of the molecules of a body

Front 3

absolute zero

Back 3

the temperature at which the internal energy of an object is at a minimum (0K or -273° C)

Front 4

acceleration

Back 4

the time rate of change in velocity. The SI unit is meters per second squared.

Front 5

accuracy

Back 5

The agreement of a measured value with an accepted standard.

Front 6

alternating current

Back 6

an electric current that varies in magnitude and alternates in direction

Front 7

ammeter

Back 7

a device used to measure electric current. It is constructed by placing a low-resistance shunt across the coil of a galvanometer.

Front 8

amplitude

Back 8

The maximum displacement in periodic phenomena such as wave motion, pendulum motion, and spring oscillation.

Front 9

angle of incidence

Back 9

the angle made by the incident wave with the surface of a medium; the angle made by the incident ray with the normal to the surface of the medium.

Front 10

angle of reflection

Back 10

the angle made by the reflected wave with the surfaces of a medium; the angle made by the reflected ray with the normal to the surface of the medium.

Front 11

angle of refraction

Back 11

the angle made by the refracted wave with the surface of a medium; the angle made by the refracted ray with the normal to the surface of the medium.

Front 12

antinode

Back 12

the point or locus of points on an interference pattern (such as a standing wave or double slit pattern) that results in maximum constructive interference

Front 13

atomic mass unit (u)

Back 13

a unit of mass defined as 1/12 the mass of an atom of carbon-12

Front 14

battery

Back 14

a combination of 2 or more electric cells

Front 15

boiling

Back 15

the condition in which the liquid and gaseous phases of matter are in equilibrium. A synonym for boiling is vaporization

Front 16

Boyle's Law

Back 16

the volume of an ideal gas is inversely proportional to the pressure at constant temperature

Front 17

celsius scale (°C)

Back 17

the temperature scale that fixes the (atmospheric) freezing point of water at 0° and the boiling point of water at 100°.

Front 18

centripetal acceleration

Back 18

the acceleration that is directed along the radius and toward the center of a curved path in which an object is moving.

Front 19

centripetal force

Back 19

the force that causes centripetal acceleration. It is responsible for changing an object's direction, not its speed

Front 20

Charles's law

Back 20

The volume occupied by an ideal gas is directly proportional to the Kelvin temperature at constant pressure

Front 21

chromatic aberration

Back 21

a lense defect in which different colors of light are focused at different points.

Front 22

circuit

Back 22

A CLOSED LOOP FORMED BY A SOURCE OF POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE CONNECTED TO ONE OR MORE RESISTances.

Front 23

coefficient of kinetic friction

Back 23

the ratio of the force of kinetic friction on an object to the normal force on it.

Front 24

conduction band

Back 24

the energy band that contains the electrons that are able to carry an electric current

Front 25

conductivity

Back 25

the reciprocal of a material's resitivity. the SI unit of conductivity is the mho, which is equivialent to the ohm ^-1 times meter^-1

Front 26

conductor

Back 26

a material that allows electrons to flow through it freely. Metals such as copper and silver are conductors

Front 27

constructive interference

Back 27

the combination of two in-phase wave disturbances to produce a single wave disturbance whose amplitude is the sum of the amplitudes of the individual disturbances

Front 28

core

Back 28

the part of a fission ractor that is the focus of the fission reaction

Front 29

coulomb (C)

Back 29

the SI unit of electric charge, approximately equal to 6.25 x 10^18 elementary charges

Front 30

coulombs law

Back 30

the electrostatic force between two point charges is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the charges

Front 31

critical angle

Back 31

the angle of incidence for which the corresponding angle of regraction is 90°

Front 32

cycle

Back 32

one complete repetition of the pattern in any periodic phenomenon

Front 33

destructive interference

Back 33

the combo of two out-of-phase wave disturbances to produce a single wave disturbance whose amplidtude is the difference of the amplitudes of the individual disturbances.

Front 34

diffraction

Back 34

the bending of a wave around a barrier

Front 35

diffuse reflection

Back 35

the reflection of parallel light rays by irregular surfaces

Front 36

direct current

Back 36

AN ELECTRIC CURRENT TAHT FLOWS IN ONE DIRECTION ONLY

Front 37

DISPERSION

Back 37

THE SEperation of polychoromatic light into its individual colors

Front 38

dispersive medium

Back 38

a medium in which the speed of a wave depends on its frequency

Front 39

displacement

Back 39

a change of position in a specific direction

Front 40

Doppler effect

Back 40

an apparent change in frequency that results when a wave source and an observer are in relative motion with respect to each other.

Front 41

efficiency

Back 41

the degree to which a device such as a transformer or machine compares with an ideal device. efficiency is usually expressed as a percentage

Front 42

Einstein's postulates of special relativity

Back 42

1) The laws of physics are valid in all inertial frames of reference.
2) the speed of light has the same value in all frames of regerence.

Front 43

elastic potential energy

Back 43

the energy stored ina spring when it is compressed or stretched

Front 44

electric current

Back 44

the time rate of flow of charged particles. The SI unit of electric curren is the ampere (A)

Front 45

electric field

Back 45

the region of space around a charged object that affects other charges

Front 46

electric field intensity

Back 46

the ratio of the force that an electric field exerts on a charge to the magnitude of the charge

Front 47

electric potential

Back 47

the total work done by an electric field in bringing 1 coulomb of positive charge from infinity to a specific point. The potential is a positive number if the charge is repelled by the field and a negative number if the charge is attracted by the field. At infinity, the potential is taken to be zero. Electric potential is measured in volts.

Front 48

electromagnet

Back 48

a solenoid whose magnetic field is intensified by the insertion of certain ferromagnetic materials

Front 49

electromagnetic induction

Back 49

the process by which the magnetic field and the mechanical field and the mechanical energy are used to generate a potential difference

Front 50

electromagnetic radiation

Back 50

the propagation of electromagnetic waves in space

Front 51

electromagnetic spectrum

Back 51

the entire range of electromagnetic waves from the lowest to the highest frequencies.

Front 52

electromagnetic wave

Back 52

a periodic wave, consisiting of mutually perpendicular electric and magnetic fields, that is radiated away from the vicinity of an accelerating charge.

Front 53

electromotive force

Back 53

the potential difference produce as a result of the conversion of other forms of energy into electrical energy.

Front 54

elementary charge

Back 54

the magnitude of charge present on a proton or an electron. approx. equal to 1.6 X 10^-19 coulomb

Front 55

emission spectrum

Back 55

a series of bright spectral lines or bands formed by the emission of certain wavelengths of light by excited atoms falling to hower energy states

Front 56

entropy

Back 56

a measure of the disorder or randomness present in a system

Front 57

field lines

Back 57

a series of lines used to represent the magnitude and direction of a field

Front 58

first law of thermodynamics

Back 58

a change iin the internal energy of a system is equal to the difference of the heat energy absorbed by the system and the work done by it. Itk is a statement of the law of conservation of energy.

Front 59

fission

Back 59

the process of splitting a heavy nucleus, such as uranium-235, into lighter fragments. Fission is accompanied by the release of large quantitiies of energy.

Front 60

force

Back 60

a push or pull on an object. If the force is unbalenced, an acceleration will result.

Front 61

free fall

Back 61

a motion in the Earth's gravitational field without regard to air resistance

Front 62

frequency

Back 62

the number of repetitions produced per unit time by periodic phenomena

Front 63

friction

Back 63

the force present as the result of contact between two surfaces. The direction of a frictional force is opposite to the direction of motion

Front 64

fusion

Back 64

1) The process of uniting lightER NUCLEI, SUCH AS deutrerium, into a heavier nuclues. Fusion is accompanied by the release of large quantities of energy.
2) In the study of heat and thermodynamics, a synonym for melting.

Front 65

Gallilean-Newtonian relativity principle

Back 65

the laws of mechanics are valid in all inertial frames of reference

Front 66

gamma radiation

Back 66

very high energy photons of electromagnetic radiation. Gamma photons have the highest frequencies in the electromagneic spectrum.

Front 67

geosynchronous orbit

Back 67

An orbit in which the period of a satellite is equal to the period of the Earth's rotation. A satellite in a geosynchronous orbit remains continually in the same position above the Earth's surface

Front 68

gravitational field

Back 68

the region of space around a mass that affects other masses.

Front 69

gravitational field intensity

Back 69

the ratio of the force that a gravitational field exerts on a mass to the magnitude of the mass, numerically equal to the acceleration due to gravity.

Front 70

gravitatational force

Back 70

the universal attraction between two masses

Front 71

gravitational potential energy

Back 71

the energy that an object acquires as a result of the work done in moving the object against a gravitational field

Front 72

ground state

Back 72

the lowest energy state of an atom

Front 73

heat energy

Back 73

the energy that is transferred from warmer objects to cooler ones because of a temperature difference between them.

Front 74

heat of fusion

Back 74

the quantity of heat energy needed to convert a unit mass of a solid entirely into a liquid at its melting temperature

Front 75

heat of vaporization

Back 75

the quantity of heat energy needed to convert a unit mass of liquid entirely into a gas at its boiling temperature.

Front 76

impulse

Back 76

the product of the net force acting on an object and the time during which the force acts. the impulse delievered to an object is equal to its change in momentum. The direction of the impulse is the direction of the force. the SI unit of impulse is the newton • second, which iis equivalent to the kilogram•meter per second.

Front 77

incident ray

Back 77

a ray of a wave impinging on a surface

Front 78

incident wave

Back 78

a wave impingin on a surface

Front 79

induction

Back 79

1) a method of charging a neutral object by using a charged object and a ground. the induced charge is always opposite to the charge on the charged object. 2) See induced current and induced emf.

Front 80

Induced current

Back 80

an electric current that is the result of an induced electromotive force.

Front 81

induced emf

Back 81

a potential difference created when a magnetic field is interupted over a time period.

Front 82

inertia

Back 82

the property of matter that resists changes in motion. Mass is the quantitive measure of inertia

Front 83

instantaneous velocity

Back 83

the ratio of displacement to time at any givien instant; the slope of a line tnagent to a displacement-time graph at any given point

Front 84

insulator

Back 84

a material taht is very poor conductor because it has afew conduction electrons. Wood and glass are examples.

Front 85

internal energy

Back 85

the total kinetic and potential energy associated with the atoms and molecules of an object

Front 86

ionization potential

Back 86

the quantity of energy needed to remove a single electron from an atom or ion.

Front 87

isotopes

Back 87

atoms with identical atomic numbers but different mass numbers. Two isotopes of the same element have identical numbers of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

Front 88

Kepler's first law

Back 88

the orbits of all the planets are elliptical, with the sun placed at one focus of the ellipse.

Front 89

Kepler's second law

Back 89

a line from the sun to a planet sweeps out equal areas in equal periods of time

Front 90

Kepler's third law

Back 90

the ratio of the cube of the mean radius of a planet's orbit to the square of its period of revolution about the sun is the same for all planetary bodies in the solar system.

Front 91

kinetic energy

Back 91

the energy that an object possesses because of its motion

Front 92

kinetic-molecular theory of gasses

Back 92

a simplified model of gas behavior based on the properties of an ideal gas

Front 93

longitudinal wave

Back 93

a wave in which the disturbance is parallel to the direction of the wave's motion. sound waves are longitudinal

Front 94

magnet

Back 94

any material that alignms itself when free to do so, in an approximate north-south direction. Magnets exert forces on one another and on charged particles in motion.

Front 95

magnetic field

Back 95

the region of space around a magnet or charge in motin that exerts a force on magnets or other moving charges

Front 96

magnetic induction

Back 96

the force that a magnetic field exerts ona 1-meter-long wire in the field when the wire carries a current of 1 A. The unit of magnettic induction is the TESLA.

Front 97

mass

Back 97

1) the measure of an objects ability to obey Newton's second law of motion. 2) The measure of an object's ability to obey newton's law of universal gravitation. Thee SI unit of mass is the kilogram

Front 98

momentum

Back 98

the product of mass and velocity. The direction of an object's moementum is the direction of its velocity. The SI unit of momentum is the Kilogram•meter per second

Front 99

natural frequency

Back 99

a specific frequency with which an elastic body may vibrate if disturbed

Front 100

net force

Back 100

the unbalenced force present on an object; the accelerating force.

Front 101

newton (N)

Back 101

the SI unit of force, equivalent to the unit kilogram•meter per second squared

Front 102

Newton's first law of motion

Back 102

objects remain in a state of uniform motion unless acted upon by an unbalenced force

Front 103

newton's law of universal gravitation

Back 103

any 2 bodies in the universe are attracted toe ach other with a force that is directly proportional to their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

Front 104

Newton's second law of motion.

Back 104

the unbalenced force on an object is equal to the product of its mass and acceleration

Front 105

Newton's third law of motion

Back 105

if object A exerts a force on object B, then object B exerts and equal and opposite force on object A

Front 106

Node

Back 106

the point or locus of points on an interference pattern, such as standing wave or double-slit pattern, that results in total destructive interference.

Front 107

normal

Back 107

a line perpendicular to a surface

Front 108

normal force

Back 108

the force that keeps two surfaces in contact if an object is on a horizontal surface the normal force on the object is equal to the weight.

Front 109

ohm (Ω)

Back 109

The SIK unit of electrical resistance, equivalent to the unit volt per ampere.

Front 110

Ohm's law

Back 110

a relationship in which the ratio of the potential difference across certain conductors to the current in them is constant at constant temperature.

Front 111

parallel circuit

Back 111

an electric circuit with more than one current path

Front 112

particle accelerator

Back 112

a device used t accelerate charge nuclear particles

Front 113

period

Back 113

the time for one complete repition of a periodic phenomenon. The SI unit of period is the second.

Front 114

periodic waave

Back 114

a regularly repeating series of waves.

Front 115

phase

Back 115

1) A form in which matter can exist, including liquid, solid, gas, and plasma. 2) in wave motion, the points on the wave that have specific time and space relationships.

Front 116

photoeleclectric effect

Back 116

a phenomenon in which light causes electrons to be ejected from certain materials (see photo emissive)

Front 117

photoelectrons

Back 117

electrons that have been emitted as a result of the photoelectric effect

Front 118

photoemissive

Back 118

referring to materials whose surface can eject electrons on exposure to light

Front 119

photon

Back 119

the fundamental particle of eltromagnetic radiation

Front 120

planck's constant

Back 120

a universal constant (h) relating the energy of a photon to its frequency; its approximate value is 6.662 x 10^-34 joule•second

Front 121

polarization

Back 121

a process that produces transverse waves that vibrate in only one plane. Polarization is limited to transverse waves: light can be polarized; sound cannot (longitude)

Front 122

polychromatic

Back 122

referring to light waves of different colors (frequencies)

Front 123

potential difference

Back 123

the ratio of the work required to move a test charge between two points in an electric field to the magnitude of the test charge. the unit of potential difference is the volt.

Front 124

potential energy

Back 124

the energy that a system has because of its relative position or condition.

Front 125

power

Back 125

the time rate at which work is done or energy is expended. The SI unit of power is the watt, which is equivalent to the unit joule per second

Front 126

precision

Back 126

the limit of the ability of a measuring device to reproduce a measurement

Front 127

pressure

Back 127

the force on a surface per unit area. The SI unit of pressure is the pascal

Front 128

proton

Back 128

a positively charged subatomic particle with a charge equal in magnitude to that of the electron.

Front 129

quantum

Back 129

a discrete quantitiy of energy

Front 130

quarks

Back 130

the particles of which protons, neutrons, and certain other subatomic particles are composed. Quarks carry a charge of either 1/3 or 2/3 of an elementary charge and come in six "flavours": top, bottom, up, down, charm, and strange.

Front 131

radioactive decay

Back 131

a spontaneous change in the nuclues of an atom

Front 132

refraction

Back 132

the change in the direction of a wave when it passes obliquely from one medium to another in which it moves at different speed.

Front 133

regular reflection

Back 133

the reflection of parallel light rays incident on a smooth plane surface.

Front 134

resistance

Back 134

the opposition of a material to the flow of electrons through it; the ratio of potential difference to current.

Front 135

resistor

Back 135

a device that supplies resistance to a circuit

Front 136

resolution

Back 136

the process of determining the magnitude and direction of the components of a vector

Front 137

resonance

Back 137

the spontaneous vibration of an object at a frequency equal to that of the wave that initiates the resonant vibration

Front 138

resultant

Back 138

a vector sum

Front 139

satellite

Back 139

a body that revolves around a larger body as a result of a gravitational force.

Front 140

scalar quantity

Back 140

a quantity, such as mass or work, that has magnitude but no direction

Front 141

second law of thermodynamics

Back 141

Heat energy will not flow spontaneously from a cooler body to a warmer body unless work is done. Alternatively, it is impossible to convert heat energy entirely into work

Front 142

semiconductor

Back 142

a metalloid whose conductivity can be increased either by raising its temperature or by adding certain impurities. Silicon and germanium are examples of semiconductors

Front 143

series circuit

Back 143

a circuit with only one current path

Front 144

simultaneity

Back 144

the occurrence of two or more events at the same time. According to special relativity, events that are simultaneous in one frame of reference need not be simultaneous in another

Front 145

solenoid

Back 145

a coil of wire wound as a helix. When a curren is passed through the solenoid, it becomes an electromagnet.

Front 146

specific heat

Back 146

the amount of heat energy absorbed or liberated by a unit mass of a substance as it changes its temperature by one unit

Front 147

speed

Back 147

the time rate of change of distance; the magnitude of velocity. The SI unit of speed is the meter per second

Front 148

spring constant

Back 148

the ratio of the force required to stretch or compress a spring to the magnitude of the stretch or compression

Front 149

standard pressure

Back 149

one atmosphere; approx 1.01 x 10^5 pascals

Front 150

standard temperature

Back 150

approx. 273 kelvins

Front 151

standing wave

Back 151

a wave pattern created by the continual interference of an incident wave with its reflected counterpart. The standing wave does not travel, but soscillates about an equilibrium position

Front 152

static equilibrium

Back 152

the condition of a body when a net force of zero is acting on it

Front 153

superconductor

Back 153

a material with no electrical resistance

Front 154

temperature

Back 154

the "hotness" of an object, measured with respect to a chosen standard

Front 155

tesla (T)

Back 155

The SI unit of flux density, equal to the units weber per squiare meter and newton per ampere•meter.

Front 156

thermal equilibrium

Back 156

the point at which materials in contact reach the same temperature

Front 157

thermionic emission

Back 157

the emission of electrons from substances such as metallic filaments when these substances are heated.

Front 158

thermodynamics

Back 158

the study of the interrelationships among heat energy, work and other forms of energy.

Front 159

third law of thermodynamics

Back 159

it is imposible to reach absolute zero in a finite number of operations.

Front 160

total internal reflection

Back 160

the reflection of a wave inside a relatively dense medium produced when the angle of the wave with the boundary exceeds the critical angle

Front 161

total mechanical energy

Back 161

the sum of the potential and kinetic energies of a mechanical system

Front 162

transister (bipolar)

Back 162

a smiconducting device in which one type of semiconductor is sandwiched between two semiconductors of the opposite type. Transistors serve as amplification devices.

Front 163

transverse wave

Back 163

a wave in which the distrubance is perpendicular to tha direction of the wave's motion. Light waves are transverse.

Front 164

valence band

Back 164

the energy band that contains electrons from the outermost energy levels of a group of atoms in a crystal.

Front 165

vector

Back 165

a representation of a vector quantityl an arrow in which the length represents the magnitude of the quantity and the arrowhead points in the direction of its orientation.

Front 166

vector quantity

Back 166

a quantity, such as force or velocity, that has both magnitude and direction

Front 167

velocity

Back 167

the time rate of change of displacement

Front 168

voltage

Back 168

another term for potential difference

Front 169

voltmeter

Back 169

a device used to measure potential difference and contstructed by placing a large resistor in a series with the coil of a galvonometer

Front 170

watt (W)

Back 170

the SI unit of power, equivalent to the unit juoule per second

Front 171

wave

Back 171

a series of periodic oscillations of a particle or a field both in time and in space

Front 172

wave front

Back 172

all points on a wave that are in phase with each other

Front 173

wavelength

Back 173

the length of one complete wave cycle

Front 174

weber (Wb)

Back 174

The SI unit of magnetic flux, equivalent to the unit joule per ampere.

Front 175

weight

Back 175

the gravitational force present on an object.

Front 176

work

Back 176

the product of the force on an object and its displacement. The SI unit of work is the joule.

Front 177

work function

Back 177

the minimum radiant energy required to remove an electron from a photoemissive surface.