G482 - Electrons, Waves and Photons

Definition List

COULOMB

The charge transported by a steady current of one ampere in one second

ELECTRIC CURRENT

CONVENTIONAL

The flow of charged particles

Direction in which positive charges would flow in a circuit

CURRENT

RESISTANCE

Potential Difference / Current

RESISTIVITY

Resistivity = R A / L, where R is the resistance of the material, A is the

cross-sectional area of the material and L is the length of the material

OHM's LAW

For a metallic conductor at constant temperature, the current in the

conductor is directly proportional to the potential difference across
its ends.

KIRCHHOFF'S

The sum of the currents entering a point is equal to the sum of the

FIRST LAW

currents leaving the same point

KIRCHHOFF'S

The sum of the e.m.f.'s around any closed loop in a circuit is equal

SECOND LAW

to the sum of the p.d.'s around the same closed loop

MEAN DRIFT

The average distance travelled by the electrons along the wire per

VELOCITY

second

KILOWATT-HOUR

The energy transformed by a 1 kW device in a time of 1 hour

POTENTIAL

The energy transferred (lost) per unit charge

DIFFERENCE

ELECTROMOTIVE

The energy transferred (gained) per unit charge

FORCE

PROGRESSIVE

A transfer of energy as a result of the oscillations of the

WAVE

medium or particles through which the energy is travelling

LONGITUDINAL

Wave vibrations are parallel to the wave direction

WAVE

TRANSVERSE

Wave vibrations are perpendicular to the wave direction

WAVE

DISPLACEMENT

The distance of a point on the wave from the equilibrium

(WAVES)

position

AMPLITUDE

The maximum displacement of any point on the wave from the

(WAVES)

equilibrium position

WAVELENGTH

The distance from any point on the wave to the next

(WAVES)

subsequent point in phase

WAVE SPEED

The speed at which energy is transmitted by the wave

(WAVES)

FREQUENCY

The number of oscillations at a point per unit time

(WAVES)

PERIOD

The time taken for one complete oscillation

(WAVES)

INFRARED RADIATION

Part of the EM spectrum with a wavelength of 1 x 10-6 m

INTERFERENCE

When two waves meet at a point, there is a change in the overall

displacement

PRINCIPLE OF

When two waves interfere at a point, the resultant displacement

SUPERPOSITION

is the sum of the individual displacements

PATH

The extra distance travelled by one of the waves compared with the

DIFFERENCE

other

COHERENCE

A constant phase difference between the waves

COHERENT

Sources of waves which have a constant phase difference

SOURCES

DIFFRACTION

The spreading out of a wave after passing through a gap or around

an obstacle

PLANE

Plane polarised waves oscillate in one plane only

POLARISATION

INTENSITY

The rate of energy transmitted per unit area at right angles to the
direction of propagation (W/m2)

STANDING

A wave consisting of nodes and antinodes which does not transfer energy

WAVE

NODE

A point where the amplitude of vibrations is always zero

ANTINODE

A point where the amplitude of vibrations takes the maximum

possible value

THRESHOLD

The minimum frequency of radiation needed for electrons to be

FREQUENCY

ejected from a metal surface

PHOTON

A packet of energy OR a quantum of electromagnetic radiation

ELECTRONVOLT

The energy gained by an electron which is accelerated through

a potential difference of 1 volt

WORKFUNCTION

The minimum energy required to eject an electron from a metal

OF A METAL

surface

CONTINUOUS

All wavelengths are present in the radiation

SPECTRUM