Physics Definitions

Unit 1

Weight
The gravitational attraction of Earth on an object

Free Body Diagram

Diagram showing all the forces acting on an object

Newton’s 2nd Law

The rate of change in momentum of an object is directly proportional to the
applied force and takes place in the direction in which the force acts

Newton’s 3rd Law

When body A exerts a force on body B, body B will exert an equal and opposite
force on body A.

Moment
Force multiplied by the perpendicular distance of the force from the turning
point/pivot

Momentum
The total momentum before a collision is equal to the total momentum after a
collision, providing no external force acts

Impulse
Force multiplied by the time taken that the force acts

Work
The force multiplied by the distance moved in the direction of that force

Power
Rate of energy transfer

Power
Work done per second (Fv)

Background radiation
Radiation in the everyday environment/surroundings

Alpha particle
2 neutrons + 2 protons (nucleus of He atom)

Beta particle
High-speed electron
Gamma radiation
Electromagnetic wave of a very high frequency

Random Decay
Cannot tell when a particle will decay or which particle will decay, but on
average, half of them will

Activity
Rate of decay

Half-life
The average time taken for the activity of a particle to half

Unit 2

EMF
Energy given to a unit charge to move completely around a circuit

Potential difference
Work done to move a unit charge between 2 points on a circuit

Resistance
The resistance of a component is the potential difference across that component
divided by the current flowing through it

Current
Rate of flow of charge

Ohms law
The current through a device is directly proportional to the potential difference
across it (provided the temperature remains constant)

Ohmic Device
One that produces a straight line through the origin of a Voltage vs Current
graph.

Heat Engine
A device that takes hear energy from a hot source and uses some to do
mechanical work, the rest is delivered to the cold sink. ΔQ = Δu + ΔW

Heat Pump
A device that uses mechanical work to transfer energy from a cold sink to a hot
temperature. ΔQ = Δu + ΔW
Latent Heat of Fusion
The amount of energy required to change 1 kilogram/ unit mass of a solid to a
liquid, without changing the temperature. ΔQ = mLf

Latent Heat of Vaporisation

The amount of energy required to change 1 kilogram/unit mass of a liquid to a
solid, without changing the temperature. ΔQ = mLv

Specific Heat Capacity

The amount of energy required to change the temperature of 1 kilogram/unit
mass of a substance by 1 Kelvin. ΔQ = m c ΔT

Charles Law
VOLUME is directly proportional to TEMPERATURE, so long as the pressure
and the number of molecules in the gas remains constant.
Graph – straight line = pressure

Boyle’s Law
PRESSURE and 1/VOLUME are directly proportional, (Pressure is inversely
proportional to volume), so long as the temperature and the number of molecules
in the gas remains constant.
Graph – straight line = temperature

Pressure Law
PRESSURE is directly proportional to TEMPERATURE, so long as volume and
the amount of molecules in the gas is constant.
Graph – straight line = volume

Internal Energy (u)

Internal energy is the sum of kinetic and potential energy within a gas.
Can be increased by:
• Doing work ON the gas
• Increasing the temperature of the gas

Kinetic Energy of an IDEAL GAS

- Links microscopic with macroscopic

Assumptions:
- Volume of the molecules is negligible
- Gas is in continuous random motion
- Collisions are elastic
- No internal forces acting on the molecules
Efficiency
Proportion of the work or energy input that comes out usefully

• Eff = Useful Energy / Total Energy input

• Max Eff = 1 – (Energy Out / Energy In) x 100%  (1 – TC / TH) x 100%

• Eff = ((Energy In – Energy Out) / Energy In) x 100%

• TEMPERATURE ALWAYS IN KELVINS

Equations

• Electric Current

I=Q/t

• Energy Transferred Electrically

W=IVt

• Potential Difference

V=W/Q

• Resistance, Resistivity

V = I R  R = V/I

R = ρL/A

• Power Dissipation

P=IV

1. P = I2 R

2. P = V2 R
(1 and 2 can be found using V = IR with P=IV)

• Internal Resistance/ EMF

V = ε - Ir
• Pressure

P=F/A

• Ideal Gas Equation

PV=nRT

P V = m/M R T

P1 . V1 / T1 = P2 . V2 / T2

• KINETIC ENERGY is directly proportional to TEMPERATURE

½ m <C2> = 3RT/2NA

½ m <C2> = 3/2 k T

• Kelvin/Celcius change

T(K) = ‘x’°C + 273