Log on to http://tutor4physics.

com for finding solutions to your

physics problems and more

GLOSSARY OF PHYSICS TERMS

Absolute humidity (or Saturation value) The maximum amount of
water vapor, which could be present in 1 m³ of the air at any given
temperature, is called absolute humidity.

Absolute magnitude A classification scheme, which compensates

for the distance, differences to stars. It calculates the brightness
that stars would appear to have if they were all at a defined,
standard distance of 10 parsec

Absolute scale Temperature scale set so that zero is at the

theoretical lowest temperature possible. This would occur when all
random motion of molecules has ceased

Absolute zero The theoretical lowest temperature possible, which

occurs when all random motion of molecules has ceased

Acceleration due to gravity The acceleration produced in a body

due to the earth's attraction is called acceleration due to gravity. It
is denoted by the letter g. Its SI unit is m/s². On the surface of the
earth, its average value is 9.8m/s². The value of g on the surface of
the earth increases in going towards the poles from the equator.
The acceleration due to gravity of the earth decreases with altitude
and with depth inside the earth. The value of g at the center of the
earth is zero.

Acceleration The rate of change of velocity of a moving object is

called its acceleration. The SI units of acceleration are m / s². By
definition, this change in velocity can result from a change in speed,
a change in direction, or a combination of changes in speed and
direction

Adiabatic cooling The decrease in temperature of an expanding gas

that involves no additional heat flowing out of the gas. It is the
cooling from the energy lost by expansion
Adiabatic heating The increase in temperature of compressed gas
that involves no additional heat flowing into the gas. It is heating
from the energy gained by compression

Air mass A large, more or less uniform body of air with nearly the
same temperature and moisture conditions throughout

Allotropic forms Elements that can have several different structures

with different physical properties-for example, graphite and
diamond are two allotropic forms of carbon

Alpha particle The nucleus of a helium atom (two protons and two
neutrons) emitted as radiation from a decaying heavy nucleus; also
known as an alpha ray

Alternating current An electric current that first moves one direction,

then the opposite direction with a regular frequency

Amp Unit of electric current. It is equivalent to coulomb/sec.

Ampere Full name of the unit Amp

Amplitude (of waves) The maximum displacement of particles of

the medium from their mean positions during the propagation of a
wave is called the amplitude of the wave.

Amplitude (of an oscillation) The maximum displacement of a body

from its mean position during an oscillatory motion is called the
amplitude of oscillation.

Angle of incidence Angle of an incident (arriving) ray or particle to a

surface; measured from a line perpendicular to the surface (the
normal)

Angle of reflection Angle of a reflected ray or particle from a

surface; measured from a line perpendicular to the surface (the
normal)
Angular Acceleration The rate of change of angular velocity of a
body moving along a circular path is called its angular acceleration.
Angular acceleration is denoted by a.

Angular Displacement The angle described at the center of the

circle by a moving body along a circular path is called angular
displacement. It is measured in radians.

Angular Momentum Quantum Number From quantum mechanics

model of the atom, one of four descriptions of the energy state of
an electron wave. The quantum number describes the energy
sublevels of electrons within the main energy levels of an atom

Angular Velocity The rate of change of angular displacement is

called angular velocity.

Astronomical unit The radius of the earth's orbit is defined as one

astronomical unit (A.U.)

Atom The smallest unit of an element that can exist alone or in

combination with other elements

Atomic mass unit Relative mass unit (u) of an isotope based on the
standard of the carbon-12 isotope, which is defined as a mass of
exactly 12.00 u; one atomic mass unit (I u) is 1/12 the mass of a
carbon-12 atom

Atomic number The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom

Atomic Weight Weighted average of the masses of stable isotopes

of an element as they occur in nature, based on the abundance of
each isotope of the element and the atomic mass of the isotope
compared to carbon-12

Avogadro's Number The number of carbon-12 atoms in exactly

12.00 g of C that is 6.02 x 10^23 atoms or other chemical units. It is
the number of chemical units in one mole of a substance

Axis The imaginary line about which a planet or other object rotates
Background Radiation Ionizing radiation (alpha, beta, gamma, etc.)
from natural sources

Balanced Forces When a number of forces act on a body, and the

resultant force is zero, then the forces are said to be resultant
forces.

Balmer series A set of four line spectra, narrow lines of color

emitted by hydrogen atom electrons as they drop from excited
states to the ground state

Barometer An instrument that measures atmospheric pressure,

used in weather forecasting and in determining elevation above sea
level

Beat Rhythmic increases and decreases of volume from

constructive and destructive interference between two sound waves
of slightly different frequencies

Beta particle High-energy electron emitted as ionizing radiation

from a decaying nucleus; also known as a beta ray

Big bang theory Current model of galactic evolution in which the

universe was created from an intense and brilliant explosion from a
primeval fireball

Binding energy The energy required to break a nucleus into its

constituent protons and neutrons; also the energy equivalent
released when a nucleus is formed

Black hole The theoretical remaining core of a supernova that is so

dense that even light cannot escape

Blackbody radiation Electromagnetic radiation emitted by an ideal

material (the blackbody) that perfectly absorbs and perfectly emits
radiation

Bohr model Model of the structure of the atom that attempted to

correct the deficiencies of the solar system model and account for
the Balmer series
Boiling point The temperature at which a phase change of liquid to
gas takes place through boiling. It is the same temperature as the
condensation point

Boundary The division between two regions of differing physical

properties

British thermal unit The amount of energy or heat needed to

increase the temperature of one pound of water one degree
Fahrenheit (abbreviated Btu)

Cathode rays Negatively charged particles (electrons) that are

emitted from a negative terminal in an evacuated glass tube

Celsius scale of temperature In the Celsius scale of temperature,

the ice-point is taken as taken as the lower fixed point (0 deg C )
and the steam-point is taken as the upper fixed point (100 deg C).
The interval between the ice point and steam point is divided into
100 equal divisions. Thus, the unit division on this scale is 1degC.
This scale was earlier called the centigrade scale. 1 deg C = 9/5
deg F.

Centigrade Alternate name for the Celsius scale

Centrifugal force An apparent outward force on an object following

a circular path that. This force is a consequence of the third law of
motion

Centripetal force The force required to pull an object out of its

natural straight-line path and into a circular path; centripetal means

Chain reaction A self-sustaining reaction where some of the

products are able to produce more reactions of the same kind; in a
nuclear chain reaction neutrons are the products that produce more
nuclear reactions in a self-sustaining series

Circular Motion The motion of a body along a circular path is called

circular motion.
Coefficient of cubical expansion The increase in volume of a
substance per unit original volume per degree rise in temperature is
called its coefficient of cubical expansion. The SI unit of coefficient
of cubical expansion is K-

1.

Coefficient of linear expansion The increase in length per unit

original length per degree rise in temperature is called the
coefficient of linear expansion. The SI unit of the coefficient of linear
expansion is K-1.

Compression A part of a longitudinal wave in which the density of

the particles of the medium is higher than the normal density is
called a compression.

Compressive stress A force that tends to compress the surface as

the earth's plates move into each other

Condensation (sound) A compression of gas molecules; a pulse of

increased density and pressure that moves through the air at the
speed of sound

Condensation (water vapor) Where more vapor or gas molecules

are returning to the liquid state than are evaporating

Condensation nuclei Tiny particles such as tiny dust, smoke, soot,

and salt crystals that are suspended in the air on which water
condenses condensation point the temperature at which a gas or
vapor changes back to a liquid

Condensation point the temperature at which a gas or vapor

changes back to a liquid

Conduction The transfer of heat from a region of higher

temperature to a region of lower temperature by increased kinetic
energy moving from molecule to molecule

Constructive interference The condition in which two waves arriving

at the same place, at the same time and in phase, add amplitudes
to create a new wave

Control rods Rods inserted between fuel rods in a nuclear reactor

to absorb neutrons and thus control the rate of the nuclear chain
reaction

Convection Transfer of heat from a region of higher temperature to

a region of lower temperature by the displacement of high-energy
molecules-for example, the displacement of warmer, less dense air
(higher kinetic energy) by cooler, denser air (lower kinetic energy)

Conventional current Opposite to electron current-that is, considers

an electric current to consist of a drift of positive charges that flow
from the positive terminal to the negative terminal of a battery

Coulomb Unit used to measure quantity of electric charge;

equivalent to the charge resulting from the transfer of 6.24 billion
particles such as the electron

Coulomb's law Relationship between charge, distance, and

magnitude of the electrical force between two bodies

Covalent bond A chemical bond formed by the sharing of a pair of

electrons

Covalent compound Chemical compound held together by a

covalent bond or bonds
Crest The point of maximum positive displacement on a transverse
wave is called a crest.

Critical angle Limit to the angle of incidence when all light rays are
reflected internally

Critical mass Mass of fissionable material needed to sustain a

chain reaction

Curvilinear Motion The motion of a body along a curved path is

called curvilinear motion.

Cycle A complete vibration

De-acceleration See retardation

Decibel scale A nonlinear scale of loudness based on the ratio of

the intensity level of a sound to the intensity at the threshold of
hearing

Destructive interference The condition in which two waves arriving

at the same point at the same time out of phase add amplitudes to
create zero total disturbance. (also see constructive interference

Dew point temperature The temperature at which condensation

begins

Dew Condensation of water vapor into droplets of liquid on surfaces

Diffraction The bending of light around the edge of an opaque

object

Diffuse reflection Light rays reflected in many random directions, as

opposed to the parallel rays reflected from a perfectly smooth
surface such as a mirror

Direct current An electrical current that always moves in one

direction
Direct proportion When two variables increase or decrease together
in the same ratio (at the same rate)

Dispersion The effect of spreading colors of light into a spectrum

with a material that has an index of refraction that varies with
wavelength

Displacement The change in the position of an object in a particular

direction is called displacement. Displacement may also be defined
as the shortest distance between the initial and final position of a
moving body. It is a vector quantity.

Distance The actual length of the path traveled by a body

irrespective of the direction is called the distance traveled. It is a
scalar quantity.

Doppler effect An apparent shift in the frequency of sound or light

due to relative motion between the source of the sound or light and
the observer

Echo A reflected sound that can be distinguished from the original

sound, which usually arrives 0.1 sec or more after the original
sound

Elastic strain An adjustment to stress in which materials recover

their original shape after a stress is released

Electric circuit Consists of a voltage source that maintains an

electrical potential, a continuous conducting path for a current to
follow, and a device where work is done by the electrical potential;
a switch in the circuit is used to complete or interrupt the
conducting path

Electric current The flow of electric charge electric field force field
produced by an electrical charge

Electric field lines A map of an electric field representing the

direction of the force that a test charge would experience; the
direction of an electric field shown by lines of force
Electric generator A mechanical device that uses wire loops
rotating in a magnetic field to produce electromagnetic induction in
order to generate electricity

Electric potential energy Potential energy due to the position of a

charge near other charges

Electrical conductors Materials that have electrons that are free to

move throughout the material; for example, metals

Electrical energy A form of energy from electromagnetic

interactions; one of five forms of energy-mechanical, chemical,
radiant, electrical, and nuclear

Electrical force A fundamental force that results from the interaction

of electrical charge and is billions and billions of times stronger than
the gravitational force; sometimes called the

Electrical insulators Electrical nonconductors, or materials that

obstruct the flow of electric current

Electrical nonconductors Materials that have electrons that are not

moved easily within the material-for example, rubber; electrical
nonconductors are also called electrical insulators

Electrical resistance The property of opposing or reducing electric

current

Electrolyte Water solution of ionic substances that conducts an

electric current

Electromagnet A magnet formed by a solenoid that can be turned

on and off by turning the current on and off

Electromagnetic force One of four fundamental forces; the force of

attraction or repulsion between two charged particles

Electromagnetic induction Process in which current is induced by

moving a loop of wire in a magnetic field or by changing the
magnetic field
Electromagnetic waves The waves which are due to oscillating
electrical and magnetic fields and do not need any material medium
for their propagation are called electromagnetic waves. These
waves can, however, travel through material medium also. Light
waves, radio waves are examples of electromagnetic waves. All
electromagnetic waves travel in vacuum with a speed of 3×10 8
m/s.

Electron configuration The arrangement of electrons in orbits and

sub-orbits about the nucleus of an atom

Electron current Opposite to conventional current; that is, considers

electric current to consist of a drift of negative charges that flows
from the negative terminal to the positive terminal of a battery

Electron pair A pair of electrons with different spin quantum

numbers that may occupy an orbital

Electron volt The energy gained by an electron moving across a

potential difference of one volt; equivalent to 1.60 x 10^-19 Joules

Electron Subatomic particle that has the smallest negative charge

possible and usually found in an orbital of an atom, but gained or
lost when atoms become ions

Electro negativity The comparative ability of atoms of an element to

attract bonding electrons

Electrostatic charge An accumulated electric charge on an object

from a surplus or deficiency of electrons; also called

Element A pure chemical substance that cannot be broken down

into anything simpler by chemical or physical means; there are over
100 known elements, the fundamental materials of which all matter
is made

Energy The capacity of a body to do work is called its energy.

Energy is a scalar quantity. The SI unit of energy is Joule.
Escape Velocity The minimum velocity with which an object must
be thrown upwards so as to overcome the gravitational pull and
escape into space, is called escape velocity (V esc ). The escape
velocity depends upon the mass and radius of the planet/star. It
does not depend upon the mass of the body thrown up. The escape
velocity of earth is given by.

Evaporation Process of more molecules leaving a liquid for the

gaseous state than returning from the gas to the liquid. It can occur
at any given temperature from the surface of a liquid. Evaporation
takes place only from the surface of the liquid. Evaporation causes
cooling. Evaporation is faster if the surface of the liquid is large, the
temperature is higher and the surrounding atmosphere does not
contain a large amount of vapor of the liquid.

Fahrenheit scale of temperature On the Fahrenheit scale, the ice

point, the ice point (lower fixed point) is taken as 32? F and the
steam point (upper fixed point) is taken as 212 deg F. The interval
between these two points is divided into 180 equal divisions. Thus,
unit division on the Fahrenheit scale is 1deg F. The temperatures
on the Celsius scale and the Fahrenheit scale are related by the
relationship, C/100 = (F - 32) / 180. The temperature of a normal
healthy person is 37 deg C or 98.6 deg F.

First law of motion Every object remains at rest or in a state of

uniform straight-line motion unless acted on by an unbalanced
force

Fluids Matter that has the ability to flow or be poured; the individual
molecules of a fluid are able to move, rolling over or by one another

Force Force is a push or pull which tends to change the state of

rest or of uniform motion , the direction of motion, or the shape and
size of a body. Force is a vector quantity. The SI unit of force is
Newton, denoted by N. One N is the force which when acts on a
body of mass 1 kg produces an acceleration of 1 m/s².

Force of gravitation The force with which two objects attract each
other by virtue of their masses is called the force of gravitation. The
force of attraction acts even if the two objects are not connected to
each other. It is an action-at-a-distance force.
Fracture strain An adjustment to stress in which materials crack or
break as a result of the stress

Free fall The motion of a body towards the earth when no other
force except the force of gravity acts on it is called free fall. All
freely falling bodies are weightless.

Freezing point The temperature at which a phase change of liquid

to solid takes place; the same temperature as the melting point for
a given substance

Frequency (of waves) The number of waves produced per second

is called its frequency.

Frequency (of oscillations) The number of oscillations made by an

oscillating body per second is called the frequency.

Friction The force that resists the motion of one surface relative to
another with which it is in contact. The cause of friction is that
surfaces, however smooth they may look to the eye, on the
microscopic scale have many humps and crests. Thus the actual
area of contact is very small indeed, and the consequent very high
pressure leads to local pressure welding of the surface. In motion
the welds are broken and remade continually.

Fuel rod Long zirconium alloy tubes containing fissionable material

for use in a nuclear reactor

Fundamental charge Smallest common charge known; the

magnitude of the charge of an electron and a proton, which is 1.60
x 10^-19 coulomb

Fundamental frequency The lowest frequency (longest wavelength)

that can set up standing waves in an air column or on a string

Fundamental properties A property that cannot be defined in

simpler terms other than to describe how it is measured; the
fundamental properties are length, mass, time, and charge
g Symbol representing the acceleration of an object in free fall due
to the force of gravity; its magnitude is 9.80 m/sec^2 (32.0 ft/sec^2)

Gamma ray Very short wavelength electromagnetic radiation

emitted by decaying nuclei

Gases A phase of matter composed of molecules that are relatively

far apart moving freely in a constant, random motion and have
weak cohesive forces acting between them, resulting in the
characteristic indefinite shape and indefinite volume of a gas

Gram-atomic weight The mass in grams of one mole of an element

that is numerically equal to its atomic weight

Gram-formula weight The mass in grams of one mole of a

compound that is numerically equal to its formula weight

Gram-molecular weight The gram-formula weight of a molecular

compound

Gravitational constant G The constant G which appears in the

equation for Newton's law of gravitation is called the universal
constant of gravitation or the gravitational constant. Numerically it is
equal to the force of gravitation, which acts between two bodies of
mass 1kg each separated by a distance of 1m. The value of G is
6.67×10-11 Nm²/kg².

Gravitational potential energy = mgh

Greenhouse effect The process of increasing the temperature of

the lower parts of the atmosphere through redirecting energy back
toward the surface; the absorption and reemission of infrared
radiation by carbon dioxide, water vapor, and a few other gases in
the atmosphere

Ground state Energy state of an atom with electrons at the lowest

energy state possible for that atom

Half-life The time required for one-half of the unstable nuclei in a

radioactive substance to decay into a new element
Heat Heat is a form of energy, which makes a body hot or cold.
Heat is measured by the temperature-effect it produces in any
material body. The SI unit of heat is Joule( J).

Heisenberg uncertainty principle You cannot measure both the

exact momentum and the exact position of a subatomic particle at
the same time-when the more exact of the two is known, the less
certain you are of the value of the other

Hertz Unit of frequency; equivalent to one cycle per second

Horsepower Measurement of power defined as a power rating of

550 ft-lb/sec

Hypothesis A tentative explanation of a phenomenon that is

compatible with the data and provides a framework for
understanding and describing that phenomenon

Ice-point It is the melting point of pure melting ice under 1 atm

pressure. The ice point is taken as the lower fixed point ( 0 deg C or
32 deg F ) for temperature scales.

Impulse The impulse acting on a body is equal to the product of the

force acting on the body and the time for which it acts. If the force is
variable, the impulse is the integral of Fdt from t0 to t1. The impulse
of a force acting for a given time interval is equal to change in
momentum produced over that interval. J=m(v-u), assuming that
the mass m remains constant while the velocity changes from v to
u. The SI units of impulse are kg m/s.

Impulsive force The force which acts on a body for a very short time
but produces a large change in the momentum of the body is called
an impulsive force.

Incandescent Matter emitting visible light as a result of high

temperature for example, a light bulb, a flame from any burning
source, and the sun are all incandescent sources because of high
temperature
Incident ray Line representing the direction of motion of incoming
light approaching a

boundary

Index of refraction The ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the

speed of light in a material

Inertia The property of matter that causes it to resist any change in

its state of rest or of uniform motion. There are three kinds of
inertia- inertia of rest, inertia of motion and inertia of direction. The
mass of a body is a measure of its inertia.

Infrasonic Sound waves having too low a frequency to be heard by

the human ear; sound having a frequency of less than 20 Hz

Insulators Materials that are poor conductors of heat-for example,

heat flows slowly through materials with air pockets because the
molecules making up air are far apart; also, materials that are poor
conductors of electricity, for example, glass or wood

Intensity A measure of the energy carried by a wave

Interference Phenomenon of light where the relative phase

difference between two light waves produces light or dark spots, a
result of light's wavelike nature

Intermolecular forces Forces of interaction between molecules

Internal energy Sum of all the potential energy and all the kinetic
energy of all the molecules of an object

Inverse proportion The relationship in which the value of one

variable increases while the value of the second variable decreases
at the same rate (in the same ratio)

Ionization Process of forming ions from molecules

Ionized An atom or a particle that has a net charge because it has

gained or lost electrons

Isostasy A balance or equilibrium between adjacent blocks of crust

Isotope Atoms of an element with identical chemical properties but

with different masses; isotopes are atoms of the same element with
different numbers of neutrons

Joule Metric unit used to measure work and energy; can also be
used to measure heat; equivalent to newton-meter

Kelvin scale of temperature On this scale, the ice-point (the lower

fixed point) is taken as 273.15K and the (the upper fixed point) is
taken as 373.15K. The interval between these two points is divided
into 100 equal parts. Each division is equal to 1K.

Kepler's first law Relationship in planetary motion that each planet

moves in an elliptical orbit, with the sun located at one focus

Kepler's laws of planetary motion The three laws describing the

motion of the planets

Kepler's second law Relationship in planetary motion that an

imaginary line between the sun and a planet moves over equal
areas of the ellipse during equal time intervals

Kepler's third law Relationship in planetary motion that the square

of the period of an orbit is directly proportional to the cube of the
radius of the major axis of the orbit
Kilocalorie The amount of energy required to increase the
temperature of one kilogram of water one degree Celsius:
equivalent to 1,000 calories

Kilogram The fundamental unit of mass in the metric system of

measurement

Kinetic Energy Energy possessed by a body by the virtue of its

motion is called kinetic energy. Kinetic energy = 1/2 m v²

Latent heat of vaporization The heat absorbed when one gram of a

substance changes from the liquid phase to the gaseous phase, or
the heat released when one gram of gas changes from the gaseous
phase to the liquid phase

Latent heat of fusion The quantity of heat required to convert one

unit mass of a substance from solid to the liquid state at its melting
point (without any change in its temperature) is called its latent heat
of fusion (L). The SI unit of latent heat of fusion is J kg-1.

Latent heat Refers to the heat hidden in phase changes

Law of Conservation of Energy The change of one form of energy

into another is called transformation of energy. For example, when
a body falls its potential energy is converted to kinetic energy.

Law of conservation of mass Same as law of conservation of

matter; mass, including single atoms, is neither created nor
destroyed in a chemical reaction

Law of conservation of matter Matter is neither created nor

destroyed in a chemical reaction

Law of conservation of momentum The total momentum of a group

of interacting objects remains constant in the absence of external
forces

Light-year The distance that light travels through empty space in

one year, approximately 9.5 x 10^11 km
Line spectrum Narrow lines of color in an otherwise dark spectrum;

these lines can be used as

Lines of force Lines drawn to make an electric field strength map,

with each line originating on a positive charge and ending on a
negative charge; each line represents a path on which a charge
would experience a constant force and lines closer together mean a
stronger electric field

Liquids A phase of matter composed of molecules that have

interactions stronger than those found in a gas but not strong
enough to keep the molecules near the equilibrium positions of a
solid, resulting in the characteristic definite volume but indefinite
shape of a liquid

Liter A metric system unit of volume, usually used for liquids

Longitudinal waves The wave in which the particles of the medium

oscillate along the direction along the direction of propagation of
wave is called the longitudinal wave. Sound waves are longitudinal
waves.

Loudness A subjective interpretation of a sound that is related to

the energy of the vibrating source, related to the condition of the
transmitting medium, and related to the distance involved

Luminosity The total amount of energy radiated into space each

second from the surface of a star
Luminous An object or objects that produce visible light; for
example, the sun, stars, light bulbs, and burning materials are all
luminous

Magnetic domain Tiny physical regions in permanent magnets,

approximately 0.01 to 1 mm, that have magnetically aligned atoms,
giving the domain an overall polarity

Magnetic field Model used to describe how magnetic forces on

moving charges act at a distance

Magnetic poles The ends, or sides, of a magnet about which the

force of magnetic attraction seems to be concentrated

Magnetic quantum number From quantum mechanics model of the

atom, one of four descriptions of the energy state of an electron
wave; this quantum number describes the energy of an electron
orbital as the orbital is oriented in space by an external magnetic
field, a kind of energy sub-sublevel

Magnetic reversal The flipping of polarity of the earth's magnetic

field as the north magnetic pole and the south magnetic pole
exchange positions

Magnitude The size of a measurement of a vector; scalar quantities

that consist of a number and unit only, no direction, for example

Mass defect The difference between the sum of the masses of the
individual nucleons forming a nucleus and the actual mass of that
nucleus

Mass number The sum of the number of protons and neutrons in a

nucleus defines the mass number of an atom; used to identify
isotopes; for example, Uranium 238

Mass The quantity of matter contained in a body is called its mass.

The SI unit of mass is kg. The mass of a body remains the same
everywhere. It is a measure of inertia, which means a resistance to
a change of motion
Matter Anything that occupies space and has mass

Mechanical energy The form of energy associated with machines,

objects in motion, and objects having potential energy that results
from gravity

Mechanical wave The waves, which need a material medium for

their propagation, are called mechanical waves. Mechanical waves
are also called elastic waves. Sound waves, water waves are
examples of mechanical waves.

Melting point The temperature at which a phase change of solid to

liquid takes place; the same temperature as the freezing point for a
given substance

Metal Matter having the physical properties of conductivity,

malleability, ductility, and luster

Meter The fundamental metric unit of length

Millibar A measure of atmospheric pressure equivalent to 1.000

dynes per cm ^2

Miscible fluids Fluids that can mix in any proportion

Mixture Matter made of unlike parts that have a variable

composition and can be separated into their component parts by
physical means

Model A mental or physical representation of something that cannot

be observed directly that is usually used as an aid to understanding

Mole An amount of a substance that contains Avogadro's number

of atoms, ions, molecules, or any other chemical unit; a mole is
thus 6.02 x 10^23 atoms, ions, or other chemical units

Momentum Momentum is considered to be a measure of the

quantity of motion in a body. The momentum of a body is defined
as the product of its mass and velocity. Its SI units are kg m /s.
Natural frequency The frequency of vibration of an elastic object
that depends on the size, composition, and shape of the object

Negative electric charge One of the two types of electric charge;

repels other negative charges and attracts positive charges

Negative ion Atom or particle that has a surplus, or imbalance, of

electrons and, thus, a negative charge

Net force The resulting force after all vector forces have been
added; if a net force is zero, all the forces have canceled each
other and there is not an unbalanced force

Newton A unit of force defined as kg.m/sec^2; that is, a 1 Newton

force is needed to accelerate a 1 kg mass 1 m/sec^2

Newton's first law of motion A body continues in a state of rest or of

uniform motion in a straight line unless it is acted upon by an
external (unbalanced) force.

Newton's law of gravitation The gravitational force of attraction

acting between any two particles is directly proportional to the
product of their masses, and inversely proportional to the square of
the distance between them. The force of attraction acts along the
line joining the two particles. Real bodies having spherical
symmetry act as point masses with their mass assumed to be
concentrated at their center of mass.

Newton's second law of motion The rate of change of momentum is

equal to the force applied OR the force acting on a body is directly
proportional to the product of its mass and acceleration produced
by the force in the body.

Newton's third law of motion To every action there is an equal and

opposite reaction. The action and reaction act on two different
bodies simultaneously.

Noise Sounds made up of groups of waves of random frequency

and intensity
Non Uniform Acceleration When the velocity of a body increases by
unequal amounts in equal intervals of time, it is said to have non-
uniform acceleration.

Non Uniform Speed When a body travels unequal distances in

equal intervals of time then it is said to have non-uniform speed.

Non Uniform Velocity When a body covers unequal distances in

equal intervals of time in a particular direction, or when it covers
equal distances in equal intervals but changes its direction it is said
to have non uniform velocity.

Normal A line perpendicular to the surface of a boundary

Nuclear energy The form of energy from reactions involving the

nucleus, the innermost part of an atom

Nuclear fission Nuclear reaction of splitting a massive nucleus into

more stable, less massive nuclei with an accompanying release of
energy

Nuclear force One of four fundamental forces, a strong force of

attraction that operates over very short distances between
subatomic particles; this force overcomes the electric repulsion of
protons in a nucleus and binds the nucleus

together
Nuclear fusion Nuclear reaction of low mass nuclei fusing together
to form more stable and more massive nuclei with an
accompanying release of energy

Nuclear reactor Steel vessel in which a controlled chain reaction of

fissionable materials releases energy

Nucleons Name used to refer to both the protons and neutrons in

the nucleus of an atom

Nucleus Tiny, relatively massive and positively charged center of

an atom containing protons and neutrons; the small, dense center
of an atom numerical constant a constant without units; a number

Ohm Unit of resistance; equivalent to volts/amps

Ohm's law The electric potential difference is directly proportional to

the product of the current times the resistance

Orbital The region of space around the nucleus of an atom where

an electron is likely to be found

Origin The only point on a graph where both the x and y variables
have a value of zero at the same time

Oscillatory motion The to and fro motion of a body about its mean
position is called oscillatory motion. Oscillatory motion is also called
vibratory motion. Oscillatory motion is periodic in nature.

Pauli exclusion principle No two electrons in an atom can have the

same four quantum numbers; thus, a maximum of two electrons
can occupy a given orbital

Pauli exclusion principle No two electrons in an atom can have the

same four quantum numbers; thus, a maximum of two electrons
can occupy a given orbital

Pauli exclusion principle No two electrons in an atom can have the

same four quantum numbers; thus, a maximum of two electrons
can occupy a given orbital
Pauli exclusion principle No two electrons in an atom can have the
same four quantum numbers; thus, a maximum of two electrons
can occupy a given orbital

Pauli exclusion principle No two electrons in an atom can have the

same four quantum numbers; thus, a maximum of two electrons
can occupy a given orbital

Period (wave):The time required for one complete cycle of a wave

Period (wave):The time required for one complete cycle of a wave

Period (wave):The time required for one complete cycle of a wave

Periodic wave A wave in which the particles of the medium oscillate

continuously about their mean positions regularly at fixed intervals
of time is called a periodic wave.

Permeability The ability to transmit fluids through openings, small

passageways, or gaps

Permeability The ability to transmit fluids through openings, small

passageways, or gaps

Permeability The ability to transmit fluids through openings, small

passageways, or gaps

Permeability The ability to transmit fluids through openings, small

passageways, or gaps

Phase change The action of a substance changing from one state

of matter to another; a phase change always absorbs or releases
internal potential energy that is not associated with a temperature
change

Phase The particles in a wave, which are in the same state of

vibration, i.e. the same position and the same direction of motion
are said to be in the same phase.
Phases of matter The different physical forms that matter can take
as a result of different molecular arrangements, resulting in
characteristics of the common phases of a solid, liquid, or gas

Photoelectric effect The movement of electrons in some materials

as a result of energy acquired from absorbed light

Photons A quanta of energy in light wave; the particle associated

with light

Physical change A change of the state of a substance but not the

identity of the substance pitch the frequency of a sound wave

Planck's constant Proportionality constant in the relationship

between the energy of vibrating molecules and their frequency of
vibration; a value of 6.63 x 10^-34 joule-sec

Plasma A phase of matter; a very hot gas consisting of electrons

and atoms that have been stripped of their electrons because of
high kinetic energies

Plastic strain An adjustment to stress in which materials become

molded or bent out of shape under stress and do not return to their
original shape after the stress is released

Polarized Light whose constituent transverse waves are all

vibrating in the same plane; also known as planepolarized light

Polaroid A film that transmits only polarized light

Positive electric charge One of the two types of electric charge;

repels other positive charges and attracts negative charges

Positive ion Atom or particle that has a net positive charge due to
an electron or electrons being torn away

Potential Energy Energy possessed by a body by the virtue of its

position or configuration is called potential energy. There are two
types of potential energies, gravitational and elastic. The potential
energy of a body by virtue of its height from the ground is called its
gravitational potential energy. The potential energy of a body by
virtue of its configuration (shape) is called its elastic potential
energy.

Power The rate of doing work is called power. Power is a scalar

quantity. The SI unit of power is Watt ( 1 W = 1 J/sec)

Pressure Defined as force per unit area; for example, pounds per
square inch (lb/in^2)

Primary coil Part of a transformer; a coil of wire that is connected to

a source of alternating

current

Principle of calorimetry If no heat is lost to the surroundings and

there is no change of state also, then,

Principle quantum number From quantum mechanics model of the

atom, one of four descriptions of the energy state of an electron
wave; this quantum number describes the main energy level of an
electron in terms of its most probable distance from the nucleus

Projectile An object thrown into space either horizontally or at an

acute angle and under the action of gravity is called a projectile.
The path followed by a projectile is called its trajectory. The
horizontal distance traveled by a projectile is called its range. The
time taken by a projectile from the moment it is thrown until it
touches the ground is called its time of flight.
Proof A measure of ethanol concentration of an alcoholic beverage;
proof is double the concentration by volume; for example, 50
percent by volume is 100 proof.

Properties Qualities or attributes that, taken together, are usually

unique to an object; for example, color, texture, and size

Proportionality constant A constant applied to a proportionality

statement that transforms the statement into an equation

Pulse A wave of short duration confined to a small portion of the

medium at any given time is called a pulse. A pulse is also called a
wave pulse.

Quanta Fixed amounts; usually referring to fixed amounts of energy

absorbed or emitted by matter

Quantum mechanics Model of the atom based on the wave nature

of subatomic particles, the mechanics of electron waves; also
called wave mechanics

Quantum numbers Numbers that describe energy states of an

electron; in the Bohr model of the atom, the orbit quantum numbers
could be any whole number 1, 2, 3, and so on out from the nucleus;
in the quantum mechanics model of the atom, four quantum
numbers are used to describe the energy state of an electron wave

Rad A measure of radiation received by a material (radiation

absorbed dose)

Radiant energy The form of energy that can travel through space;
for example, visible light and other parts of the electromagnetic
spectrum

Radiation The transfer of heat from a region of higher temperature

to a region of lower temperature by greater emission of radiant
energy from the region of higher temperature
Radioactive decay constant A specific constant for a particular
isotope that is the ratio of the rate of nuclear disintegration per unit
of time to the total number of radioactive nuclei

Radioactive decay series Series of decay reactions that begins with

one radioactive nucleus that decays to a second nucleus that
decays to a third nucleus and so on until a stable nucleus is
reached

Radioactive decay The natural spontaneous disintegration or

decomposition of a nucleus

Radioactivity Spontaneous emission of particles or energy from an

atomic nucleus as it disintegrates

Rarefaction A part of a longitudinal wave in which the density of the

particles of the medium is less than the normal density is called a
rarefaction.

Real image An image generated by a lens or mirror that can be

projected onto a screen

Rectilinear Motion The motion of a body in a straight line is called

rectilinear motion.

Reflected ray A line representing direction of motion of light

reflected from a boundary

Reflection The change when light, sound, or other waves bounce

backwards off a boundary

Refraction A change in the direction of travel of light, sound, or

other waves crossing a boundary

Relative humidity = (m/ms) x 100 where m is the actual mass of

water vapor present in certain volume of the air and ms is the mass
of water vapor required to saturate the same volume of the air at
the same temperature.
Relative humidity The percentage of the amount of water vapor
actually present in a certain volume of the air to the amount of
water vapor needed to saturate it is called the relative humidity of
the air.

Resonance When the frequency of an external force matches the

natural frequency and standing waves are set up

Restoring force The force which tends to bring an oscillating body

towards its mean position whenever it is displaced from the mean
position is called the restoring force.

Resultant Force A single force, which acts on a body to produce the

same effect in it as, done by all other forces collectively, is called
the resultant force.

Retardation Negative acceleration is called retardation. In

retardation the velocity of a body decreases with time.

Reverberation Apparent increase in volume caused by reflections,

usually arriving within 0.1 second after the original sound

Saturated air Air in which equilibrium exists between evaporation

and condensation; the relative humidity is 100 percent

Saturated solution The apparent limit to dissolving a given solid in a

specified amount of water at a given temperature; a state of
equilibrium that exists between dissolving solute and solute coming
out of solution

Scalar Quantity A physical quantity, which is described completely

by its magnitude, is called a scalar quantity.

Scientific law A relationship between quantities, usually described

by an equation in the physical sciences; is more important and
describes a wider range of phenomena than a scientific principle

Scientific principle A relationship between quantities concerned with

a specific, or narrow range of observations and behavior
Second law of motion The acceleration of an object is directly
proportional to the net force acting on that object and inversely
proportional to the mass of the object

Second The standard unit of time in both the metric and English
systems of measurement

Secondary coil Part of a transformer, a coil of wire in which the

voltage of the original alternating current in the primary coil is
stepped up or down by way of electromagnetic induction

Second's Pendulum A simple pendulum whose time period on the

surface of earth is 2 seconds is called the second's pendulum.

Semiconductors Elements that have properties between those of a

metal and those of a nonmetal sometimes conducting an electric
current and sometimes acting like an electrical insulator depending
on the conditions and their purity; also called metalloids

Shear stress Produced when two plates slide past one another or
by one plate sliding past another plate that is not moving

Simple harmonic motion The vibratory motion that occurs when

there is a restoring force opposite to and proportional to a
displacement

Simple Pendulum A heavy point mass (actually a small metallic

ball), suspended by a light inextensible string from a frictionless
rigid support is called a simple pendulum. A simple pendulum is a
simple machine based on the effect of gravity.

Solenoid A cylindrical coil of wire that becomes electromagnetic

when a current runs through it

Solids A phase of matter with molecules that remain close to fixed

equilibrium positions due to strong interactions between the
molecules, resulting in the characteristic definite shape and definite
volume of a solid
Sonic boom Sound waves that pile up into a shock wave when a
source is traveling at or faster than the speed of sound

Specific heat Each substance has its own specific heat, which is
defined as the amount of energy (or heat) needed to increase the
temperature of one gram of a substance one degree Celsius

Speed The distance traveled by a body in one unit of time is called

its speed. If a body covers distance s in time t then its speed is
given by s / t. It is a scalar quantity and its SI unit's are m / s.

Spin quantum number From quantum mechanics model of the

atom, one of four descriptions of the energy state of an electron
wave; this quantum number describes the spin orientation of an
electron relative to an external magnetic field

Standing waves Condition where two waves of equal frequency

traveling in opposite directions meet and form stationary regions of
maximum displacement due to constructive interference and
stationary regions of zero displacement due to destructive
interference

State of Motion When a body changes its position with respect to a

fixed point in its surroundings then it is said to be in a state of
motion. The states of rest and motion are relative to the frame of
reference.

State of Rest When a body does not change its position with
respect to a fixed point in its surrounding, then it is said to be in a
state of rest. The states of rest and motion are relative to the frame
of reference.

Steam-point It is the temperature of steam over pure boiling water

under 1 atm pressure. The steam point is taken as the upper fixed
point (100 deg C or 212 deg F) for temperature scales.

Superconductors Some materials in which, under certain

conditions, the electrical resistance approaches zero

Super-cooled Water in the liquid phase when the temperature is

below the freezing point
Supersaturated Containing more than the normal saturation amount
of a solute at a given temperature

Temperature It is a numerical measure of hotness or coldness of a

body. According to the molecular model, it is a measure of the
average kinetic energy of the molecules of the body. Heat flows
from a body at higher temperature to a body at lower temperature.

Tensional stress The opposite of compressional stress; occurs

when one part of a plate moves away from another part that does
not move

Thermal Capacity The quantity of heat required to raise the

temperature of the whole body by one degree (1K or 1deg C) is
called its thermal capacity.

Thermal Equilibrium When the two bodies in contact are at the

same temperature and there is no flow of heat between them, these
are said to be in thermal equilibrium. The common temperature of
the bodies in thermal equilibrium is called the equilibrium
temperature.

Thermal Expansion The increase in the size of an object on heating

is called thermal expansion.

Thermometer It is a device used for numerical measurement of

temperature. The commonly used thermometer is mercury
thermometer.

Third law of motion Whenever two objects interact, the force

exerted on one object is equal in size and opposite in direction to
the force exerted on the other object; forces always occur in
matched pairs that are equal and opposite

Time Period (of a wave) The time taken by a wave to travel through
a distance equal to its wavelength is called its time period. It is
denoted by T. Time period of a wave=1/frequency of the wave.

Time Period (of an oscillation) The time taken to complete one

oscillation is called the time period of an oscillation. The time period
of a pendulum does not depend upon the mass of the bob and
amplitude of oscillation. The time period of a pendulum is directly
proportional to the square root of the length and inversely
proportional to the square root of the acceleration due to gravity.

Total internal reflection Condition where all light is reflected back

from a boundary between materials; occurs when light arrives at a
boundary at the critical angle or beyond

Transverse waves A wave in which the particles of the medium

oscillate in a direction perpendicular of the direction of propagation
of wave is called the transverse wave. Water waves, light waves
and radio waves are examples of transverse waves.

Trough The point of maximum negative displacement on a

transverse wave is called a trough.

Ultrasonic Sound waves too high in frequency to be heard by the

human ear; frequencies above 20,000Hz

Unbalanced forces When a number of forces act on a body and the

resultant force is not zero, then the forces are said to be
unbalanced.

Uniform Acceleration When the velocity of a body increases by

equal amounts in equal intervals of time it is said to have uniform
acceleration.

Uniform Circular Motion The motion of an object in a circular path

with uniform speed is called uniform circular motion. Uniform
circular motion is accelerated motion.

Uniform Speed When a body travels equal distances in equal

intervals of time then it is said to have uniform speed.

Uniform Velocity When a body travels along a straight line in

particular direction and covers equal distances in equal intervals of
time it is said to have uniform velocity.

Universal law of gravitation Every object in the universe is attracted

to every other object with a force directly proportional to the product
of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the
distance between the centers of the two masses

Unpolarized light Light consisting of transverse waves vibrating in

all conceivable random directions

Van der Wall's force General term for weak attractive intermolecular
forces

Vapor The gaseous state of a substance that is normally in the

liquid state

Vector Quantity A quantity, which needs both magnitude and

direction to describe it, is called a vector quantity. Such a physical
quantity should also follow the vector law of addition.

Velocity Distance traveled by a body in a particular direction per

unit time is called its velocity. It can also be defined as the
displacement of the body per unit time. It is a vector quantity. The
SI units of velocity are m / s.

Vibration A back and forth motion that repeats itself

Virtual image An image where light rays appear to originate from a

mirror or lens; this image cannot be projected on a screen

Volt Unit of potential difference equivalent to joules/coulomb

Voltage drop The electric potential difference across a resistor or

other part of a circuit that consumes power

Watt Metric unit for power; equivalent to joule/sec

Wave mechanics Alternate name for quantum mechanics derived

from the wavelike properties of subatomic particles

Wave motion The movement of a disturbance produced in one part

of a medium to another involving the transfer of energy but not the
transfer of matter is called wave motion.
Wave period The time required for two successive crests or other
successive parts of the wave to pass a given point

Wave velocity The distance traveled by a wave in one second is

called the wave velocity. The wave velocity of a wave depends
upon the nature of the medium through which it passes.

Wave (mechanical) A periodic disturbance produced in a material

medium due to the vibratory motion of the particles of the medium
is called a wave.

Wave A disturbance or oscillation that moves through a medium

Wavelength The distance between the two nearest points on a

wave, which are in the same phase, is called the wavelength of the
wave. The distance between two adjacent crests or two adjacent
troughs is called its wavelength.

Weight The force with which a body is attracted towards the center
of the earth is called its weight. The SI unit of weight is N. The
gravitational units of weight are kg-wt and g-wt. The weight of a
body of mass m is given by mg. Its value will depend upon the
value of g at that place. The weight of a body is measured with a
spring balance.

Weightlessness The state when the apparent weight of a body

becomes zero is called the state of weightlessness. All objects
while falling freely under the action of gravity appear weightless.

Work = Force x Displacement in the direction of the force

Work Work is done when a force acting on a body displaces it.

Work is a scalar quantity. The SI unit for work is Joule.

3URYLGHGE\KWWSWXWRUSK\VLFVFRP7KHVLWHIRUVROXWLRQVWRWRXJK

SK\VLFVSUREOHPV)RUDVNLQJTXHVWLRQVORJRQWR

KWWSWXWRUSK\VLFVFRPTXHVWLRQVKWP2QWKLVVLWH\RXZLOODOVRILQG

DQVZHUVWRPDQ\W\SHVRISK\VLFVSUREOHPV,WDOVRH[SODLQVPDQ\SK\VLFV

IRUPXODV)RUIRUPXODVORJRQWRKWWSWXWRUSK\VLFVFRPIRUXPXODVKWP
&RS\ULJKW‹7LDUD,PSH[