IB Physics Data Booklet Symbols Flashcards

Symbols and Definitions for IB Physics

• s: Represents distance in a straight line or displacement.
• u: Denotes the initial speed or velocity of an object.
• v: Refers to the final speed or velocity of an object.
• a: Represents acceleration, indicating the rate of change of velocity.
• t: Denotes the time taken for motion.

Forces and Motion

• F: Represents force, the push or pull on an object.
• m: Indicates the mass of an object, a measure of the amount of matter it contains.
• F_f: Symbolizes frictional force, opposing motion between surfaces.
• µ_s: Coefficient of static friction, represents the maximum frictional force before movement begins.
• µ_d: Coefficient of dynamic friction, representing frictional force during motion.
• R: Indicates the normal reaction contact force acting perpendicular to surfaces.

Work and Energy

• W: Represents work done or energy transferred in a system.
• F: Refers to the force applied in the direction of motion.
• s: Indicates the distance or displacement moved in the direction of the force.
• ø: Angle made between the force vector and the direction of motion.
• E_k: Kinetic energy of an object, calculated using its motion parameters.
• m: Mass of the object involved in energy calculations.
• v: Linear speed or velocity of the object associated with kinetic energy.

Potential Energy

• E_p: Represents potential energy, which can be gravitational or strain energy.
• k: Denotes the spring constant in Hooke's Law.
• x: Refers to the extension of a spring from its natural length.

Changes and Gravity

• ∆: Represents a change in a physical quantity.
• g: Indicates acceleration due to gravity.
• h: Height gained in a uniform gravitational field.

Momentum

• p: Denotes linear momentum, the product of mass and velocity.
• m: Mass of the object associated with momentum variables.
• v: Linear speed or velocity in momentum calculations.

Thermodynamics

• Q: Represents thermal energy generated in a system.
• m: Mass of the object involved in thermal energy calculations.
• c: Specific heat capacity of a material relating heat absorbed to temperature change.
• ∆T: Change in temperature experienced by the material.
• L: Latent heat of transformation, the energy required to change the state of a substance.

Gas Laws

• p: Pressure of a gas, the force exerted per area.
• F: Force applied to a surface in gas dynamics studies.
• A: Area over which force is exerted.
• n: Number of moles in a gas sample.
• N: Total number of molecules or particles in a gas.
• V: Volume of the gas under consideration.
• R: Molar gas constant, a fundamental constant in gas law equations.
• T: Temperature measured in Kelvin for gas laws.
• E_k: Average kinetic energy of gas molecules.

Wave Motion

• T: Represents the period, the time taken for one complete cycle of a wave.
• f: Frequency of oscillations, indicating how often a wave cycles per unit time.
• c: Speed of light or the velocity of a wave.
• λ: Wavelength of the wave, the distance between consecutive crests.
• I: Intensity of the wave, a measure of energy per unit area.
• A: Amplitude of the wave, the maximum displacement from rest position.

Interference and Refraction

• n1: Refractive index of a more dense medium.
• n2: Refractive index of a less dense medium (e.g., air = 1).
• ø1, ø2: Angles between the normal line and incident/refracted rays in different mediums.

Electrical Concepts

• I: Electric current, the flow of electric charge.
• ∆q: Amount of charge passing a point in a given time.
• ∆t: Time interval during which charge flows.
• V: Potential difference, the work done per unit charge.
• W: Work done moving charge between two points.

Circuit Properties

• R: Resistance, a measure of the opposition to current flow.
• P: Electric power, the rate at which electrical energy is transferred.
• R_tot: Total resistance in series and parallel circuits defined by respective formulas.

Magnetism

• F: Magnetic or electric force acting on a charge in a field.
• v: Velocity of charge in a magnetic field, affecting the force applied.

These key symbols and their definitions are fundamental in IB Physics, covering essential concepts in mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity, waves, and magnetism. Understanding these terms is crucial for problem-solving and application in various physics scenarios.