Physics Chapter: Wave-Particle Duality and Photoelectric Effect

A small, fundamental unit of energy. Photons are quantized packets of energy that act as both a wave and a particle.

The minimum amount of energy needed to remove an electron from a metal surface.

The process where electrons are ejected from a metal when light shines on it.

The observation that light can behave like a wave in some situations, such as in double-slit interference, and like a particle in others, such as in the photoelectric effect.

The energy of a photon is directly proportional to its frequency, described by the equation E = hf, where E is energy, h is Planck's constant, and f is frequency.

The minimum frequency of light needed to eject an electron from a metal surface. If the frequency is below the threshold frequency, no electrons will be ejected, even if the light intensity is increased.

The concept that energy is not continuous but exists in discrete packets.

The process in which X-rays interact with electrons, causing a change in the X-ray's frequency and direction.

A photon's energy is inversely proportional to its wavelength, meaning longer wavelengths have lower energies.

Photons, despite having no mass, carry momentum, which can be calculated using their energy and the speed of light.

Particles, like electrons, protons, and even atoms, can also exhibit wave-like behavior, producing interference patterns.

The wavelength associated with a particle, determined using de Broglie's equation, relates its momentum and Planck's constant.

The ability of a particle to act as a wave is limited by its size, as the wavelength of a particle is inversely proportional to its mass and momentum.

The uncertainty in position, denoted as Δx, is inversely proportional to the wavelength associated with a particle.

The double-slit experiment demonstrates the wave-like behavior of particles, as they create an interference pattern when passing through two slits, even when sent through one at a time.

The inability to accurately measure both the position and momentum of a quantum object simultaneously.

The smallest possible unit of a physical quantity, such as energy or momentum.

In quantum mechanics, a wave function describes the probability of finding a particle at a specific location.

The act of measuring a quantum object changes the system, making it impossible to fully understand its original state.

The phenomenon where waves spread out as they pass through a narrow opening, creating an interference pattern.

The amount of uncertainty in a measurement, which can never be zero in quantum mechanics.

When particles in the quantum world are measured, their behavior is affected, even by the act of observation.

The relationship between the uncertainty in position (Δx) and the uncertainty in momentum (Δp), stated as a constant value.

The time measured by an observer at rest relative to a moving object.

The time measured by an observer moving with the object, where there is no relative motion.

The equation that relates proper time to relative time, considering the relative speed of the object (v) and the speed of light (c).

The distance measured by an observer moving with the object, where there is no relative motion.

The distance measured by an observer at rest relative to a moving object.

The equation that connects the proper time and proper distance to the speed of light (c) and proper time (Δt_P).

The equation that relates the original distance to the proper time, relative speed, and the speed of light

The equation that relates the original time, and proper time, to the relative speed of the object and the speed of light.

A number line where the distance between each point is not fixed. For example, the number line representing charge uses -1.6x10^-19, 0, and 1.6x10^-19 as points.

The smallest unit of charge. It is the charge of a proton and the opposite of the charge of an electron.

The energy of a wave is determined by the frequency of the wave. The energy is quantized, meaning that it can only exist in discrete packets.

The energy of a wave is proportional to its frequency which is related to its wavelength. The constant of proportionality is called Planck's constant.

The classical kinetic energy ignores relativity, while relativistic kinetic energy considers the effects of speed on mass and energy. It is important to use the correct equation based on the speed of the object.

The total energy is the sum of the kinetic and rest energies. The rest energy is the energy of an object at rest.

A hypothetical object that absorbs all electromagnetic radiation, and emits radiation only due to its temperature. Its spectrum doesn't depend on its material composition.

Classical physics predicts that a blackbody should emit an infinite amount of energy at high frequencies, but this observation doesn't match what is seen experimentally. This prediction is called the UV catastrophe.

Time dilation is the phenomenon where time passes slower for an object that is moving at a relativistic speed compared to an observer at rest.

Length contraction refers to the observation that the length of an object moving at relativistic speeds appears to shorten in the direction of its motion as measured by a stationary observer.

The Lorentz factor is a mathematical expression that describes the relationship between time dilation and length contraction. It is represented by the square root of (1 - v^2/c^2), where v is the object's speed and c is the speed of light.

Relativistic momentum is the momentum of an object moving at a speed that is a significant fraction of the speed of light. It is calculated as the proper momentum (mv) divided by the Lorentz factor.

Proper mass (m) refers to the mass of an object at rest, while relativistic mass (M) is the mass of an object as observed by an observer moving at a relativistic speed.

The equation L_P = L_V / √(1 - v^2/c^2) determines the length contraction of an object moving at speed v, where L_P is the length measured by a stationary observer, and L_V is the length at rest.

Relativity is one of the pillars of modern physics, proposing that the laws of physics are the same for all observers in uniform motion. Furthermore, the speed of light in vacuum is the same for all inertial observers.