Physics Fundamentals

Study Notes

Mechanics

Motion:
- Described by position, velocity, and acceleration
- Types: translational, rotational, and vibrational
Forces:
- Types: contact, non-contact (gravity, friction, normal)
- Newton's Laws:
  - First Law (Inertia): objects at rest or in motion remain so unless acted upon by an external force
  - Second Law (F=ma): force is proportional to acceleration
  - Third Law (Action and Reaction): every action has an equal and opposite reaction
Energy:
- Types: kinetic, potential, thermal, and mechanical
- Conservation of Energy: energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted
Work and Efficiency:
- Work: transfer of energy from one object to another
- Efficiency: ratio of output energy to input energy

Thermodynamics

Temperature:
- Measured in Kelvin (K) or Celsius (°C)
- Absolute zero: 0 K (-273.15 °C)
Laws of Thermodynamics:
- Zeroth Law: if two systems are in thermal equilibrium with a third, they are also in thermal equilibrium with each other
- First Law (Conservation of Energy): energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted
- Second Law: entropy (disorder or randomness) always increases in a closed system
- Third Law: as temperature approaches absolute zero, entropy approaches a minimum value
Systems:
- Open: energy and matter can be exchanged with the environment
- Closed: energy can be exchanged, but not matter
- Isolated: no energy or matter can be exchanged
Thermal Processes:
- Isothermal: constant temperature
- Adiabatic: no heat transfer
- Isobaric: constant pressure
- Isochoric: constant volume

Electromagnetism

Electric Charges:
- Positive and negative charges
- Like charges repel, opposite charges attract
Electric Fields:
- Force per unit charge (E = F/q)
- Electric field lines: start at positive charges, end at negative charges
Magnetic Fields:
- Force on a moving charge (F = qvB)
- Magnetic field lines: circular around a current-carrying wire
Electromagnetic Induction:
- Faraday's Law: changing magnetic flux induces an electric field
- Lenz's Law: direction of induced current opposes the change in magnetic flux
Electromagnetic Waves:
- Produced by accelerating charges
- Composed of electric and magnetic field components

Relativity

Special Relativity:
- Time dilation: time appears to pass slower for an observer in motion
- Length contraction: objects appear shorter to an observer in motion
- Relativity of simultaneity: two events simultaneous for one observer may not be for another
General Relativity:
- Gravity as curvature of spacetime
- Equivalence principle: gravity and acceleration are equivalent
Spacetime:
- Four-dimensional fabric combining space and time
- Geometric theory of gravity

Quantum Mechanics

Wave-Particle Duality:
- Particles (e.g., electrons) exhibit wave-like behavior
- Waves (e.g., light) exhibit particle-like behavior
Uncertainty Principle:
- Position and momentum cannot be precisely known simultaneously
- Energy and time cannot be precisely known simultaneously
Superposition:
- Quantum systems can exist in multiple states simultaneously
Entanglement:
- Quantum systems connected in such a way that their properties are correlated
Schrödinger Equation:
- Mathematical framework for describing quantum systems
- Describes the time-evolution of a quantum system

Description

Test your knowledge of the fundamental concepts in physics, covering topics such as mechanics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, relativity, and quantum mechanics. Explore the laws and principles that govern the natural world.