Physics Fundamentals

Study Notes

Mechanics

Kinematics

Study of motion without considering forces
Key concepts:
- Displacement (distance from initial to final position)
- Velocity (rate of change of displacement)
- Acceleration (rate of change of velocity)
- Time

Dynamics

Study of motion considering forces
Key concepts:
- Force (push or pull that causes motion)
- Newton's Laws:
  - 1st Law (Inertia): object at rest stays at rest, object in motion stays in motion
  - 2nd Law (F = ma): force equals mass times acceleration
  - 3rd Law (Action and Reaction): every action has an equal and opposite reaction

Energy and Work

Key concepts:
- Kinetic energy (energy of motion)
- Potential energy (stored energy)
- Work (force times displacement)
- Conservation of Energy: energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted

Thermodynamics

Laws of Thermodynamics

Key concepts:
- Zeroth Law: if two systems are in thermal equilibrium with a third system, they are in thermal equilibrium with each other
- First Law (Conservation of Energy): energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted
- Second Law: total entropy (disorder or randomness) always increases over time
- Third Law: as temperature approaches absolute zero, entropy approaches a minimum value

Thermodynamic Systems

Key concepts:
- Isolated system: no energy or matter can enter or leave
- Closed system: energy can enter or leave, but not matter
- Open system: both energy and matter can enter or leave
- Thermal equilibrium: systems in contact with each other have the same temperature

Electromagnetism

Electric Charges and Fields

Key concepts:
- Electric charge: fundamental property of matter
- Electric field: force per unit charge around a charge or group of charges
- Coulomb's Law: force between two charges is proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them

Electric Circuits

Key concepts:
- Electric current: flow of electric charge
- Resistance: opposition to electric current
- Ohm's Law: voltage equals current times resistance

Electromagnetic Waves

Key concepts:
- Electromagnetic waves: waves that propagate through electromagnetic fields
- Electromagnetic spectrum: range of frequencies from low-energy radio waves to high-energy gamma rays
- Speed of light: constant speed at which electromagnetic waves propagate in a vacuum

Description

Test your knowledge of the fundamental concepts in physics, covering kinematics, dynamics, energy and work, thermodynamics, and electromagnetism. This quiz covers key concepts, laws, and principles in physics, from motion and forces to energy and electromagnetic waves.