Physics Principles Quiz

Mechanics

Newton's Laws of Motion: These laws describe the relationship between forces acting on an object and its motion.
- First Law: An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. This is also known as the law of inertia.
- Second Law: The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. (F = ma)
- Third Law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Work, Energy, and Power: These concepts relate to the transfer and transformation of energy.
- Work: The product of force and displacement in the direction of the force. (W = Fd cosθ)
- Kinetic Energy: The energy of motion. (KE = 1/2 mv²)
- Potential Energy: The energy stored in an object due to its position or configuration. (Examples: gravitational potential energy, elastic potential energy)
- Work-Energy Theorem: The work done on an object is equal to the change in its kinetic energy.
- Power: The rate at which work is done. (Power = Work / Time)
Circular Motion: Objects moving in a circular path experience a centripetal force.
- Centripetal Force: The force acting towards the center of the circle. (Fc = mv²/r)
- Centripetal Acceleration: The acceleration directed towards the center of the circle. (ac = v²/r)
Rotational Motion: This involves the motion of objects around an axis.
- Torque: A twisting force that causes rotational motion. (τ = rF sinθ)
- Angular Velocity: The rate of change of angular displacement.
- Moment of Inertia: A measure of an object's resistance to rotational acceleration.
- Angular Momentum: The product of moment of inertia and angular velocity.
Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM): A periodic motion where the restoring force is directly proportional to the displacement from the equilibrium position.
- Examples: Simple pendulum, mass-spring system.
- Characteristics: Period, frequency, amplitude, phase.
- Equations for SHM often involve sinusoidal functions.

Waves & Thermodynamics

Wave Properties: These describe the behavior of waves.
- Transverse waves: Oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of wave travel. (e.g., light waves)
- Longitudinal waves: Oscillations are parallel to the direction of wave travel (e.g., sound waves)
- Superposition: Principle stating that waves can interfere constructively or destructively.
- Interference patterns: Constructive or destructive interference leads to specific patterns.
Sound Waves: A type of longitudinal wave.
- Properties: Frequency, amplitude, speed.
Heat & Thermodynamics:
- Thermal Expansion: Materials expand when heated.
- Specific Heat Capacity: The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a substance (1 kg) by 1 degree Celsius.
- Latent Heat: The heat required for a phase change (solid to liquid, liquid to gas) without temperature change.
- Laws of Thermodynamics:
  - Zeroth Law: Thermal equilibrium
  - First Law: Conservation of energy
  - Second Law: Natural processes tend toward increased disorder (entropy)
  - Third Law: Absolute zero temperature cannot be reached.
Electromagnetic Waves:
- Nature and properties, including different types of electromagnetic radiation.

Optics

Reflection and Refraction:
- Laws of reflection: Angle of incidence equals angle of reflection.
- Refraction: Bending of light as it passes from one medium to another. Refractive index relates the speed of light in two media.
- Total internal reflection: Critical angle and applications.
Mirrors and Lenses:
- Types of mirrors (plane, concave, convex) and their properties.
- Types of lenses (convex, concave) and their properties.
- Formation of images using ray diagrams.
Optical Instruments:
- Microscopes, telescopes, and their functionalities.

Electricity & Magnetism

Electric Charges and Fields:
- Properties of electric charges (positive, negative, conservation).
- Coulomb's Law: Force between two charges.
- Electric field: Region surrounding a charge where a force is exerted on another charge.
Electric Current, Potential Difference, and Resistance:
- Electric current: Flow of charges.
- Potential difference (voltage): Electrical pressure.
- Resistance: Opposition to current flow.
- Ohm's Law: Relates voltage, current, and resistance (V = IR).
DC Circuits:
- Series and parallel circuits and their characteristics.
- Kirchhoff's Laws: Apply to complex circuits.
Magnetism:
- Magnetic fields and forces.
- Magnetic field lines and their properties.
- Electromagnetism: Relationship between electricity and magnetism.
Electromagnetic Induction:
- Faraday's Law of Induction: Changing magnetic field induces an EMF or voltage.
- Lenz's Law: Induced current opposes the change that creates it.

Modern Physics (if applicable)

Quantum Mechanics (brief overview): Wave-particle duality, uncertainty principle, atomic structure.
Nuclear Physics (brief overview): Radioactivity, nuclear reactions, nuclear energy. (May not be part of core curriculum)