Physics Review: Atomic Structure to 3 Laws of Motion

Study Notes

Atomic Structure

Protons: positively charged particles, found in the nucleus, determine the element of an atom
Neutrons: no charge, found in the nucleus, contribute to the mass of an atom
Electrons: negatively charged particles, orbit the nucleus, determine the chemical properties of an atom
Electron shells: energy levels that electrons occupy, can hold a specific number of electrons
Valence electrons: electrons in the outermost energy level, participate in chemical reactions

Seismology

Seismology: study of earthquakes and seismic waves
Seismic waves: waves generated by earthquakes, can be P-waves (primary) or S-waves (shear)
P-waves: compressional waves, travel through solid, liquid, and gas
S-waves: shear waves, travel only through solid objects
Epicenter: point on the Earth's surface directly above the location of an earthquake

Kinematics

Kinematics: study of motion without considering forces
Displacement: change in position of an object, can be positive or negative
Velocity: rate of change of displacement, can be positive or negative
Acceleration: rate of change of velocity, can be positive or negative
Types of motion: translational, rotational, and oscillatory

Electricity

Electric charge: fundamental property of matter, can be positive or negative
Coulomb's law: describes the force between two charged particles
Electric field: region around a charged particle where the force can be detected
Electric potential: potential energy per unit charge, measured in volts

Circuit Analysis

Electric circuit: path through which electric current flows
Series circuit: components connected one after the other
Parallel circuit: components connected between the same two points
Ohm's law: relates voltage, current, and resistance (V = IR)
Kirchhoff's laws: rules for analyzing circuits, including the junction rule and the loop rule

Natural Disasters

Types of natural disasters: earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, wildfires
Causes of natural disasters: geological, meteorological, and astronomical phenomena
Effects of natural disasters: loss of life, damage to infrastructure, environmental damage
Preparation and response: emergency planning, evacuation, search and rescue, relief efforts

Thermodynamics

Thermodynamics: study of heat, temperature, and energy
Laws of thermodynamics: zeroth, first, second, and third laws
Internal energy: total energy of a system, including kinetic energy, potential energy, and potential energy associated with molecular interactions
Entropy: measure of disorder or randomness in a system

3 Laws of Motion

First law (inertia): an object at rest will remain at rest, and an object in motion will continue to move, unless acted upon by an external force
Second law (force and acceleration): force is equal to the mass of an object multiplied by its acceleration (F = ma)
Third law (action and reaction): for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction

Description

Test your knowledge of fundamental physics concepts, including atomic structure, seismology, kinematics, electricity, circuit analysis, natural disasters, thermodynamics, and the three laws of motion.