Physics Terminology and Units Quiz

Physics Terminology and Units

• Mechanics: The study of motion and forces. Motion refers to the change in an object's position.

• Kinematics: Focuses on motion without considering the forces that cause it.

• Dynamics: Focuses on the forces that cause motion.

• Scalar: A quantity with magnitude only (e.g., 25m).

• Vector: A quantity with both magnitude and direction (e.g., 25m [east]).

• Position: Distance and direction from a reference point; a vector quantity.

• Displacement: Change in position; a vector quantity.

• Distance: Total travelled; a scalar quantity.

• Speed: Distance / time; a scalar quantity.

• Velocity: Displacement / time; a vector quantity.

• Acceleration: Rate of change of velocity; a=Δvelocity/Δtime.

• Uniform motion: Constant velocity (speed and direction).

• Non-uniform motion: Changing velocity.

• Average speed/velocity: Speed/velocity over an interval.

• Instantaneous speed/velocity: Speed/velocity at a specific moment.

• Slope: Represents acceleration over an interval.

• Area: Used to calculate displacement.

• Acceleration due to gravity (g): 9.8 m/s² [down] for objects falling freely near Earth.

• Terminal velocity: Constant velocity reached when gravity and air resistance are balanced.

• Time of flight: Time taken for a projectile's motion.

• Range: Horizontal distance travelled by a projectile.

• Newton's First Law: Law of inertia; an object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same velocity unless acted upon by a net force.

• Inertia: Resistance to changes in motion; proportional to mass.

• Newton's Second Law: Net force equals mass times acceleration (F = ma).

• Newton's Third Law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

• Mass: Amount of matter; measured in kg.

• Weight: Force of gravity acting on an object; measured in Newtons (N).

• Gravity: Fundamental force binding the universe.

• Friction: Resistance to motion due to surface imperfections.

• Kinetic Friction: Friction opposing motion.

• Static Friction: Friction preventing motion.

• Matter: Stuff making up the universe.

• Energy: Drives the universe.

• Power: Rate of doing work.

• Temperature: Average kinetic energy of particles.

• Celsius: Temperature scale based on water's freezing and boiling points.

• Fahrenheit: Temperature scale based on salt water's freezing and boiling points.

• Heat: Transfer of thermal energy.

• Specific heat capacity: Energy to raise 1kg of substance by 1°C.

• Latent Heat of Fusion (Lf): Energy to melt 1kg of a solid.

• Latent Heat of Vaporization (Lv): Energy to vaporize 1kg of a liquid.

• Nucleons: Protons and neutrons.

• Protons: Positively charged particles in the nucleus.

• Neutrons: Neutral particles in the nucleus.

• Ground state: Lowest energy electron configuration.

• Excited state: Higher energy electron configuration.

• Atomic number: Number of protons.

• Atomic mass number: Number of nucleons.

• Chemical symbol: Letters representing elements.

• Isotope: Atoms with same protons, different neutrons.

• Radioisotope: Unstable isotope that undergoes radioactive decay.

• Nuclear reactions: Changes in atomic nuclei (often resulting in new elements).

• Exothermic: Releases energy.

• Endothermic: Absorbs energy.

• Electrostatic force: Force between electric charges.

• Strong nuclear force: Very strong attractive force between nucleons.

• Half-life: Time for half of a radioactive substance to decay.

• Nuclear fission: Fragmentation of a heavy nucleus by bombardment.

• Decay: Spontaneous emission of particles from an unstable nucleus.

• Fission: Heavy nuclei.

• Fusion: Light nuclei.

• Vibration: Cyclical motion about an equilibrium point.

• Wave: Travelling disturbance transferring energy.

• Mechanical wave: Requires a medium.

• Electromagnetic wave: Doesn't require a medium.

• Transverse wave: Perpendicular motion.

• Longitudinal wave: Parallel motion.

• Wavelength (λ): Length of one cycle.

• Amplitude (A): Maximum disturbance from equilibrium.

• Period (T): Time for one cycle.

• Frequency (f): Number of cycles per unit time.

• Wave speed (v): Rate of wave travel.

• Sound waves: Waves humans can hear (20Hz - 20kHz).

• Infrasonic sound: Frequencies below 20 Hz.

• Ultrasonic sound: Frequencies above 20kHz.

• Mach number: Ratio of airspeed to speed of sound.

• Supersonic: Faster than speed of sound.

• Subsonic: Slower than speed of sound.

• Hypersonic: Greater than or equal to 5 times the speed of sound.

• Interference: Combination of waves.

• Constructive interference: Increased amplitude.

• Destructive interference: Decreased amplitude.

• Boundaries: Reflections, transmissions, and absorption at interfaces.

• Standing waves: Interference pattern (stationary).

• Node: Stationary point in a standing wave.

• Antinode: Point of maximum displacement in a standing wave.

• Internodal distance (dₙ): Distance between nodes.

• Beat frequency: Difference in frequencies of interfering waves.

• Resonance: Vibration at a natural frequency.

• Mechanical waves: Energy transfer by physical contact.

• Acoustical waves: Energy transfer by sound waves.

• Doppler effect: Apparent change in frequency due to relative motion.

• Pitch: Sound frequency.

• Volume: Sound amplitude.

• Quality: Pleasantness, depends on harmonics.

• Resonator: Hollow chamber improving loudness and quality.

• Free end system/open column: Resonant pattern like fixed-end strings.

• Fixed-free/closed column: Resonant pattern different from fixed ends.

• Human ear: Captures sound wave energy.

Test your understanding of key concepts in physics, including core terms related to mechanics, kinematics, dynamics, and motion. This quiz covers definitions and differences between scalar and vector quantities, as well as various types of motion. Dive in to reinforce your knowledge of these foundational topics!