Physics Final Exam
absolute zero
(C12) Temperature at which gas would have zero volume. (two words)
absorption spectrum
(C29) [Spectrum] of energy absorbed by the gaseous atoms of an element when white light is passed through the gas. (two words)
acceleration
(C03) The rate of change of velocity. (one word)
acceleration of gravity
(C03) Rate of change of velocity due to gravitational attraction of the earth. (three words)
accuracy
(LAB) The extent to which a measured value agrees with the accepted value for a quantity. (one word)
added
(MATH) To multiply measurements expressed in scientific notation, the exponents must be (_) to obtain the correct power of 10 for the product. (one word)
adhesion
(C14) Attraction between unlike particles; unlike particles sticking together. (one word)
alpha particles
(C29) Helium nuclei [particles] consisting of two protons and two neutrons. (two words, plural)
ammeter
(C23) Electric device used to measure current. (one word)
ampere
(C23) Unit for the rate of flow of charged particles. Equals a flow of one coulomb of charge per second. (one word)
amplitude
(C15) Maximum displacement from zero of any periodic phenomenon. (one word)
amplitude
(C15) The energy content of a mechanical wave is characterized by its (_). (one word)
aneroid barometer
(C13) Device using a partially evacuated box to measure atmospheric pressure. (two words)
angle of incidence
(C15) Angle between a light ray and a line perpendicular to the surface that the ray is striking. (three words)
angle of refraction
(C18) Angle between a refracted ray and a line perpendicular to the surface that the ray is leaving. (three words)
antinodal line
(C15) [Line] connecting points at which two waves interfere constructively at their maximum amplitudes. (two words)
antinode
(C16) In a standing wave, the locations of maximum and minimum air pressures is called a(n) (_). (one word)
antiparticle
(C30) A particle having the same mass and spin as its normal counterpart but with an opposite charge and magnetic moment. When this particle and its normal counterpart collide, both are annihilated and energy is released. (one word)
Archimedes' principle
(C14) The [principle] that an object immersed in a fluid is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object. (two words, possessive)
areas
(C08) An imaginary line between a planet and the sun sweeps out equal (_) in equal periods of time. (one word, plural)
armature
(C25) Coil of wire that produces current in a generator and rotation in an electric motor. (one word)
atomic number
(C29) [Number] of protons in the nucleus of an atom. (two words)
back-EMF
(C00) Potential difference created by the motion of the armature in an operating motor. (two words, hyphenated)
barometer
(C00) Device for measuring the pressure of the atmosphere. (one word)
base level
(C11) A (_) is an arbitrarily defined reference position for potential engery. It depends on the situation defined. (two words)
beat
(C16) Oscillation in amplitude of complex wave. (one word)
beat
(C16) Two waves of slightly different frequencies produce a(n) (_). (one word)
Bernoulli's principle
(C00) he pressure exerted by a fluid decreases as its velocity increases. (two words, possessive)
beta particles
(C00) High-speed electron [particles] emitted by a radioactive nucleus. (two words, plural)
bimetallic strip
(C00) Two dissimilar metals welded together so that thermal expansion causes the [strip] to bend. (two words)
binding energy
(C00) [Energy] equivalent of the mass defect representing the amount of energy required to separate the nucleus into individual nucleons. (two words)
black hole
(C00) Collapsed astronomical object of sufficient mass to prevent the escape of light. (two words)
Boyle's law
(C00) [Law] stating that the volume of a fixed mass of gas at a constant temperature varies inversely with the pressure. (two words, possessive)
Brahe
(C08) Was best known as an accurate observer of the heavens. (one word)
branches
(C24) Total current in a parallel circuit is the sum of the currents in the separate (_). (one word, plural)
breeder reactor
(C00) A nuclear [reactor] that converts nonfissionable material to fissionable material with the production of energy. (two words)
candela
(C00) Unit of luminous intensity. (one word)
capacitors
(C22) (_) are used in electric circuits to store charge. (one word, plural)
capillary action
(C00) An [action]: rise of a liquid in a narrow tube due to surface tension. (two words)
Cavendish
(C08) Determined the numerical value for the universal gravitational constant. (one word)
Celsius
(C00) Scale with 0 degrees equal to the freezing point of air-saturated water and 100 degrees equal to the boiling point of water at standard atmospheric pressure. (one word)
center
(C07) The acceleration is always directed toward the (_) for an object moving in uniform circular motion. (one word)
center of curvature
(C00) Center of the sphere from which a spherical mirror is taken. (three words)
centripetal acceleration
(C07) [Acceleration] always at right angles to the velocity of a particle. (two words)
centripetal force
(C07) [Force] directed toward the center of a circle, keeps particles moving in uniform circular motion. (two words)
Charles' law
(C00) A [law] stating that the volume of a fixed mass of gas at constant pressure varies directly with the absolute temperature. (two words)
chromatic aberration
(C19) Failure of a lens to bring all wavelengths of light to focus at the same point. (two words)
circuit breaker
(C24) A(n) (_) is an automatic switch that cuts off the current if the circuit is overloaded. (two words)
coherent light
(C00) [Light] in which all waves leaving the source are in phase. (two words)
cohesive force
(C00) [Force] of attraction between like particles. (two words)
complimentary colors
(C00) Primary and secondary [colors] that when added produce white light. (two words)
components of a vector
(C06) Two or more vectors (usually perpendicular) that when added together, produce the original [vector]. (four words)
Compton effect
(C00) Interaction of X rays and electrons as the X rays traverse matter resulting in a lengthening of the X-ray wavelength. (two words)
concave
(C19) In order to from a virtual image with a(n) (_) mirror, the object must be placed between F and the mirror. (one word)
concurrent forces
(C06) [Forces] acting on the same point. (two words)
condensation
(C00) Change of a gas to a liquid. (one word)
conduction
(C21) The process of charging a neutral body by touching it with a charged body is called charging by (_). (one word)
conductor
(C21) Material through which charged particles move readily. (one word)
Conservation of Charge
(C00) Law stating that electric charge can be neither created nor destroyed. (three words)
Conservation of Energy
(C00) Law stating that in non-nuclear changes, energy can be neither created nor destroyed. (three words)
Conservation of Mass-Energy
(C00) Law stating that the sum of matter and energy in the universe is a constant. (four words, hyphenated)
Conservation of Momentum
(C00) Law stating that in a system free of external forces, the total momentum is always the same. (three words)
consonance
(C00) Complex sound wave perceived as chord. (one word)
constructive interference
(C20) Any point selected along a line of (_) is always a whole number of wavelengths farther from one slit than the other. (two words)
constructively
(C20) In Young's experiment, waves interfere (_) at points where crests overlap. (one word)
control rods
(C00) Devices ([rods]) in a nuclear reactor used to regulate the rate of the nuclear reaction. (two words, plural)
convection current
(C00) [Current] caused by motion of a body of fluid due to differences in density resulting from thermal expansion. (two words)
converging lens
(C19) [Lens], thick in the middle and thin at the edge, that causes parallel rays to converge. (two words)
converging mirror
(C19) Concave [mirror] capable of causing parallel rays to converge. (two words)
cosine
(MATH) A trigonometric function in which the angle in a right triangle equals the adjacent side divided by the hypotenuse. (one word)
coulomb
(C21) Unit of quantity of electric charge equal to the charge found on 6.25 x 10^18 electrons. (one word)
Coulomb's law
(C00) [Law] in which F = Kq1q2/d^2, where K is a constant, q1 and q2 are the charges on the two objects, and d is the distance between the charges. (two words, possessive)
critical angle
(C18) Minimum [angle] of incidence that produces total internal reflection. (two words)
de Broglie principle
(C00) The [principle] that material particles have wavelike characteristics; wavelength varies inversely with momentum. (two words)
deceleration
(C04) Negative acceleration. (one word)
decibels
(C16) The loudness of a sound is measured in (_). (one word, plural)
decrease
(C02) When one quantity varies inversely with another, the second quantity will (_) as the first increases. (one word)
dependent
(LAB) During an experiment the values of one variable are carefully changed while the corresponding values of the (_) variable are then measured. (one word)
derived unit
(MATH) A combination of two or more fundamental units of measure, such as speed and volume. (two words)
Destructive interference
(C20) (_) occurs at the point where a crest meets a trough. (two words)
deuteron
(C00) Nucleus of the hydrogen isotope deuterium, consisting of one proton and one neutron. (one word)
difference
(MATH) The result of a subtraction operation. (one word)
diffracted
(C20) When light falls on two narrow slits that are close together, it is (_) as it passes through the slits. (past tense)
diffraction
(C20) Bending of light waves around an object in its path. (one word)
diffuse reflection
(C18) Reflected light scattered in many directions. (two words)
dimensional quantities
(C00) Physical measurements expressed in defined units. (two words, plural)
dipole
(C00) Type of antenna used for the detection and broadcast of radio and television waves. (one word)
direct
(C02) A variation that is graphed in a straight line passing through the origin. (one word)
direct variation
(C00) Increase (or decrease) in one variable causes a proportional increase (or decrease) in another variable. (two words)
dispersion
(C00) Refraction of light into a spectrum of the wavelengths composing the light. (one word)
displacement
(C03) Vector quantity representing the change in position of an object. (one word)
dissonance
(C00) Complex sound wave perceived as unpleasant. (one word)
distance
(C03) Scalar quantity equal to the sum of the magnitude of the displacements. (one word)
diverging lens
(C00) Lens thin in the middle and thick at the edge, that causes parallel rays to diverge. (two words)
diverging mirror
(C00) Convex mirror capable of causing parallel light rays to diverge. (two words)
domain
(C00) Region of a metal in which magnetic fields in atoms are aligned in a common direction. (one word)
Doppler shift
(C16) Decrease (or increase) in wavelength as the source and detector of waves move toward (or away from) each other. (two words)
dynamics
(C05) Study of the motion of particles acted upon by forces. (one word)
echo
(C00) Rebound of a pulse from an impenetrable surface. (one word)
effective resistance
(C00) Resistance of a single resistor that could replace a combination of resistors. (two words)
efficiency
(C10) The (_) of a machine is the ratio of output work to input work. (one word)
Einstein
(C08) First proposed the concept of gravity as a peculiarity of space itself. (one word)
elastic collision
(C00) Collision in which the total kinetic energy of two objects is the same after the collision as before. (two words)
elasticity
(C00) Ability of object to return to its original form after removal of deforming forces. (one word)
electric
(C23) Electron pumps convert various forms of energy to (_) energy. (one word)
electric circuit
(C00) Continuous path that can be followed by charged particles. (two words)
electric current
(C00) Flow of charged particles. (two words)
electric field
(C00) The property of space around a charged object that causes forces on other charged objects. (two words)
electric field intensity
(C00) Ratio of the force exerted by an electric field on a charged particle and the charge on the particle. (three words)
electric field lines
(C00) Lines representing the direction of the electric field. (three words, plural)
electric field lines
(C22) Drawn to show the path that would be followed by a positive test charge placed in an [electric field]. (three words, plural)
electric force
(C00) [Force] between two objects due to their charges. (two words)
electromagnet
(C00) Device in which a magnetic field is generated by an electric current. (one word)
electromagnetic
(C15) (_) waves need no medium for travel. (one word)
electromagnetic force
(C00) One of the fundamental forces. The force that exists between electric charges. (two words)
electromagnetic induction
(C00) Generation of an electric current by having a wire cut (or cut by) magnetic flux lines. (two words)
electromagnetic wave
(C00) Wave consisting of electric and magnetic fields that move at the speed of light in space. (two words)
electromagnetism
(C00) Interrelationship of magnetic fields and electric currents. (one word)
electromotive force
(C00) Potential difference generated by electromagnetic induction. (two words)
electron
(C22) Subatomic particle of small mass and negative charge; an object can only have a charge that is an integral multiple of the negative charge on the (_). (one word)
electron cloud
(C00) Region of high probability of finding an electron. (two words)
electron collision excitation
(C00) Collision between an electron and an atom resulting in an excited atom. (three words)
electron gas
(C00) Free electrons present in a metallic conductor. (two words)
electrons
(C21) All electric phenomena are due to the movements of (_). (one word, plural)
electrons
(C23) Electric currents transfer (_) from one place to another. (one word, plural)
electroscope
(C21) Device used to detect the presence of static electric charges. (one word)
elementary
(C21) The (_) unit of charge is the quantity of charge on an electron or proton. (one word)
ellipses
(C08) The paths of the planets around the sun are (_). (one word, plural)
emission spectrum
(C00) Spectrum produced by the excited atoms of an element. (two words)
energy
(C11) Capacity to do work. (one word)
enrichment
(C00) Process in which the number of fissionable nuclei is increased. (one word)
entropy
(C00) Measure of disorder of a system. (one word)
equal
(C05) Every force is accompanied by a(n) (_) but opposite force. (one word)
equilibrant
(C06) Force equal in magnitude to a resultant, but opposite in direction;a single force that can place two or more other forces acting on a single point in equilibrium. (one word)
equilibrium
(C06) Condition in which the net force on an object is zero. (one word)
equivalence principle
(C00) Gravitational and inertial masses are equal. (two words)
evaporation
(C00) Change from liquid to gas. (one word)
excited atom
(C00) Atom with one or more electrons in a higher than normal energy level. (two words)
expression
(MATH) Made of numbers, variables and operators. (one word)
external force
(C05) Unless acted upon by a(n)(_), an object at rest or in a state of uniform motion will remain at rest or in uniform motion. (two words)
extrapolation
(C04) Extending a graph beyond measured points. (one word)
eyepiece
(C00) Magnifying lens of a telescope or microscope. (one word)
fast neutron
(C00) Neutron with a kinetic energy greater than thermal energy. (two words)
fiber optics
(C00) Light transmitting glass or plastic fibers that make use of the principle of total internal reflection to transmit light along irregular paths. (two words)
field
(C22) The electric (_) concept is used to describe the behavior of one charged object when near another charge object. (one word)
first law of thermodynamics
(C00) [Law of thermodynamics] stating the conservation of energy. (four words)
fluid
(C00) A material that flows, e.g., liquids and gases. (one word)
fluorescence
(C00) Phenomenon in which atoms emit light when excited by an outside source. The light emission ceases as soon as the exciting source is removed. (one word)
focal length
(C19) Distance from the focal point to the vertex of a mirror or lens. (two words)
focal point
(C19) Point of convergence, real or apparent (virtual), of rays reflected by a mirror or refracted by a lens. (two words)
force
(C05) Action that results in accelerating or deforming an object. (one word)
force
(C05) Causes a change in the state of motion of an object. (one word)
frame of reference
(C00) Coordinate system used to describe motion. (three words)
Fraunhofer lines
(C00) Absorption lines in the sun's spectrum due to gases in the solar atmosphere. (two words, plural)
frequency
(C15) Number of occurrences in a unit of time. (one word)
friction
(C05) Force opposing motion between two objects that are in contact. (one word)
fundamental
(C16) Lowest frequency sound produced by an instrument. (one word)
fundamental units
(C00) Units of measurement defined in terms of a physical standard, not in terms of other units. (two words, plural)
fuse
(C24) A(n) (_) is a short piece of metal that melts if a predetermined current in the line is exceeded. (one word)
Galileo
(C01) One of the first scientists to base conclusions on experimental evidence. (one word)
galvanic cell
(C00) Two dissimilar conductors and an electrolyte that produces a potential difference. (two words)
gamma rays
(C00) Electromagnetic waves of extremely high frequency emitted by nuclei. (i.e., x-rays) (two words, plural)
gas
(C00) State of matter in which particles follow random paths and in which the space between particles is large compared to the size of the particles themselves. A(n) (_) will fill any container. (one word)
Geiger-Mueller tube
(C00) Device used to detect radiation by using the ionizing property of radiation. (three words, hyphened)
generator
(C00) Device using mechanical energy to produce electric energy. (one word)
graph
(C04) A plot of ordered pairs on rectangular coordinates, with the points connected by a line. (one word)
gravitational
(C11) The potential energy that an object has due to its position above the surface of the earth is (_) potential energy. (one word)
gravitational field
(C00) Distortion of space due to the presence of a mass. (two words)
gravitational force
(C00) Attraction between objects due to their masses. (two words)
grounding
(C22) Connecting a charged object to the earth to remove the object's charge. (one word)
half-life
(C00) Length of time for half of a sample of a radioactive material to decay. (two words, hyphenated)
heat
(C00) Quantity of thermal energy transferred from one object to another object because of a difference in temperature. (one word)
heat of fusion
(C00) Energy required to change 1 kg of a substance from solid to liquid at the melting point. (three words)
heat of vaporization
(C00) Energy required to change 1 kg of a substance from liquid to vapor (gas) at the boiling point. (three words)
hertz
(C00) Unit of frequency equal to one event (cycle) per second. (one word)
horizontal
(C07) Because of inertia, the (_) velocity of a projectile is constant. (one word)
hydrodynamics
(C00) Study of fluids in motion. (one word)
hydrostatics
(C00) Study of fluids at rest. (one word)
hyperbola
(C02) A graph shape that shows the dependent variable varying inversely with the independent variable. (one word)
hypotenuse
(MATH) The side of a triangle opposite a right angle. (one word)
ideal mechanical advantage
(C00) Ratio of effort distance to resistance distance in a machine. (three words)
illuminance
(C17) The rate at which light energy falls on a unit area some distance from the light source is (_). (one word)
illuminated body
(C17) Object (or [body]) on which light is falling. (two words)
implode
(C00) Opposite of the explosion process in which forces are directed inward. (one word)
impulse
(C09) Product of a force and the time during which it acts; the change of momentum for an object is equal to and caused by the (_) given to the object. (one word)
impulse
(C09) The quantity Ft is called (_). (one word)
incandescent
(C00) Emitting light due to thermal excitation. (one word)
incidence
(C15) When a wave is reflected from a barrier, the angle of (_) equals the angle of reflection. (one word)
incidence
(C18) The angle of (_) equals the angel of reflection. (one word)
inclined plane
(C00) Flat surface at an angle to the horizontal and vertical directions. (two words)
independent
(C02) In graphing, the values for the (_) variable usually are plotted on the horizontal axis. (one word)
independent
(LAB) In performing an experiment, the values of the (_) variable are carefully changed. (one word)
index of refraction
(C18) 'n' in the equation: 'n = (sin i/sin r)', where i = angle of incidence and r = angle of refraction. (three words)
index of refraction
(C18) The (_) of any substance is the speed of light in a vacuum divided by the speed of light in that substance. (three words, the middle is 'of')
inductive reactance
(C00) Opposition to electric current flow due to self-induction. (two words)
inelastic collision
(C00) Collision in which some of the kinetic energy of colliding objects is changed to another form of energy. (two words)
inertia
(C05) The property of an object which causes it to resist all changes in its state of motion. (one word)
inertial confinement
(C00) Method of producing fusion by the implosion of deuterium or tritium pellets by lasers. (two words)
input
(C10) In using a machine, the work you do is the (_) work. (one word)
instantaneous quantity
(C00) Value at a given instant of a quantity that is changing. (two words)
insulator
(C21) Material through which the flow of charged particles is greatly restricted. (one word)
integer
(MATH) A whole number. (one word)
interference
(C15) Combining of two waves (disturbances) arriving at the same point at the same time; the process involved when two waves meet and superimpose their amplitudes. (one word)
internal
(C09) A(n) (_) force cannot change the momentum of a system. (one word)
International System of Units
(C00) A system of measurement based on the following fundamental units: mass (kilogram), length (meter), time (second), temperature (kelvin), amount of substance (mole), electric current (ampere), luminous intensity (candela). (four words, plural)
inverse variation
(C00) Increase in one variable causes a proportional decrease in another variable. (two words)
isolated system
(C00) System not being acted upon by outside forces. (two words)
isotopes
(C00) Two or more atoms of the same element differing in masses due to different numbers of neutrons. (plural)
joule
(C10) In SI, the unit of work or energy equal to a newton-meter. (one word)
Kelvin
(C00) Scale with 0 K = absolute zero and 273.15 K = freezing point of water. (one word)
Kepler
(C08) Was an excellent mathematician, and formulated the three laws of planetary motion. (one word)
kilogram
(MATH) The fundamental SI unit of mass. (one word)
kilowatt hour
(C00) Amount of energy equal to 3.6 x 10^6 J. (two words)
kinematics
(C03) Study of the motion of particles; the branch of physics concerned with the mathematics of motion (without regard to forces). (one word)
kinetic energy
(C11) Energy of an object due to its motion. (two words)
kinetic theory
(C00) Concept that all matter is made of small particles that are in constant motion. (two words)
laser
(C00) Device for producing coherent light. (one word)
law of cosines
(C00) [Law]: c^2 = a^2 + b^2 - 2ab cos C. (three words)
law of reflection
(C00) [Law]: The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection when a light ray strikes a surface. (three words)
law of sines
(C00) a/sin A = b/sin B = c/sin C. (three words)
law of universal gravitation
(C00) [Law] stating that F = Gm1m2/d^2, where G is a constant, m1 and m2 are the masses of two objects, and d is the distance between them. (four words)
least
(LAB) The result of a mathematical operation on measured quantities cannot be more precise than the (_) precise measurement. (one word)
least
(MATH) The result of a mathematical operation on measured quantities cannot be more precise than the (_) precise measurement. (one word)
length
(C00) Distance between two points. (one word)
Lenz's law
(C00) [Law] stating that the magnetic field generated by an induced current always opposes the field generating the current. (two words, possessive)
leptons
(C00) The class of subatomic particles with small masses and no apparent constituent parts. (plural)
light
(C17) Visible electromagnetic radiation of 4 x 10^-7 meter to 7 x 10-7 meter wavelength; the radiation that can stimulate the retina of the human eye. (one word)
linear accelerator
(C00) Device for accelerating charged particles in a straight line path. (two words)
liquid
(C00) State of matter in which particles are in close proximity but may readily change their relative positions. (one word)
longitudinal wave
(C16) Wave in which the disturbance is in the same direction as the direction of travel of the wave. (two words)
lumen
(C17) Unit of luminous flux. (one word)
luminous
(C17) Any object that emits light rays is said to be (_). (one word)
luminous body
(C17) An object emitting light. (two words)
luminous flux
(C17) Flow of light from a source; measured in lumens; the rate at which light energy is emitted from a source is called the (_). (two words)
luminous intensity
(C17) Measurement of the amount of light emitted by a source; measured in candela. (two words)
magnetic field
(C00) Space around a magnet in which magnetic forces can be detected. (two words)
magnetic flux
(C00) All the magnetic flux lines associated with a magnet. (two words)
magnetic flux density
(C00) Number of magnetic flux lines per unit area. (three words)
magnetic flux lines
(C00) Imaginary lines indicating the magnitude and direction of a magnetic field. (three words, plural)
magnetic force
(C00) Force between two objects due to the magnetic flux of one or both objects. (two words)
magnetic induction
(C00) Strength of a magnetic field. (two words)
magnitude
(C03) The length of an arrow-tipped line segment is drawn to represent a vector is proportional to the (_) of the vector. (one word)
mass
(C00) Quantity of matter in an object measured by its resistance to a change in its motion (inertia). (one word)
mass
(C05) Depends upon the amount of matter in an object and is independent of the location of the object. (one word)
mass defect
(C00) Difference in mass between the actual atomic nucleus and the sum of the particles from which the nucleus was made. (two words)
mass number
(C00) Number of protons and neutrons (nucleons) in an atom. (two words)
mass spectrograph
(C00) Device used to measure the mass of atoms and molecules. (two words)
mechanical
(C15) (_) waves require a material medium for energy transfer. (one word)
mechanical advantage
(C10) Ratio of resistance force to effort force in a machine; the (_) of a machine indicates the number by which the machine multiplies the effort force. (two words)
mechanical wave
(C00) Disturbance traveling through a medium. (two words)
mesons
(C00) Medium mass subatomic particles; made of a quark and antiquark pair. (plural)
meter
(MATH) The fundamental SI unit of length. (one word)
Michelson
(C17) An American scientist, (_), made the first Accurate terrestrial measurement of the speed of light. (one word)
Millikan
(C22) An American physicist, (_), first measured the charge on an electron. (one word)
moderator
(C00) Material used to decrease speed of fast neutrons in a nuclear reactor. (one word)
momentum
(C09) Product of an object's mass and velocity. (one word)
momentum
(C09) The kg-m/s is the SI unit of (_). (one word)
momentum
(C11) Is always conserved during an inelastic collision. (one word)
monochromatic light
(C20) [Light] of a single wavelength. (two words)
neutrino
(C00) A chargeless, massless particle emitted along with beta particles. A type of lepton. (one word)
neutron
(C00) Subatomic particle of approximate mass 1 amu and no charge. (one word)
neutron star
(C00) A collapsed star in which gravitational force has caused the combination of electrons and protons to form neutrons. (two words)
newton
(C05) SI unit of force. (one word)
Newton
(C05) (_) and Galileo contributed most to our understanding of motion. (one word)
Newton
(C08) Was the first person to believe strongly that the behavior of all material bodies is governed by the same universal laws. (one word)
nodal lines
(C15) [Lines] connecting nodes; are undisturbed areas that are formed when two sets of waves interact with one another. (two words, plural)
node
(C15) Point in a medium or field that remains unchanged when acted upon by more than one disturbance simultaneously. (one word)
normal
(C15) The (_) is a line perpendicular to a barrier at the point where an incident ray strikes the barrier. (one word)
normal
(C18) The incident ray, the reflected ray, and the (_) all lie in the same plane. (one word)
normal force
(C06) Force perpendicular to a surface. (two words)
nuclear fission
(C00) Splitting a large atomic nucleus into two approximately equal parts. (two words)
nuclear fusion
(C00) Combining of small nuclei into a larger nucleus. (two words)
nuclear moderator
(C00) Substance used to slow neutrons in a nuclear reactor. (two words)
nuclear reactor
(C00) Device for obtaining energy from a controlled fission reaction. (two words)
nucleon
(C00) Proton or neutron. (one word)
nucleus
(C00) Core of an atom containing the protons and neutrons. (one word)
objective lens
(C00) Light-gathering and image-forming lens of a microscope or telescope. (two words)
ohm
(C00) Unit of electric resistance. (one word)
Ohm
(C23) (_) discovered that the ratio of the potential difference between the ends of a wire and the current flowing through the wire is a constant. (one word)
Ohm's law
(C24) Current flowing in a conductor varies directly with the potential difference and inversely with the resistance. (two words, possessive)
oil-drop experiment
(C00) Experiment, first performed by Robert Millikan, designed to measure the charge on the electron. (three words, hyphenated)
opaque
(C17) To not transmit light, but to absorb or reflect it. (one word)
operand
(MATH) A quantity operated on by an operator. (one word)
operator
(MATH) A symbol that represents an action to be performed, such as '+' and '-' for addition and subtraction operations. (one word)
optical density
(C18) Property determining the speed of light, and thus index of refraction, in a medium. (two words)
output
(C10) In using a machine, the work the machine does is the (_) work. (one word)
overloads
(C24) A parallel circuit (_) when too many appliances are placed across the circuit. (one word)
overtones
(C16) Sound waves produce by a musical instrument of higher frequencies than the fundamental. (one word, plural)
pair production
(C00) Creation of an electron-positron pair (matter) from energy. (two words)
parabola
(C02) A graph shape indicating that the dependent variable varies as the square of the independent variable. (one word)
parabolic mirror
(C19) In order to avoid spherical aberration in a curved mirror, a(n) (_) is used. (two words)
parabolic relationship
(C00) One quantity varies as the square of another quantity. (two words)
parallax
(LAB) Change in relative position of objects with change in viewing angle. (one word)
parallax
(LAB) An error caused by not reading a meter or scale from directly in front. (one word)
parallel circuit
(C24) Circuit in which there are two or more paths for the charged particles to follow as they complete the circuit. (two words)
pascal
(C00) Unit of pressure equal to a newton per square meter. (one word)
Pascal's principle
(C00) The [principle] that applied pressure is transmitted undiminished throughout a fluid. (two words, possessive)
period
(C07) Time duration of a phenomenon or event; the time necessary for an object moving with simple harmonic motion to complete one back and forth motion is called (_). (one word)
period
(C15) The (_) of a wave is the reciprocal its frequency. (one word)
phosphorescence
(C00) Emission of light by atoms excited by an outside source. The emission persists for a time after the outside source is removed. (one word)
photoelectric effect
(C00) Ejection of electrons from the surface of a metal exposed to light. (two words)
photoelectron
(C00) Electrons ejected by the photoelectric effect. (one word)
photon
(C00) Quantum of visible electromagnetic waves. (one word)
photon collision excitation
(C00) Collision between a photon and an atom resulting in an excited atom. (three words)
photovoltaic cell
(C00) Device for converting light into electric energy. (two words)
physics
(LAB) The science that examines the fundamental laws relating matter and energy. (one word)
pi
(MATH) The ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. (one word)
piezoelectricity
(C00) Production of electric current by deforming certain crystals. (one word)
pigment
(C17) A primary (_) absorbs only one primary color from white light. (one word)
pitch
(C16) Perceived sound characteristic that is equivalent to frequency; the frequency of a sound wave. (one word)
planetary model
(C00) Model of an atom in which the electron(s) orbit(s) the nucleus much as planets orbit the sun. (two words)
plasma
(C00) High temperature state of matter in which atoms are separated into electrons and positive ions or nuclei. (one word)
polarized light
(C17) Light in which the electric fields are in the same plane. (two words)
positron
(C00) Positively charged electron. (one word)
potential difference
(C23) Difference in electric potential energy at two points. (two words)
potential energy
(C11) Energy of an object due to its position; stored energy or energy of position. (two words)
potentiometer
(C00) Variable resistor. (one word)
power
(C10) Rate of doing work. (one word)
precision
(LAB) The degree of exactness in a measurement; determined by a measuring device's finest division on its scale. (one word)
prefixes
(MATH) In SI (metric system), (_) are used to change the value of standard units by powers of ten. (plural)
pressure
(C00) Force per unit area. (one word)
primary color
(C17) Red, green, or blue light [color]. (two words)
primary colors
(C17) The (_) of light are red, green, and blue. (two words, plural)
primary pigment
(C17) Yellow, cyan, or magenta [pigment]. (two words)
principal axis
(C19) Radius connecting the center of curvature of a spherical mirror with its geometric vertex; radius perpendicular to a tangent touching the vertex of a spherical mirror. (two words)
product
(MATH) The result of a multiplication operation. (one word)
projectile
(C07) Any object that is thrown or otherwise projected into the air. (one word)
projectile motion
(C07) Motion of objects moving in two dimensions under the influence of gravity. (two words)
proton
(C00) Subatomic particle of mass approximately 1 amu and a positive charge. (one word)
pulsar
(C00) A rotating neutron star that emits a beam of radiation. (one word)
pulse
(C15) A single disturbance traveling through a medium or field. (one word)
pumping
(C00) Exciting a very large number of atoms in a laser. (one word)
Pythagorean theorem
(C06) a^2 + b^2 = c^2, where c is the hypotenuse of a right triangle with perpendicular sides a and b. (two words)
quantum
(C00) A discrete quantity of energy. (one word)
quantum mechanics
(C00) Study of matter using a wave-particle model. (two words)
quantum theory of light
(C00) Light is emitted and absorbed in small packets called quanta and the energy in each quantum can be expressed as E = hf; E = energy, h = Planck's constant, f = frequency. (four words)
quark
(C00) Basic building block of subatomic particles. (one word)
quotient
(MATH) The result of a division operation. (one word)
radioactive materials
(C00) Materials that exhibit the phenomenon of radioactivity. (two words, plural)
radioactivity
(C00) Spontaneous decay of unstable nuclei. (one word)
radius
(C08) The average (_) of a planet's orbit cubed divided by the planet's period squared is equal to a constant. (one word)
rainbow
(C18) The dispersion of sunlight from thousands of water droplets in the air produces a(n) (_). (one word)
ray
(C17) Line drawn to represent the path traveled by a wave front; used to represent the direction of a light wave. (one word)
reactance
(C00) The part of the impedance of an alternating-current circuit that is due either to capacitance or inductance or to both and that is expressed in ohms. (one word)
reactance drop
(C00) The voltage drop in a circuit due to the current traversing the reactance. (one word)
real image
(C19) [Image] formed by rays that actually recombine to form the image; formed in front of the mirrow and can be cast upon a screen. (two words)
real number
(MATH) A non-integer number that has a decimal or fractional part, such as 1 1/2 or l1.79. (two words)
receiver
(C00) Device used to detect electromagnetic waves. (one word)
refraction
(C15) Change in direction of a wave front as it passes from one medium to another. (one word)
refraction
(C18) (_) occurs at the boundary between two media because the speed of light is different in the two media. (one word)
resistance
(C23) Opposition to flow of electric current. (one word)
resolution
(C00) To find the component of a vector in a given direction. (one word)
resolved
(C06) Any vector can be (_) into two perpendicular components. (one word)
resolving power
(C00) Ability of an optical device to produce separate images of two closely spaced objects. (two words)
resonance
(C00) Large motion of a system due to excitation. (one word)
resonance
(C16) An air column which vibrates with the same frequency as a sound source is said to be in (_) with the source. (one word)
resultant
(C06) Single force that has the same effect as two or more concurrent vectors. (one word)
resultant
(C03) Drawn from the tail of the first vector to the head of the second vector, and it represents the sum of the vectors. (one word)
resultant
(C06) The sum of two vectors, found by drawing a third vector from the tail of the first to the head of the second. (one word)
reversed
(C19) As you face a plane mirror, the image appears to be (_) from left to right. (one word)
Roemer
(C17) (_) made the first estimates of the speed of light by studying eclipses of Jupiter's moons. (one word)
satellite
(C00) Object in orbit around a planet. (one word)
scalar
(C03) A measurement that is completely described by its magnitude. (one word)
schematic diagram
(C00) Diagram of an electric circuit using symbols. (two words)
scintillation
(C00) Flash of light emitted when a substance is struck by radiation. (one word)
second
(MATH) The fundamental SI unit of time. (one word)
second law of thermodynamics
(C00) [Law of thermodynamics] that heat flows from an area of high temperature to an area of lower temperature. (four words)
secondary color
(C00) Yellow, cyan, or magenta light [color]. (two words)
secondary pigment
(C00) Red, green, or blue [pigment]. (two words)
self-induction
(C00) The induced EMF in a coil creates a magnetic field that opposes the field originally inducing the EMF. (two words, hyphenated)
semiconductors
(C21) (_) are materials with a conductive capacity between conductors and insulators. (one word, plural)
series circuit
(C24) [Circuit] in which the charged particles must flow through each component of the circuit, one after the other. (two words)
short circuit
(C24) A(n) (_) occurs when a piece of low resistance wire is placed across a circuit. (two words)
SI
(C00) An internationally agreed-upon consistent method of using the metric system of measurement. (initials)
significant
(LAB) The digits read from a scale during a measurement are assumed to be (_). (one word)
significant digits
(LAB) The reliable digits reported in a measurement. (two words, plural)
simple harmonic motion
(C00) Motion in which a particle repeats the same path periodically. (three words)
simple machine
(C00) Lever, pulley, wheel-and-axle, inclined plane, wedge, or screw. (two words)
sine
(MATH) A trigonometric function in which the angle in a right triangle equals the opposite side divided by the hypotenuse. (one word)
slope
(C04) The steepness of a graph line is called the (_) of the graph. (one word)
slow neutron
(C00) Neutron with a kinetic energy less than that of thermal energy. (two words)
Snell
(C18) The Dutch scientist, (_), discovered the relationship between the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection. (one word)
Snell's law
(C18) The ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction is a constant for two specific substances in contact where a light ray passes. (two words, possessive)
solid
(C00) State of matter in which particles are close together and in fixed positions relative to each other. (one word)
sonic boom
(C00) Shock wave associated with an object moving through a fluid at a speed greater than that of sound. (two words)
sound wave
(C00) Audible longitudinal disturbance in matter. (two words)
specific heat
(C00) Energy required to change the temperature of 1 kg of a substance 1 kelvin. (two words)
spectrum
(C17) The array of different colors formed when white light is passed through a prism is known as a(n) (_). (one word)
speed
(C03) The time rate at which a body travels distance; a scalar quantity. (one word)
speed
(C04) The scalar ratio of distance traveled to the time interval. (one word)
speed of light
(C00) 3.00 x 10^8 m/s (in vacuum). (three words)
spherical aberration
(C19) Failure of a spherical mirror to bring all rays parallel to the principal axis to focus at the same point. (two words)
spherical concave mirror
(C00) A converging [mirror] that is formed of a spherical segment of one base. (three words)
standard pressure
(C00) 101.325 kPa = 1 atm = 760 mm Hg = 760 Torr. (two words)
standing wave
(C15) A wave whose nodes are stationary. (two words)
state
(C00) Physical condition of a material. (one word)
stopping potential
(C00) Potential difference needed to prevent the photoelectric effect for a specific metal and light of a specific frequency. (two words)
strong nuclear force
(C00) Very short range force holding protons and neutrons together in the atomic nucleus. (three words)
strong nuclear force equation
(C00) Equation representing a nuclear reaction. (four words)
stronger
(C05) Electromagnetic forces are (stronger/weaker) than gravitational forces. (one word)
subtract
(MATH) To find the exponent of the answer when dividing scientific notation, (_) the exponent in the denominator from the exponent in the numerator. (one word)
sum
(MATH) The result of an addition operation. (one word)
superconductivity
(C00) State of some materials at very low temperatures in which the material exhibits zero electric resistance. (one word)
surface tension
(C00) Strong attraction of surface particles for each other due to unbalanced forces. (two words)
surface wave
(C00) Surface disturbance with characteristics of both transverse and longitudinal waves. (two words)
symmetry
(C00) Property that is unchanged by altering operations or reference frames. (one word)
tangent
(MATH) A trigonometric function in which the angle in a right triangle equals the opposite side divided by the adjacent side. (one word)
temperature
(C00) Measure of the average kinetic energy of molecules. (one word)
terminal velocity
(C00) Velocity of a falling object when the flow of air resistance is equal to the weight. (two words)
thermal energy
(C00) Sum of potential energy and kinetic energy of random motion of particles in an object. (two words)
thermal excitation
(C00) Exciting an atom by heating it. (two words)
thermal expansion
(C00) Moving apart of particles as their temperature rises. (two words)
thermometer
(C00) Device used to measure temperature. (one word)
thermonuclear reaction
(C00) Nuclear fusion [reaction]. (two words)
threshold frequency
(C00) Lowest [frequency] of light that will cause the photoelectric effect with a specific substance. (two words)
timbre
(C16) The quality of a sound wave. (one word)
time
(C00) Interval between two events. (one word)
total internal reflection
(C18) Refraction of a light ray at such a large angle that the ray remains in the original medium. (three words)
trajectory
(C07) The name of the path of a projectile; the path taken by an object thrown into the air. (one word)
transformer
(C00) Device used to transfer energy from one circuit to another circuit by mutual inductance across two coils. (one word)
translucent
(C17) To transmit light but distorting it during passage. (one word)
transmutation
(C00) Nuclear change of one element into another. (one word)
transparent
(C17) To transmit light undistorted. (one word)
transuranium element
(C00) Element with an atomic number greater than 92. (two words)
transverse wave
(C15) Wave in which the disturbance is perpendicular to the direction of travel of the wave. (two words)
trigonometry
(MATH) Study of triangles and the relationships of their parts. (one word)
uncertainty principle
(C00) The more accurately one determines the position of a particle, the less accurately the momentum is known, and vice versa. (two words)
uniform circular motion
(C00) Particles moving in a circular path at a constant speed. (three words)
uniform quantity
(C00) Quantity of constant value, e.g., acceleration or speed. (two words)
universal gravitation
(C08) Newton was able to use information concerning the moon to test and verify his law of (_). (two words)
vaporization
(C00) Change of a liquid to a gas. (one word)
variable
(MATH) A symbolic name that represents a value. (one word)
vector
(C06) A quantity that can be represented by an arrow-tipped line segment. (one word)
vector quantity
(C03) Quantity having both magnitude (size) and direction. (two words)
vector resolution
(C06) The process of finding the effective value of a vector in a given direction. (two words)
velocity
(C03) Meters per second in a specific direction; a vector whose magnitude is speed and whose direction is the direction of motion. (one word)
velocity
(C04) The slope of a displacement-time graph yields the (_) of the moving object. (one word)
velocity
(C04) The vector rate of change in displacement. (one word)
virtual image
(C19) Image whose rays appear to emanate from a point without actually doing so; an image that is formed behind a mirror and cannot be cast upon a screen is called a(n) (_). (two words)
viscous fluids
(C00) Slow-flowing fluids. (two words, plural)
volatile fluid
(C00) Fluid that is easily evaporated. (two words)
volt
(C22) Unit of electrical potential difference. (one word)
volt
(C22) In electrical terminology, one joule per coulomb is one (_). (one word)
voltmeter
(C24) Electric device used to measure potential difference. (one word)
watt
(C00) Unit of power equal to 1 J/s. (one word)
watts
(C10) In SI, power is measured in (_). (one word, plural)
wave
(C00) Traveling disturbance in a field or medium. (one word)
wavelength
(C15) The (_) of a wave is the linear distance between any two corresponding points on consecutive waves. (one word)
weak force
(C00) Force involved in the decay of atomic nuclei and nuclear particles. A type of electromagnetic force. (two words)
weight
(C05) The measurement of the gravitational force acting on an object. (one word)
weight
(C08) Another name for the attractive gravitational force between an object and the earth. (one word)
white
(C17) The three primary colors of light combine to form (_) light. (one word)
work
(C10) Product of force and displacement. (one word)
work
(C10) When a force is exerted through a distance, (_) is done. (one word)
work function
(C00) Energy needed to remove an electron from metal as in the photoelectric effect. (two words)
x rays
(C00) Electromagnetic waves of very short wavelength. (one word)