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Physics Terms & Definition Checklist

This document contains summaries of 10 chapters of an introductory physics textbook. It defines over 150 important physics terms across topics such as forces and motion, heat, waves, electricity, electromagnetism, electronics, and radioactivity. Each term is concisely defined and sometimes includes the relevant formula. The chapters cover fundamental concepts in mechanics, thermodynamics, optics, and modern physics.

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Niekey John
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196 views16 pages

Physics Terms & Definition Checklist

This document contains summaries of 10 chapters of an introductory physics textbook. It defines over 150 important physics terms across topics such as forces and motion, heat, waves, electricity, electromagnetism, electronics, and radioactivity. Each term is concisely defined and sometimes includes the relevant formula. The chapters cover fundamental concepts in mechanics, thermodynamics, optics, and modern physics.

Uploaded by

Niekey John
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CHAPTER 1 : INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICS

NO TERMS DEFINITIONS / MEANING FORMULA


1. Physical quantities

2. Base quantities

3. Derived quantities

4. Base units

5. Derived units

6. Consistency

7. Accuracy

8 Sensitivity

9. Error

10. Systematic errors

11. Random error

12. Parallax error

13. Zero error


CHAPTER 2 : FORCES AND MOTION

NO TERMS DEFINITIONS / MEANING FORMULA

1. Vector quantity

2. Scalar quantity
3. Distance

4. Displacement

5. Speed

6. Velocity

7. Acceleration

8. Deceleration

9. Inertia

10. Mass

11. Momentum

12. Principle of
conservation of
momentum

13. Elastic collision

14. Non-elastic collision


Force

15. Nett force /


resultant force
16. Balanced forces /
Forces in equilibrium

17. Force / Impulsive force

18. Impulse

19. Gravitational field

20. Gravitational field


strength

21. Gravitational
acceleration

22. Free fall

23. Weight

24. Newton’s Second Law


of Motion

25. Resolution of forces

26. 1 Newton

27. Energy

28. Work done

29. Power
30. 1 watt

31. Kinetic energy

32. Gravitational potential


energy

33. Density

34. Principle of
Conservation of
energy

35. Efficiency

36. Elasticity

37. Hooke’s Law

38. Elastic limit

39. Force constant /


spring constant

40. Elastic potential


energy

CHAPTER 3 : FORCES AND PRESSURE

NO TERM DEFINITION / MEANING FORMULA


1. Pressure

2. 1 Pascal or 1 N m -2
3. Atmospheric pressure

4. Pascal’s Principle

5. Buoyant force

6. Archimedes’ Principle

7. Bernoulli’s Principle

CHAPTER 4 : HEAT

NO TERM DEFINITION / MEANING FORMULA


1. Thermal equilibrium

2. Lower fixed point /


ice point
3. Upper fixed point
/Steam point

4. Heat capacity

5. Specific heat
capacity

6. Specific latent heat


of fusion

7. Specific latent heat


of vaporisation

8. Boyle’s Law

9. Charles’ Law

10. Pressure Law

11. Absolute zero

CHAPTER 5 : LIGHT

NO TERM DEFINITION / MEANING FORMULA


1. Law of reflection

2. Principal axis of
a curved mirror
3. Centre of
curvature,C

4. Focal point, F of a
concave mirror

5. Focal point, F of a
convex mirror

6. Real image

7. Virtual image

8. Reflection of light

9. Refraction of light

10. Law of refraction

11. Refractive index, n

12. Real depth

13. Apparent depth

14. Critical angle, c

15. Total internal


reflection

16. Focal point , F of a


lens
17. Focal length, f

18. Power of lens

19. Linear
magnification

CHAPTER 6 : WAVES

NO TERM DEFINITION / MEANING FORMULA


1. Wave

2. Vibration /
oscillation
3. Transverse wave

4. Longitudinal wave

5. Wavefront

6. One complete
oscillation

7. Amplitude, a
( SI unit : m)

8. Period, T (SI
unit :s)

9. Frequency, f
( SI unit : Hz)

10. Wavelength, λ

11. Damping

12. Natural frequency

13. Resonance

14. Reflection of
waves

15. Refraction of
waves

16. Diffraction of
waves
17. Interference of
waves

18. Coherent waves

19. Principle of
Superposition

20. Constructive
interference

21. Destructive
interference

22. Audio waves

23. Infrasound

24. Ultrasound

25. Electromagnetic
spectrum

26. Electromagnetic
waves

CHAPTER 7 : ELECTRICITY

NO TERM DEFINITION / MEANING FORMULA


1. Electric current

2. 1 ampere
3. Electric field

4. Potential
difference

5. 1 volt

6. Resistance

7. Ohm’s Law

8. Series circuit

9. Parallel circuit

10. Electromotive
force (EMF)

11. Internal
resistance, r

12. Electrical power

CHAPTER 7 : ELECTROMAGNETISM

NO TERM DEFINITION / MEANING FORMULA


1. Electromagnet

2. Magnetic field
3. Catapult field

4. Electromagnetic
induction

5. Lenz’s Law

6. Faraday’s Law

7. Direct current

8. Alternating
current

9. Transformer

10. Step-up
transformer

11. Step-down
transformer

12. Ideal
transformer

13. Eddy current

14. National Grid


Network

CHAPTER 9 : ELECTRONIC

NO TERM DEFINITION / MEANING FORMULA


1. Thermionic
emission
2. Cathode ray

3. Semiconductor

4. Doping

5. n-type
semiconductor

6. p-type
semiconductor

7. p-n junction

8. semiconductor
diode

9. Forward bias

10. Reverse bias

11. Rectifier

12. Half-wave
rectification

13. Full-wave
rectification

14. Transistor

15. Logic gates


16. Truth table

CHAPTER 10 : RADIOACTIVITY

NO TERM DEFINITION / MEANING FORMULA


1. Proton
number,Z

2. Nucleon number, A

3. Isotopes
4. Radioactivity

5. Radioactive decay

6. Radiation

7. Ionising effect

8. Half-life

9. Radioisotopes

10. Atomic mass unit


(amu or u)

11. Nuclear fission

12. Chain reaction

13. Nuclear fusion

14. Einstein’s Principle

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