CIRCULAR MOTION

Arc length – Angle subtended at the center of the circle such that arc length is equal to the radius of
a circle

GRAVITIONAL FIELD

Newton’s law of gravitation – easy

Gravitational field strength – gravitation force experienced by an object per unit mass

Gravitational potential energy – work done in bringing a mass from infinity to a point in gravitational
field

Gravitational potential - work done per unit mass from infinity to a point in gravitational field

Gravitational field – region of space where mass experiences a force

THERMAL PHYSICS

Specific heat capacity – amount of thermal energy needed to increase temperature of an object of
one kg by one Celsius

Latent heat – amount of thermal energy needed to change the state of an object of one kg

Thermal equilibrium – same temperature no net transfer of energy between bodies

Absolute zero temperature – temperature at which atoms have zero energy

IDEAL GASES

<c^2> - mean square speed

Avogadro constant – amount of atoms in 12g of Carbon-12

Mole – amount of substance containing 6.02x10^23 molecules

Ideal gas – a gas that obeys that equation pV/T = constant at all values of pressure, volume and
temperature

OSCILLATIONS

Angular frequency – 2(pie) * frequency

Forced Frequency – frequency at which object is made to oscillate

Natural Frequency – frequency at which object vibrates when free to do so

SMH – it is a periodic motion where acceleration is proportional is to displacement but in opposite

4 features of SMH- Straight line, negative gradient, passes through origin, amplitude on both sides is
equal

Resonance – increase in the max amplitude of vibration when driving frequency is equal to the
natural frequency of the oscillating body

Uses – MRI, Ultrasound generation, Musical instruments

Damping – Decrease in the amplitude of vibration due to energy loss as heat, caused a resistive force

ELECTRIC FIELD

Electric field strength – force per unit positive charge in an electric field

Coulomb’s law – force between 2 point charges is directly proportional to the product of the both
charges and inversely proportional to the square of separation

Electric potential energy – work done in bringing test positive from infinity to a point in electric field

Electric potential (V) – work done per unit positive charge in bringing it from infinity to a point in
electric field

CAPACITANCE

Capacitance – it is charge per unit p.d., Charge on one plate and p.d across both the plates

Quantization of particles – either charge exists in discrete and equal quantities or multiples of
elementary charge.

MAGNETISM

Magnetic field – field of force produced by a moving charge

Magnetic flux density – it is the force per unit length per unit current on a wire perpendicular to the
magnetic field.

Tesla = newton per ampere per meter where current is perpendicular to the magnetic field

Hall Voltage – it is the potential difference produced across electrical conductor when an external
magnetic field is applied perpendicular to the current through the conductor.

Magnetic flux – it is the product of magnetic flux density and cross sectional area perpendicular to
the direction of the magnetic flux density.

Magnetic flux linkage – it is the product of magnetic flux and number of turns

Faraday’s law – magnitude of induced EMF is directly proportional to the rate of change of magnetic
flux linkage

Lenz’s law – direction of induced EMF is such that it opposes the change causing it.

ALTERNATING CURRENT

r.m.s of alternating current – the steady current that produces same heating effect as alternating
current

r.m.s of alternating voltage – the constant voltage that produces same power as the mean power of
alternating voltage

Rectifier – uses process of rectification which is converting alternating current and voltage to direct
current and voltage.
QUANTAM PHYSICS

Photon – it is the quantum of energy of electromagnetic radiation

Photoelectric effect – it is the emission of electrons from a metal surface by the incidence of
electromagnetic radiation

Threshold frequency – it is the minimum frequency required for the emission of electrons from a
metal surface with negligible kinetic energy

Work Function = minimum energy of a photon to remove electron from surface

Emission line spectra (4) –

De Broglie’s wavelength – every moving particle has a wavelength associated with it. Wavelength is
inversely proportional to the momentum

NUCLEAR PHYSICS

Mass defect – difference between atoms mass and sum of masses of protons and neutrons.

Binding energy - minimum energy required to separate the nuclei of a nucleus to infinity

Binding energy per nucleon – binding energy divided by nucleons

Nuclear fission – fusing together two small nuclei to produce a larger nucleus

Nuclear fusion – splitting of a large atomic nucleus into smaller nuclei

Isotopes – atoms of same elements having same number of protons and different number of
neutrons.

Radioactive decay - spontaneous emission of ionizing radiation. Emission from unstable nucleus.

Random - cannot predict when will nucleus decay

Spontaneous - it’s not affected by external factors

Radioactive decay constant - probability of decay of a nucleus per unit time

Radioactive - unstable nucleus emits ionizing radiation

MEDICAL PHYSICS

Acoustic impedance – product of speed of sound in medium and density of medium

Attenuation of ultrasound – reduction of energy due to the absorption of ultrasound as it travels

ASTRONOMY AND COSMOLOGY

Luminosity – total radial power emitted by a star

Standard Candle – an object which has a known luminosity

Hubble’s law – speed is proportional to distance, where speed is speed of recession of galaxy and
distance is distance of galaxy away from observer.

Red shift – apparent wavelength is greater, due to movement of star away from observer
Wein’s law – wavelength of max intensity is inversely proportional to temperature.