WorksheetsPhysics Vocabulary Definitions
Total questions: 68
Worksheet time: 34mins
A vector quantity representing the location of the destination relative to the origin of motion only, irrespective of the path actually taken between the two points (symbol: s; SI unit, m) (Tipler & Mosca 2003, Giancoli 2008). Fill in the blank: __________
displacement
distance
velocity
acceleration
The total length of the pathway taken between the origin and the destination point (symbol: d; SI unit, m) (Tipler & Mosca 2003, Giancoli 2008). Fill in the blank: __________
distance
displacement
velocity
acceleration
The change in potential energy per unit charge between two defined points in a circuit; the unit of electrical potential difference is volts V; sometimes referred to as the voltage (Tipler & Mosca 2003, Giancoli 2008). Fill in the blank: __________
electrical potential difference
electric current
resistance
power
The capacity of electric charge carriers to do work due to their position in an electric circuit. Fill in the blank: __________
electrical potential energy
resistance
current
magnetic flux
A physical property of an object that causes it to experience a force when placed in an electromagnetic field (Tipler & Mosca 2003, Giancoli 2008). Fill in the blank: __________
electric charge
mass
temperature
volume
The rate of movement of electric charge carriers from one part of a conductor to another (Tipler & Mosca 2003, Giancoli 2008). Fill in the blank: __________
electric current
electric potential
magnetic field
resistance
Regions around an electrically charged particle or object within which a force would be exerted on other electrically charged particles or objects (Tipler & Mosca 2003, Giancoli 2008). Fill in the blank: __________
electric fields
magnetic domains
gravitational wells
thermal zones
The intensity of an electric field at a particular location (Tipler & Mosca 2003, Giancoli 2008). Fill in the blank: __________
electric field strength
electric potential
magnetic flux
current density
One of the four fundamental forces; the electromagnetic force is mediated by photons (Tipler & Mosca 2003, Giancoli 2008). Fill in the blank: __________
electromagnetic force
gravitational force
strong nuclear force
weak nuclear force
The production of an electromotive force (EMF) or voltage across an electrical conductor due to its dynamic interaction with a magnetic field. Fill in the blank: __________
electromagnetic induction
electrolysis
photoelectric effect
thermionic emission
Radiant energy consisting of synchronised oscillations of electric and magnetic fields, or electromagnetic waves, propagated at the speed of light in a vacuum. What is this called?
electromagnetic radiation
thermal conduction
mechanical vibration
nuclear fission
Produced by an oscillating electric charge resulting in mutually perpendicular electric and magnetic fields (Tipler & Mosca 2003, Giancoli 2008). Fill in the blank: __________
electromagnetic waves
sound waves
gravitational waves
mechanical waves
A difference in potential that tends to give rise to an electric current, also written as emf (Tipler & Mosca 2003, Giancoli 2008). Fill in the blank: __________
electromotive force
resistance
capacitance
magnetic flux
A lepton with a negative electric charge. Fill in the blank: __________
electron
proton
neutron
positron
A unit of energy equal to the work done on an electron in accelerating it through an electrical potential difference of 1 volt (unit, eV) (Tipler & Mosca 2003, Giancoli 2008). Fill in the blank: __________
electron volt
joule
ampere
watt
The repulsion experienced by two like charged particles. Fill in the blank: __________
electrostatic repulsion
magnetic attraction
gravitational force
nuclear fusion
A law stating that when the magnetic flux linking a circuit changes, an electromotive force (emf) is induced in the circuit proportional to the rate of change of the flux linkage. Fill in the blank: __________
Faraday's law
Ohm's law
Lenz's law
Coulomb's law
Graphical representation of particle interactions showing time along the horizontal axis and space along the vertical axis. The axis may be reversed, however not in this syllabus. Fill in the blank: __________
Feynman diagram
Bohr model
Lewis structure
Molecular orbital diagram
A position in space where susceptible objects experience (are affected by) a force or acquire potential energy as they are 'worked' into that position; gravitational fields affect the mass of an object; electric fields affect electrically charged objects; magnetic fields affect ferromagnetic objects; electromagnetic fields affect electric charge carriers in matter (Tipler & Mosca 2003, Giancoli 2008). Fill in the blank: __________
field
wave
particle
current
A push or pull between objects that may cause one or both objects to change speed and/or the direction of their motion (i.e. accelerate) or change their shape; scientists identify four fundamental forces: gravitational, electromagnetic (involving both electrostatic and magnetic forces), the weak nuclear force and the strong nuclear force; all interactions between matter can be explained as the action of one, or a combination, of the four fundamental forces (Tipler & Mosca 2003, Giancoli 2008). Fill in the blank: __________
force
energy
mass
momentum
The abstract coordinate system that defines location of the observer. Fill in the blank: __________
frame of reference
origin point
axis of rotation
observer's angle
Equal to the number of waves that move past a given point in one second (symbol: f; SI unit, Hz) (Tipler & Mosca 2003, Giancoli 2008). Fill in the blank: __________
frequency
wavelength
amplitude
velocity
Fill in the blank: The term for these is _________.
fundamental forces
chemical reactions
atomic numbers
energy levels
Carrier or exchange particles that govern particle interaction and the mediation of the four fundamental forces; there are four gauge bosons in the Standard Model: the gluon, photon, Z boson and W boson. These particles are called __________.
gauge boson
lepton
quark
meson
The region of space surrounding a body in which another body experiences a force of gravitational attraction.
gravitational fields
magnetic fields
electric fields
thermal fields
The net force per unit mass at a particular point in the gravitational field (ACARA 2015c). Fill in the blank: This is called __________.
gravitational field strength
gravitational potential energy
escape velocity
acceleration due to gravity
The energy stored in an object as a result of its position relative to another object to which it is attracted by the force of gravity. This energy is called __________.
gravitational potential energy
kinetic energy
chemical energy
thermal energy
Any frame of reference with respect to which the acceleration of the object of observation remains zero.
inertial frame of reference
non-inertial frame of reference
rotating frame of reference
accelerated frame of reference
Fill in the blank: These are known as __________.
Kepler’s laws of planetary motion
Newton’s laws of motion
Ohm’s law
Archimedes’ principle
Fill in the blank: This is the __________.
law of conservation of energy
law of gravity
law of inertia
law of thermodynamics
Fill in the blank: This is the __________.
law of conservation of momentum
law of universal gravitation
law of inertia
law of thermodynamics
An observer at rest relative to a moving object would observe the moving object to be shorter along the dimension of motion. Fill in the blank: This phenomenon is called __________.
Length contraction
Time dilation
Red shift
Doppler effect
States that the direction of an induced electric current always opposes the change in the circuit or the magnetic field that produces it. This law is called __________.
Lenz law
Ohm's law
Faraday's law
Coulomb's law
A conserved quantum number defined by n_l, where n_l is the number of leptons and n̅_l is the number of antileptons (Tipler & Mosca 2003, Giancoli 2008). Fill in the blank: This is called __________.
Lepton number
Baryon number
Isospin
Strangeness
Particles that are governed by the weak nuclear force and, since they have charge, are also influenced by electromagnetism; there are six leptons in the Standard Model: electron, electron neutrino, muon, muon neutrino, tau and tau neutrino. These particles are called:
leptons
hadrons
bosons
quarks
A region of space near a magnet, electric current or moving electrically charged particle in which a magnetic force acts on any other magnet, electric current or moving electrically charged particle.
magnetic field
electric field
gravitational field
thermal field
A measurement of the total magnetic field that passes through a given area; a measure of the number of magnetic field lines passing through the given area (symbol, Φ; SI unit, Wb) (Tipler & Mosca 2003, Giancoli 2008). This is called:
magnetic flux
magnetic moment
magnetic field strength
magnetization
Fill in the blank: This is called __________.
magnetic flux density
electric potential
current density
resistance
Fill in the blank: This equation represents the __________.
mass–energy equivalence relationship
law of universal gravitation
uncertainty principle
second law of thermodynamics
Subatomic particles composed of one quark and one antiquark (Tipler & Mosca 2003, Giancoli 2008). These particles are called:
mesons
baryons
leptons
photons
Fill in the blank: This is called __________.
momentum
velocity
acceleration
force
A subatomic particle with neutral electric charge. This particle is called a __________.
neutron
proton
electron
positron
The force of attraction between each pair of point particles that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them (Tipler & Mosca 2003). This law is called __________.
Newton’s law of universal gravitation
Coulomb’s law
Hooke’s law
Ohm’s law
The force acting along an imaginary line drawn perpendicular to the surface.
normal force
frictional force
tension force
gravitational force
A quantum of all forms of electromagnetic radiation; a gauge boson responsible for mediating the electromagnetic force. Fill in the blank: This particle is called a __________.
photon
electron
neutrino
gluon
A fundamental constant used in quantum mechanics (symbol, h; SI unit, Js) (Tipler & Mosca 2003, Giancoli 2008). This constant is called:
Planck’s constant
Boltzmann constant
Avogadro’s number
Coulomb’s constant
What is the first postulate of special relativity?
The laws of physics are the same in all inertial frames of reference.
The speed of light depends on the motion of the observer.
Energy and mass are not related.
Time runs at the same rate for all observers.
What is the second postulate of special relativity?
The speed of light in a vacuum has the same value c in all inertial frames of reference.
The laws of gravity are the same in all reference frames.
Energy is always conserved in all physical processes.
The mass of an object increases as its speed decreases.
Define proper length.
The length measured in the frame of reference in which the object is at rest.
The length measured in any moving frame of reference.
The time taken for light to travel the length of the object.
The mass of the object measured in its rest frame.
Define proper time interval.
The time interval measured in the frame of reference in which the object is at rest.
The time interval measured in any moving frame of reference.
The time interval measured between two different locations in space.
The time interval measured only by an observer in motion.
What does proportionality describe?
The manner in which one variable changes if the other is changed.
The process of measuring the length of an object.
The way to calculate the area of a triangle.
The method for finding the volume of a cube.
What is a proton?
A subatomic particle with a positive electric charge.
A subatomic particle with a negative electric charge.
A neutral atom.
A molecule found in water.
What are quarks?
Subatomic particles governed by the strong nuclear force that constitute hadrons; there are six quarks in the Standard Model: the up, down, charm, strange, top and bottom quark.
Elementary particles that make up photons and electrons.
Particles responsible for gravity in the universe.
Molecules that form the basic structure of DNA.
Define relativistic length.
The length measured in the frame of reference in which the object is in motion.
The length measured in the frame of reference in which the object is at rest.
The time taken for light to travel a certain distance.
The mass measured in the frame of reference in which the object is in motion.
Define relativistic momentum.
The momentum of an object when measured in the frame of reference in which the object is in motion.
The energy of an object divided by its mass.
The force experienced by an object due to gravity.
The velocity of an object multiplied by its acceleration.
Define relativistic time interval.
The time interval measured in the frame of reference in which the object is in motion.
The time interval measured in the frame of reference in which the object is at rest.
The time interval measured only for stationary objects.
The time interval that is always the same in all frames of reference.
What is rest mass?
The mass of an object when measured in the same reference frame as the observer.
The mass of an object when it is moving at the speed of light.
The mass of an object as measured from a different planet.
The mass of an object when it is under acceleration.
What is simultaneity?
The relation between two events assumed to happen at the same time in a frame of reference.
The process of measuring the speed of light in a vacuum.
The concept of time dilation due to gravity.
The method of synchronizing clocks in different locations.
What is the strong nuclear force?
One of the four fundamental forces; the strong nuclear force acts over small distances in the nucleus to hold the nucleons together against the repulsive electrostatic forces exerted between the protons; the strong nuclear force is mediated by gluons.
A force responsible for the attraction between electrons and protons in an atom; it is mediated by photons.
A force that governs the motion of planets and other celestial bodies; it is mediated by gravitons.
A force that causes objects to resist changes in their state of motion; it is mediated by inertia.
What is threshold frequency?
The minimum frequency of a photon that can eject an electron from a surface.
The maximum frequency of a photon that can eject an electron from a surface.
The frequency at which electrons are absorbed by a surface.
The frequency at which photons are reflected from a surface.
What is time dilation?
The difference of elapsed time between two events as measured by observers moving relative to each other.
The process of measuring time using atomic clocks.
The phenomenon where time moves faster in a gravitational field.
The method of synchronizing clocks in different locations.
What is the unified atomic mass unit?
A unit of mass used for very small masses, equal to 1.66 x 10^{-27} kg.
A unit of length used for measuring atomic radii.
A unit of energy used in nuclear reactions.
A unit of volume used for gases at STP.
What is uniform circular motion?
The motion of an object travelling at a constant speed in a circle.
The motion of an object moving in a straight line at a constant speed.
The motion of an object accelerating in a straight line.
The motion of an object moving randomly in all directions.
What is a vector?
A quantity that has both magnitude and direction; a vector may be represented pictorially by an arrowed line segment.
A quantity that only has magnitude and no direction.
A type of scalar used in mathematics.
A unit of measurement for speed.
What is velocity?
The rate of change of displacement of an object; if the rate of change is measured at an instant in time then this is an instantaneous velocity; if the rate of change is calculated using the formula velocity = displacement/time, then this is average velocity.
The total distance traveled by an object divided by the total time taken.
The force applied to an object divided by its mass.
The amount of energy an object possesses due to its motion.
What is wavelength?
The distance between corresponding points on successive waves.
The height of a wave from its base to its peak.
The speed at which a wave travels through a medium.
The amount of energy carried by a wave.
What is the weak nuclear force?
One of the four fundamental forces; the weak nuclear force is responsible for radioactive decay and is mediated by W and Z bosons.
A force that holds planets in orbit around the sun.
A force responsible for the attraction between magnets.
A force that causes objects to float in water.
What is work function?
The minimum energy required to remove an electron from a solid.
The maximum energy an electron can have in a solid.
The energy required to add a proton to a nucleus.
The energy released when an electron is added to a solid.
