Required Vocabulary – IB 12 Higher Level

Physics and Physical Measurement

1. Fundamental Units – seven basic units of the SI measurement system: kilogram,

second, mole, meter, ampere, Kelvin, candela.

2. Derived Units – units that are combinations of fundamental units. These

combinations may or may not have a separate name. (eg. 1 kg m/s2 = 1 N)

1. Accuracy - An indication of how close a measurement is to the accepted value (a

measure of correctness).

2. Precision - An indication of the agreement among a number of measurements made

in the same way (a measure of exactness).

1. Random Uncertainty - An uncertainty produced by unknown and unpredictable

variations in the experimental situation, such as temperature fluctuations and
estimations when reading instruments. (Affects the precision of results - Can be
reduced by taking repeated trials but not eliminated – shows up as error bars on a
graph)

3. Systematic Error - An error associated with a particular instrument or experimental

technique that causes the measured value to be off by the same amount each time.
(Affects the accuracy of results - Can be eliminated by fixing source of error – shows
up as non-zero y-intercept on a graph)

4. Vector – a quantity with both a magnitude and a direction

5. Scalar – a quantity with magnitude only

Mechanics

6. *Displacement (s) - distance traveled in a particular direction (change in position)

7. *Velocity (u,v) - rate of change of displacement with time

8. *Speed (u,v) - rate of change of distance

9. *Acceleration (a) - rate of change of velocity with time

10. *Newton’s First Law of Motion – An object at rest remains at rest and an object in
motion remains in motion at a constant speed in a straight line unless acted on by an
unbalanced force.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition
11. *Newton’s Second Law of Motion – An unbalanced force will cause an object to
accelerate in the direction of the net force. The acceleration of the object is
proportional to the net force and inversely proportional to its mass. (Fnet = ma or Fnet =
Δ p/Δ t (net force = rate of change of momentum))

12. *Newton’s Third Law of Motion - When two bodies A and B interact (push or
pull), the force that A exerts on B is equal and opposite to the force that B exerts on
A.

13. Translational Equilibrium - net force acting on a body is zero

14. *Linear Momentum (p) - product of mass and velocity

15. *Impulse (J) - change in momentum

16. *Law of Conservation of Linear Momentum - The total momentum of an isolated

system (no external forces) remains constant.

17. *Work (W) - The product of a force on an object and the displacement of the object
in the direction of the force.

18. Kinetic Energy (EK) – product of ½ times the mass of an object times the square of
an object’s speed

19. Change in Gravitational Potential Energy – product of an object’s mass times the
gravitational field strength times the change in height

20. *Principle of Conservation of Energy – The total energy of an isolated system (no
external forces) remains constant. (OR – Energy can be neither created nor destroyed
but only transformed from one form to another or transferred from one object to
another.)

21. *Elastic Collision – a collision in which kinetic energy is conserved

22. Inelastic Collision – a collision in which kinetic energy is not conserved

23. *Power (P) - The rate at which work is done or the rate at which energy is
transferred.

24. *Efficiency (eff) - The ratio of the useful energy (or power or work) output to the
total energy (or power or work) input.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition
 Gravitation

25. *Newton’s Universal Law of Gravitation – The force of gravity between two
objects is directly proportional to the product of the two masses and inversely
proportional to the square of the distance between them and acts along a line joining
their centers. (NOTE: The objects are point masses. If they are not point masses but
are very far apart, that is, the distance between them is very much greater than their
radii, they can be treated like point masses.)

26. *Gravitational Field Strength (g) – gravitational force per unit mass on a point
mass (g = Fg / m)

27. *Gravitational Potential Energy (EP) - the work done in moving a mass from
infinity to a point in space (NOTE: the work done is path independent)

28. *Gravitational Potential (V) – the work done per unit mass in moving a mass from
infinity to a point in space

29. Equipotential Surface – every point on it has the same potential

30. *Escape Speed – minimum speed of a rocket needed to escape the gravitational
attraction of a planet

31. *Kepler’s Third Law - the ratio of the orbital period squared to the average orbital
radius cubed is constant for all planets

32. Weightlessness in free-fall – a sensation of weightlessness because a person is

falling freely toward the Earth, hence there is no normal force (reaction force) acting
on the person due to gravity

33. Weightlessness in orbital motion – a sensation of weightlessness due to the

spacecraft and all objects in it being in constant free-fall together as they circle Earth

34. Weightlessness in deep space – a sensation of weightlessness due to the minimal

pull of gravity very far from any massive object

Thermal Physics

35. *Temperature (T) –

a. The property that determines the direction of thermal energy transfer
between two objects.
a. A measure of the average random kinetic energy of the particles of a substance.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition
36. Thermal Equilibrium - two objects are in thermal equilibrium when they are at the
same temperature so that there is no transfer of thermal energy between them

37. *Internal Energy of a substance (U) - The total potential energy and random kinetic
energy of the molecules of the substance.

38. *Thermal Energy (Heat) (Q) - Energy transferred between two substances in
thermal contact due a temperature difference.

39. *Mole - An amount of a substance that contains the same number of atoms as 0.012
kg of 12C.

40. *Molar Mass - The mass of one mole of a substance.

41. *Avogadro constant (NA) - The number of atoms in 0.012 kg of 12C ( = 6.02 x 1023).

42. *Thermal Capacity (C) - energy required to raise the temperature of a substance by
1K

43. *Specific Heat Capacity (c) - energy required per unit mass to raise the temperature
of a substance by 1K

44. Boiling – a phase change of a liquid into a gas that occurs at a fixed temperature

45. Evaporation – when faster moving molecules have enough energy to escape from the
surface of a liquid that is at a temperature less than its boiling point, leaving slower
moving molecules behind which results in a cooling of the liquid

46. *Specific Latent Heat (L) - energy per unit mass absorbed or released during a phase
change

47. *Pressure (P) – force per unit area acting on a surface

48. *Ideal Gas - a gas that follows the ideal gas equation of state (PV = nRT) for all
values of P, V, and T (an ideal gas cannot be liquefied)

49. Real Gas – a gas that does not follow the ideal gas equation of state for all values of
P, V, and T (a real gas can approximate an ideal gas in some circumstances)

50. Absolute Zero of Temperature – temperature at which a gas would exert no

pressure

51. Kelvin scale of Temperature – an absolute scale of temperature in which 0 K is the

absolute zero of temperature

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition
52. *First Law of Thermodynamics (U = ΔU + W) – The thermal energy transferred to
a system from its surroundings is equal to the work done by the system plus the
change in internal energy of the system. (an application of the principle of
conservation of energy)

53. Isochoric (Isovolumetric) – a process that occurs at constant volume (ΔV = 0)

54. Isobaric – a process that occurs at constant pressure (ΔP = 0)

55. Isothermal – a process that occurs at constant temperature (ΔT = 0)

56. Adiabatic – a process that occurs without the exchange of thermal energy (Q = 0)

57. *Entropy – a system property that expresses the degree of disorder in the system

58. *Second Law of Thermodynamics – The overall entropy of the universe is

increasing. (OR – All natural processes increase the entropy of the universe.)
(NOTE: The second law implies that thermal energy cannot spontaneously transfer
from a region of low temperature to a region of high temperature.)

Oscillations and Waves

59. *Displacement (for waves) – distance a particle moves in a particular direction from
its mean (equilibrium) position

60. *Amplitude – maximum displacement from the mean position

61. *Frequency (f) – number of oscillations per unit time

62. *Period (T) – time taken for one complete oscillation (cycle) (OR: time taken for one
cycle to pass a given point)

63. *Phase Difference – difference in phase between two points

64. *Simple Harmonic Motion – motion that takes place when the acceleration of an
object is proportional to its displacement from its equilibrium position and is always
directed toward its equilibrium position (NOTE: this motion is defined by the
equation a = -ω2x)

65. Damping – involves a force that is always in the opposite direction to the direction of
motion of the oscillating particle (NOTE: this force is a dissipative force)

66. Critical Damping – when a resistive force is applied to an oscillating system that
causes the particle to return to zero displacement in a minimum amount of time

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition
67. Natural Frequency of Vibration – when a system is displaced from equilibrium and
allowed to oscillate freely, it will do so at its natural frequency of vibration

68. Forced Oscillations – a system may be forced to oscillate at any given frequency by
an outside driving force that is applied to it

69. *Resonance – a transfer of energy in which a system is subject to an oscillating force

that matches the natural frequency of the system resulting in a large amplitude of
vibration

70. *Wave Pulse - single oscillation or disturbance in a medium

71. *Continuous Progressive (Traveling) Wave – series of periodic pulses (NOTE:

involves a transfer of energy) (NOTE: each point on the wave has the same
amplitude)

72. *Transverse Wave – wave in which the direction of motion of the energy transfer
(the wave) is perpendicular to the direction of motion of the particles of the medium
(NOTE: light waves are transverse) (NOTE: transverse waves cannot be propagated
in gases)

73. *Longitudinal Wave – wave in which the direction of motion of the energy transfer
(the wave) is parallel to the direction of motion of the particles of the medium
(NOTE: sound waves are longitudinal)

74. Wavefront - collection of neighboring points on a wave that are in phase

75. Ray - line drawn perpendicular to a wavefront indicating the direction of motion of
the energy transfer

76. Crest - top of a transverse wave

77. Trough - bottom of a transverse wave

78. Compression - area of high pressure in a longitudinal wave

79. Rarefaction - area of low pressure (expansion) in a longitudinal wave

80. *Wavelength (λ) - shortest distance along the wave between two points in phase with
one another (OR: distance traveled by the wave in one period)

81. *Wave Speed (v) - speed of transfer of the energy of the wave

82. *Intensity (I) – power received per unit area (NOTE: for a wave, its intensity is
proportional to the square of its amplitude)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition
83. Law of Reflection - The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection when
both angles are measured with respect to the normal line

84. *Snell’s Law - The ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle
of refraction is a constant, for a given frequency.

85. *Refractive Index (Index of Refraction) (n) –

a. the ratio of the speed of the wave in the refracted medium to the speed of the wave
in the incident medium

b. the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction

86. Diffraction – the bending of a wave around an obstacle or the spreading of a wave
through an opening (NOTE: diffraction is only noticeable when the size of the
opening is smaller than or on the same order of the size of the wavelength)

87. *Principle of Superposition – When two waves meet, the resultant displacement is
the vector sum of the displacements of the component waves.

88. Constructive Interference – superposition of two waves which are in phase with
each other

89. Destructive Interference - superposition of two waves which are out of phase with
each other

90. Path Difference – difference in the distances two waves must travel from their
sources to a given point

91. Standing (stationary) wave - resultant wave formed when two waves of equal
amplitude and frequency traveling in opposite directions in the same medium
interfere (NOTE: does not involve a transfer of energy) (NOTE: points on the wave
have varying amplitudes)

92. *Node - locations of constant complete destructive interference on a standing wave

93. *Antinode - locations of maximum constructive interference on a standing wave

94. Fundamental (First Harmonic) – lowest frequency mode of vibration of a standing

wave

95. *Doppler Effect - The change of frequency of a wave due to the movement of the
source or the observer relative to the medium of wave transmission.

96. Resolution – ability to distinguish between two sources of light

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition
97. *Rayleigh Criterion - When the central maximum of one diffraction pattern overlaps
the first minimum of a second diffraction pattern, the two sources are “just resolved.”

98. *Polarized Light – light in which the electric field vector vibrates in one plane only

99. *Brewster’s Law – When light is incident on a surface at such an angle that the
reflected and transmitted rays are perpendicular and the reflected ray is totally plane
polarized, then the index of refraction of the substance is equal to the tangent of the
angle of incidence. (n = tan θi)

100. *Polarizer – device that produces plane polarized light from an unpolarized beam

101. *Analyzer – polarizer used to detect polarized light

102. Malus’ Law – the transmitted intensity of polarized light is equal to the product
of the incident intensity times the square of the cosine of the angle between the
direction of the analyzer and the direction of the electric field vibration of the
polarized light (I = Io cos2 θ )

103. Optically Active Substance – one that rotates the plane of polarization of the
light that passes through it (OR: one that changes the plane in which the electric field
vector of the light vibrates)

Electrostatics

104. *Law of Conservation of Charge – The total electric charge of an isolated

system remains constant.

105. Conductor – material through with electric charge flows freely

106. Insulator – material through which electric charge does not flow freely

107. *Coulomb’s Law – The electric force between two point charges is directly
proportional to the product of the two charges and inversely proportional to square of
the distance between them, and directed along the line joining the two charges. (F = k
q1 q2 / r2)

108. Insulator – material through which electric charge does not flow freely

109. *Electric Field Strength (E) - Electric force per positive unit test charge (E =
F/q)

110. Radial Field – field that extends radially (like the electric field around a point
charge or the gravitational field around a planet)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition
111. *Electric Potential (V) - work done per unit charge moving a small positive test
charge in from infinity to a point in an electric field. (V = W/q) (V = kq/r) (NOTE:
the work done is path independent)

112. *Electric Potential Energy (Ee)- energy that a charge has due to its position in an
electric field

Electric Currents

113. *Electric Potential Difference (ΔV) – electric potential energy difference per
unit charge between two points in an electric field (ΔV = ΔEe / q OR ΔV = W / q)

114. *Electronvolt (eV) – energy gained by an electron moving through an electric

potential difference of one volt. (OR: Work done moving an electron through an
electric potential difference of one volt.) (1 eV = 1.60 x 10-19 J)

115. *Electric Current (I) – current is defined in terms of the force per unit length
between parallel current-carrying conductors (NOTE: one ampere of current is the
amount of current in each of two infinitely long straight wires one meter apart
experiencing a magnetic force per unit length of 2 x 10-7 newtons)

116. *Resistance (R) - ratio of potential difference applied to a device to the current
through the device (R = V/I)

117. Resistor - device with a constant resistance (Ohmic device) over a wide range of
potential differences

118. *Ohm’s Law – The current flowing through a device is proportional to the
potential difference applied across it providing the temperature is constant. (NOTE:
R = V/I is not a statement of Ohm’s Law)

119. Ohmic Device – one whose resistance remains constant over a wide range of
potential differences (eg – resistor)

120. Non-Ohmic Device – one whose resistance does not remain constant over a wide
range of potential differences (eg – filament lamp)

121. *Electromotive Force (emf) (ε) - Total energy difference per unit charge around
a circuit (total energy per unit charge made available by the chemical reaction in the
battery) (ε = ΔEe/q OR ε = W/q)

122. Internal Resistance (r) – resistance inside a battery that causes the battery’s
terminal potential difference to be less than its emf (NOTE: internal resistance in a
meter causes it not to act as an ideal meter)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition
123. Ideal Ammeter – one with zero internal resistance – must be placed in series

124. Ideal Voltmeter – one with infinite internal resistance – must be placed in
parallel

125. Potential Divider – two resistors placed in series that divide up the battery’s
potential difference (R1 / R2 = V1 / V2)

126. Light-Dependent Resistor (LDR) – sensor whose resistance depends on amount

of light shining on its surface – increase in light causes a decrease in resistance

127. Negative Temperature Coefficient (NTC) Thermistor – sensor whose

resistance depends on its temperature – increase in temperature causes decrease in
resistance

128. Strain Gauge – sensor whose output voltage depends on any small extension or
compression that occurs which results in a change of length

Electromagnetism

129. *Magnitude of a Magnetic Field (magnetic field strength, magnetic field

intensity, magnetic flux density) (B) – ratio of magnetic force on a current carrying
conductor to the product of the current and length of wire and sine of the angle
between the current and the magnetic field (B = FB / Ilsinθ) (OR: ratio of magnetic
force on a charged particle to the product of the charge and its velocity and the sine of
the angle between the velocity and the magnetic field) (B = FB / qvsinθ)

130. *Direction of a Magnetic Field – the direction that the North pole of a small test
compass would point if placed in the field (N to S)

131. *Magnetic Flux (Φ) - product of the magnetic field strength and a cross-sectional
area and the cosine of the angle between the magnetic field and the normal to the
area (Φ = B A cosθ)

132. *Magnetic Flux Linkage – product of the magnetic flux through a single coil and
the total number of coils (flux linkage = N Φ)

133. *Faraday’s Law - The emf induced by a time changing magnetic field is
proportional to the rate of change of the flux linkage. (ε α N ΔΦ/Δt)

134. *Lenz’s Law - The direction of an induced emf is such that it produces a
magnetic field whose direction opposes the change in magnetic field that produced it.
(NOTE: This is the negative sign added to Faraday’s law. ε= - N ΔΦ/Δt)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition
135. Root Mean Square (rms) Value of an Alternating Current (or Voltage) – the
value of the direct current (or voltage) that dissipates power in a resistor at the same
rate (NOTE: The rms value is also known as the “rating.”)

Atomic and Nuclear Physics

136. Geiger-Marsden experiment – also known as the Rutherford Alpha Particle

Scattering or Gold Foil Experimet

137. Photon – a discrete unit or package of light energy

138. *Nuclide – a particular type of nucleus with a certain number of protons and
neutrons

139. *Isotope - nuclei with the same number of protons (Z) but different number of
neutrons (N)

140. *Nucleon – a proton or neutron (NOTE: Do not say “a particle in the nucleus”
since that would include quarks as well.)

141. *Nucleon Number (Mass Number) (A) - number of nucleons (protons +

neutrons) in nucleus

142. *Proton Number (Atomic Number) (Z) - number of protons in nucleus

143. *Neutron Number (N) - number of neutrons in nucleus (N = A – Z)

144. Coulomb interaction (Coulomb force, electrostatic force) – electrostatic force

of repulsion between the protons in the nucleus

145. Radioactive Decay – when an unstable nucleus emits a particle (alpha, beta,
gamma) (NOTE: Radioactive decay is both a random and a spontaneous process.)
(NOTE: The rate of radioactive decay decreases exponentially with time.)

146. Alpha Particle (α)– helium nucleus (2 protons + 2 neutrons)

147. Beta Positive Particle (β+) – electron

148. Beta Negative Particle (β-) – positron (antielectron)

149. Gamma Radiation (γ) – high energy (high frequency) electromagnetic radiation

150. *Radioactive Half-life (T1/2) –

a. the time taken for ½ the number of radioactive nuclei in sample to decay
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition
 b. the time taken for the activity of a sample to decrease to ½ its initial value

151. Artificial (Induced) Transmutation – when a nucleus is bombarded with a

nucleon, an alpha particle or another small nucleus, resulting in a nuclide with a
different proton number (a different element).

152. *Unified Atomic Mass Unit – 1/12th the mass of a carbon-12 nucleus

153. *Mass Defect – difference between the mass of the nucleus and the sum of the
masses of its individual nucleons

154. *Binding Energy – energy released when a nuclide is assembled from its
individual components (OR: energy required when nucleus is separated into its
individual components)

155. *Binding Energy per Nucleon - energy released per nucleon when a nuclide is
assembled from its individual components (OR: energy required per nucleon when
nucleus is separated into its individual components)

156. *Nuclear Fission - a heavy nucleus splits into two smaller nuclei of roughly
equal mass

157. *Nuclear Fusion - two light nuclei join to form a heavier nuclei (NOTE: This is
the main source of the Sun’s energy.)

158. *Photoelectric Effect - the emission of electrons from a metal when

electromagnetic radiation of high enough frequency falls on the surface

159. Threshold Frequency (f0) - minimum frequency of light needed to eject electrons
from a metal surface

160. Work Function (Φ) - minimum energy needed to eject electrons from the surface
of a metal

161. Millikan’s Stopping Potential Experiment – an experiment utilizing reverse

voltage raised to such a level (stopping potential Vs) that it stops all emitted
photoelectrons (NOTE: This experiment is used to test the Einstein model of the
explaining the photoelectric effect.)

162. *de Broglie Hypothesis - All particles can behave like waves whose wavelength
is given by λ = h/p where h is Planck’s constant and p is the momentum of the
particle.

163. *Matter Waves - All moving particles have a “matter wave” associated with
them whose wavelength is the de Broglie wavelength.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition
164. Wave-Particle Duality: Both matter and radiation have a dual nature. They
exhibit both particle and wave properties.

165. Davisson-Germer Experiment – an experiment showing that electrons are

scattered off crystals of nickel and interfere with each other – also know as “electron
diffraction” (NOTE: This experiment is evidence for the existence of matter waves.)

166. Electron in a Box Model – a model of the atom useful for explaining the origin
of atomic energy levels: The model assumes that, if an electron is confined to move
in one dimension by a box, the de Broglie waves associated with the electron will be
standing waves of wavelength 2L/n where L is the length of the box and n is a
positive integer. Further, the kinetic energy of the electron in the box is n2h2/(8meL2)

167. Schrödinger Model of the Atom – This model assumes that electrons in the
atom may be described by wavefunctions. The electron has an undefined position,
but the square of the amplitude of the wavefunction gives the probability of finding
the electron at a particular point.

168. Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle – Conjugate quantities (position-momentum

or time-energy) cannot be known precisely at the same time. (NOTE: There is a link
between the uncertainty principle and the de Broglie hypothesis. For example, if a
particle has a uniquely defined de Broglie wavelength, then its momentum is known
precisely but all knowledge of its position is lost.)

169. Bainbridge Mass Spectrometer – a device used to determine atomic masses –

consists primarily of a velocity selector and a magnetic chamber

170. *Radioactive Decay Law –

a. The rate at which radioactive nuclei in a sample decay (the activity) is

proportional to the number of radioactive nuclei present in the sample at any
one time. (A = λN)
b. N = N0e-λt OR A = λ N0e-λt (as an exponential function)

171. *Decay Constant (λ) –

a. constant of proportionality between the decay rate (activity) and the number
of radioactive nuclei present
b. probability of decay of a particular nuclei per unit time

172. Activity (A) - number of radioactive disintegrations (decays) per unit time

Energy, Power and Climate Change

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition
173. Second Law of Thermodynamics – Thermal energy may be completely
converted to work in a single process, but that continuous conversion of this energy
into work requires a cyclical process and the transfer of some energy from the system.

174. Degraded Energy – In any process that involves energy transformations, the
energy that is transferred to the surroundings (thermal energy) is no longer available
to perform useful work.

175. Sankey Diagram – energy flow diagram

176. Renewable Energy Source – source of energy that cannot be used up (eg. –
hydroelectric, photovoltaic cells, active solar heaters, wind, biofuels) (NOTE: In most
instances, the Sun is the primary energy source for world energy.)

177. Non-renewable Energy Source – source of energy that can be used up (eg. –
coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear)

178. *Energy Density (of a fuel) – the ratio of the energy released from the fuel to the
mass of the fuel consumed

179. Fossil Fuels – coal, oil, and natural gas (NOTE: Industrialization led to a high
rate of energy usage leading to industry being developed near large deposits of fossil
fuels.)

180. Chain Reaction – neutrons released from one fission reaction go on to initiate
further reactions (NOTE: Only low-energy neutrons (≈ 1 eV) favor nuclear fission.)

181. Critical Mass – minimum mass of radioactive fuel block needed for a chain
reaction to occur

182. Controlled Nuclear Fission – used for power production

183. Uncontrolled Nuclear Fission – used for nuclear weapons

184. Fuel Enrichment – process by which the percentage composition of a desirable

radioactive nuclide (eg. – uranium-235) is increased in order to make nuclear fission
more likely

185. Moderator – Most neutrons released in fission are fast neutrons, so a moderator
is used to reduce their energy down to thermal levels to ensure that the fission is self-
sustaining. (eg. – may be made of solid graphite or steam)

186. Control Rods – are used to remove any excess neutrons to ensure the fission
reaction continues safely (eg. – may be made of cadmium or boron steel)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition
187. Heat Exchanger – This allows the nuclear reactions to occur in a place that is
sealed off from the rest of the environment. Reactions increase temperature in the
core and this thermal energy is transferred to water and the steam that is produced
turns the turbines.

188. Photovoltaic Cell (solar cell, photocell) – converts a portion of the solar
radiation directly into a potential difference (voltage) using a semiconductor (NOTE:
A typical photovoltaic cell produces a very small voltage and is not able to provide
much current so is usually used to run electrical devices that do not require a great
deal of energy.)

189. Active Solar Heater (solar panel) – designed to capture as much thermal energy
as possible by allowing solar radiation to heat water running through a pipe in the
panel.

190. Oscillating Water Column (OWC) Ocean-Wave Energy Converter – device

built on land that uses the kinetic energy of waves to force air in and out of a turbine
which generates electrical energy

191. *Albedo (α)– fraction of the total incoming solar radiation received by a planet
that is reflected back out into space (OR: ration of total solar radiation power
scattered by a planet to total solar radiation received by a planet) (NOTE: global
annual mean albedo is 0.3 for Earth)

192. Greenhouse Effect –Short wavelength radiation received from the Sun causes the
Earth’s surface to warm up. Earth will then emit longer wavelength radiation (infra-
red) which is absorbed by some gases (eg. - methane, water vapor, carbon dioxide,
nitrous oxide) in the atmosphere and re-radiated in all directions. This extra warming
of the Earth’s atmosphere is known as the Greenhouse Effect.

193. Global Warming – increase in mean temperature of the Earth in recent years

194. Enhanced (Anthropogenic) Greenhouse Effect – Human activities, mainly

related to the burning of fossil fuels, have released extra carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere, thereby enhancing or amplifying the greenhouse effect (a possible cause
of global warming).

195. Black-Body Radiation – radiation emitted by a “perfect” emitter of radiation

196. Stefan-Boltzmann Law – The total power radiated by a black-body per unit area
is proportional to the fourth power of the temperature of the body. (power = σAT4)

197. Emissivity (ε) – ratio of power emitted by an object to the power emitted by a
black-body at the same temperature.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition
198. *Surface Heat Capacity (CS) – energy required to raise the temperature of a unit
area of a planet’s surface by 1 K. (CS = Q / (A ΔT))

199. *Coefficient of Volume Expansion (γ) – fractional change in volume per degree
change in temperature (γ = ΔV / (V0 ΔT))

200. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – panel established by

the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment
Programme in 1988 in which hundreds of governmental scientific representatives
from more than one hundred countries regularly assess the up-to-date evidence from
international research into global warming and human induced climate change.

201. Kyoto Protocol – an amendment to the United Nations Framework Convention

on Climate Change in which signatory countries agree to work towards achieving a
stipulate reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (NOTE: Notable non-signers are the
United States and Australia.)

202. Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (APPCDC) –

agreement between six countries (representing approximately 50% of the worlds
energy use – Australia, China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, and USA) to “work
together and with private sector partners to meet goals for energy security, national
air pollution reduction, and climate change in ways that promote sustainable
economic growth and poverty reduction.”

Digital Technology

203. Decimal Number – number written using base-10

204. Binary Number – number written using base-2

205. Least-Significant Bit (LSB) – right hand digit representing the smallest power

206. Most-Significant Bit (MSB) – left hand digit representing the largest power

207. Bumps and Pits – high and low areas of a CD used to encode data (NOTE:
Destructive interference occurs when light is reflected from the edge of a pit.)

208. Analog – technique involving codes or signals that can take on a large number of
different values between given limits – analog signals vary continuously with time

209. Digital – technique involving codes or signals made up of a large number of

binary digits (bits) that can each take only one of two possible values

210. Bit – binary digit that can only take one of two possible values (1 or 0; ON or
OFF; High or Low; True or False)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition
211. Byte – eight separate bits of information

212. *Capacitance (C) – ratio of charge stored in a device to the potential difference
across the device (C = q / V)

213. Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) – silicon ship divided into small areas called
pixels (NOTE: CCDs are used for image capturing in a large range of the
electromagnetic spectrum. They are used in digital cameras, video cameras, medical
X-ray imaging, and telescopes, such as the Hubble Telescope.)

214. Pixel – small area of a CCD that acts as a capacitor

215. *Quantum Efficiency (of a pixel) – ratio of the number of photoelectrons

emitted to the number of photons incident on the pixel

216. *Magnification – ratio of the length of the image on the CCD to the length of the
object

OPTION H: Relativity

217. Frame of Reference – the point of view of an observer or a coordinate system

against which measurements are made consisting of x,y,z, axes and a clock

218. *Galilean Transformation – equations that translate measurements made in one

frame of reference to another frame of reference without taking into account the
theory of relativity

219. *Inertial Frame of Reference – a frame of reference that is not accelerating but
is at rest or moving with a constant velocity (OR: a frame of reference in which
Newton’s law of inertia is valid, that is, a frame in which an object with no
unbalanced forces will remain at rest or move at a constant velocity)

220. *Special Theory of Relativity – Consists of two postulates:

1) The laws of physics are the same in all inertial reference frames.
2) The speed of light in a vacuum is the same for all observers.

221. *Simultaneity – Two events occurring at different points in space and which are
simultaneous for one observer cannot be simultaneous for another observer in a
different frame of reference.

222. Light Clock – a beam of light reflected between two parallel mirrors used to
measure time

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition
223. *Proper Time Interval – the time between events as measured in a frame where
the events take place at the same point in space (NOTE: This is the shortest possible
time that any observer could correctly record for the event and is usually the time
measured in the moving frame of reference.)

224. Time Dilation – an effect of relativity in which moving clocks run slow

225. Lorentz Factor (γ) – a relativistic factor that varies from approximately 1 at low
velocities to approaching infinity near the speed of light

226. *Proper Length – the length of an object recorded in a frame of reference where
the object is at rest. (NOTE: This is the greatest possible length that could be
recorded for an object.)

227. Length Contraction – an effect of relativity in which the separation between two
points in space contracts if there is relative motion in that direction

228. Twin Paradox – different observers’ measurements of the time taken for a
journey at speeds close to the speed of light will not be the same (NOTE: Since one
of the twins has to accelerate in the spaceship, this is no longer a symmetrical
situation for the twins. The space journeying twin records a shorter time
measurement (“ages less.”))

229. Hafele-Keating Experiment – a 1971 test of the predictions of time dilation in

which atomic clocks were put in aircraft and flown, east and west, around the world
and then compared with clocks that remained fixed in the same location on Earth
(NOTE: The clock flying eastward, being the fastest relative to the surface of the
Earth, recorded the smallest elapsed time.) (NOTE: The experiment also had to take
into account the effects of general relativity since the clocks were at different heights
in a gravitational field.)

230. *Rest Mass – the mass of an object as measured in a frame of reference where the
object is at rest (NOTE: Rest mass is an invariant quantity.)

231. Muon Decay Experiment – an experiment comparing the number of muons in

cosmic rays that reach the Earth’s surface without decaying as compared to the
number predicted to hit the surface calculated without using relativity theory (NOTE:
The results of this experiment give evidence to support the special theory of
relativity)

232. Michelson-Morley Experiment – an experiment comparing the speed of light

measured in two perpendicular directions using interference patterns– originally
meant to measure the speed of the Earth through the ether – did not produce any
observable difference in the speeds – implies that the ether does not exist and that the

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition
 result is consistent with the constancy of the speed of light – gives experimental
support for one of the postulates of special relativity

233. Pion Decay Experiment – an experiment involving the decay of a fast-moving

pion into two gamma ray photons – indicates that the speed of light in a vacuum is
independent of its source

234. General Theory of Relativity – a more general theory of relativity that takes into
account accelerating (non-inertial) reference frames (and the effects of gravity)

235. *Gravitational Mass – the property of an object that determines how much
gravitational force it feels when near another object (NOTE: Different gravitational
masses have different gravitational forces acting between them.)

236. *Inertial Mass – the property of an object that determines how much it
accelerates when a given force is applied to it (OR: the ratio of resultant force to
acceleration of an object) (NOTE: Different inertial masses have different
acceleration s when a force acts on them.)

237. *Principle of Equivalence – a postulate that states there is no difference between

an accelerating frame of reference and a gravitational field

238. Einstein’s Closed Elevator “Thought Experiment” – an object dropped inside a

closed elevator will accelerate toward the floor – could be explained in one of two
ways: either the elevator is far from any planet but accelerating upward or the
elevator is at rest on the surface of planet

239. Spacetime – four dimensional coordinates used to describe any event (three
spatial dimensions and time) (NOTE: Moving objects follow the shortest path
between two points in spacetime.) (NOTE: Gravitational attraction can be explained
by the warping of spacetime.)

240. Black Holes – a region of spacetime with extreme curvature due to the presence
of a mass

241. Center of a Black Hole (singularity) – the single point to which all mass would
collapse

242. Surface of a Black Hole (event horizon) – where the escape speed is equal to c
and within this surface, mass has “disappeared” from the universe

243. *Schwarzschild Radius (RS) – a particular distance from the center of black hole
where the escape velocity is equal to the speed of light

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition
244. Gravitational Red Shift – a prediction of the general theory relativity in which
clocks slow down in a gravitational field (that is, clocks on the ground floor of a
building will run slowly as compared with clocks on the top floor)

245. Eddington Eclipse Measurements – Arthur Eddington’s 1919 measurements

during the eclipse of the Sun of the apparent change in position of a star –
experimental support for the bending of light by a massive object which is a
prediction of general relativity

246. Pound-Rebka Experiment – measurements in 1960 of the decrease in frequency

of a photon as it climbs in a gravitational field – experimental evidence to support
gravitational red-shift which is a prediction of general relativity

247. Atomic Clock Frequency Shift Experiment – experiment comparing two

identical atomic clocks, one on the ground and one sent to a high altitude in a rocket –
higher altitude clock runs faster - experimental evidence to support gravitational red-
shift which is a prediction of general relativity

248. Shapiro Time Delay Experiments – experiment in which the time taken for a
radar pulse to travel to a nearby planet and return is measured – the gravitational field
of the Sun affects the time taken – measurements confirm the predictions made by
general relativity as to the amount of effect on time – experimental evidence to
support gravitational red-shift which is a prediction of general relativity

OPTION I: Medical Physics

249. Outer Ear – shaped to channel air vibrations (sound) to the tympanic membrane

250. Tympanic Membrane – ear drum

251. Middle Ear – converts the oscillations of the ear drum into oscillations in the
fluid of the inner ear at the oval window

252. Ossicles – three small bones in the inner ear – malleus, incus and stapes (hammer,
anvil and stirrup)

253. Inner Ear (especially Cochlea) – converts the oscillations in the fluid of the
inner ear into electrical signals that are sent along the auditory nerve to the brain

254. Impedance Matching – a mechanism for transmitting, rather than reflecting, as

much of the sound energy from the air to the cochlea as possible – without this
mechanism for pressure transformation between media of different densities (air and
fluid), most sound would be reflected rather than transmitted into the cochlear fluid

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition
255. Semicircular Canals – features in the inner ear not used for detecting sound but
are involved in body movement and keeping the body balanced

256. Eustachian Tube – connects the middle ear to the mouth and allows pressure on
either side of the ear drum to be equalized – normally closed but opens during
swallowing, yawning or chewing

257. *Sound Intensity – amount of energy that a sound wave brings to a unit area
every second (OR power incident per unit area) (NOTE: Intensity depends on the
square of the amplitude of the sound wave.) (NOTE: There is a logarithmic response
of the ear to intensity.)

258. Loudness – the response of the ear to intensity

259. *Sound Intensity Level (IL) –– one tenth of the common logarithm of the ratio
of the intensity of a sound to the sound intensity at the threshold of hearing
(measured in decibels (dB))

260. Conductive Loss – sounds are processed correctly in the inner ear but the
vibrations are not reaching it – air conduction thresholds show a hearing loss but the
bone conduction thresholds are normal

261. Sensory Loss – both air conduction and bone conduction thresholds sow the same
amount of hearing loss

262. Selective Frequency Loss – conductive loss of hearing for a particular range of
frequencies

263. Tinnitus – temporary deafness across the frequency range due to short-term
exposure to loud sounds (“ringing” in the ears)

264. X-ray Attenuation – the lessening of the intensity of an X-ray beam by being
absorbed by a material or by spreading out of the beam

265. *Half-Value Thickness (x1/2) – the thickness of a material needed for a beam (of
X-rays) to be attenuated (reduced) in intensity by 50%

266. *Attenuation Coefficient (μ) – ratio of the natural log of 2 to the half-value
thickness (a constant that allows us to calculate the intensity of X-rays given any
thickness of material)

267. Computed Tomography (CT) Scan – an X-ray imaging technique – X-rays and
detectors are rotated around a patient and a computer combines the information to
produce a 3-D interior picture

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition
268. Ultrasound Scan – medical imaging technique in which high frequency (MHz)
sound waves are transmitted and reflected from soft tissue

269. Piezoelectric Crystals – quartz crystals that change shape when an electric
current flows and can be used with AC voltage to produce and detect ultrasound

270. *Acoustic Impedance (Z) – the product of the density of a substance and the
speed of sound in that substance

271. A-scan – amplitude modulated scan – presents the information from an

ultrasound probe as a graph of signal strength versus time

272. B-scan – brightness modulated scan – uses the signal strength from an ultrasound
probe to affect the brightness of a dot of light on a screen

273. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Imaging – medical imaging technique

that involves the use of a non-uniform magnetic field in conjunction with a large
uniform field to cause nuclei to broadcast radio waves used to image the patient

274. Pulse Oximetry – laser technique for measuring the oxygen content of the blood
by shining red or infrared light through a thin part of a patient’s anatomy

275. Endoscope – tube with a collection of optical fibers using lasers to look inside the
human body

276. Radiation Dosimetry – techniques for measuring of ionizing radiation

277. *Exposure (X) – measure of the total amount of ionization produced which is the
ratio of total charge to mass of air

278. *Absorbed Dose (D) – total energy absorbed per unit mass of tissue

279. *Quality Factor (Relative Biological Effectiveness) (Q) – for the same absorbed
dose, this measures the relative effectiveness of different radiations in destroying cells
(OR constant of proportionality between dose equivalent and absorbed dose)

280. *Dose Equivalent (H) – produce of quality factor and absorbed dose which is an
attempt to measure the radiation damage that actually occurs in tissues

281. Balanced Risk – an attempt to balance the risk of exposure to ionizing radiation
with the benefits of its use in diagnosis and treatment of illness

282. *Physical Half-life (TP) (same as T1/2) –

a. the time taken for ½ the number of radioactive nuclei in sample to decay
b. the time taken for the activity of a sample to decrease to ½ its initial value
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition
283. *Biological Half-life (TB) – time taken for half the number of ingested
radioactive nuclei in the body to be removed by natural bodily (chemical) processes

284. *Effective Half-life (TE) – time taken for the number of radioactive nuclei
present in the body to halve

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• * indicates a required definition – that means, know this “word for word.”
• terms in parentheses do not need to be memorized
• OR indicates an alternate definition