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Definitions A2 Physics
Circular Motion
Radian: Angle (subtended) where arc (length) is equal to radius (angle subtended) at the centre of
a circle.

Angular Velocity: Rate of change of angle / angular displacement swept out by radius.
Gravitational Field
Newtons Law of Gravitation: Two-point masses attract each other with a force that is proportional
to product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of their separation.

Gravitational Field Strength: Gravitational force experienced by an object per unit mass.

Gravitational Potential: Work done per unit mass bringing (small test) mass from infinity (to the
point).
M

Geostationary Orbit: Equatorial orbit / above equator satellite moves from west to east / same
direction as Earth spins period is 24 hours / same period as spinning of Earth.
eg

Geostationary Satellite: Satellite is in equatorial orbit travelling from west to east period of 24
hours / 1 day.
a

Gravitational Field: Region of space area / volume where a mass experiences a force.
Le

Potential Energy: Ability to do work as a result of the position/shape, etc. of an object

Oscillations
ct

Angular Frequency: (angular frequency =) 2π × frequency or 2π/ period

u

Oscillations: To-and-fro / backward and forward motion (between two limits).

re

Simple Harmonic Motion: Type of vibratory motion in which acceleration/force proportional to

displacement (from fixed point) and acceleration/force and displacement in opposite directions.

Free Oscillations: (body oscillates) Without any loss of energy/no resistive forces/no external
forces applied.

Forced Oscillations: Continuous energy input (required)/body is made to vibrate by an

(external) periodic force/driving oscillator.

Forced Frequency: Frequency at which object is made to vibrate/oscillate.

Natural Frequency: Frequency at which object vibrates when free to do so.

Resonance: Maximum amplitude of vibration of oscillating body when forced frequency equals
natural frequency (of vibration).

Damping: Reduction in amplitude / energy of oscillations due to force (always) opposing motion /
resistive forces.

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Communication Systems
Amplitude Modulation: Amplitude of carrier wave varies in synchrony with displacement of
information signal.

Noise: random (unwanted) signal / power that masks / added to / interferes with / distorts
transmitted signal.

Regeneration: Noise/distortion is removed (from the signal) the (original) signal is

reformed/reproduced/recovered/restored

Or

Signal detected above/below a threshold creates new signal of 1s and 0s.

Frequency Modulation: Frequency of carrier wave varies in synchrony with the displacement of the
signal/information wave.
M

Attenuation: (gradual) Loss of power/intensity/amplitude (not “signal”).

Modulated Carrier Wave: High frequency wave the amplitude or the frequency is varied the
eg

variation represents the information signal /in synchrony with (the displacement of) the
information signal.
a

Crosslinking: Signal in one wire (pair) is picked up by a neighboring wire (pair).

Parallel to serial Convertor: Receives bits all at one time transmits the bits one after another.
Le

Digital Signal: (series of) ‘highs’ and ‘lows’ / ‘on’ and ‘off’ / 1’s and 0’s / two values with no
intermediate values / the values are discrete.
ct

Analogue Signal: Signal that is continuously variable. Signal has same variation (with time) as the
data.
u

Analogue to Digital Convertor: Analogue signal is sampled at (regular time) intervals sampled
re

signal is converted into a binary number.

Cross Talk: Picking up of signal in one cable from a second (nearby) cable.

Thermal Physics
Specific Latent Heat: (thermal) energy required to change the state of a substance per unit mass
without any change of temperature.

Internal Energy: The sum of random distribution of kinetic and potential energies of the atoms or
molecules in a system.

Thermal Equilibrium: Same temperature no (net) transfer of thermal energy (between the bodies).

Specific Heat Capacity: The (thermal) energy per unit mass to raise the temperature of a substance
by one degree.

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Absolute Zero Temperature: Temperature at which atoms have minimum/zero energy.

Specific Latent Heat of Fusion: (Thermal) energy / heat required to convert unit mass of solid to
liquid at its normal melting point / without any change in temperature.

First Law of thermodynamics: The increase in internal energy of a body is equal to the thermal
energy transferred to it by heating plus the mechanical work done on it.

ΔU = q + w
symbols explained (q = heating, w = work) consistent set of directions of energy change.

Ideal Gases
<c2>: mean/average square speed/velocity

Avogadro Constant: The number of atoms in 12 g of carbon-12.

Mole: amount of substance

containing NA (or 6.02 × 1023) particles/molecules/atoms
M

or
which contains the same number of particles/atoms/molecules as there
eg

are atoms in 12 g of carbon-12

Ideal Gas: Obeys the equation pV = nRT

p, V and T explained
a

at all values of p, V and T/fixed mass/n is constant.

Coulombs Law
Le

Coulombs Law: Force between two-point charges is proportional to product of their charges and
inversely proportional to the square of the separation.
ct

Relation between E and V: Field strength equals the potential gradient. Field strength and
potential gradient are in opposite directions.
u re

Electric Potential: Work done bringing/moving per unit positive charge from infinity (to the point).

Electric field Strength: Force per unit charge on either a stationary charge or a positive charge.

Capacitance
Capacitance of a capacitor: Ratio of charge on one plate to the potential difference between the
plates.

Capacitance: Charge / potential (difference) or charge per (unit) potential (difference)

Electronics
Feedback: (part of) the output signal is combined with the input signal.

Virtual Earth: Gain of amplifier is very large

V+ is at earth (potential)
for amplifier not to saturate

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difference between V– and V+ must be very small or V– must be equal to V+

Infinite Slew Rate: The output voltage is changed instantaneously as the input voltage is changed.
There is no time delay between change in input and change in output.

Voltage gain: gain = voltage output / voltage input

Relay: Relay is used to switch on/off mains supply using a low voltage/current output

Negative Feedback: Fraction of the output (signal) is added to the input (signal).
Out of phase by 180° / π rad / to inverting input.

Comparator: Used to compare two potentials / voltages, output depends upon which is greater.

Processing Unit: Operates on / takes signal from sensing device (so that) it gives a voltage output.

Magnetic Fields and Electromagnetism

M

Field of force: Region (of space) where an object/particle experiences a force.

Magnetic Field: Region (of space) / area where a force is experienced by

eg

current-carrying conductor / moving charge / permanent magnet

Tesla: One tesla is when (long) straight conductor carrying current of 1 A is normal to magnetic
field (for flux density 1 T,) and experiences a force of one newton per meter.
a

Charged Particles
Le

Quantization of charge: either charge exists in discrete and equal quantities

or multiples of elementary charge / e / 1.6 × 10–19 C
ct

Electromagnetic Induction
u

Faraday’s Law: (induced) e.m.f. proportional to rate of change of magnetic flux (linkage).
re

Lenz’s Law: Induced e.m.f./current produces effects / acts in such a direction / tends to oppose the
change causing it.

Magnetic Flux Density: (numerically equal to) force per unit length on straight conductor carrying
unit current normal to the field.

Alternating Currents
Smoothing: (output) p.d. / voltage / current does not fall to zero
range of (output) p.d. / voltage / current is reduced

Ideal Transformer: no power loss in transformer or input power = output power.

Root Mean square value of an alternating current: That value of the direct current / steady current
producing same (mean) power / heating in a resistor as the alternating current.

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Quantum Physics
Photon: Packet/quantum/discrete amount of energy of electromagnetic radiation having energy
equal to Planck constant × frequency.

De Broglie’s Wave Length: Particle/electron has a wavelength (associated with it)

dependent on its momentum or when/because particle is moving.

Photo Electric Effect: Electromagnetic radiation/photons incident on a surface causes emission of

electrons (from the surface).

Threshold Frequency: Minimum frequency of photon required for electron(s) to be emitted (from
surface) or frequency of photon causing emission of electron(s)from surface with zero kinetic
energy.

Work function Energy: Minimum photon energy required to remove an electron (from the surface).

Nuclear Physics
M

Radioactive: Unstable Nucleus emits particles/EM radiation/ionizing radiation. Emission from

eg

nucleus is random and spontaneous.

Decay Constant: Probability of decay (of a nucleus) per unit time.

a

Binding Energy: (minimum) energy required / work done to separate the nucleons (in a nucleus) to
infinity.
Le

Half Life: Time for number of atoms/nuclei or activity to be reduced to half of original value/initial
activity.
ct

Gamma Radiations: (photons of) Electromagnetic radiation emitted from nuclei.

u

Nucleus: Small central part/core of an atom.

re

Nucleon: Proton or a neutron (particle) contained within a nucleus.

Isotopes: Different forms of same element or nuclei having same number of protons with different
numbers of neutrons.

Radioactive Decay: Nucleus/nuclei emits spontaneously/randomly α-particles, β-particles, γ-ray

photons.

Nuclear Fusion: Two (light) nuclei combine to form a more massive nucleus.

Nuclear Fission: Heavy / large nucleus breaks up / splits into two nuclei / fragments of
approximately equal mass.

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Medical Imaging
Hardness: Penetration of beam. Greater hardness means greater penetration/shorter
wavelength/higher frequency/higher photon energy.
Sharpness: Clear distinction of boundaries between regions.

Contrast: Significant difference in degree of blackening between regions.

Acoustic Impedance: Product of speed of sound in medium and density (of medium).

Linear Absorption coefficient: parallel beam (in matter)

I = I0 exp(-μx)
I, I0, (μ) and x explained

Newtons Third Law: When two bodies interact, force on one body is equal but opposite in
direction to force on the other body.
M
eg
a
Le
ct
u re

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