GLossary

GLOSSARY
acceleration (a)

the time rate of change in velocity of an object, a vector quantity

amplitude

the maximum displacement along a wave

animal electricity

the source of electricity as proposed by Galvani arising from his experiments with frogs legs

area under the curve

the area bound by the graph and the x-axis

astronomical unit (AU)

the average distance between the Earth and the Sun (approx. 150 million km)

average speed

the distance travelled divided by the time taken for an entire journey or segment of a journey

bandwidth

the rate of data transfer

centripetal acceleration

the acceleration of an object due to its circular motion directed towards the centre of the circle

Classical Physics

physics based upon principles developed prior to Einsteins general theory of relativity and quantum
physics

compression

areas within a medium where the particles are temporarily closer together as a wave passes

constructive interference when two or more waves superpose to give a resultant wave having a larger amplitude than any of the
component waves
convection currents

movements of regions of hotter material usually in an upward direction away from the core of the star

conventional current

the imaginary flow of positive particles or fluid around a circuit that has the opposite direction to the
actual flow of electrons

crest

the top of a transverse wave

critical angle (C)

the angle of incidence that gives an angle of refraction of 90

current (I)

the number of coulombs of electrons flowing past a point in a circuit in one second, measured in
amperes (A)

destructive interference

when two or more waves superpose to give a resultant wave having a smaller amplitude than any of the
component waves

digital data

information stored in binary form, that is, as 0s or 1s

direction of a magnetic
field

the direction of the force a north pole will experience if placed within the field

direction of electric field the direction of the force experienced by a positive charge within the electric field
displacement

in the context of waves, the distance a point on a wave is away from its rest position

displacement (r)

in the context of velocity, the straight-line distance between two positions, with direction

elastic collisions

collisions in which the kinetic energy of the system is conserved

electric field

a field of force surrounding charged objects experienced by another charge placed nearby measured in
newtons per coulomb (N C1 ) or volts per metre (V m1)

electromagnetic
induction

the production of an electric current or potential in a conductor that experiences a changing magnetic
field intensity (flux)

electromagnetic waves

oscillating electric and magnetic waves that do not require a medium and travel at the speed of light in
a vacuum

electron current

the actual flow of electrons that constitutes an electric current

energy (E )

the ability to do work

epicycles

circles within circles, used by astronomers in the past to explain the motion of heavenly bodies

fixed end

an end of a spring or string that cannot move up or down as a wave is reflected

force (F )

a push or a pull exerted on an object that may cause a change in motion or shape

frame of reference

an object or a coordinate system that can be used to describe or compare motions

free end

an end of a spring or string that is able to move up and down with the wave as it is being reflected

frequency ( f )

the number of whole oscillations or wavelengths that pass a point per second, measured in hertz (Hz)
or cycles per second

friction

a force that opposes motion or the force between two objects preventing their motion by sliding

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GLOSSARY

geocentric

Earth-centred

heliocentric

Sun-centred

impulse (I )

the product of the net force acting and the time it is acting

inelastic collisions

collisions in which the kinetic energy of the system is not conserved

inertia

the tendency for an object to maintain its motion

instantaneous speed

the speed of an object at a particular instant in time

law of conservation of
momentum

the momentum of a system before a collision equals the momentum of the system after the collision if
no external forces act on the system

law of inertia

also known as Newtons first law: a body will retain its state of motion unless acted upon by an
unbalanced force

light year (l.y.)

the distance light travels in one Earth year (approx 9.4 3 1012 km)

longitudinal waves

waves in which the motion of the medium is back and forth parallel to the direction of propagation of
the wave

magnetic field

a force field surrounding a magnetic substance such that another magnetic substance will experience a
force if placed within the field

Main Sequence stars

stars that are fusing hydrogen into helium within their cores

mass (m)

a measure of how much matter exists in a body

mechanical waves

waves that require a medium for their propagation

mechanics

the study of forces and their effects on objects

medium

the material that oscillates or is disturbed as a wave passes through it

metallic electricity

the source of electricity as proposed by Volta arising from his experiments with different metals

modulation

the variations made to the frequency or amplitude of a carrier wave containing the information

momentum (p)

the product of an objects mass and velocity

net force ( F )

the vector sum of all the forces acting on an object

non-ionising radiation

electromagnetic radiation with sufficiently low frequencies so as not to cause electrons to be lost from
atoms upon exposure

non-ohmic conductors

conductors (or resistances) that do not obey Ohms law over a given range of conditions

normal force or reaction the force exerted on an object perpendicular to the surface it is on or pushing against (often a
component of the objects weight)
force
Ohms law

the combining of two smaller nuclei to produce a larger nuclei, in the process releasing energy
expressed as V = IR or R = V showing the relationship between voltage across and current through a
I
resistance

ohmic conductors

conductors (or resistances) that obey Ohms law over a given range of conditions

optical fibre cables

cables containing many strands of glass fibres in which visible or infrared light can travel, trapped by
the effect of total internal reflection

parallel circuit

a circuit in which the resistances/devices are wired side by side so that the current can flow through
them simultaneously

parsec (pc)

the distance to an object having a parallax angle of one arcsecond (one second of one degree)
(approx 3.26 l.y.)

period (T)

the time taken for the passing of one complete oscillation or

wavelength

photosphere

the apparent surface of a star from where the light seems to originate

power (P)

the product of the potential difference (V) and the current (I) through a device or the rate at which
work (energy) is being expended

principle of
superposition

the way in which, when two or more waves coincide, their displacements add to give the displacement
of the resultant wave

rarefaction

areas within a medium where the particles are temporarily further apart as a wave passes

red giant stars

stars that have become enlarged to many times their original size and are fusing heavier elements in
their cores

nuclear fusion

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GLossary

refractive index (n)

a relative measure of how the speed of light is slowed in a medium

resistance (R)

the measure of the ability of a material to prevent the flow of electric current through it

resolving

finding the two perpendicular components of a vector

scalar quantity

a quantity having magnitude and no direction

series circuit

a circuit in which the resistances/devices are wired end to end so that the current flows through them
successively

solar wind

a stream of charged particles ejected into space from the Sun

speed

the distance travelled divided by the time taken

sunspots

cooler regions on the surface of the Sun that appear darker than the surrounding photosphere

supernova

an exploding star briefly emitting as much light as an entire galaxy

total internal reflection

the reflection of light (or any other wave) within a more dense medium when the angle of incidence
exceeds the critical angle

transverse waves

waves in which the motion of the medium is transverse to (perpendicular to) the direction of
propagation of the wave

trough

the bottom of a transverse wave

uniform circular motion motion in a circle with constant (uniform) speed

vector quantity

a quantity having both magnitude and direction that can be represented by an arrow

velocity (v)

in the context of waves, the speed with which a wave propagates (travels). In the context of motion,
speed with direction indicated

voltage/potential
difference (V )

a measure of how many joules of energy are expended by each coulomb of electrons flowing through
that part of a circuit or the difference in energy of each coulomb of electrons between different points
around a circuit

wavebands

ranges of wavelengths of radiation within the electromagnetic spectrum having common uses due to
their common characteristics

wavelength ()

the distance between two successive corresponding points on a wave

weight (W )

the force exerted on a mass due to the gravitational field

white dwarf stars

stars at the end of their life cycles that are no longer fusing nuclei in their cores but continue to emit
light due to their residual heat

work (W )

the transfer of energy causing a change in an objects energy

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