AS 1 Physics definitions

• Ohm's Law


  The current through a conductor is directly proportional to the voltage across it provided that temperature stays constant
• Work Done


  The product of force and distance moved in the direction of the force
• Difference between vector and scalar

  Scalar has only unit and magnitude whereas vector has unit, magnitude and direction
• Parabolic curve


  the name given to the shape of projectile motion
• Projectile Motion

  uniform velocity in one direction, constant acceleration in the perpendicular direction
• Newton's First Law


  if a body is at rest, it will remain at rest unless a resultant force acts upon it. If the body is moving in a straight line with a constant speed, it will continue to move in this way unless a resultant force acts upon it
• Newton's Second Law


  The acceleration of an object is inversely proportional to it's mass, directly proportional to the resultant force upon it and takes place in the same direction as the unbalanced force
• Newton's Third Law


  If body A exerts a force on body B, B exerts an equal and opposite force on A
• Superconducting


  Resistance is at zero below the critical temperature
• Moment of a force about a point

  product of force and the perpendicular distance to the line of action
• Principle of conservation of momentum


  In a system of colliding objects the total momentum before = the total momentum after provided that it is an isolated system
• Elastic Collision


  Those in which kinetic energy is conserved
• Inelastic Collision


  Those in which kinetic energy is not conserved
• Centre of Gravity

  the point at which we take an objects weight to act
• Centre of Mass

  The point at which we take an objects mass to be concentrated
• Range

  The horizontal distance an object travels before returning to the ground
• Principle of conservation of energy

  If no external forces are acting, the total momentum of a system of colliding bodies is constant
• Energy


  The stored ability to do work
• Potential energy


  An object has gravitational potential energy when raised above the ground
• Kinetic energy


  Energy possessed by a moving object
• Principle of conservation of energy

  Energy cannot be created nor destroyed, only transferred from one form to another
• Power


  The rate of doing work
• Electromotive Force


  The energy converted into electrical energy when a unit charge (1C) passes through it
• Volt


  A joule per coloumb
• Electrical Power


  the rate at which electrical energy is converted into other forms of energy by a circuit or a component in a circuit