| A | B |
|---|
| accuracy | describes how close a measured value is to the true value of the quanity measured |
| alternation current | an electric current that changes direction at regular intervals |
| angle of incidence | the angle between a ray that strikes a surface and the normal to that surface at the point of contact |
| angle of reflection | the angle formed by the line normal to a surface and the direction in which a reflected ray moves |
| beat | the interference of waves of slightly different frequencies traveling in the same direction, perceived as a variation in loudness |
| capacitance | the ablitiy of a conductor to store energy in the form electrically separated charges |
| centripetal acceleration | acceleration directed toward the center of a circular path |
| chromatic aberration | the focusing of different colors of light at different distances behind a lens |
| coherence | the property of which two waves with identical wave lenghts maintain a constant phase relationship |
| compression | the region of a longitudial wave in which the density and pressure are greater than normal |
| concave spherical mirror | an inwardly curved, mirrored surfave that is a portion of a sphere and that converges incomming light rays |
| conductor | material that transfers charge easily |
| constructive interference | interference in which individual displacements on the same side of equilibrium position are added together to form the resulant wave |
| convex spherical mirror | an outwardly curved, mirrored surfave that is a portion of a sphere and that diverges incomming light rays |
| critical angle | the mimium angle of incidence for which total internal reflection occurs |
| current | the rate at which electric charges move through a given area |
| decibel level | relative intensity determined by relating of a sound wave to the intensity at the threshold of hear |
| diffraction | the spreading of waves into a region behind an obstruction |
| dispresion | the process of separating polychromatic light into its component wavelengths |
| domain | a microscopic magnetic region composed of a group of atoms whose magnitic fields are aligned in a common direction |
| Doppler effect | a frequency shift that is the result of a relative motion between a source of sound waves and a observer |
| drift velocity | the net veolcity of a charge carrier moving in an electic field |
| elastic potential energy | the potential energy in a stretched or compressed elastic object |
| electric circuit | a set of electrical components connected so that they provide one of more complete paths for the movement of charges |
| electric field | a region in space around a charged object in which a stationary charge object experiences an electric force because of its charge |
| electric field lines | lines that represent both the magnitude and direction of the electric field |
| electric potential | the electical potential energy associated with a charge particle divided by the charge of the particle |
| electical potential energy | potential energy associated with an object due to its position relative to a source of electric force |
| electromagnetic induction | production of an emf in a conduction circuit by a change in the strength, position, orientation of an external magnetic field |
| electromagnetic wave | a transverse wave consisiting of oscillating electric and magnetic fields at right angles to each other |
| EMF | the energy per unit charge supplied by a source of electric current |
| force | the cause of an acceleration or the change in an object's velocity |
| frequency | the number of cycles or vibrations per unit of time |
| fundamental frequency | the lowest frequency of vibration of a standing wave |
| generator | a device that uses induction to convert mechanical energy to electical energy |
| gravitational potential energy | the potential energy associated with an object due to position relative to earth or some other gravitational source |
| harmonic series | a series of frequencies that includes the fundamental frequency and integral multiples of the fundamental frequency |
| impulse | for a constant external force, the product of the force and the time over which it acts on an object |
| induction | the process of charging a conductor by bringing it near another charged object and grounding the conductor |
| inertia | the tendency of an object to maintain its state of motion |
| insulator | material that does not transer charge easily |
| intensity | the rate at which energy flows through a unit area perpendicular to the direction of wave motion |
| kinetic energy | the energy of an object due to its motion |
| laser | a device that produces an intense, nearly parallel beam of coherent light |
| lens | a transparent object that refracts light rays, causing them to converge or diverge to create an image |
| linear polarization | the alignment of electromagnetic waves in such a way that the vibrations of the electric fields in each of the waves are parallel to each other |
| longitudinal wave | a wave whose particles vibrate parallel to the direction of wave motion |
| magnetic field | a region in which a magnetic force can be detected |
| medium | the material through which a disturbance travels |
| momentum | a vector quantity defined as the product of an object's mass and velocity |
| node | a point in a standing wave that always undergoes complete destructive interference and therefore is stationary |
| order number | the number assigned to interference fringes with respect to the central bright fringe |
| parallel (circuit) | describes two or more components in a circuit that are connected across common points or junctions, providing separate conduction path for the current |
| period | the time it takes to execute a complete cycle of motion |
| phase change | the physical change of a substance from one state (solid, liquid, or gas) to another at constant temperature and pressure |
| pitch | the perceived highness or lowness of a sound, depending on the frequency of the sound waves |
| potential difference | the change in electrical potential energy associated with a charged particle divided by ehte charge of the particle |
| percision | the degree of exactness with which a measurement is made and stated |
| rarefaction | the region of a longitudial wave in which the density and pressure are less than normal |
| real image | an image formed when rays of light actually intersect at a single point |
| reflection | the turning back of an electromagnectic wave at the surface of a substance |
| refraction | the bending of a wave disturbance as it passes at an angle of from one medium to another |
| resistance | the opposition to the flow of charge in a conductor |
| resolving power | the ability of an optical instrument to separate two image that are close that are close together |
| resonance | a condition that exists when the frequency of a force applied to a system matches the natural frequency of vibration of the system |
| schematic diagram | a graphic representation of an electic circuit, with standardized symbols representing circuit components |
| series (circuit) | describes a circuit or portion of a circuit that provides a single conducting path without junctions |
| significant figures | digits in a measurement that are known with certainty plus the first digit that is uncertain |
| simple harmonic motion | vibration about an equilibrium position in which a restoring force is proporational to the displacement from equilibrium |
| standing wave | a wave pattern that results when two waves of the same frequency wavelenght, and amplitude travel in opposite directions and interfere |
| superconductor | a material whose resistance is zero at or below some critical temperature, which variers with each material |
| total internal relfection | the complete reflection of light at the boundary of two transparent media; this effect occurs when the angle of incidence exceeds the critical angle |
| transformer | a device that changes one ac potential difference to a different ac potential difference |
| transverse wave | a wave whose particles vibrate perpendicular to the direction of wave motion |
| virtual image | an image formed by light rays that only appear to intersect |
| wavelength | the distance between two adjacent similar points of the wave, such as from crest to crest or from trough to trough |
| work-kinetic theorem | the theorem stating that the net work done on an object is equal to the change in kinetic energy of the object |
