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Base quantities PHYSICAL QUANTITIES that cannot be defined in terms of other physical
quantities
Derived quantities PHYSICAL QUANTITIES produced from the combination of base quantities through
multiplication, division or both
Scientific notation POWERS of the base number 10 to show a very large or small number
/ standard form
Prefixes GROUP OF LETTERS placed at the beginning of a word to modify its meaning,
which act as multipliers
Scalar quantity QUANTITY which has only magnitude (time, temperature, mass, volume, distance,
density, power)
Vector quantity QUANTITY which has both magnitude and direction (force, velocity, displacement,
acceleration, momentum)
Error DIFFERENCE between actual value of a quantity and the value obtained in
measurement
Systematic errors CUMULATIVE ERRORS that can be corrected, if the errors are known.
(zero error, incorrect calibration of measuring instrument)
Random errors ERRORS that arise from unknown and unpredictable variations in condition, and will
produce a different error every time. (human limitations, lack of sensitivity, natural
errors, wrong technique)
Zero error ERROR that arises when the measuring instrument does not start from exactly
zero
Parallax error ERROR in reading an instrument because the observer’s eyes and the pointer are
not in a line perpendicular to the plane of scale
Consistency ABILITY to register the same reading when a measurement is repeated (improve –
eliminates parallax error, greater care, not detective instrument)
Accuracy DEGREE to which a measurement represents the actual value (improve – repeat
readings, avoid parallax/zero error, high accuracy instrument)
Inferences EARLY CONCLUSION that you draw from an observation or event using information
that you already have on it
Displacement CHANGE IN POSITION of an object from its initial position in a specified direction
Distance taken with consideration of direction
Inertia PROPERTY of matter that causes it to resist any change in its motion or state of rest
Gravity FORCE originated from centre of the Earth that pulls all objects towards the ground
Free fall FALLING of an object without encountering any resistance from a height towards the
earth with an acceleration due to gravity
Forces in equilibrium An object is said to be in a state of equilibrium when forces act upon an object and it
remains stationary or moves at a constant velocity
Resultant force SINGLE FORCE which combines two or more forces which act on an object
Work Work is done when a force causes an object to move in the direction of the force.
Gravitational PE ENERGY STORED in the object because of its height above the earth surface
Efficiency ABILITY of an electrical appliance to transform energy from one form to another
without producing useless energy or wastage
Elasticity Ability of an object to return to its original shape after an applied force is removed
Elastic limit MAXIMUM STRETCHING FORCE which can be applied to an elastic material before
it ceases to be elastic
PRINCIPLE
Hooke’s Law
Hooke’s law states that the force, F applied to a spring is directly proportional to the spring’s extension or
compression, x, provided the elastic limit is not exceeded.
Gas pressure FORCE per unit area exerted by the gas particles as they collide with the walls of their
container (due to the rate of change of momentum)
Buoyant force The upthrust acting on an object due to the fluid displaced when an object is immersed
PRINCIPLE
Law of Floatation
Law of floatation states that the weight of an object floating on the surface of a liquid is equal to the weight of
water displaced by the object. (weight of object = weight of water displaced)
Pascal’s Principle
Pascal’s principle states that a pressure applied to a confined fluid is transmitted uniformly in all directions
throughout the fluid.
Archimedes’ principle
Archimedes’ principle states that the buoyant force on a body immersed in a fluid is equal to the weight of the
fluid displaced by that object (buoyant force = weight of water displaced)
Bernoulli’s principle
Bernoulli’s principle states that the pressure of a moving fluid decreases as the speed of the fluid increases,
and the converse is also true.
Chapter 4: Heat
Thermometric property PHYSICAL PROPERTY of a substance which is sensitive to and varies linearly with
the temperature change
Thermal equilibrium A STATE when the net rate of heat transfer between the two objects are zero and
their temperature are the same
Heat capacity The amount of HEAT ENERGY required to raise the temperature of an object by 1°C
Specific heat capacity The amount of HEAT ENERGY required to increase the temperature of a mass of
1kg by 1°C
Latent heat The amount of HEAT ABSORBED OR RELEASED when a substance changes its
state without a change in temperature
Specific latent The amount of HEAT ENERGY required to change 1 kg of a substance from solid
heat of fusion state to liquid state without a change in temperature
Specific latent heat The amount of HEAT ENERGY required to change 1 kg of a substance from liquid
of vapourisation state to gaseous state, without a change in temperature
PRINCIPLE
Boyle’s Law
Boyle’s Law states that the pressure of a fixed mass of gas is inversely proportional to its volume provided the
temperature of the gas is kept constant (PV = k)
Pressure Law
The pressure law states that the pressure of a fixed mass of gas is directly proportional to its absolute
temperature (in Kelvin), provided the volume of the gas is kept constant (P/T = k)
Charles’ Law
Charles’ law states that the volume of a fixed mass of gas is directly proportional to its absolute temperature (in
Kelvin), provided the pressure of the gas is kept constant (V/T = k)
Chapter 5: Light
Refraction PHENOMENON where the direction of light is changed when it crosses the boundary
between two materials of different optical densities as a result of a change in the
velocity of light.
Apparent depth, d DISTANCE of the image from the surface of water (or the boundary between the two
mediums involved)
Real depth, D DISTANCE of the object from the surface of the water (or the boundary
between the two mediums involved)
Total internal TOTAL REFLECTION of a beam of light at the boundary of two mediums, when
reflection the angle of incidence in the optically denser medium exceeds a specific critical
angle
Critical angle GREATEST ANGLE OF INCIDENCE in the optically denser medium for which the
angle of refraction, r = 90°
Power of lens MEASURE OF ITS ABILITY to converge or diverge an incident beam of light
PRINCIPLE
Laws of Reflection
- the angle of incidence, i, is equal to the angle of reflection, r (i = r)
- the incident ray, normal and reflected ray will all lie in the same plane
Law of Refraction
- The incident ray and the refracted ray are on the opposite sides of the
normal at the point of incidence, all three lie in the same plane
- Obey snell’s law
Snell’s Law
The value of sin i/sin r is a constant.
IMAGE CHARACTERISTICS
Waves A disturbance that transfers energy between 2 points through vibrations in a medium, without
transferring matter between the 2 points
Transverse Wave WAVE in which the vibration of particles in the medium is perpendicular to the
direction of propagation of the wave
(water waves, light waves, electromagnetic waves)
Longitudinal Wave WAVE in which the vibration of particles in the medium is parallel to the direction of
propagation of the wave (sound waves, ultrasound)
Coherent waves Waves that have the same frequency and with constant phase difference
Period TIME TAKEN to complete an oscillation, from one extreme point to the other and back to the
same position.
Resonance Resonance occurs when a system is made to oscillate at its natural frequency by an external
force. The resonating system oscillates at its maximum amplitude.
Natural frequency The frequency of a system which oscillates freely without external force
Reflection of wave Change in the direction of wave that occurs when a wave strike an obstacle
(direction ≠ ; f = ; a ≠ ; λ = )
Refraction of wave Change in the direction of travel of the waves caused by the change of speed of the
waves as they pass through different mediums
(f = ; v ≠ ; λ ≠ ; direction ≠)
Diffraction of waves The spreading of a wave as it passes through a narrow slit or round a small obstacle
(f = ; λ = ; speed = ; v ≠ ; direction ≠)
Interference of waves SUPERPOSITION of two waves originating from two coherent sources
(coherent = same frequency, amplitude and in phase)
Constructive interference The superposition of 2 waves which are in phase to produce a resultant
wave of maximum amplitude
Destructive interference The superposition of 2 waves which are in phase to produce a resultant
wave of zero amplitude
Antinodal line Line joining all the points where constructive interference takes place.
Nodal line Line joining all the points where destructive interference takes place.
Sound waves Longitudinal waves in which the oscillations of air molecules take place in the
direction of wave travel
Electromagnetic waves PROPAGATING WAVES in space with electric and magnetic components.
These components oscillate at right angles to each other and to the direction
of propagation of wave.
Principle of superposition
Principle of superposition states that at any instant, the wave displacement of the combined motion of any
number of interacting waves at a point is the sum of the displacements of all the components waves at that
point.
Chapter 2 – Electricity
Potential difference, V WORK DONE when 1 Coulomb of charge moves between 2 points in an electric field
Resistance, R RATIO of the potential difference across the conductor to the current flowing through
it
Superconductor Material whose resistance becomes zero when it is cooled below a certain
temperature called the critical temperature
Electromotive force (e.m.f.) TOTAL ELECTRICAL ENERGY supplied by a cell given to 1 C of charge
flowing through the cell
“12 V, 15 W” When a potential difference of 12 V is connected across the --- , it will produce ----
energy of 15 J per second
PRINCIPLE
Ohm’s Law Ohm’s law states that the electric current, I flowing through a conductor is directly
proportional to the potential difference across the ends of conductor, if temperature and other
physical conditions remain constant.
Chapter 3 – Electromagnetism
Magnetic field REGION in which a magnetic material experiences a force as the result of a magnet
or a current-carrying conductor
Radial field MAGNETIC FIELD with the field lines pointing towards or away from the centre of a
circle.
Root mean square VALUE of a steady current/ voltage, which would produce the same heating effect in
a given resistor.
Transformer EQUIPMENT to raise or lower the potential difference of an alternating current supply
PRINCIPLE
Faraday’s Law
The magnitude of the induced electromotive force (e.m.f.) is directly proportional to the rate of change of
magnetic flux linkage with the solenoid or the rate at which a conductor cuts through the magnetic flux.
Lenz’s Law
Lenz’s law states that an induced electric current always flows in such a direction so as to oppose the change
(or motion) producing it.
Chapter 4 – Electronics
Thermionic emission EMISSION of electrons from hot metal surface
Cathode ray oscilloscope measuring and testing INSTRUMENT used in study of electricity and
electronics
Junction voltage POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE acting from n-type to p-type material of a diode across
the depletion layer
Smoothing PROCESS where output is smoothed by connecting a capacitor across load the
acts as a reservoir and maintains potential difference across load
Logic gates ELECTRONIC SWITCHES with one or more inputs and one output.
Chapter 5 – Radioactivity
Atom An atom consists of a nucleus which is made up of protons and neutrons, with
electrons orbiting the nucleus.
Nuclide TYPE of nucleus with particular proton number and nucleon number
Isotopes ATOMS the same element with the same proton number but different nucleon and
neutron number (similar chemical properties but differs in physical properties)
Radioactive decay The spontaneous and random emission of radioactive rays from unstable nucleus or
material to become more stable
Radioisotope ISOTOPE with unstable nucleus that tends to undergo radioactive decay
Half life TIME TAKEN for the activity of atoms to fall to half its original value
TIME TAKEN for half the atoms in a given sample to decay
Nuclear energy Energy released during the decay or reaction of the radioactive nucleus
Nuclear fission The splitting of a heavy nucleus into two or more lighter and smaller nuclei with the
release of energy.
Nuclear fusion The fusion of two or more small and light nuclei to form a heavier and larger nucleus.
PRINCIPLE