MODULE 5

DEFINITIONS
FIELDS AND THEIR
APPLICATIONS
ELECTRIC FIELD
STRENGTH
THE ELECTRIC FIELD STRENGTH
AT A POINT IS THE FORCE FELT
BY A UNIT CHARGE PLACED AT
THAT POINT
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
THE ELECTRIC POTENTIAL AT A
POINT IS THE ELECTRICAL
POTENTIAL ENERGY PER UNIT
CHARGE AT THAT POINT
 COULOMB’S LAW
THE FORCE BETWEEN TWO ELECTRIC CHARGES
IS PROPORTIONAL TO THE PRODUCT OF THE
TWO CHARGES AND INVERSELY
PROPORTIONAL TO THE SQUARE OF THE
DISTANCE BETWEEN THEM
NEWTONS UNIVERSAL
LAW OF GRAVITATION
THE FORCE BETWEEN TWO MASSES IS
PROPORTIONAL TO THE PRODUCT OF
THE MASSES AND INVERSELY
PROPORTIONAL TO THE DISTANCE
BETWEEN THEIR CENTRES.
GRAVITATIONAL FIELD
STRENGTH
THE GRAVITATIONAL FIELD
STRENGTH AT A POINT IS THE
FORCE FELT ON A UNIT MASS
PLACED AT THAT POINT.
 GRAVITATIONAL
POTENTIAL
THE GRAVITATIONAL POTENTIAL AT A POINT IS
THE GRAVITATIONAL POTENTIAL ENERGY PER
UNIT MASS AT THAT POINT(BY CONVENTION
THE G.P.E. OF A MASS IS TAKEN TO BE ZERO
AT INFINITE DISTANCE FROM ALL OTHER
MASSES.
 THE STRONG
NUCLEAR FORCE
A VERY SHORT RANGE FORCE (A FEW
FEMTOMETRES) BETWEEN QUARKS
AND HADRONS RESPONSIBLE FOR
HOLDING THE NUCLEUS TOGETHER.
MAGNETIC FIELD
STRENGTH
THE MAGNETIC FIELD STRENGTH AT A
POINT IS THE FORCE FELT ON A WIRE
OF LENGTH 1m CARRYING A CURRENT
OF 1A AT RIGHT-ANGLES TO THE FIELD
FARADAY’S LAW OF
ELECTROMAGNETIC
INDUCTION
THE MAGNITUDE OF THE
INDUCED emf IS EQUAL TO THE
RATE OF FLUX CUTTING OR RATE
OF CHANGE OF FLUX LINKAGE.
 LENZ’S LAW
THE DIRECTION OF THE INDUCED emf
ALWAYS PRODUCES A CURRENT WHICH
OPPOSES THE CHANGE WHICH
PRODUCES THE emf.
NUCLEAR BINDING
ENERGY
THE ENERGY REQUIRED TO
TO SEPARATE THE NUCLEONS
IN A NUCLEUS TO INFINITY.
DECAY CONSTANT
THE PROBABILITY THAT A GIVEN
NUCLEUS IN A GIVEN NUCLIDE
WILL DECAY PER UNIT TIME
(NORMALLY ONE SECOND)
 HALF-LIFE
THE TIME TAKEN FOR HALF
THE NUCLEI IN A GIVEN
SAMPLE TO DECAY.