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Physics Definition
Physics Definition
Chapter 1: measurements
Base quantities are physical quantities that cannot be defines in terms of other physical quantities.
Derived quantities are physical quantities that are derived by combining base quantities through multiplication or
division or both.
Vector quantities are physical quantities which have both magnitude and direction.
Uniform motion is when an object moves equal distance at equal time interval.
Non-uniform motion is when an object moves unequal distance at equal time interval or vice versa.
Gravitational acceleration is the acceleration of object due to the pull of gravitational force.
Impulse is the product of the force acting on an object and the time of action.
Chapter 3: gravitation
Gravitational force is a force that attracts any two objects with masses.
Centripetal force is the force needed by an object to keep it in a circular motion at a distance from the centre of a
Centripetal acceleration is the acceleration always directed towards the centre of the circle.
Geostationary satellites are satellites that remain stationary to a point of the earth where transmitter and receivers
Non-geostationary satellites are satellites where their positions relative to the earth are not fixed.
Escape velocity is the minimum velocity required by an object to escape the gravitational field of a massive body
such as earth.
Chapter 4: heat
Heat is a type of energy which always flows from warmer to cooler objects.
Thermal equilibrium is said to be achieved when there is no net flow of heat between two objects while both objects
Heat capacity is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of the object by 1 °C.
Specific heat capacity is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1kg of substance by 1 °C.
Latent heat is energy absorbed or released during a change in state without any change in temperature.
Specific latent heat is the amount of heat required to change state of 1kg of substance without changing its
temperature.
Specific latent heat of fusion is the amount of heat absorbed during melting to change 1kg of solid into a liquid
Specific latent heat of fusion is the amount of heat released during freezing to change 1kg of liquid into a solid
Specific latent heat of vaporisation is the amount of heat absorbed during boiling to change 1kg of liquid into gas
Specific latent heat of vaporisation is the amount of heat released during condensation to change
Chapter 5: waves
Waves are a disturbance that a propagated through a medium which transfers energy.
Stationary wave is a wave in which the wave profile does not move with time.
Amplitude of wave is the maximum displacement of particles from the equilibrium position.
Period of wave is the time taken by particles to make one complete oscillation.
Frequency of wave is the number of oscillations made by the particles in one second.
Natural frequency is the frequency of a system at which the system oscillates when there is no external force acting
on it.
Internal damping is the energy loss due to extension and compression of the molecules in the
system.
Refraction of waves is the change in direction of propagation of waves when propagate from one medium to another.
Diffraction of waves is the spreading of waves when they travel through an opening or a small obstacle.
Coherent waves are waves that have same frequency and the constant phase difference.
Electromagnetic waves are transverse wave with a wide range of different properties and uses.
Electromagnetic spectrum is the complete range of electromagnetic waves, arranged orderly in their wavelengths
and frequencies.
Refraction of light is the bending of light ray at the boundary of two mediums when the light travels from a medium to
another.
Refractive index is the ratio of the speed of light in vacuum to the speed of light in the medium.
Real depth is the actual distance between surface of water and the bottom of water.
Apparent death is the distance between the virtual image of the bottom of water and the surface of water.
Critical angle is the angle of incidence in a medium of high optical density when the angle of refraction in a medium
Total internal reflection is when light travels from a medium of high optical density to a medium of low optical
density, with the angle of incidence is grater than the critical angle.
Convex lens is a converging lens that converges the refracted rays towards the focal point.
Optical centre is the central point of a lens where light passes through optical centre in a straight line.
Principal axis is a straight line that passes through the optical centre.
Focal point is the point on the principal axis where all light rays originally parallel and close to the axis converge to, or
Focal length is the distance between optical centre and focal point of lens.
Linear magnification is the ratio of height o the image to the height of the object.
Concave lens is a diverging lens that diverges the refracted ray away from the focal point.
FORM 5
Resultant force is the single force obtained from the addition of two or more forces that are applied to the object.
Resolution of force is the process of splitting up the given force into two components without changing its effect on
the body.
Elasticity is the ability of a material to return to its original shape when the force that acts on it is removed.
Elastic limit of a spring is the maximum force that can be applied to a spring such that the spring will be able to be
Chapter 2: pressure
The atmospheric pressure is the pressure exerted by the air within the atmosphere.
Chapter 3: electricity
Potential difference is the work done in moving 1 coulomb od positive charge from one point in an electric field to
another point.
Voltmeter is used to measure the potential difference between two points in one circuit
Resistivity of a wire is a resistance of one metre length of the wire that has a cross-sectional area of 1m3.
Insulators are materials that do not conduct electricity and have the highest resistivity compared to other materials.
Conductors are materials that conduct electricity and have low resistivity.
Semiconductors are materials that conduct electricity better than insulators but not as good as conductors, and have
Superconductors are materials that lose all electrical resistance when cooled below a certain threshold temperature.
Electromotive force is defined as the work done by a source in driving one coulomb of charge around a complete
circuit.
Internal resistance of a source or dry cell is the resistance against the moving charge due to the electrolyte.
Chapter 4: electromagnetism
Catapult field is a non-uniform field where the field is stronger than the other side.
Homopolar motor is an electric motor with direct current with two magnetic poles.
Transformer is an electrical device that increases or decreases the voltage of alternating current based on the
Ideal transformer will have zero energy loss during process of transforming the voltage.
Chapter 5: electronics
Semiconductor is a material whose resistance is between good conductors and good insulators.
Transistor is a semiconductor device with three terminals for connection to an external circuit.
Potential divider is a simple circuit that uses two resistors to supply a variable potential difference.
Radioactive decay is a spontaneous and random decay process in which an unstable nucleus changes into a more
Alpha particle is a helium nucleus which consists of two protons and two neutrons and no electrons.
Gamma rays are electromagnetic waves that travel through space at the speed of light.
Half-life is the time taken for a sample of radioactive nuclei to decay to half of its initial number or activity.
Nuclear energy is the energy in the nucleus of an atom and also known as atomic energy.
Nuclear fission is the splitting of the nucleus of a heavy atom into two lighter nuclei which emits either two or three
energy.
Nuclear power station is a place to generate electrical energy by using nuclear fission which is taking place in a
nuclear energy.
Quantum mechanic is the science dealing with very small matters which describes the behaviour of matter and its
Quantum of energy is a discrete packet of energy which is dependent on the frequency of waves.
Wave-particle duality is the concept in quantum mechanics that every particle or quantum exhibits both particle and
wave properties.
Threshold frequency is the minimum frequency for a light photon to produce photoelectric effect.
Photoelectric cell is an electronic device that generates electricity when light falls on the cathode.