INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICS

Physics
 Is a branch of science which deals with the study of matter and energy.
 Physica - study of all habitual phenomena

Branches of Physics
Classical physics
 Refers to the courses that were identified and developed prior to turn of
20th century.
1. Mechanics - study of motion, inertia and energy
2. Acostic - study of production
3. Optics - study of light
4. Thermodynamics - study of heat transfer and effects of heat
5. Electromagnetism - study of electron fields and magnetic field

Modern Physics
 Refers to the physics concept that help in merge since the turn of 20 th
century.
1. Nuclear Physics - structure of nuclei
2. Atomic Physics - study of atomic properties
3. Quantum Physics - study of matter and energy
4. Relativistic Physics - study of phenomena that takes place in a form of
motion with fespect to an observer.

Father of Physics
 Galileo Galilie
 Isaac Newton
Albert Einstein

EINSTEIN”S POSTULATES

First Postulate of Special Relativity

 “The laws of Physics are the same and can be stated in their simplest
form in all inertial frame of reference.

Inertial Reference Frame

 A body at rest remain at rest, a body in motion moving at constant speed
will remain in motion unless acted by external force.

The first postulate upon which Einstein based the theory of special relativity
relates to reference frames.

All velocities are measured relative to some frame of reference, for example:

 A car’s motion is measured relative to its starting point or the road it is

moving over.
 A projectile’s motion is measured relative to the surface it was launched
from.
 A planet’s orbit is measured relative to the star it is orbiting around.
Second Postulate of Special Relativity

 “The speed of light c is a constant, independent of the relative motion of

the source.”

The second postulate upon which Einstein based his theory of special
relativity deals with the speed of light.

 Late in the 19th century, the major tenets of classical physics were well
established.
 Two of the most important were the laws of electricity and magnetism
and Newton’s laws.
 In particular, the laws of electricity and magnetism predict that light travels
at c = 3.00 x 108 m/s in a vacuum, but they do not specify the frame of
reference in which light has this speed.

Electricity - Sir Isaac Newton

 Force = mass x acceleration

Electromagnetism - Maxwell
 Speed = 3.00x108 mins/seconds
 Electricity and Magnetism travel space as a wave
 Light travel as a wave

 An object with mass cannot travel at speed c. This conclusion implies that
light in a vacuum must always travel at speed c relative to any observer.
Maxwell’s equations are correct, and Newton’s addition of velocities
is not correct for light.

Early-1800s
 Young’s double slit experimen had convincingly demonstrated that
light is a wave. Many types of waves were known, and all travelled in
some medium.

Mid-1880s
 The American physicist Albert Abraham Michelson, later aided by
Edward Williams Morley, made a series of direct measurements of the
speed of light.

Michelson-Morley experiment
 Demonstrated that the speed of light in a vacuum is independent of the
motion of the Earth about the Sun.
 The eventual conclusion derived from this result is that light, unlike
mechanical waves such as sound, does not need a medium to carry it.

1905
 Einstein published his first paper on special relativity
 The currently accepted conclusion was reached.
 Based mostly on his analysis that the laws of electricity and magnetism
would not allow another speed for light, and only slightly aware of the
Michelson-Morley experiment.
 Einstein detailed his second postulate of special relativity concluding that
the speed of light c is a constant, independent of the relative motion
of the source.

RELATIVITY AND SIMULTANEITY

 Basic premise of Newtonian mechanics is that a universal time scale

exists that is the same for all observer.
 Absolute, true and mathematical time
 According on the reference frame in which the measurement is made.

Event is an occurrence that has a definite position and time.

According to Einstein “A time interval measurement depends on the

reference frame”

Two events that are simultaneous in one frame are in general not
simultaneous in a second frame moving with respect to the time.

Simultaneity is not absolute concept, but one that depends, on the state of
motion of the observer.

EMMISION AND ABSORPTION OF LIGHT

Atom and molecules can absorb and emit light, telling us how many different
energy levels on electrons has and how for apart the energy level are spaced.

 Different colors of light are associated with different photon energies.

Photon is a packet of light.
In an atom, the amount of energy level that are allowed depends on the
structure of photons and electrons.

Emission - The process of elements releasing different photons of colors

as their atoms return to their lower energy level. The color of light that is
emitted by an atom depends on how much energy level the electron releases
as it moves down.
 Because of heat, electrons are kicked up their energy state.
 Different atom has energy levels
 Drop of energy of electron higher photon / high frequency of light.

Light absorption
 Process where light is absorbed and converted into enrgy when electron
absorbs energy, they become excited

Emission - falls back into the ground level

Absorption - light isn’t seen
Depends on the state of an objects electron. All electron vibrate as a specific
frequency. When light interacts with the same frequency, the electron of an
atom becomes excited and start vibrating.

When a photon travels to an atom in absorption drives a higher level of

energy in emission drops down to ground level.

Absorption Spectroscopy
1. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy - Method in producing a spectrum
when the atom absorbs different wavelength usually used for gases.
2. Molecular Absorption Spectroscopy - Method of producing a spectrum
when molecules absorbs different wavelength usually the ultraviolet or visible
light.

Emmission Spectroscopy
 Used to measure the photons release when an electron falls to lower
energy level after being excited.
 The emission of spectrum of a certain material is shown by a black band
with separated color lines.
1. Line
2. Continuous

Light is particle - light behave as a particle

1899
 Jj Thompson discovered electron

1887
Heinrich Hertz observed that if light hits a metal surface, a spark is formed
that phenomena is called photoelectric effect.

Photoelectric effect
 Is the emission of electrons in a metal surface when light is incident on it.

Photoelectron
 An electron released or ejected from a photoelectric substance having
absorbed energy from incoming light.

Photo current
 A flow of electron can cause electricity or current called photo current.

 The electron absorbs the energy for the light, that energy is converted to
kinetic energy causing it (electron) to be emitted / ejected from the
surface.
 Movement of electron cause photocurrent
 Movement of current cause by photoelectron is photocurrent.

Max Plank (1900)

 Had postulated that light is emitted discontinuously from a source of light.
Light is emitted in tiny bundles / particles.
 Light is not a wave, but a particles.

E = hf
Where:
E - energy of photon
h - Plank’s constant 6.626x10-34Js
f - frequency of light

 Light particles where first called quantum (quanta) and now called
photon (bundle of light)

Color Frequency
Red 480 - 405 THz
Orange 510 - 480 THz
Yellow 530 - 510 THz
Green 580 - 530 THz
Blue 675 - 580 THz
Indigo 700 - 675 THz
Violet 790 - 700 THz

1918
 Max Plank’s discovery won a NOBEL PRICE

Albert Eintein
 Theorized that when a photon falls on the surface of a wall, the entire
photon’s energy is transferred to the electron.

Work function
 The energy required to eject an electron.
 It is constant in a given substance

Eintein’s Photo Electric Equation

E = O+KE
Where:
O - work function
KE - Kinetic energy

Can be E = w + KE
hf = Kinetic energy
EV = Electron volt

Characteristics of the Photo Electric Effect

1. The absorbance of lag time

 In photo electric effect, the ejection of electron is instantaneous (instant) it
doesn’t need lag time. If the light with enough energy hits the surface it
will eject the electron in an instant manner.

2. The Independence of KE of photo electric on the intensity of incident

radiation
 In photo electric effect, KE is independent, it is not affected by light
intensity, instead it is affected only be light frequency.

Threshold Frequency
 Is the minimum in the light threshold frequency will not eject electron

3. The KE of photo electrons are directly proportional to frequency of

light
 Incident light less than minimum frequency will not eject electron (-c)
 Incident light more than minimum frequency, electron is ejected.

Photo electric effect needs high frequency not high intensity.

Application is on
 Solar panel
 Camera

ATOMIC LINE SPECTRA AND ENERGY LEVEL

Energy element has its own characteristics color when made to emit light

Line Spectra
1. Emission - electrons are excited state by thermal or eletrical means are
then release back to ground state and emitted photon of light at a specific
energy which is seen at specific wavelength.

2. Absorption

 If light is absorbed, it moves to the higher level

 If light is emitted, It falls to ground state
Emission is an EXOTHERMIC process - discharge heat
Exanple: Burning of candle

Absorption is an ENDOTHERMIC process - absorbs heat

Example: Photosynthesis and Melting of ice