Physics Glossary

The rate of change of velocity with respect to time, measured in meters per second squared ($\text{m/s}^2$).

The maximum displacement of a wave from its equilibrium position, determining the wave's intensity or loudness in the case of sound.

A measure of the rotational motion of an object, equal to the product of its moment of inertia and angular velocity, and conserved in the absence of external torques.

The ability of a system to store electric charge per unit voltage, measured in farads (F).

The net inward force that keeps an object moving in a circular path, directed toward the center of the circle.

The bending and spreading of waves when they encounter an obstacle or pass through an opening comparable in size to their wavelength.

The amount of electric potential energy per unit charge at a specific point in an electric field, measured in volts (V).

A thermodynamic quantity that measures the degree of disorder or the number of microscopic configurations available to a system.

The number of complete wave cycles that pass a given point per unit time, measured in hertz (Hz).

A contact force that opposes the relative motion or tendency of motion between two surfaces, converting kinetic energy into thermal energy.

The product of a force and the time interval over which it acts, equal to the change in momentum of the object it acts upon.

The property of an electrical conductor by which a change in current flowing through it creates a voltage (electromotive force) in both the conductor itself and nearby conductors.

The phenomenon in which two or more waves superpose to form a resultant wave of greater, lower, or equal amplitude depending on their phase relationship.

Atoms of the same element that have equal numbers of protons but different numbers of neutrons, resulting in different atomic masses.

The SI unit of energy, defined as the work done when a force of one newton moves an object one meter in the direction of the force.

The energy an object possesses due to its motion, equal to one-half the product of its mass and the square of its velocity.

The product of an object's mass and its velocity, a vector quantity that is conserved in isolated systems.

A quantum of electromagnetic radiation that carries energy proportional to its frequency and has zero rest mass.

The orientation of oscillations of a transverse wave, especially light, in a particular direction perpendicular to the direction of propagation.

The rate at which work is done or energy is transferred, measured in watts (W), where one watt equals one joule per second.

The change in direction of a wave as it passes from one medium to another due to a change in its speed.

A measure of the opposition to the flow of electric current through a conductor, measured in ohms and related to voltage and current by Ohm's law.

A measure of the rotational force applied to an object, equal to the product of the force and the perpendicular distance from the axis of rotation to the line of action of the force.

A vector quantity describing the rate of change of an object's position with respect to time, including both speed and direction.

The energy transferred to or from an object by a force acting over a displacement, calculated as the dot product of force and displacement vectors.