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MCAT Physics Review

Terms in this set (343)

standard units around which the system itself is designed

combinations of SI base units

quantity that has magnitude and direction

quantity that has magnitude only

vector quantity of an object's change in position in space that does not take pathway into consideration

scalar quantity of the change in position of an object that takes pathway into consideration

rate of actual distance traveled in a given time

vector quantity expressed as pushing or pulling objects

attractive force felt by all forms of matter

force that opposes movement of objects

static friction

exists between stationary objects and surface

kinetic friction

exists between sliding objects and surface

force perpendicular to the surface

static/kinetic friction is greater

scalar quantity that is a measure of a body's inertia or amount of matter

vector quantity that is a measure of gravitational force on an object's mass

geometric center for uniform object, otherwise the single point where gravity acts

rate of change of velocity that an object experiences because of force

newton's first law

body at rest or in motion will remain that way unless a net force acts upon it

newton's second law

object of mass will accerelate when the vector sum of forces results in a nonzero resultant vector

newton's third law

every action has an equal and opposite reaction

object's velocity and acceleration are along the line of motion

opposes object's motion is opposite direction

air resistance increases/decreases as speed increases

terminal velocity

occurs when the drag force/air resistance equals object's weight

projectile motion

motion that follows a path along two dimensions

assume vertical/horizontal remains constant with projectile motion problems

a slanted surface along which a force moves an object to a different elevation; divide force vector into components

circular motion

forces cause an object to move in circular path

uniform circular motion

instaneous velocity vector is tangent to circular path

centripetal force

points radially inward and keeps object in the circular path instead of the tangential one

centripetal accerlation

generated by centripetal force

translational equilibrium

forces cause an object to move without rotation

rotational motion

forced are applied against an object to cause it to rotate around its fixed point

fixed point around which a lever pivots

force that causes rotation and depends on magnitude of force, and depends on magnitude of force, lever arm, and angle applied

rotational equilibrium

vector sum of all the torques acting on an object is zero

clockwise rotation (torque)

counterclockwise rotation (torque)

refers to a system's ability to do work

energy of motion

potential energy

energy that is associated with a given object's position in space or other intrinsic quality of the system

gravitational; electrical; chemical; elastic

4 types of potential energy

gravitational potential energy

potential energy due to gravity with respect to some level

elastic potential energy

potential energy of a spring when it's compressed or stretched from its equilibrium length

total mechanical energy

sum of an object's potential and kinetic energies

first law of thermodynamics

accounts for conservation of mechanical energy; energy is neither created nor destroyed, just transferred

conservative force

forces that are path independent and do not dissipate energy

gravitational; electrical

2 conservative forces

nonconservative force

force that dissipate mechanical energy as thermal or chemical and is path dependent

friction; air resistance; viscous drag

3 examples of nonconservative forces

process by which energy is transferred from one system to another and includes only parallel or antiparallel forces to the displacement vector

parallel; antiparallel

forces to the displacement vector that are considered when calculating work

graphical representation of gas expansion and compression with volume and pressure on the axes

volume vs pressure

gas expansion is positive/negative work

gas compression is positive/negative work

isovolumetric; isochoric process

volume stays constant as pressure changes resulting in no work

isobaric process

pressure remains constant while volume changes resulting in work

rate at which energy is transferred from one system to another

work-energy theorem

direct relationship between work done by all the forces acting on an object and the change in kinetic energy

designed to provide mechanical advantage by allowing work to be accomplished through a smaller applied force

inclined plane; wedge; wheel and axle; lever; pulley; screw

6 examples of simple machines

mechanical advantage

idea that you can apply lesser force over a greater distance allowing the same amount of work to be done

weight in simple machine

force in simple machine

certain height in the air a load is lifted

effort distance

length of rope pulled

percentage of the input work that is converted to output work

zeroth law of thermodynamics

transitive property of thermal equilibrium; if a=b and b=c, then a=c

proportional to the average kinetic energy of the particles that make up the substance; difference determines heat flow

transfer of thermal energy from a hotter object to a cooler object

thermal equilibrium

no net heat flow between two objects in thermal contact

fahrenheit freezing to boiling scale

kelvin freezing to boiling scale

celsius freezing to boiling scale

third law of thermodynamics

entropy of a perfectly organized crystal at absolute zero is zero

thermal expansion

change in temperature of most solids results in a change in their length

volumetric thermal expansion

change in temperature of liquids results in a change of volume

portion of the universe that we are interested in manipulating or observing

rest of the universe that is not included in the system

isolated system

system not capable of exchanging energy or matter with the surroundings

system capable of exchanging energy but not matter with the surroundings

system capable of exchanging both energy and matter with the surroundings

thermodynamic properties that are a function of only the current equilibrium of that state; independent of path taken

process function

describe path taken to get from one state to another

internal energy increases/decreases when heat is lost or work is done by the system

internal energy increases/decreases when heat is gained or work is done on the system

second law of thermodynamics

objects in thermal contact and not in thermal equilibrium will exchange heat such that the object with the higher temperature will give off heat energy to object with lower temperature until at thermal equilibrium

conduction; convection; radiation

3 types of heat transfer

direct transfer of energy from molecule to molecule through molecular collisions facilitated by direct contact

transfer of heat by physical motion of a fluid (liquid/gas) over a material

transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves and can occur in vacuum

defined as amount of heat energy required to raise one gram of substance by one degree celsius or kelvin and depends on the phase

during this, heat gained/lost does not result in temperature change

additional directions and forms of motion

microstates, temperature

during a phase change, this increases while this remains constant

freezing; solidification

liquid to solid

fusion; melting

solid to liquid

boiling; evaporation; vaporization

boiling point; heat of vapoization

liquid and gas transition point

melting point; heat of fusion

solid and liquid transition point

isothermal; adiabatic; isovolumetric; isobaric

4 thermodynamic processes

constant temperature resulting in no change in internal energy

no change in heat

no change in volume resulting in no work being done

no change in pressure

measure of the spontaneous dispersal of energy at a specific temperature; how much energy is spread out or how widely

natural process

process we would expect to happen; irreversible

unnatural process

process we would not expect to happen; requires energy and is reversible

ability to flow and conform to container

do not flow and are rigid enough to retain a shape independent of its container

ratio of mass to volume and does not have a direction

specific gravity

ratio of a mineral's weight compared with the weight of an equal volume of water

ratio of force per unit area that does not have a direction

atmospheric pressure

the pressure caused by the weight of the atmosphere

absolute/hydrostatic pressure

total pressure exerted on an object that is submerged in a fluid

the difference between the actual pressure and the atmospheric pressure

study of fluids at rest and forces/pressures associated with it

pascal's principle

for incompressible fluids, a change in pressure will be transmitted undiminished to every portion of the fluid

hydraulic system

take advantage of near-incompressibility of liquids to generate mechanical advantage

archimede's principle

a body wholly or partially immersed in a fluid will be buoyed upwards by a force equal to the weigh of the fluid it dispersed

force upward against submerged object

object will float in fluid if average density is greater/less than fluid

object will sink in fluid if average density if greater/less than fluid

surface tension

special physical property at interface between liquid and gas in which the liquid forms a thin but strong layer at the liquid's surface due to cohesion

attractive force that a molecule of liquid feels towards other molecules of the same liquid

attractive force that a molecule of liquid feels toward the molecules of another substance

curved surface in which liquid crawls up the sides of the container a small amount

meniscus occurs when adhesive forces are greater/less than cohesive forces

backwards (convex) meniscus

liquid level is higher in the middle than the edges

backwards (convex) meniscus occurs when adhesive forces are greater/less than cohesive forces

study of fluids in motion

resistance of fluid to flow

nonconservative force analogous to air resistance in flowing liquids

ideal fluid which has no viscosity

smooth and orderly flow parallel to one another

poiseulle's law

flow is proportional to radius

rough and disorderly flow that produces eddies

swirls of fluid of varying sizes ocurring downstream of object

speed at which the fluid demonstrates complex flow patterns

thin layer of fluid adjacent to the wall that exhibits laminar flow

representation of molecular movement in fluid that indicated pathway with velocity vector is tangential to streamline

constant for a closed system and independent of changes in cross-sectional area (volume/unit of time)

measure of the linear displacement of fluid particles in a given amount of time

continuity equation

states that fluid will flow more quickly through narrow passages and slowly through wider ones

bernoulli's equation

relates conservation of energy in terms of densities and pressures, the intensive properties to describe fluids

dynamic pressure

force exerted by a fluid in motion

ratio of energy (pressure) per cubic meter in fluid dynamics

specialized measurement device that determines the speed of a fluid by determining the difference between static and dynamic pressure

venturi flow meter

tube that narrows and then widens illustrating venturi effect

reduction in pressure of a fluid resulting from an increase in speed as fluids are forced to flow faster through narrow spaces and vice versa

circulatory system is an example

nonconstant flow rate

characteristic of circulatory system due to valves, gravity, elasticity of vessels, pulse of the heart, etc.

result form turbulent blood flow

resistance increases/decreases with distance from the heart within each vessel

total resistance increases/decreases with distance from heart

blood volume entering heart is less than/equal/greater than the blood volume leaving the heart

expansion of heart increases/decreases pressure, resulting in a gradient that pulls blood in

respiratory system

system mediated by changes in pressure

negative pressure gradient that allows air to move in

positive pressure gradient that allows air to move out

total resistance

this increases as air exits and reaches alveoli because of fewer airways in parallel

the study of stationary charges and the forces that are created by and which act upon these charges

positively charged particle

negatively charged particle

attracitve forces

exerted by opposite charges

repulsive forces

exerted by same charges

means of returning charge to earth

static charge buildup; static electricity

charge becomes and remains separated

functional unit of charge

material that does not distribute a charge over its surface and will not transfer that charge to another neutral object well

most of these are insulators

charge is distributed evenly upon surface and is able to transfer and transport charges

metals; ionic solutions

quantifies magnitude of electrostatic force between two charges

permittivity of free space

fundamental constant that describes permittivity of a vacuum

extends around a charged object and exerts forces on other charges that move into the space

charge placed in electric field

charge that creates an electric field

convention is that the direction of electric field is given using a positive test charge

imaginary lines that represent how a positive test charge would move in the presence of a source charge

electric potential energy

work done moving a charge from infinity to a point in an electric field

positive electric potential energy if like/opp charges

negative electric potential energy is like/opp charges

more positive/negative the electric potential energy, the more stable

electric potential

scalar quantity that is the work done per unit charge in bringing a positive test charge from infinity to that point in the field

potential difference; voltage

the difference between the electric potential energy per unit of charge at two points in a circuit

positive charges move in direction to increase/decrease electric potential

negative charges move in direction to increase/decrease electric potential

positive end of the battery is the low/high potential end

negative end of the battery is the low/high potential end

equipotential lines

line on which the potential at every point is the same; potential difference between any two points on the line is zero

electric dipole

results from two equal and opposite charges being separated a small distance

product of charge and separation distance

perpendicular bisector of dipole

equipotential line that lies halfway b/w +q and -q with the electrical potential at any point along this line equal to zero

field vectors will point in same/opposite direction as dipole moment

created by any moving charge

SI unit for magnetic field strength

smaller unit of magnetic field

materials consisting of atoms with no unpaired electrons and therefore have no net magnetic field

material consisting of atoms with unpaired electrons that become weakly magnetized in the presence of a magnetic field under certain temps

have unpaired electrons that become strongly magnetized in the presence of a magnetic field under certain temps

use this for current when determining direction of magnetic field

sum of the electrostatic and magnetic forces on a charge

force exerted on a charge moving in a magnetic field

use this for velocity vector when determining direction of magnetic force

use this for direction of magnetic field when determining direction of magnetic force

use this for the force vector when determining direction (positive charge, flip for negative)

flow of positive charge

SI unit for current

metallic; electrolytic

two forms of conductivity

metallic conductivity

conductivity in solid metals and molten salts

electrolytic conductivity

conductivity seen in ion solutions where ion concentration is directly related to conductivity

reciprocal of resistance

SI unit for electrical conductance

sea of electrons flowing over and past a rigid lattice of metal cations

amount of charge passing through conductor per unit of time

flow of electrons in terms of electric potential

charge flows in only one direction

alternating current

charge flow changes directions periodically

electromotive force (emf)

voltage when no charge is moving between the 3 terminals of a cell at different potential values; pressure to move that results in a current

kirchhoff's laws

two rules that deal with the conservation of charge and energy within a circuit

kirchhoff's junction rule

the sum of currents directed into a point within a circuit equals the sum of the currents directed away from that point; conservation of electrical charge

kirchhoff's loop rule

the sum of the voltage sources in a circuit loop is equal to the sum of voltage drops along that loop; conservation of energy

opposition within any material to the movement and flow of charge

materials with no resistance

materials with very high resistance

conducitve materials that offer intermediate resistance (b/w conductors and insulators)

intrinsic resistance to current flow in a material

SI unit for resistance

SI unit for resistivity

conduction pathway

pathway through a resistor that increases with cross-sectional area

resistivity increases with what

basic law of electricity; for a given magnitude of resistance, voltage drop will be proportional to magnitude of current

internal resistance

resistance inside the source of electrical energy ; voltage supplied to circuit is reduced from theoretical emf

secondary batteries

cells that can be recharged

cell when discharging

electrolytic cell

cell when recharging

power of resistor

rate at which energy is dissipated by resistor

all current must pass sequentially through each resistor

current will divide to pass through resistors separately

with resistors in series, what is the same across the whole circuit

with resistors in series, what differs across the circuit

with resistors in parallel, what is the same across the whole circuit

with resistors in parallel, what differs across the circuit

current will be largest with highest/lowest resistance in a parallel resistor circuit

characterized by ability to hold charge at a particular voltage

release of built up charge from a capacitor

magnitude of charge stored on one plate to the potential difference across the capacitor

SI unit for capacitance

dielectric material

insulating material that increases capacitance

air; glass; plastic; ceramics; certain metal oxides

5 examples of dielectric materials

increased capacitance by dielectric materials in a isolated capacitors is due to this (shields opposite charges from each other)

increased capacitance by dielectric materials in circuit capacitors is due to this

devices that are used to measure circuit quantities in the real world

used to measure current at some point within a circuit; circuit must be on

ideal resistance for anmeters

anmeters are added in series/parallel

used to measure voltage frop across two point in a circuit; circuit must be on

voltmeters are added in series/parallel

infinite resitance

ideal resistance for voltmeters

used to calculate resistance and does not require the circuit to be on

ohmmeter is added in series/parallel

sinusoidal waves

may be transverse or longitudinal; individual particles oscillate back and forth with a displacement that follows a sinusoidal pattern

transverse waves

direction of particle oscillation is perpendicular to the propagation (movement) of the wave/ energy transfer

electromagnetic waves

example of transverse waves

longitudinal waves

particles of the wave oscillate parallel to the direction of propagation

example of longitudinal waves

compression and rarefaction

longitudinal waves cycle through these two things

distance from one maximum of the wave to the next crest maximum

number of wavelengths passing a fixed point per second

frequency units

number of seconds per cycle

angular frequency

measured in radians/sec and often used with simple harmonic motion

equilibrium position

central point around which waves oscillate

how far a particular point on the wave is from the equilibrium position

maximum magnitude of displacement

phase differences

describes how "in phase" or "out of phase" two waves are that pass through the same space

respective crests and troughs coincide

crest of one wave overlaps the troughs of another

in phase-phase difference=

1/2wave; 180 degrees

out of phase- phase difference=

principle of superposition

states that when waves interact with each other, the displacement of the resultant wave is the sum of the displacements of the two interacting waves

constructive interference

in phase waves interact to produce amplitude that is the sum

destructive interference

out of phase waves interact to produce amplitude that is the difference

has continuously shifting points of maximum and minimum displacement

produced by the addition of identical waves traveling in opposite directions

point in the wave that remain at rest

points of maximum amplitude on a standing wave

natural frequencies; resonant frequencies

natural vibration of object with a frequency that can sometimes be detected by the human ear

increase in amplitude when a periodic force is applied a the natural frequency of an object

quality of sound; pure tone vs multiple unrelated tones

fundamental pitch; overtone

vibration of multiple natural frequencies that are related to each other by whole number ratios, producing a full tone

20 Hz to 20,000 Hz

audible frequency range for humans

dampening; attenuation

decrease in amplitude of a wave caused by an applied or nonconservative force

longitudinal wave transmitted by oscillation of particles in a deformable medium (not a vacuum)

term that measures a medium's resistance to compression

solid>liquid>gas

speed of sound in the three states of matter order

mechanical disturbance of particles in a material resulting in regions of compression and rarefaction

frequency of sound waves

infrasonic waves

sound waves with frequencies below 20 Hz

ultrasonic waves

sound waves with frequencies above 20,000 Hz

describes the difference between the actual frequency and perceived frequency when the source of the sound and the sound's detector are moving relative to one another

when the source and detector are moving toward each other, the perceived frequency/pitch is lower/higher

when the source and detector are moving away from each other, the perceived frequency/pitch is lower/higher

use the top/bottom sign when moving toward each toehr

use the top/bottom sign when moving away from each other

use of the doppler effect by some animals to determine the position of objects in their environment

highly condensed wave front produced when an object that is producing sound is traveling at or above the speed of sound

very high pressure followed by low pressure upon passing a shock wave

loudness; volume

way in which we perceive sound intensity and varies on external factors

average rate of energy transfer per area that is perpendicular to the wave; power transported per area

amplitude; distance

sound intensity is related to these two things

units of intensity

the logarithmic scale that measures the amplitudes of sounds that humans can hear

measuring unit for sound energy

threshold for hearing in watts/meter squared

vary in volume due to two sounds of slightly different frequencies produced in proximity periodically

closed boundaries

standing wave boundaries that do not allow oscillation and correspond to nodes

open boundaries

standing wave boundaries that allow maximum oscillation and correspond to antinodes

fixed on both ends (2 closed boundaries) that produce standing waves at particular lengths

fundamental frequency

the lowest frequency of vibration of a standing wave; n=1

second harmonic (n=2)

second overtone

third harmonic (n=3)

harmonic series

all the possible frequencies that a string can support

for fixed strings, the number of these indicates the harmonic

pipes that are open at both ends supporting 2 antinodes

for open pipes, the number of these indicates the harmonic

pipes that are closed at one end and open at the other

what kind of harmonics can closed pipes have

1/4 wavelengths

for closed pipes, the number of these indicates the harmonic

uses high frequency sound waves to compare the relative densities of tissues in the body

diagnostic; therapeutic

2 main uses for ultrasound

doppler ultrasound

used to determine flow of blood within the body by detecting the frequency shift that is associated w/ movement toward or away from receiver

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