PHYSICS FORM 5

TERMS AND DEFINITION

CHAPTER 1: WAVES

Waves

A TYPE OF DISTURBANCE produced by an oscillating or vibrating motion in which a point or

body moves back and forth along a line about a fixed central point produces waves.
A PROCESS of TRANSFERRING ENERGY from one location to another (produced by
oscillation/vibrating motion)

Wave front

LINE OR PLANE on which the vibrations of every points are

In phase and are at the same distance from the source of the wave.
In phase =same direction, same displacement
Direction of propagation of waves in relation of wave fronts is
Perpendicular

Transverse Wave

WAVE in which the vibration of particles in the medium is

perpendicular
to the direction of propagation of the wave(water waves, light waves, electromagnetic
waves)

Longitudinal Wave

WAVE in which the vibration of particles in the medium is

parallel to
the direction of propagation of the wave(sound waves, ultrasound)

Amplitude, a

MAXIMUM DISPLACEMENT from its equilibrium position / MEASURE of height of the wave
crest or depth of the wave trough.
higher amplitude, higher energy of wave
SI unit : meter, m

Period, T

TIME TAKEN to complete an oscillation, from one extreme point to the other and back to
the same position.
SI unit : seconds, s

Frequency, f

NUMBER OF COMPLETE OSCILLATIONS made by a vibrating system in one second

SI unit : Hertz, Hz
Relation w period : T= 1/f
Wavelength,

DISTANCE between successive points of the same phase in a wave

Wave Speed, v

MEASUREMENT of how fast crest is moving from a fixed point

V=f
SI unit : m/s

Damping

DECREASE in the amplitude of an oscillating system when its energy is drained out as heat
energy (gradually , becomes 0 when oscillation stops)
Loss of energy : (Internal damping: extension and compression of molecules)( External
damping: frictional force/ air resistance)
a;f=

Resonance

Resonance occurs when a system is made to oscillate at a frequency equivalent to its

natural frequency by an external force.
The resonating system oscillates at its maximum amplitude.

Natural frequency

FUNDAMENTAL FREQUENCY of which an object vibrates. It is the frequency of a system

which oscillates freely without external force

Reflection of wave

Reflection of wave occurs when a wave strike an obstacle

Waves undergo change in direction of propagation
f=;a=;=
Law : i = r

Refraction of wave

Refraction of wave occurs when a wave travel from one medium to another with change in
direction (speed of wave changes)
Water depth changes (shallow & deep)
Relationship : v = f , f = v/
f = ; v ; ; direction (propagation)

Diffraction of waves

PHENOMENON in which waves spread out as they passed through an aperture or round a
small circle
f = ; = ; speed = ; v ; direction
a(e)

Interference of waves

SUPERPOSITION of two waves originating from two coherent sources

=same frequency, wavelength, amplitude and in phase (constant phase difference)

How? : 2 waves meet while propagating along same medium
Constructive interference

Constructive interference occurs when the both crests/ troughs of both waves coincide to
produce a wave with crests and troughs of maximum amplitude

Destructive interference

Destructive interference occurs when the crest of one wave coincides with the trough of
the other wave, thus cancelling each other with the result that the resultant amplitude is 0

Antinode

POINT where constructive interference occurs.

Node

POINT where destructive interference occurs.

Electromagnetic waves

PROPAGATING WAVES in space with electric and magnetic components. These

components oscillate at right angles to each other and to the direction of propagation of
wave.
Produced when electric & magnetic field vibrate @ 90 to each other
Properties ; -transfer e form each other
-transverse waves
-can travel along vacuum w same speed (light; c= 3x 108m/s)

Electromagnetic Spectrum

CONSISTS of a group of waves with similar natures

ARRANGED in increasing(f) & decreasing wavelengths ( radio waves, microwaves, infrared
rays, visible light, ultraviolet rays, X-rays, gamma rays )

Monochromatic light

LIGHT with only one wavelength and color.

PRINCIPLE
Principle of superposition

Principle of superposition states that at any instant, the resulting displacement of the
medium at any location is the algebraic sum of the displacements of the individual wave.

Youngs Formula

a = distance between 2 coherent sources

= wavelength
x = distance between 2 consecutive node ( or antinode) lines
D = distance from the 2 sources to point of measurement of x
; = ax/D

CHAPTER 2: ELECTRICITY

Charge, Q

WORK DONE to move a unit of voltage in a circuit

Current, I

RATE of flow of charge

I = charge,Q / time,t

Potential difference, V

SI unit :ampere, A

WORK DONE in moving one coulomb of charge from one point to another in an electric
field
V= energy,E/Q

SI unit :Volt, V

Electric field

A FIELD in which electric charge experiences an electric force (attraction/repulsion) / A

FIELD in which electric force acts in a particle with electric charge

Circuit

CLOSED LOOP through which charge can continuously flow

Resistance, R

RATIO of the potential difference across the conductor to the current flowing through it /
MEASURE of the ability of the conductor to resist the flow of an electric current through it
R=V/I

unit : ohm,

Superconductor

CONDUCTOR in which its resistance will suddenly become zero when it is cooled below a
certain temperature called the critical temperature

Electromotiveforce (e.m.f.)

TOTAL ENERGY supplied by a cell to move a unit of electrical charge from one terminal to
the other through the cell and the external circuit
WORK DONE by a coulomb of charge around a complete circuit
Unit : Volt, V = J/C

Power rating

RATE at which it consumes electrical energy.

PRINCIPLE
Ohms Law

Ohms law states that the electric current, I flowing through a conductor is directly
proportional to the potential difference across the ends of conductor, if temperature and
other physical conditions remain constant. That is, V

CHAPTER 3: ELECTROMAGNETISM

Electromagnet

DEVICE in which magnetism is produced by an electric current

TEMPORARY MAGNET ( made by a coil of wire wound round a soft iron coil ) which acts as
a magnet when the current is switched on and ceases to be a magnet when the current is
switched off

Magnetic field

REGION in which a magnetic material experiences a force as the result of a magnet or a

current-carrying conductor

Radial field

MAGNETIC FIELD with the field lines pointing towards or away from the centre of a circle.

Electromagnetic induction

PRODUCTION of an electric current by a changing magnetic field (conductor cuts across a

magnetic flux OR a change of magnetic flux linkage with a coil)

Root mean square current /

voltage

VALUE of a steady current/ voltage, which would produce the same heating effect in a
given resistor.

Transformer

EQUIPMENT to raise or lower the potential difference of an

alternating voltage based on the principle of electromagnetic induction

PRINCIPLE
Flemings Left Hand Rule

Forefinger, second finger, and the thumb of left hand are extended at 90to each other
-forefinger in direction of magnetic field
-second finger in direction of current
-thumb in direction of force, F / motion

Faradays Law

The magnitude of the induced electromotive force (e.m.f.) is directly proportional to the
rate of change of magnetic flux linkage with the solenoid or the rate at which a conductor
cuts through the magnetic flux.
by moving magnet/solenoid at higher speed
increase no. of turns on solenoid
increase the strength of magnetic field (use stronger magnet)

Lenzs Law

Lenzs law states that an induced electric current always flows in such a direction so as to
oppose the change (or motion) producing it

CHAPTER 4: ELECTRONICS

Thermionic emission

EMISSION of electrons from heated metal surface

Work function

MINIMUM ENERGY required to eject electrons from surface

Cathode ray

Fast moving ELECTRONS travel in a straight line in vacuum from cathode to anode
(connected by an extra high tension, EHT voltage supply)

Cathode ray oscilloscope

measuring and testing INSTRUMENT used in study of electricity and electronics

USES a cathode ray tube (electron gun, deflection system, fluorescent coated screen)
that converts electronic/electrical signals into a visual display

Conductor

MATERIAL which allows current to flow through them

Semiconductor

MATERIAL whose resistance/electrical conductivity is between good conductor and

insulator

Insulator

MATERIAL which does not conduct electric current

Doping

PROCESS of ADDING a certain amount of specific impurities (dopants) to pure a

semiconductor to increase its electrical conductivity

Semiconductor Diodes

JOINING p-type and n-type semiconductor

DEVICE that allows current to flow in one direction only

Junction voltage

POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE acting from n-type to p-type material of a diode across the
depletion layer

Rectification

CONVERSION of a.c. to d.c. by diode

-half wave ; process where only half of every cycle of a.c is made to flow in 1 direction only
-full wave ; process where both halves of every cycle of a.c is made to flow in = direction

Smoothing

PROCESS where output is smoothed by connecting a capacitor across load that acts as a
reservoir and maintains potential difference across load

Logic gates

ELECTRONIC SWITCHES with one or more inputs and one output

CHAPTER 5: RADIOACTIVITY

Atom

An atom consists of a nucleus which is made up of protons and neutrons, with electrons
orbiting the nucleus.
Net charge ; 0 atom is neutral due to = no. of vely charged electron

Nuclide

TYPE of nucleus with particular proton number and nucleon number

Proton number, Z

NUMBER of protons in the nucleus of an atom

Nucleon number, A

NUMBER of protons and neutrons in an atom

Isotopes

ATOMS of an element which have the same proton number but different nucleon
number(similar chemical properties but differs in physical properties)

Radioactivity

SPONTANEOUS DISINTEGRATION /random decay of unstable nucleus into a more stable

Not triggered by any external factors ie. Temperature of pressure
nucleus with the emission of energetic particles or protons (alpha, beta or gamma
radiation)

Radioactive decay

PROCESS where an unstable nucleus becomes a more stable nucleus by emitting radiations

Radioisotope

ISOTOPE that has unstable nucleus that tends to undergo radioactive decay
Artificial are produced when certain nuclides are bombarded by high energy particles

Half life

TIME TAKEN for the activity of atoms to fall to half its original value
TIME TAKEN for half the atoms in a given sample to decay

Nuclear fission

PROCESS involving the splitting of a heavy nucleus into two nuclei of roughly equal mass
(lighter) and shooting out several neutrons at the same time.

Chain Reaction

Self-sustaining reactions in which the products of a reaction can initiate a similar reaction

Nuclear fusion

PROCESS involving the fusion of two or more small and light nuclei come together to form
a heavier nucleus
RELEASES large amounts of energy

PRINCIPLE
Einsteins Principle of MassEnergy Conservation

The change of energy is linked to the change of mass by the equation

E=mc
E = energy released, in joules, J
m = loss of mass or mass defect, in kg
c = speed of light = 3.0 x 10^8 m/s