GCE PHYSICS

TERMS, DEFINITIONS
&
UNITS

May 2015
This document is issued by WJEC Eduqas to assist teachers with the preparation of
candidates for the GCE examination in PHYSICS. It consists of the definitions of terms from
the current AS/A specification.

The definitions were produced by the Principal Examining team. It is acknowledged that
there will always be disagreement on precise definitions, but the aim has been to produce
wording which is accessible to students while preserving a fair level of rigour.

The rationale for the production of this document is to help learners towards an
understanding of the basic vocabulary of Physics, without which clear explanations are
impossible. It will also of course aid the learners in revision, as knowledge of terms,
definitions and units is examined in every paper.

Helen Francis
Domain Leader - Mathematics and Science
Subject Officer - Physics and Electronics
helen.francis@eduqas.co.uk
A level COMPONENT 1

Section Item Definition

1.1 (a) Quantity In S.I. a quantity is represented by a number × a unit,
(e.g. m = 3.0 kg).
1.1 (d) Scalar A scalar is a quantity that has magnitude only.
Vector A vector is a quantity that has magnitude and direction.
1.1 (f) Resolving a vector This means finding vectors (the so-called components)
into components in in these directions, which add together vectorially to
particular directions make the original vector, and so, together, are
equivalent to this vector.
1.1 (g) Density of a mass
density= Unit: kg m−3 or g cm-3
material, ρ
volume
in which mass and volume apply to any sample of the
material.
1.1 (h) Moment (or torque) of The moment (or torque) of a force about a point is
a force defined as the force × the perpendicular distance from
the point to the line of action of the force,
i.e. moment = F × d
Unit: N m [N.B. the unit is not J]
1.1 (i) The principle of For a system to be in equilibrium, ∑ anticlockwise
moments moments about a point = ∑ clockwise moments about
the same point.
1.1 (j) Centre of gravity The centre of gravity is the single point within a body at
which the entire weight of the body may be considered
to act.
1.2 (a) Displacement The displacement of a point B from a point A is the
shortest distance from A to B, together with the
direction. Unit: m
Mean speed total distancetravelled ∆x
Mean speed= =
total time taken ∆t
Unit: m s-1
Instantaneous speed Instantaneous speed = rate of change of distance
Unit: m s-1
Mean velocity total displacement
Mean velocity =
total time taken
Unit: m s-1
Instantaneous The velocity of a body is the rate of change of
velocity displacement.
Unit: m s-1
Mean acceleration changein velocity ∆v
Mean acceleration = =
time taken ∆t
Unit: m s-2
Instantaneous The instantaneous acceleration of a body is its rate of
acceleration change of velocity. Unit: m s-2
1.2 (e) Terminal velocity The terminal velocity is the constant, maximum velocity
of an object when the resistive forces on it are equal
and opposite to the ‘accelerating’ force (e.g. pull of
gravity).
1.3 (a) Force, F A force on a body is a push or a pull acting on the body
from some external body.
Unit: N
 Newton’s 3rd law If a body A exerts a force on a body B, then B exerts
an equal and opposite force on A.
1.3 (c) ΣF=ma The mass of a body × its acceleration is equal to the
vector sum of the forces acting on the body. This
vector sum is called the resultant force.
1.3 (d) Momentum The momentum of an object is its mass multiplied by
its velocity. (p = mv). It is a vector.
UNIT: kg m s-1 or Ns
1.3 (e) Newton’s 2nd law The rate of change of momentum of an object is
proportional to the resultant force acting on it, and
takes place in the direction of that force.
1.3 (f) The principle of The vector sum of the momenta of bodies in a system
conservation of stays constant even if forces act between the bodies,
momentum provided there is no external resultant force.
Elastic collision A collision in which there is no change in total kinetic
energy.
Inelastic collision A collision in which kinetic energy is lost.
1.4 (a) Work, W Work done by a force is the product of the magnitude
of the force and the distance moved in the direction of
the force.( W.D. = Fxcos θ )
Unit: J
1.4 (c) Principle of Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only
conservation of transferred from one form to another. Energy is a
energy scalar.
Potential energy, Ep This is energy possessed by an object by virtue of its
position. Ep = mgh Unit: J
Kinetic energy, Ek This is energy possessed by an object by virtue of its
motion. Ek = ½mv2 Unit: J
Elastic potential This is the energy possessed by an object when it has
energy been deformed due to forces acting on it.
Eelastic = ½ Fx or ½ kx2 Unit: J
1.4 (d) Energy The energy of a body or system is the amount of work
it can do. Unit: J
1.4 (e) Power, P This is the work done per second, or energy
transferred per second.
Unit: W [= J s-1]
1.5 (a) Period, T for a point Time taken for one complete circuit.
describing a circle
Frequency, f The number of circuits or cycles per second.
1.5 (b) Radian A unit of measurement of angles equal to about 57.3°,
equivalent to the angle subtended at the centre of a
circle by an arc equal in length to the radius. UNIT: rad

1.5 (d) Angular For an object describing a circle at uniform speed, the
velocity, ω angular velocity ω is equal to the angle θ swept out by
∆θ
the radius in time ∆t divided by t (ω = )
∆t
UNIT: rad s-1
1.6 (a) Simple harmonic Shm occurs when an object moves such that its
motion (shm) acceleration is always directed toward a fixed point
and is proportional to its distance from the fixed point.
(a = – ω 2x)
Alternative definition:
 The motion of a point whose displacement x changes
with time t according to x = A cos (ω t + ε), where A, ω
and ε are constants. [Variations of this kind are said to
be sinusoidal.]
1.6 (e) Period, T for an The time taken for one complete cycle.
oscillating body
Amplitude, A of an The maximum value of the object’s displacement (from
oscillating object its equilibrium position).
Phase The phase of an oscillation is the angle (ωt + ε) in the
equation x = A cos (ω t + ε). [ε is called the phase
constant.]
UNIT: rad
Frequency, f The number of oscillations per second. UNIT: Hz
1.6 (l) Free oscillations Free oscillations occur when an oscillatory system
[Natural oscillations] (such as a mass on a spring, or a pendulum) is
displaced and released.
[The frequency of the free oscillations is called the
system’s natural frequency.]
Damping Damping is the dying away, due to resistive forces, of
the amplitude of free oscillations.
1.6 (n) Critical damping Critical damping is the case when the resistive forces
on the system are just large enough to prevent
oscillations occurring at all when the system is
displaced and released.
1.6 (o) Forced oscillations These occur when a sinusoidally varying ‘driving’ force
is applied to an oscillatory system, causing it to
oscillate with the frequency of the applied force.
Resonance If, in forced vibrations, the frequency of the applied
force is equal to the natural frequency of the system
(e.g. mass on spring), the amplitude of the resulting
oscillations is large. This is resonance.
1.7 (a) Ideal gas An ideal gas strictly obeys the equation of state
pV = nRT, in which n is the number of moles, T is the
kelvin temperature and R is the molar gas constant.
R = 8.31 J mol-1 K-1. With the exception of very high
densities a real gas approximates well to an ideal gas.
1.7 (d) The mole The mole is the S.I. unit of an ‘amount of substance’. It
is the amount containing as many particles (e.g.
molecules) as there are atoms in 12 g of carbon-12.
Avogadro constant, This is the number of particles per mole.
NA (NA = 6.02 × 1023 mol-1)
1.8 (a) Internal energy, U, of This is the sum of the kinetic and potential energies of
a system the particles of a system.
1.8 (d) Heat, Q This is energy flow from a region at higher temperature
to a region at lower temperature, due to the
temperature difference. In thermodynamics we deal
with heat going into or out of a system. It makes no
sense to speak of heat in a system.
1.8 (f) Work, W If the system is a gas, in a cylinder fitted with a piston,
the gas does work of amount p∆V when it exerts a
pressure p and pushes the piston out a small way, so
the gas volume increases by ∆V. Work, like heat, is
energy in transit from (or to) the system.
1.8 (i) First law of The increase, ∆U, in internal energy of a system is
 thermodynamics ∆U = Q – W in which Q is the heat entering the system
and W is the work done by the system. Any of the
terms in the equation can be positive or negative, e.g.
if 100 J of heat is lost from a system Q = –100 J.
1.8 (k) Specific heat The heat required, per kilogram, per degree celsius or
capacity, c kelvin, to raise the temperature of a substance.
UNIT: J kg-1 K-1 or J kg-1 °C-1
A level COMPONENT 2

Section Item Definition

2.1 (a) Electric current, I ∆Q
This is the rate of flow of electric charge. I =
∆t
Unit: A
2.1 (d) Efficiency of a usefulwork (or energy) out
system % Efficiency = 100×
work (or energy) put in

Unit: none
2.2 (a) Potential The pd between two points is the energy converted from
difference (pd), V electrical potential energy to some other form per coulomb of
charge flowing from one point to the other. Unit: V [= J C-1]
2.2 (d) Ohm’s law The current in a metal wire at constant temperature is
proportional to the pd across it.
2.2 (e) Electrical The resistance of a conductor is the pd (V) placed across it
resistance, R divided by the resulting current (I) through it.
V
R= Unit: Ω [= V A-1]
I
2.2 (h) Resistivity, ρ The resistance, R, of a metal wire of length L and cross-
ρL
sectional area A is given by R = , in which ρ the
A
resistivity, is a constant (at constant temperature) for the
material of the wire. Unit: Ω m
2.2 (k) Superconducting The temperature at which a material, when cooled, loses all
transition its electrical resistance, and becomes super-conducting.
temperature, Tc Some materials (e.g. copper) never become superconducting
however low the temperature becomes.
2.3 (a) The law of Electric charge cannot be created or destroyed, (though
conservation of positive and negative charges can neutralise each other).
charge Charge cannot pile up at a point in a circuit.
2.3 (g) Emf, E The emf of a source is the energy converted from some other
form (e.g. chemical) to electrical potential energy per
coulomb of charge flowing through the source.
Unit: V
2.4 (a) Capacitor A capacitor is a pair of conducting plates separated by an
insulator. If a potential difference is placed across the plates,
they acquire equal and opposite charges.
2.4 (c) Capacitance, C, chargeon either plate
of a capacitor capacitance =
pdbetweenplates

Unit: F [= C V-1]
2.4 (e) Dielectric Insulator between the plates of a capacitor, also serving to
make the capacitance larger than if there were just empty
space.
2.5 (a) Hooke’s law The tension in a spring or wire is proportional to its extension
from its natural length, provided the extension is not too
great.
Spring constant, The spring constant is the force per unit extension.
k Unit: N m-1
2.5 (b) Stress, σ Stress is the force per unit cross-sectional area when equal
 opposing forces act on a body.
Unit Pa or N m-2
Strain, ε Strain is defined as the extension per unit length due to an
applied stress. Unit: none
Young modulus, tensilestress
Young modulus E =
E
tensilestrain
Unless otherwise indicated this is defined for the Hooke’s law
region. Unit: Pa or N m-2
2.5 (d) Crystal Solid in which atoms are arranged in a regular array. There is
a long range order within crystal structures.
Crystalline solid Solid consisting of a crystal, or of many crystals, usually
arranged randomly. The latter is strictly a polycrystalline
solid. Metals are polycrystalline.
Amorphous solid A truly amorphous solid would have atoms arranged quite
randomly. Examples are rare. In practice we include solids
such as glass or brick in which there is no long range order in
the way atoms are arranged, though there may be ordered
clusters of atoms.
Polymeric solid A solid which is made up of chain-like molecules.
2.5 (e) Ductile material A material which can be drawn out into a wire. This implies
that plastic strain occurs under enough stress.
Elastic strain This is strain that disappears when the stress is removed,
that is the specimen returns to its original size and shape.
Plastic (or This is strain that decreases only slightly when the stress is
inelastic) strain removed. In a metal it arises from the movement of
dislocations within the crystal structure.
Elastic limit This is the point at which deformation ceases to be elastic.
For a specimen it is usually measured by the maximum
force, and for a material, by the maximum stress, before the
strain ceases to be elastic.
Dislocations in Certain faults in crystals which (if there are not too many)
crystals reduce the stress needed for planes of atoms to slide. The
easiest dislocation to picture is an edge dislocation: the edge
of an intrusive, incomplete plane of atoms.
Grain boundaries The boundaries between crystals (grains) in a polycrystalline
material.
Ductile fracture The characteristic fracture process in a ductile material. The
(necking) fracture of a rod or wire is preceded by local thinning which
increases the stress.
2.5 (f) Brittle material Material with no region of plastic flow, which, under tension,
fails by brittle fracture.
Brittle fracture This is the fracture under tension of brittle materials by
means of crack propagation.
2.5 (g) Elastic hysteresis When a material such as rubber is put under stress and the
stress is then relaxed, the stress-strain graphs for increasing
and decreasing stress do not coincide, but form a loop. This
is hysteresis.
2.6 (a) Newton’s law of The gravitational force between two particles is proportional
gravitation to the product of their masses, m1 and m2, and inversely
proportional to their separation squared, r2.
Gm1m2
F= in which G is the gravitational constant.
r2
G = 6.67 × 10-11N m2 kg-2.
 Coulomb’s law The electrostatic force, F, between two small bodies is
proportional to the product of their charges, Q1 and Q2, and
inversely proportional to their separation squared, r2.
Q1Q2
F= in which ε is 0the permittivity of free space = 8.85
4πε 0 r 2
× 10-12 F m-1
Electric field The force experienced per unit charge by a small positive
strength, E charge placed in the field. Unit: V m-1 or N C-1
Gravitational field The force experienced per unit mass by a mass placed in the
strength, g field. Unit: m s-2 or N kg-1
Electric potential, Electric potential at a point is the work done per unit charge
VE in bringing a positive charge from infinity to that point.
Unit: V or JC-1
Gravitational Gravitational potential at a point is the work done per unit
potential, Vg mass in bringing a mass from infinity to that point.
Unit: J kg-1.
2.7 (b) Black body A black body is a body (or surface) which absorbs all the
electromagnetic radiation that falls upon it. No body is a
better emitter of radiation at any wavelength than a black
body at the same temperature.
2.7 (d) Wien’s The wavelength of peak emission from a black body is
displacement law inversely proportional to the absolute (kelvin) temperature of
the body.
λmax = W
T [W = the Wien constant = 2.90 × 10-3 m K]
Absolute or The temperature, T in kelvin (K) is related to the
kelvin temperature, θ, in celsius (°C) by:
temperature T / K= θ / °C + 273.15
At 0 K (-273.15°C) the energy of particles in a body is the
lowest it can possibly be.
Stefan’s law The total electromagnetic radiation energy emitted per unit
[The Stefan- time by a black body is given by power = A σT4 in which A is
Boltzmann law] the body’s surface area and σ is a constant called the Stefan
constant. [σ = 5.67 × 10-8 W m-2 K-4]
Luminosity of a The luminosity of a star is the total energy it emits per unit
star time in the form of electromagnetic radiation. UNIT: W
[Thus we could have written luminosity instead of power in
Stefan’s law (above).]
Intensity The intensity of radiation at a distance R from a source is
P
given by I = UNIT: W m-2
4πR 2

2.8 (a) Kepler’s laws of Each planet moves in an ellipse with the Sun at one focus.
planetary motion:
1
Kepler’s laws of The line joining a planet to the centre of the Sun sweeps out
planetary motion: equal areas in equal times.
2
Kepler’s laws of T2, the square of the period of the planet’s motion, is
planetary motion: proportional to r3, in which r is the semi-major axis of its
3 ellipse. [For orbits which are nearly circular, r may be taken
as the mean distance of the planet from the Sun.]
2.8 (e) Dark matter Matter which we can’t see, or detect by any sort of radiation,
but whose existence we infer from its gravitational effects.
2.8 (i) Radial velocity of This is the component of a star’s velocity along the line
a star [in the joining it and an observer on the Earth.
context of
Doppler shift]
2.8 (k) Galactic radial This is the mean component of a galaxy's velocity along the
velocity line joining it and an observer on Earth.
A level COMPONENT 3

Section Item Definition

3.1 (a) Progressive wave A pattern of disturbances travelling through a medium and
carrying energy with it, involving the particles of the medium
oscillating about their equilibrium positions.
3.1 (b) Transverse wave A transverse wave is one where the particle oscillations are at
right angles to the direction of travel (or propagation) of the
wave.
Longitudinal wave A longitudinal wave is one where the particle oscillations are
in line with (parallel to) the direction of travel (or propagation)
of the wave.
3.1 (c) Polarised wave A polarised wave is a transverse wave in which particle
oscillations occur in only one of the directions at right angles
to the direction of wave propagation.
3.1 (d) In phase Waves arriving at a point are said to be in phase if they have
the same frequency and are at the same point in their cycles
at the same time.
[Wave sources are in phase if the waves have the same
frequency and are at the same point in their cycles at the
same time, as they leave the sources.]
3.1 (e) Wavelength of a The wavelength of a progressive wave is the minimum
progressive wave distance (measured along the direction of propagation)
between two points on the wave oscillating in phase.
Frequency of a The frequency of a wave is the number of cycles of a wave
wave that pass a given point in one second, [or equivalently the
number of cycles of oscillation per second performed by any
particle in the medium through which the wave is passing.]
Speed of a wave The speed of a wave is the distance that the wave profile
moves per unit time.
3.2 (a) Diffraction Diffraction is the spreading out of waves when they meet
obstacles, such as the edges of a slit. Some of the wave’s
energy travels into the geometrical shadows of the obstacles.
3.2 (f) The principle of The principle of superposition states that if waves from two
superposition sources [or travelling by different routes from the same
source] occupy the same region then the total displacement
at any one point is the vector sum of their individual
displacements at that point.
3.2 (m) Phase difference Phase difference is the difference in position of 2 points within
a cycle of oscillation. It is given as a fraction of the cycle or as
an angle, where one whole cycle is 2π or 360°], together with
a statement of which point is ahead in the cycle.
Coherence Waves or wave sources, which have a constant phase
difference between them (and therefore must have the same
frequency) are said to be coherent.
3.2 (o) Stationary (or A stationary wave is a pattern of disturbances in a medium, in
standing) wave which energy is not propagated. The amplitude of particle
oscillations is zero at equally-spaced nodes, rising to maxima
at antinodes, midway between the nodes.
3.3 Refractive For light, Snell's law may be written: n1 sin θ1 = n2 sin θ2
(a)/(b) index, n in which θ1 and θ2 are angles to the normal for light passing
between medium 1 and medium 2; n1 and n2 are called the
refractive indices of medium 1 and medium 2 respectively.
The refractive index of a vacuum is fixed by convention as
 exactly 1. For air, n = 1.000
3.3 (b) Snell’s law At the boundary between any two given materials, the ratio of
the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of
refraction is a constant.
3.3 (e) Critical angle, C When light approaches the boundary between two media
from the 'slower' medium, the critical angle is the largest
angle of incidence for which refraction can occur. The
refracted wave is then travelling at 90° to the normal.
3.4 (b) Photoelectric When light or ultraviolet radiation of short enough wavelength
effect falls on a surface, electrons are emitted from the surface.
3.4 (e) Work function, φ The work function of a surface is the minimum energy needed
to remove an electron from the surface. Unit: J or eV
3.4 (j) Electron volt (eV) This is the energy transferred when an electron moves
between two points with a potential difference of 1 V between
them. 1 eV = 1.60 × 10-19 J
So for an electron being accelerated it is the kinetic energy
acquired when accelerated through a pd of 1 V.
3.4 (k) Ionisation The removal of one or more electrons from an atom.
Ionisation energy The ionization energy of an atom is the minimum energy
needed to remove an electron from the atom in its ground
state. Unit: J
3.5 (a) Stimulated This is the emission of a photon from an excited atom,
emission triggered by a passing photon of energy equal to the energy
gap between the excited state and a state of lower energy in
the atom. The emitted photon has the same frequency,
phase, direction of travel and polarisation direction as the
passing photon.
3.5 (b) Population A population inversion is a situation in which a higher energy
inversion state in an atomic system is more heavily populated than a
lower energy state (i.e. a less excited state or the ground
state) of the same system.
3.5 (e) Pumping Pumping is feeding energy into the amplifying medium of a
laser to produce a population inversion.
3.6 (a) Alpha (α) Fast moving particles, helium nuclei, ejected from certain
radiation radioactive nuclei.
Beta (β) radiation Electrons with speeds just less than the speed of light,
ejected from certain radioactive nuclei.
Gamma (γ) Photons of high energy (high frequency, short wavelength)
radiation ejected from radioactive nuclei.
A
X notation X is the chemical symbol of the element, A the mass number
Z
(number of protons plus number of neutrons) and Z the
atomic number (number of protons).
3.6 (d) Half-life, T1 of a The time taken for the number of radioactive nuclei, N (or the
2
activity A) to reduce to one half of the initial value.
nuclide Unit: s or any unit of time
3.6 (e) Activity, A The rate of decay (number of disintegrations per second) of a
sample of radioactive nuclei.
Unit: becquerel (Bq) = s-1
3.6 (f) Decay constant, λ The constant which appears in the exponential decay law
−λt
N = N0 e and determines the rate of decay (the greater λ,
the more rapid the rate of decay). λ is related to half-life by .
 ln2
λ= Unit: s-1 or any (unit of time)-1
T1
2
3.7 (c) Lepton Leptons are electrons and electron-neutrinos [and analogous
pairs of particles of the so-called second and third
generations].
3.7 (f) Hadron Hadrons are particles consisting of quarks or antiquarks
bound together. Only hadrons (and quarks or antiquarks
themselves) can ‘feel’ the strong force.
Baryon A baryon is a hadron consisting of 3 quarks or 3 antiquarks.
The best known baryons are the nucleons, i.e. protons and
neutrons.
Meson A meson is a hadron consisting of a quark-antiquark pair.
3.8 (b) Unified atomic The unified atomic mass unit is defined as exactly one twelfth
mass unit, u of the mass of one atom of carbon-12. Thus one atom of
carbon-12 has a mass of exactly 12 u.
(1 u = 1.66 × 10-27 kg)
Binding energy of The energy that has to be supplied in order to dissociate a
a nucleus nucleus into its constituent nucleons. [It is therefore not
energy which a nucleus possesses.] Unit: J [or MeV]
3.8 (d) Conservation of Energy cannot be lost or gained, only transferred from one
mass-energy form to another. We can measure the energy in a body by
multiplying its mass by c2.
3.9 (b) Magnetic field, B
This is a vector quantity. Its direction is that in which the North
(or magnetic flux
pole of a freely-pivoted magnet points. Its magnitude is
density) F
defined by B = in which F is the force on a length l of wire
Il
carrying a current I, placed perpendicular to the direction of
the field. Unit: T [= N A-1 m-1]
3.9 (d) Hall voltage When a magnetic field, B, is applied to conductor carrying a
current I, at right angles to the field direction, a so-called Hall
voltage appears across the specimen, at right angles to the B
and I directions.
3.10 (a) Magnetic flux, Φ If a single-turn coil of wire encloses an area A, and a
magnetic field B makes an angle θ with the normal to the
plane of the coil, the magnetic flux through the coil is given by
Φ = AB cos θ. Unit: Wb =T m2
Flux linkage, If the above coil consists of N turns, the flux linkage is given
NΦ by NΦ. Unit: Wb or Wb turn.
3.10 (b) Faraday’s law When the flux linking an electrical circuit is changing, an emf
is induced in the circuit of magnitude equal to the rate of
change of flux linkage.
∆(NΦ)
E=− [Note: the − sign is from Lenz’s law, see below]
∆t
Lenz’s law The direction of any current resulting from an induced emf is
such as to oppose the change in flux linkage that is causing
the current.
Option A – Alternating Currents
Section Item Definition
Opt A (d) Root-mean- If an alternating voltage is read at regular intervals throughout a
square cycle, giving the values V1, V2 … Vn, the rms pd, Vrms, is defined as
(rms) value 1
Vrms = (V1 2 + V22 + V 2 n)
n
Irms, is defined similarly for current.
[A steady pd of magnitude Vrms (and a steady current of Irms)
would give the same power dissipation in a resistor as the
alternating pd and current.]
Opt A (i) Reactance, When a sinusoidal AC voltage is applied to an inductor, the
XL of an Vrms
reactance is given by X = where V and I are the rms
inductor L rms rms
I rms
values of the voltage across, and the current in, the inductor. It is
equal to ωL (or 2πfL). UNIT: Ω
Opt A (j) Reactance, When a sinusoidal AC voltage is applied to a capacitor, the
XC of a Vrms
reactance is given by X = where V and I are the rms
capacitor C rms rms
I rms
values of the voltage across the capacitor and the current in its
1 1
connecting wires. It is equal to (or ). UNIT: Ω
ωC 2πfC
Opt A (l) Phasor This is an imaginary vector rotating at the frequency, f of the
alternating current. Its length can represent the rms (or peak)
value of a current or a pd, or the value of a resistance or
reactance.
Opt A (m) Impedance, When an AC voltage is applied to a combination of resistance
Z and capacitance or inductance (or both), the impedance is given
Vrms
by Z = where V rms and Irms are the rms values of the voltage
I rms
across the combination and the current in it. UNIT: Ω
Opt A (n) Resonance This is the frequency of applied pd at which Irms is maximum, for a
frequency, given Vrms. For a series LCR circuit it is given by:
f0 of an LCR 1
2 π f0 =
circuit LC
Opt A (o) Q factor of 2 π f0 L
This is defined by Q = in which f is the resonance
an LCR R
0

circuit frequency. The Q factor is a measure of the sharpness of the

resonance curve – the larger the Q factor, the sharper the
resonance curve.
Option B – Medical Physics
Section Item Definition
Opt B (b) X-ray beam This is the X-ray energy per unit area, per unit time, passing
intensity normally through a surface.
Opt B (d) X-ray This is the decrease in intensity of X-rays as they pass through a
attenuation material. The attenuation equation is:
I = I0 e− µ x
in which I is the intensity of X-rays having passed through a
thickness, x of material, and I0 is the original intensity. μ is a
constant dependent on the material, called the attenuation
constant.
Opt B (e) X-ray These are substances introduced into parts of the body to give
contrast greater contrast between them and surrounding areas. Usually
media they have high attenuation constants e.g. ‘barium meals’ for
highlighting the stomach and intestines.
Opt B (g) CT scanner A device which collects data on X-ray transmission at different
angles through slices of the body, and uses it to produce a 3-
dimensional picture. ‘CT’ stands for computed tomography.
Opt B (h) Piezoelectric One of several types of crystal which deform when a voltage is
crystal applied between two of their faces, and which, conversely,
produce a voltage when deformed.
Piezoelectric This is a piezoelectric crystal used either to generate ultrasound
transducer when an alternating voltage of ultrasonic frequency is applied, or
to sense ultrasound by producing an alternating voltage in
response.
Opt B (i) Ultrasonic Scan in which the strength of reflections of an ultrasound pulse
A-scan from interfaces in the body is shown by the amplitude of a trace.
Ultrasonic Scan in which the strength of reflection of an ultrasound pulse
B-scan from interfaces in the body is shown by the brightness of a trace.
An array of transducers can produce a two dimensional picture.
Opt B (j) Acoustic The acoustic impedance Z of a material of density ρ, in which the
impedance, speed of sound is c, is defined by Z = c ρ. The greater the
Z of a difference in Z between two materials the greater the fraction of
material ultrasound power reflected at an interface between them.
Coupling Gel or oil used to exclude air between the skin and the ultrasound
medium transducer. It reduces the mismatch in Z, and enables more
ultrasound to enter the body instead of being reflected off the skin.
Opt B (k) Doppler Change in frequency of waves due to the relative motion of wave
effect source, sensor, medium or reflector.
Opt B (l) Precession Protons have ‘spin’ and behave like tiny magnets. In a strong
of spin of magnetic field their spins wobble or precess around the magnetic
proton field direction, rather as a spinning top’s axis wobbles around the
vertical. There is a natural frequency of wobble (the Larmor
frequency).
Magnetic This is the strong absorption of radio waves of the Larmor
resonance of frequency by protons in a magnetic field. It results in the spin-
protons flipping direction.
Relaxation This is a characteristic time for spin-flipped protons in hydrogen
time of spin- atoms in a magnetic field to return to their original spin orientation
flipped when the radio frequency is removed. It depends on, and so tells
protons us about, the tissue which contains the hydrogen atoms.
Opt B Absorbed This is the radiation energy (for α, β, or γ radiation, or for X-
(p)(q) dose rays) absorbed per kilogram of tissue.
The gray (Gy) This is the unit of absorbed dose.
1 Gy = 1 joule per kilogram
The sievert This is the unit of equivalent dose and effective dose.
(Sv)
Equivalent This is the absorbed dose, D, multiplied by a radiation
dose, H weighting factor, WR. H = DWR
Effective dose, This is the equivalent dose, H, multiplied by a tissue weighting
E factor WT. E = HWT
Opt B (s) Collimator Device for producing (or selecting) a parallel beam (e.g. of
gamma radiation).
Scintillations These are flashes of light (or ultraviolet radiation) given out by
certain crystals (e.g. sodium iodide) when high energy
particles, e.g. gamma ray photons, strike them.
Photomultiplier This is an arrangement of electrodes, with different voltages
applied to them, so that electrons emitted from one electrode
by the photoelectric effect are effectively multiplied in number
to make a much larger current.
Opt B (t) Positron The positrons annihilate electrons in adjacent tissue and send
emission out pairs of gamma photons which are detected outside the
tomography body.
(PET)
Option C – The Physics of Sports
Section Item Definition
Opt C (d) Coefficient of The coefficient of restitution is defined as the ratio
restitution, e of the relative speed after a collision to the relative
speed before a collision i.e.
Relative speed after collision
e= . Also it can be
Relative speed before collision
h
determined from the equation e = where h is
H
the bounce height and H is the drop height.
Opt C (e) Moment of The moment of inertia of a body about a given
2
inertia, I axis is defined as I = ∑ m r for all points in the
i i

body, where mi and ri are the mass and distance

of each point from the axis.
The moment of inertia can be determined using
equations for specific objects e.g.
2
For a solid sphere I = mr2
5
2 2
A thin spherical shell I = mr
3
Unit: kg m2
Opt C (g) Angular The angular acceleration of a rotating object is
acceleration, α defined as the rate of change of angular velocity,
ω. If the angular velocity changes from an initial
value, ω1 to a final value, ω2, then the angular
ω2 − ω2
acceleration, α, can be written as α =
t
Unit: rad s-2
Opt C (h) Torque, The torque is defined as τ = Ia where α is the
angular acceleration and I is the moment of
inertia. Also torque can be defined as the rate of
change of angular momentum.
Unit: N m or kg m2 rad s-2
Opt C (i) Angular The angular momentum of a rigid body is defined
momentum, J as J = Iω where ω is the angular velocity and I is
the moment of inertia.
Unit: N m s or kg m2 rad s-1
Opt C (j) Conservation of The total angular momentum of a system remains
angular constant provided no external torque acts on the
momentum system.
Opt C (n) Bernoulli’s Bernoulli’s equation is given in the
equation 1
form: p = p − ρv2
0
2
where p is the pressure, po is the static pressure, ρ
is the density and v is the speed. This will be
applied in sporting contexts.
Opt C (o) Drag coefficient, This is a quantity that has no units and is used to
CD quantify the drag or resistance of an object in an
environment such as air or water.
Option D – Energy and the Environment
Section Item Definition
Opt D Greenhouse The glass of a greenhouse transmits the visible radiation from
(a)(i) effect the Sun (and some of the near ultraviolet and near infra-red),
but does not transmit the far infra-red given out by the ‘cool’
contents of the greenhouse, instead absorbing it and re-
radiating back into the greenhouse. Certain gases in the Earth’s
atmosphere act much like greenhouse glass. The higher the
concentration of these gases the warmer the Earth’s surface
and atmosphere.
Opt D Archimedes Any object, wholly or partially immersed in a fluid experiences a
(a)(iv) principle force equal to the weight of the fluid dispersed by the object.
Opt D Solar This is the solar radiated energy crossing a plane perpendicular
(b)(i) constant to the line joining the Earth to the Sun, just outside the Earth’s
atmosphere, per second per unit area.
The mean value is 1.35 kW m-2.
Opt D Nuclear If light nuclei are brought together with enough kinetic energy
fusion they can join together to make a heavier nucleus. Usually a
(b)(iv)
proton or neutron is produced as well. The fusion products have
more kinetic energy than the original kinetic energy supplied.
Nuclear Certain nuclei of large mass number (e.g. uranium-235) are
fission fissile: they can absorb a (slow) neutron and will then split into
(usually) two smaller, beta-radioactive, nuclei. Two or more
neutrons are also released. The ‘fragments’ have large kinetic
energies. This is nuclear fission.
Enrichment This is the process of increasing the proportion of the fissile
of uranium uranium-235 to the non-fissile uranium-238 in a sample of
uranium.
Breeding If U-238 is bombarded with fast (high energy) neutrons, the
(of Pu-239) resulting U-239 decays by beta emission in two steps to
produce Pu-239 (plutonium-239). This will undergo fission with
slow (‘thermal’) neutrons. Thus nuclear fuel can be ‘bred’ from
U-238.
Opt D (c) Fuel cell Device which uses chemical energy from fuel to provide
electrical energy directly. In a hydrogen fuel cell hydrogen
combines with oxygen producing electrical energy – the
electrolysis of water in reverse.
Opt D (d) Thermal ∆Q
The rate of flow of heat, through a slice of material of
conduction
∆t
equation and cross-sectional area A is given by:
thermal ∆Q ∆θ
=−KA
conductivity, ∆t ∆x
K ∆Q
in which is the temperature gradient: the temperature
∆x
difference across the faces of the slice divided by the thickness
of the slice, and K is a constant for the material called its
thermal conductivity.
Opt D (e) U values This describes how well a building material conducts heat. It is
the rate of transfer of heat through one square metre of the
material divided by the difference in temperature across the
material. A low U value indicates a high level of insulation.
UNIT: W m-2 K-1