Glossary of physics terms
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A
Acceleration
The rate of change of velocity with respect to time. SI unit: m/s². A vector quantity.
Amplitude
The maximum displacement of a wave from its equilibrium position.
Angular momentum
The rotational analog of linear momentum. Conserved when no external torque acts.
C
Centripetal force
The net inward force that keeps an object moving in a circular path.
Conservation of energy
Energy can change form, but the total energy in a closed system remains constant.
E
Electric field
A vector field describing the electric force per unit charge at each point in space.
Electromagnetic induction
The production of an electromotive force by a changing magnetic flux.
F
Force
An interaction that can change the motion of an object. SI unit: newton.
Frequency
The number of cycles or oscillations per unit time. SI unit: hertz.
I
Inertia
The tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion.
L
Lorentz force
The total electromagnetic force on a charge: F = qE + qv×B.
M
Magnetic field
A vector field B that exerts a force on moving charges. Measured in tesla.
Magnetic flux
A measure of the magnetic field passing through a surface.
Magnetic moment
A vector quantity describing the strength and orientation of a magnetic source.
Momentum
The product of mass and velocity, p = mv. Conserved in a closed system.
N
Newton
The SI unit of force. One newton accelerates one kilogram at one m/s².
S
Spacetime
The four-dimensional framework combining three spatial dimensions and time.
T
Tesla
The SI unit of magnetic field strength. 1 T = 1 N/(A·m).
Torque
The rotational analog of force. Torque tends to produce angular acceleration.
V
Velocity
The rate of change of displacement with time. A vector with magnitude and direction.
W
Wavelength
The spatial period of a wave; the distance over which the wave shape repeats.
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