O Levels (5054) &

IGCSE Physics (0625)

Definitions

Alpha Learning
Unit 1 - Motion, Forces and Energy:
Precise: When several readings are close together when
measuring the same value.

Volume: Space Occupied by an object

Meniscus: Curved upper surface of the liquid.

Mass: the quantity of matter a body is composed of. Mass causes

the object to resist changes in its motion.

Density: Mass per unit volume

Weight: The downward force of gravity that acts on an object due

to its mass.

Oscillation: A repetitive motion or vibration.

Time Period/Period: The time for one complete oscillation.

𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
Average Speed =
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒

Speed: Distance travelled per unit time.

Light gates: Allows the speed of an object passing between them

to be calculated electronically.

Acceleration: Rate of change of velocity

Velocity: The Rate of change of displacement or Speed in a

specified direction.

Vector Quantity: Has both magnitude and direction

Scalar Quantity: Has only magnitude but no direction.

Newton (N): the force required to give a mass of 1kg an
acceleration of 1 ms-2

Air Resistance: Friction acting on an object moving through air.

Friction: The force that acts when two surfaces rub one another.

Drag: Friction acting on an object as it moves through a fluid

(liquid + gas)

Resultant Force: The single force that has the same effect on a
body as two or more forces.

Gravitational Field Strength: the gravitational force exerted per

unit mass.

Acceleration of Free Fall/ Acceleration due to gravity:

The acceleration of an object falling freely under gravity.

Terminal Velocity: The greatest speed reached by an object when

moving through a fluid (gas and liquid)

Momentum: product of mass and velocity

Impulse: Change in object’s momentum OR the force acting on an

object multiplied by the time for which the force acts.

Principle of Conservation of Momentum: The total momentum of

a system remains constant unless acted upon by an external
force.

Turning effect: when a force causes an object to rotate

Pivot: The fixed point about which a lever turns; also known as
fulcrum.
Moment: turning effect of a force about a pivot.

Moment = Force x Perpendicular distance from the pivot

Equilibrium: No Resultant force and no Resultant moment.

Anticlockwise: Turning in the opposite direction from the hands of

a clock

Clockwise: Turning in the same direction as the hands on a clock.

Principle of Moments: When an object is in equilibrium, the sum of

anticlockwise moments about any point equals the sum of
clockwise moments about the same point.

Stable: An object that is unlikely to topple over, often because it

has a low center of gravity and a wide base.

Unstable: An object that is likely to topple over, often because it

has a high center of gravity and a narrow base.

Centre of gravity: A point were all the mass/weight of an object

seems to be acting.

Lamina: Flat two-dimensional shape.

Extension: The increased length of an object (for example, a

spring) when a load is attached to it.

Limit of Proportionality: Up to this limit, the extension on a spring is

directly proportional to load

Spring Constant: Force per unit extension

Pressure: Force per unit area

Pascal: If a force of 1 Newton (N) acts on an area of 1 m2 then the
pressure is equal to 1 Pascal (Pa)

Kinetic Energy: The energy store of a moving object

Gravitational Potential Energy: The energy store of an object

raised up against the force of gravity.

Chemical energy: Energy stored in bonds between atoms that

can be released when chemical reaction takes place. (Battery also
contains Chemical energy)

Strain energy: Energy stored in the changed shape of an object

Internal Energy: Sum of Kinetic and potential energies.

Thermal Energy: Energy Transferred from a hotter place to a

colder place because of the temperature difference.

Principle of conservation of energy: Energy cannot be created or

destroyed, it can only be stored or transferred.
𝑈𝑠𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝑂𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡
Efficiency =
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝐼𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡

𝑈𝑠𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑂𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡

Efficiency =
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝐼𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡

Non-Renewable: An energy resource that is gone forever once it

has been used.

Renewable: An energy resource that will be replenished

(replaced) naturally when used.

Geothermal Energy: Energy stored in hot rocks underground.

Boiler: Device where thermal energy is transferred to water to turn
it into steam.

Turbine: A device that is made to turn by moving air, steam or

water; often used to generate electricity.

Nuclear Fusion: the process by which energy is released when two

small nuclei join together to form a new heavier nucleus.

Work done = Product of force and Distance travelled in the

direction of force. Energy and work done are interchangeable.

Joule: When a force of 1N is applied through a distance of 1m then

the work done is said to be 1 Joule (J)

Power: Rate at which work is done OR Rate of energy transfer.

Watt (W): When 1 Joule of work is done per unit time.

Unit 2 – Thermal Physics:
Boiling: Changing from liquid to gas at a fixed temperature called
the boiling point.

Melting: Changing from solid to liquid at a fixed temperature

called the melting point.

Condensation: Changing from gas to liquid at a fixed temperature

called the boiling point.

Freezing/Solidification: Changing from liquid to solid at a fixed

temperature called the melting point.

Melting point: The temperature at which solid melts to form a

liquid.

Boiling point: The temperature at which a liquid changes into a

gas.

Absolute Zero: a temperature of 0 Kelvin at which kinetic energy

becomes zero.

Temperature: measure of how cold or hot a substance is, it is the

measure of the average energy of the particles in a substance.

Upper fixed Point: a temperature of 100 oC

Lower fixed Point: a temperature of 0 0C

Conversion of Degree Celsius to Kelvin:

K = oC +273
Boyles’s Law: Pressure and Volume4 are inversely proportional
given that temperature is constant.

Inversely Proportional: two quantities are inversely proportional

when increasing one quantity decreases the other by the same
factor.

For Example, if one quantity doubles the other will half.

Thermal Expansion: the increase in volume of a material when its

temperature rises.

Specific Heat Capacity: The energy required per unit mass per
unit temperature increase.

Thermal Conduction: The transfer of thermal energy by the

vibration of molecules

Convection: The transfer of thermal energy through a material by

the movement of material itself.

Convection Current: The transfer of thermal energy by the motion

of fluid.
Unit 3 – Waves:
Compression: A region of sound wave where the particles are at
maximum pressure

Rarefaction: A region of sound wave where the particles are at

minimum pressure.

Amplitude: Maximum displacement from mean position.

Crest: Maximum Positive displacement from mean position.

Trough: Maximum Negative Displacement from mean position.

Wavelength: the distance between two adjacent crest or troughs.

Transverse wave: A wave in which the direction of vibration is

perpendicular to the direction in which wave travels.

Longitudinal wave: A wave in which the direction of vibration is

parallel to the direction in which wave travels.

Seismic waves: waves caused by earthquakes.

P-waves: fast moving, longitudinal seismic waves.

S-waves: slow moving, transverse seismic waves.

Wavefront: A line joining adjacent points on a wave that are all in

phase with each other.

Diffraction: When a wave spreads out as it travels through a gap

Frequency: the number of oscillations per unit time.

Ultrasound: Any sound with a frequency higher than 20,000 Hz.

Reflection of light: the change of direction of a ray when it strikes
a surface without passing through it.

Ray: A narrow beam of light.

Ray box: Apparatus used to produce a ray of light.

Incident Ray: A ray of light arriving at a surface.

Reflected Ray: A ray of light which has been reflected from a

surface.

Angle of incidence: the angle between the incident ray and the
normal.

Angle of reflection: Angle between the reflected ray and the

normal.

Normal: A line perpendicular to the surface.

Laterally Inverted: An image in which left and right have been

reversed.

Real Image: an image that can be formed on a screen.

Virtual Image: An image that cannot be formed on a screen.

Refraction: the bending of light when it passes from one medium

to another.

Angle of Refraction: the angle between the refracted ray and the
normal.

Speed of Light: 3 x 108 ms-1

Refractive Index: Ratio of the speeds of a light wave in two

different mediums.
Critical Angle: the angle of incidence when the angle of refraction
becomes 90.

Total Internal Reflection: When a ray of light strikes the inner

surface of a material and 100% of the light reflects back inside it.

Converging lens: A lens that causes rays of light parallel to the

axis to converge at the principal focus.

Diverging Lens: A lens that causes rays of light parallel to the axis
to diverge from the principal focus.

Principal axis: the line passing through the center of a lens

(optical center)

Optical center: Center of the lens

Principal Focus: the point at which rays of light parallel to the

principal axis converge after passing through a converging lens.

Focal Length: the distance from the center of the lens to its
principal focus.

Magnified: used to describe an image which is bigger than the

object.

Diminished: used to describe an image which is smaller than the

object.

Inverted: used to describe an image which is upside down

compared to the object

Upright: used to describe an image which is same way up as the

object.
Dispersion: the separation of different wavelengths of light
because they are refracted through different angles.

Ripple tank: A shallow water tank used to demonstrate how waves

behave.

Wave speed: the speed at which wave travels.

Unit 4 – Electricity and Magnetism:
Permanent Magnet: A material that is difficult to magnetize and
difficult to demagnetize.

Magnetized: When the dipoles of a magnetic material are aligned.

Unmagnetized: When the dipoles of a magnetic material are

misaligned.

Induced Magnetism: When a magnetic material is only

magnetized when placed in a magnetic field. (For Example, when
brought close to the pole of a permanent magnet)

Magnetic Field: A region of space around a magnet where

another magnet experiences a force.

Electromagnet: A coil of wire that acts as a magnet when an

electric current passes through it.

Solenoid: An electromagnet made by passing a current through a

coil of wire.

Conventional Current: The direction positive charges would flow

in a complete circuit. (From positive to negative terminals of a
cell.)

Electron flow: The direction negative charges would flow in a

complete circuit. (From negative to positive terminals of a cell.)

Static Electricity: Electric charge held by a charged insulator.

Electrostatic charge: a property of an object that causes it to

attract or repel other objects with charge.

Electrical Conductor: a substance that allows the flow of electrons

Electrical insulator: a substance that inhibits the flow of electrons

Electric field: a region of space in which an electric charge will

experience a force.

Current: Rate of flow of electric charge.

Cell: A device that provides an electromotive force in a circuit by

means of a chemical reaction.

Battery: Two or more electrical cells connected together in series.

Direct current (d.c.): electric current that flows in the same

direction all the time.

Alternating current (a.c.): electric current that periodically

changes direction.

Galvanometer: a meter for measuring tiny electric current.

Voltage: Work done per unit charge.

Potential difference (p.d.): the work done by a unit charge

passing through an electrical component. The electrical
component can be a resistor, LDR, Thermistor etc

Electromotive force (emf): the electrical work done by a source

(cell, battery) in moving a unit charge around a circuit.

Resistance: A measure of how difficult it is for an electric current to

flow through a device or a component in a circuit; it is the potential
difference divided by the current.

Ohm’s law: Voltage is directly proportional to current given that

resistance remains constant.
Ohmic conductors: Materials that obey ohm’s law. The voltage vs
current graph for such materials is a straight line passing through
origin.

Non Ohmic Conductors: Materials that don’t obey ohm’s law. The
voltage vs current graph for such materials is either an increasing
curve or decreasing curve.

Variable Resistor: A resistor whose resistance can be changed.

Light dependent Resistor (LDR): A device whose resistance

decreases when light intensity increases.

Thermistor: A device whose resistance decreases when

temperature increases.

Relay: A switch controlled by an electromagnet.

Diode: An electrical component that allows current to flow in one

direction only.

Fuse: It is a piece of metal wire that melts when too much current
flows through it.

Trip switch: safety device that includes a switch that opens (trips)
when a current exceeds a certain value.

Earthed: when the case of an electrical appliance is connected to

the earth wire of a three-pin plug; the earth wire is electrically
connected to the ground to prevent current passing through
anyone touching a faulty appliance.

Double Insulated: When the electric circuit for an electrical

appliance is placed inside a case made from an electrical
insulator so that it is impossible for a live wire to touch the outer
casing.

Right Hand Grip rule: A rule which gives the direction of field lines
around a straight wire when current flows through it.

Fleming’s left-Hand Rule: A rule that gives the relationship

between the direction of force, field and current when a current
flows across a magnetic field.

Commutator: A device used to allow current to flow to and from

the coil of a dc motor or generator.

Induced emf: the emf produced in a conductor when it cuts

through magnetic field lines.

Electromagnetic Induction: the production of an emf across an

electrical conductor when there is relative movement between the
conductor and the magnetic field.

Fleming’s Right-hand rule: A rule that gives the relationship

between the direction of force, field and current when a current
flows across a magnetic field.

Slip Rings: a device used to allow current to flow to and from the
coil of an ac generator.

Lenz’s Law: the direction of an induced current always opposes

the change in the circuit or the magnetic field that produces it.

Transformer: A device used to change the voltage of an a.c.

electricity supply.

Step-up Transformer: A transformer which increases the voltage

of an ac supply.
Step-down Transformer: a transformer which decreases the
voltage of an ac supply.
Unit 5 – Nuclear Physics:
Alpha Particles: A particle made up of two protons and two
neutrons; it is emitted by an atomic nucleus during radioactive
decay.

Nucleon number/Mass number: Sum of the number of protons

and neutrons in a nucleus.

Proton Number: The number of protons in an atomic nucleus.

Neutron Number: The number of neutrons in the nucleus of an

atom.

Isotope: Isotopes of an element have the same proton number but

different nucleon numbers.

Radioactive Substance: A substance that decays by emitting

radiation from its atomic nuclei.

Background Radiation: The radiation from the environment to

which we are exposed all the time.

Count Rate: the number of decaying radioactive atoms detected

each second.

Radioactive Decay: the emission of alpha, beta or gamma

radiations from an unstable nucleus.

Random Process: a process that happens at a random rate and in

random directions, the timing and direction of the next emission
cannot be predicted.

Beta Particles: a high-speed electron that is emitted by an atomic

nucleus during radioactive decay.
Gamma Rays: Electromagnetic Radiation emitted by an atomic
nucleus during radioactive decay.

Half-life: the average time taken for half the atoms in a sample of
a radioactive material to decay.
Unit 6 – Space Physics:
Equator: an imaginary line drawn round the earth halfway
between the North Pole and South Pole.

Planet: a large spherical object that orbits the sun without another
similar object close to it.

Minor Planet: An object which orbits the sun but is not large
enough or far enough from another object to be defined as a
planet.

Asteroids/Meteoroids: lumps of rock which orbit the Sun.

Comet: a ball of ice, dust and gas which orbits the sun in a highly
elliptical orbit.

Orbital distance: the average distance of the planet from the Sun.

Orbital Period: the time taken for a planet to complete one full
orbit of the Sun.

Stable star: a star that is not collapsing or expanding because the

inward force of gravity is balanced by the radiation pressure which
pushes outwards.

Light year: the distance travelled by light in one year. (9.5 X 1015 m)

Protostar: A very young star that is still gathering mass from its
parent molecular cloud.

Interstellar cloud: a cloud of gas and dust that occupies the

space between stars.
Red Giant: A star that began with fewer than eight solar masses
and is burning helium in its core; its shell of hydrogen has
expanded and cooled.

Main Sequence star: a stable star that is burning hydrogen in its

core; once it has used up 12% of its hydrogen it goes onto another
stage of its life cycle.

White Dwarf: the final stage of a star that started with fewer than
eight solar masses after all its fuel has been used up.

Planetary Nebula: a bubble of gas surrounding a white dwarf star

that used to be the outer shell of a red giant from which it
collapsed.

Red Supergiant: They form when stars with at least eight times the
mass of the sun run out of hydrogen fuel in their core but fusion of
hydrogen continues in the outer shell.

Supernova: An exploding star that began life with more than eight
solar masses and has run out of fuel.

Neutron star: a collapsed star composed entirely of neutrons

which forms when a star with more than eight solar masses
reaches the end of its life.

Black hole: the final stage in the life cycle of a star that started
with more than eight solar masses; it has enough mass left over
after exploding as a supernova to collapse to a point where
gravity is so strong that not even light can escape.

Absorption spectrum: dark lines in a spectrum that are produced

when light passing through cooler gas is absorbed.
Redshift: An increase in the observed wavelength of
electromagnetic radiation from a star or galaxy because it is
moving away from us.

Big Bang theory: the universe was created 13.8 billion years ago
and has been expanding ever since.

Hubble’s Law: distant galaxies are moving away from Earth with a
speed, v, that is proportional to their distance , d, from Earth.

V = Hod

where Ho is the Hubble constant.

Hubble constant: the slope of a graph of galaxy speed against

distance.

Hubble time: the inverse of the Hubble constant, gives us an

estimate of age of universe.