Physics

Items

• base

  Substance that can accept hydrogen ions (H⁺) or produce hydroxide ions (OH⁻) in water.
• battery

  A device that stores chemical energy and converts it into electrical energy.
• beam

  Refer to a directed stream of particles or energy, like a laser beam or a beam of sunlight.
• beta particle

  A high-speed electron or positron that is released from a nucleus during beta decay, a type of radioactive decay.
• binary

  A system made of two parts or objects. Most commonly, it describes two stars that orbit around each other, called a binary star system.
• biosphere

  The part of Earth where life exists, including land, water, and air, where living things can survive.
• bisect

  To divide something into two equal parts.
• boil

  To heat a liquid until it changes into a gas. This happens at the boiling point, where the vapour pressure of the liquid equals the surrounding pressure.
• boson

  A type of fundamental particle that follows Bose-Einstein statistics and is responsible for carrying forces in the universe.
• buoyancy

  The upward force exerted by a fluid (like water or air) that opposes the weight of an object immersed in it.
• calorimeter

  A device used in physics and chemistry to measure heat, especially the heat released or absorbed during a chemical reaction or physical change.
• capacitor

  An electronic component that stores electrical energy in an electric field. It consists of two conductive plates separated by an insulating material called a dielectric.
• capacitance

  The ability of a system (typically a capacitor) to store electric charge per unit voltage. It's a key concept in electronics and electromagnetism.
• cathode

  The electrode in an electrical device where reduction (gain of electrons) occurs. Its specific role depends on the device type.
• cation

  A positively charged ion, an atom or molecule that has lost one or more electrons.
• centre

  The middle point of an object or shape.
• centrifugal

  An apparent force that seems to push a rotating object away from the center of rotation.
• centripetal

  Centripetal means “center- seeking” and is usually used to describe a force or acceleration that points toward the center of a circular path.
• charge

  A fundamental property of matter that causes it to experience a force when placed in an electric and magnetic field. There are two types: positive (+) and negative (−) charges.
• chromatic

  Chromatic relates to colour or the properties of light involving colours.
• circle

  A simple shape in physics and math where all points are the same distance from a center point. That distance is called the radius.
• circuit

  A closed path that allows electric current to flow through it.
• circumference

  The distance all the way around a circle, basically, the circle’s perimeter.
• coefficient

  A number that multiplies a variable or quantity to show how much it affects something.
• coherence

  Describes the property of waves, usually light or sound, where the waves maintain a constant phase relationship over time and space.