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SAT Subject Test: hysics

Subjects : sat, science, physics
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Linear momentum - p - commonly called "momentum" for short - is a vector quantity defined as the product of an object's mass - m - and its velocity - v.






2. The energy of a particle rotating around an axis.






3. States that the net work done on an object is equal to the object's change in kinetic energy.






4. The number of digits that have been accurately measured. When combining several measurements in a formula - the resulting calculation can only have as many significant digits as the measurement that has the smallest number of significant digits.






5. The line perpendicular to a surface. There is only one normal for any given surface.






6. An object that moves about a stable equilibrium point and experiences a restoring force that is directly proportional to the oscillator's displacement.






7. A vector quantity - equal to the rate of change of the angular velocity vector with time. It is typically given in units of rad/s2.






8. A scalar quantity that tells us how fast an object is moving. It measures the rate of change in distance over time. Speed is to be contrasted with velocity in that there is no direction associated with speed.






9. The series of standing waves supported by a string with both ends tied down. The first member of the series - called the fundamental - has two nodes at the ends and one anti-node in the middle. The higher harmonics are generated by placing an integra






10. A vector quantity - or vector - is an object possessing - and fully described by - a magnitude and a direction. Graphically a vector is depicted as an arrow with its magnitude given by the length of the arrow and its direction given by where the arro






11. A negatively charged particle that orbits the nucleus of the atom.






12. A law - || = - which states that the induced emf is the change in magnetic flux in a certain time.

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13. If two systems - A and B - are in thermal equilibrium and if B and C are also in thermal equilibrium - then systems A and C are necessarily in thermal equilibrium.






14. The principle stating that for any isolated system - linear momentum is constant with time.






15. Body diagram- Illustrates the forces acting on an object - drawn as vectors originating from the center of the object.






16. A constant in the numerator of a formula.






17. An object cannot be cooled to absolute zero.






18. The ray of light that is reflected from a mirror or other reflecting surface.






19. A frequency - f - defined as the number of revolutions a rigid body makes in a given time interval. It is a scalar quantity commonly denoted in units of Hertz (Hz) or s-1.






20. If the net torque acting on a rigid body is zero - then the angular momentum of the body is constant or conserved.






21. Done when energy is transferred by a force. The work done by a force F in displacing an object by s is W = F · s.






22. The points of maximum displacement along a wave. In traveling waves - the crests move in the direction of propagation of the wave. The crests of standing waves - also called anti-nodes - remain in one place.






23. A transfer of thermal energy. We don't speak about systems "having" heat - but about their "transferring" heat - much in the way that dynamical systems don't "have" work - but rather "do" work.






24. A form of radioactivity where an excited atom releases a photon of gamma radiation - thereby returning to a lower energy state. The atomic structure itself does not change in the course of gamma radiation.






25. In a right triangle - the sine of a given angle is the length of the side opposite the angle divided by the length of the hypotenuse.






26. Heat transfer by molecular collisions.






27. Two quantities are inversely proportional if an increase in one results in a proportional decrease in the other - and a decrease in one results in a proportional increase in the other. In a formula defining a certain quantity - those quantities to wh






28. A measure of the average kinetic energy of the molecules in a system. Temperature is related to heat by the specific heat of a given substance.






29. The force necessary to maintain a body in uniform circular motion. This force is always directed radially toward the center of the circle.






30. The force involved in beta decay that changes a proton to a neutron and releases an electron and a neutrino.






31. A collision in which momentum is conserved but kinetic energy is not.






32. An object is called radioactive if it undergoes radioactive decay.






33. The points of maximum negative displacement along a wave. They are the opposite of wave crests.






34. Waves carried by variations in air pressure. The speed of sound waves in air at room temperature and pressure is roughly 343 m/s.






35. An object at rest remains at rest - unless acted upon by a net force. An object in motion remains in motion - unless acted upon by a net force.

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36. Two quantities are directly proportional if an increase in one results in a proportional increase in the other - and a decrease in one results in a proportional decrease in the other. In a formula defining a certain quantity - those quantities to whi






37. A pendulum consists of a bob connected to a rod or rope. At small angles - a pendulum's motion approximates simple harmonic motion as it swings back and forth without friction.






38. The time - T - required for a rigid body to complete one revolution.






39. The points midway between nodes on a standing wave - where the oscillations are largest.






40. In the graphical representation of vectors - the tail of the arrow is the blunt end (the end without a point).






41. A mirror that is curved such that its center is farther from the viewer than the edges - such as the front of a spoon. Concave mirrors reflect light through a focal point.






42. The amplification of one wave by another - identical wave of the same sign. Two constructively interfering waves are said to be "in phase."






43. A system with many parts in periodic - or repetitive - motion. The oscillations in one part cause vibrations in nearby parts.






44. The amount of heat of a material required to raise the temperature of either one kilogram or one gram of that material by one degree Celsius. Different units may be used depending on whether specific heat is measured in s of grams or kilograms - and






45. A sheet - film - or screen with a pattern of equally spaced slits. Typically the width of the slits and space between them is chosen to generate a particular diffraction pattern.






46. For a heat engine - the ratio of work done by the engine to heat intake. Efficiency is never 100%.






47. The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius. 1 cal = 4.19 J.






48. Two oscillators that have the same frequency and amplitude - but reach their maximum displacements at different times - are said to have different phases. Similarly - two waves are in phase if their crests and troughs line up exactly - and they are o






49. The angle between a reflected ray and the normal.






50. The bending of light at the corners of objects or as it passes through narrow slits or apertures.