General physics

General physics

Terms realting to physics that are not fit for other subcategories.

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General physics

Heat transfer

Physics; General physics

A transfer of thermal energy from one system to another.

Newton’s law of universal gravitation

Physics; General physics

The force of gravity, F , between two particles of mass m 1 and m 2 , separated by a distance r , has a magnitude of F = Gm 1 m 2 / r 2 , where G is the gravitational constant. The ...

The reaction force of the ground, a table, etc., when an object is placed upon it. The normal force is a direct consequence of Newton's Third Law: when an object is placed on the ground, the ground ...

Newton’s second law

Physics; General physics

F = m a . The net force, F , acting on an object causes the object to accelerate, a . The magnitude of the acceleration is directly proportional to the net force on the object and ...

Newton’s third law

Physics; General physics

To every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. If an object A exerts a force on another object B , B will exert on A a force equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the ...

Orbit

Physics; General physics

When an object is held in circular motion about a massive body, like a planet or a sun, due to the force of gravity, that object is said to be in orbit. Objects in orbit are in perpetual free fall, ...

Optics

Physics; General physics

The study of the properties of visible light, i.e., the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum with wavelengths between 360 and 780 nm (1 nm = 1 × 10 -9 m/s).