Glossary For Terms In IB Physics

IB marking on the exam can be rather particular for specific points when "define" is requested in a question. This page is a compilation, (a work in progress as of Nov 2006), of these specific points when specific points should be included in a definition. Be sure to understand why the points are required.

Mechanics

Name
Definition
Explanation or Alternative Definition (don't use on a test)
Objective Link
Define
State

 

Waves

Name
Definition
Explanation or Alternative Definition (don't use on a test)
Objective Link
Define
State

 

Optics

Name
Definition
Explanation or Alternative Definition (don't use on a test)
Objective Link
Define
State

 

Electricity and Magnetism

Name
Definition
Explanation or Alternative Definition (don't use on a test)
Objective Link
Define
electrical field
5.1.9
electric potential energy difference between two points in an electric field
electrical potential -
  • work done per unit charge
  • in bringing a small positive test charge
  • from infinity to that point
11.1.1

electrical potential difference

electronvolt

electric current

resistance

electromotive force

the magnitude of the magnetic field strength B

ampere
magnetic flux
magnetic flux linkage
State
there are two types of electric charge
concept of conservation of charge
Coulomb's law
Ohm's law
the definition of the ampere
State and apply the formula relating electric field strength to potential gradient
Faraday's law
  • induced emf is proportional to the rate of change of magnetic flux (linkage)
Lenz's law
  • direction of (induced) emf is such that as to oppose the change that caused it

Thermal

Name
Definition
Explanation or Alternative Definition (don't use on a test)
Objective Link
Define
heat capacity
is defined as the change in thermal energy divided by the change in temperature
3.2.1
specific heat capacity
is defined as the heat capacity per unit mass
3.2.1
specific latent heat
the amount of heat energy added to or released from a substance in order to change its state (between two of solid liquid and gas), per unit mass
3.2.8
mole (abbreviated mol)
the amount of substance that contains as many atoms or molecules as there are in 12.00 grams of carbon 12 (whose atomic mass is exactly 12u)
iss Avogadro's number, 6.022x10**23, of particles of any kind of substance (atoms, ions, molecules, or formula units).
3.3.2
molar mass
the mass of one mole of substance
3.3.2
Avogadro constant

is the number of carbon-12 atoms in 12 grams carbon-12

IB uses 6.02 x 10**23


3.3.3
thermal efficiency of a heat engine
9.2.9
State
temperature is a property that determines the direction of thermal energy transfer between two bodies in thermal contact
3.1.1
relation between the Kelvin and Celsius scales of temperature
3.1.3
temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the molecules of a substance
3.1.4
internal energy is the total potential and kinetic energy of molecules in a substance
3.1.5
equation of state of an ideal gas
3.3.4
first law of thermodynamics
9.2.1
first law of thermodynamics is a statement of the principle of energy conservation
9.2.2
Carnot's theorem
9.2.11
an expression for the efficiency of a Carnot engine in terms of the temperatures of the two reservoirs
9.2.12
heat can be completely converted to work in a single process, but that continuous conversion of heat into work requires a cyclical process and the rejection of some heat
9.3.1
Kelvin-Planck formulation of the second law of thermodynamics
9.3.2
entropy is a system property that expresses the degree of disorder in the system
9.3.4
the second law in terms of entropy changes
9.3.5

 

Atomic and Nuclear

Name
Definition
Explanation or Alternative Definition (don't use on a test)
Objective Link
Define
State

 

Relativity

Name
Definition
Explanation or Alternative Definition (don't use on a test)
Objective Link
Define
State

 

IB Physics Home