BSL Glossary - Physics curriculum terms
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A
absorption (radiation)
acceleration
air friction
air resistance
alpha particle
alpha radiation
alternating current
ammeter
ampere / amp
amplitude
analogue
angle of emergence
angle of incidence
angle of reflection
angle of refraction
attract
average speed
B
background radiation
balanced forces
Becquerel, Bq
beta particle
beta radiation
blurred vision
bulb
C
capacitor
chain reaction (nuclear)
circuit
compression
concave
conductor
constant speed
convex
correct vision
critical angle
current
D
deceleration
delay
density
depth
depth under surface
diffraction
digital
dimmed lighting
dioptre
direct current
distance
distance travelled
E
earth (electricity)
Earth's pull
efficiency
electricity
electromagnetic spectrum
emerge
emit
endoscope
energy
energy change
engine
eye defect
eyepiece lens
F
fluorescence
focal length
focus
force
frequency
friction
fuse
G
galaxy
gamma radiation
gamma ray
geothermal
glass
gravitational field strength
gravity
H
heat conduction
heat convection
heat sensor
height
horizontal
I
image
image guide (endoscope)
image retention
incident ray
infrared radiation
instantaneous speed
insulator (electrical)
J
joule
K
kinetic energy
L
laser
launch vehicle
length
lens
light energy
light guide (endoscope)
light sensor
light year
line emission spectrum
live
long sight
M
magnet
magnetic
magnetic field
mass
maximum speed
metres per second
microwave radiation
Milky Way
momentum
moon
multimeter
N
neutral (electrical)
Newton
Newton balance
Newton's Laws
non-renewable energy
normal (eg; angle of incidence)
nuclear energy
nuclear power station
O
objective lens
optical fibre
orbit
P
parallel circuit
parallel rays (of light)
path of rays (of light)
peak value
period (of orbit)
pitch
planet
potential energy
power
pressure sensor
Principle of reversibility
Q (empty)
R
radiation
radio wave
ray of light
rays converge
reflected ray
reflecting telescope
reflection
refracting telescope
refraction
renewable
renewable energy
repel
resistance
resultant force
Principle of reversibility
S
sensor
serial circuit
short sight
Sievert, Sv
smoke/gas sensor
solar system
space
spacecraft
specific heat capacity
specific latent heat of fusion
specific latent heat of vaporisation
spectacles
speed
speed of light
star
stationary
streamline
sun
T
telescope
temperature
tension
thermometer
thrust
time
time delay
time interval
timer
total internal reflection
U
ultraviolet
ultraviolet radiation
unbalanced force
uniform acceleration
V
vacuum
vector (force)
velocity
vertical
vibration sensor
visible light
visible spectrum
volt
voltage
voltmeter
W
water friction
wave
wavelength
weight
weightless
white light
width
X
x-ray
Y (empty)
Z (empty)