1.

Circular Motion

1. Angular Displacement
It is the angle described by the radius vector in a given time at the center of the circle.

2. Angular Velocity
It is the time rate of change of limiting angular displacement.

3. Angular Acceleration
It is the time rate of change of angular velocity.

4. Uniform Circular Motion

It is the motion of a particle along the circumference of a circle with constant speed.

5. Centripetal Force
It is the force acting on a particle which is directed towards the center of the circle.

6. Centrifugal Force
It is the pseudo force acting on a particle which is directed away from the center of the circle.

7. Banking of roads
It is the process of raising the outer edge of a road over its inner edge and the angle through
which it is raised is called banking angle.

8. Conical pendulum
It is a simple pendulum which is given a motion such that the bob describes a horizontal circle
and the string describes a cone.
 2. Gravitation

1. Newton's Law of Gravitation

It states the the gravitational force of attraction between two bodies is directly proportional to the
product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

2. Critical Velocity
It is the velocity with which a satellite should move in order to be in a circular orbit.

3. Kepler's First Law (Law of Orbit)

It states that every planet revolves around the sun in an elliptical orbit with the sun at one of the
foci of that orbit.

4. Kepler's second law (law of equal areas)

It states that the area swept by the radius vector in equal intervals of time is equal. The areal
velocity of a planet is constant.

5. Kepler's third law (law of period)

It states that the square of the time period of a planet is directly proportional to the cube of the
semimajor axis of the elliptical orbit in which the planet moves.

6. Escape velocity
It is the minimum velocity with which a body must be projected from the surface of the earth so
that it escapes from the gravitational field of the earth.
 3. Rotational Motion

1. Moment of inertia
It is equal to the sum of the product of the mass of each particle and the square of the
perpendicular distance of each particle from the axis of rotation.

2. Radius of gyration
It is the distance at which the mass of a body should be concentrated so that its moment of
inertia about an axis of rotation remains constant.

3. Theorem of parallel axes

It states that the moment of inertia of a body about any axis of rotation is equal to the sum of the
moment of inertia about a parallel axis passing through the center of mass of that body and the
product of the mass of the body and the square of the perpendicular distance between the two
parallel axes.

4. Theorem of perpendicular axes

It states that the moment of inertia of a plane laminar body about an axis passing through its
center of mass and perpendicular to the plane of the body is equal to the sum of the moments of
inertia of the body about two mutually perpendicular axes passing through the center of mass
and lying in the plane of the body.

5. Conservation of angular momentum

It states that the angular momentum of a body is conserved if the net torque acting on it is zero.
 4. Oscillations

1. Linear SHM
It is the linear periodic motion of a body in which the restoring force is always directed towards
the mean position and its magnitude is directly proportional to the distance of the body from the
mean position.

2. Amplitude of SHM
It is the magnitude of the maximum displacement of a particle from its mean position.

4. Phase of SHM
It is the physical quantity which describes the state of oscillation of a body executing SHM.

5. Epoch of SHM
It is the phase of the body performing SHM at the start of motion.

8. Seconds pendulum
It is a simple pendulum whose period is 2 seconds.

9. Law of length
The time period of a simple pendulum is directly proportional to the square root of its length.

10. Law of acceleration due to gravity

The time period of a simple pendulum is inversely proportional to the square root of the
acceleration due to gravity

11. Law of mass

The time period of a simple pendulum does not depend on its mass.

12. Law of isochronous

The time period of a simple pendulum does not depend on its amplitude.
 5. Elasticity

1. Elasticity
The property by virtue of which material bodies regain their originals dimensions (size, shape or
both) after removal of deforming force is called elasticity.

2. Deformation and deforming force

The change in size, shape or both of a body arising due to external force is called deformation.
The force which is responsible for deformation of a body is called deforming force.

3. Stress and strain

Stress is defined as applied force per unit cross sectional area of body.
Strain is defined as the change in dimensions per unit original dimensions.

4. Longitudinal stress and strain

When applied force / deforming force produces change in length of a body, the stress
associated is called longitudinal stress or tensile stress.
Longitudinal or tensile strain is defined as the ratio of change in length to the original length.

5. Shearing stress and strain

If deforming force produces a change in the shape of a body, the stress associated is called
shearing stress.
Shearing strain is defined as the ratio of relative displacement of any layer to its perpendicular
distance from fixed layer.

6. Volume stress and strain

If deforming force produces a change in the volume of a body, the stress associated is called
volume stress.
Volume strain is defined as the ratio of change in volume to the original volume.

7. Hooke's law
Within elastic limit, stress is directly proportional to strain.

8. Young's modulus
Young's modulus is defined as the ratio of longitudinal stress to longitudinal strain.

9. Bulk modulus
Bulk modulus is defined as the ratio of volume stress to volume strain.

10. Modulus of rigidity

Modulus of rigidity is defined as the ratio of shearing stress to shearing strain (Shear).

11. Poisson's ratio

Poisson's ratio is defined as the ratio of lateral strain (transverse strain) to the longitudinal strain.

12. Yield point

The point at which strain begins to increase without any increase in stress is called Yield point.
At that point the wire is said to flow.

13. Breaking stress

It is the maximum stress that a wire can bear.

14. Elastomer
A substance which can be stretched to produce large strain is called an elastomer. For
example, tissue, aorta.

15. Strain energy

Strain energy is defined as an elastic potential energy gained by a wire during elongation by
stretching force.
 6. Surface Tension

1. Cohesive force
The force of attraction between two molecules of the same substance is called cohesive force.

2. Adhesive force
The force of attraction between two molecules of different substances is called adhesive force.

3. Range of molecular force

The maximum distance between two molecules upto which intermolecular forces are effective is
called range of molecular force.

4. Surface energy
The potential energy per unit area of the liquid surface under isothermal condition is called
surface energy per unit area.

5. Surface tension
The force per unit length acting at right angles to an imaginary line drawn on the free surface of
liquid is called surface tension.

6. Angle of contact
When a liquid is in contact with a solid, the angle between tangent drawn to the free surface of
the liquid and the surface of solid at the point of contact measured inside the liquid is called
angle of contact.

7. Capillarity
The phenomenon of rise and fall of a liquid inside a capillary tube when it is dipped in the liquid
is called capillarity.

8. Critical temperature of liquid

The temperature at which surface tension of liquid becomes zero is called the critical
temperature of the liquid.
 7. Wave Motion

1. Superposition of waves
When two or more waves arrive at a point simultaneously, each wave produces its own
displacement at that point independently. The resultant displacement at that point is equal to the
vector sum of displacements due to all waves.

2. Constructive and destructive interference

Constructive: Two crests or two troughs coincide.
Destructive: A crest and a trough coincide.

3. Beats
The alternate waxing and waning of sound after definite intervals of time due to superposition of
two waves of nearly equal frequencies is called production of beats. The number of times sound
waxes or wanes per second is called frequency of beats.

4. Doppler effect
Whenever there is a relative motion between source of sound and an observer, there is an
apparent change in frequency as heard by the observer.
 8. Stationary Waves

1. Stationary wave
When two identical progressive waves travelling along the same path in opposite directions
interfere with each other, the resultant wave of loops is called a stationary wave.

2. Antinode
The points of medium which vibrate with maximum amplitude are called antinodes.

3. Node
The points of medium which vibrate with minimum amplitude are called nodes.

4. Law of length
The fundamental frequency of stationary waves produced in a stretched string is inversely
proportional to the vibrating length of the string, provided its tension and linear mass density are
kept constant.

5. Law of tension
The fundamental frequency of stationary waves produced in a stretched string is directly
proportional to the square root of the tension in the string provided its vibrating length and linear
mass density are kept constant.

6. Law of linear density

The fundamental frequency of stationary waves produced in a stretched string is inversely
proportional to the square root of its linear mass density provided its vibrating length and tension
are kept constant.

7. Free vibrations
When a body capable of oscillating is displaced from its stable equilibrium position and is
released, it makes oscillations which are called free vibrations and their frequency is called
natural frequency.

8. Forced vibrations
The vibrations of a body due to the action of an externally applied periodic force with a
frequency different from its natural frequency are called forced vibrations. The frequency of
vibrations is called driving frequency.

9. Resonance
The phenomenon in which a body vibrates under action of external periodic force at a frequency
which is equal to its natural frequency, so that amplitude becomes maximum is called
resonance.
 9. Kinetic Theory of Gases and Radiation

1. Heat
It is the spontaneous flow of thermal energy between two points at different temperatures.

2. Conduction
It is the process through which heat is transferred through a medium without actual migration of
medium particles.

3. Convection
It is the process due to which heat is transferred through a medium due to actual migration of
medium particles.

4. Law of equipartition of energy

In equilibrium the total energy is equally distributed in all possible energy modes with each
1
mode having an average energy of 2kBT.

5. Zeroth law of thermodynamics

If bodies A and B are in thermal equilibrium and B and C are in thermal equilibrium then A and
C are in thermal equilibrium.

6. First law of thermodynamics

The heat supplied to a system is completely used to do work by the system on the surroundings
and to increase the internal energy of the system.

7. Isothermal process
A process in which the temperature of the gas remains constant throughout.

8. Adiabatic process
A process in which the system is completely isolated from the surroundings and no heat is
absorbed or released.

9. Second law of thermodynamics

Mechanical work can be completely converted into heat but heat cannot be completely
converted into mechanical work, i.e., heat and mechanical work are not equivalent.

10. Quasi-static process

A process which happens infinitely slowly.

11. Coefficient of absorption

It is the ratio of the quantity of radiant energy absorbed by a body in unit time to the quantity of
radiant energy incident on that body in the same time.
12. Coefficient of reflection
It is the ratio of the quantity of radiant energy reflected by a body in unit time to the quantity of
radiant energy incident on that body in the same time.

13. Coefficient of transmission

It is the ratio of the quantity of radiant energy transmitted by a body in unit time to the quantity of
radiant energy incident on that body in the same time.

14. Athermanous substances

Substances which do not transmit any incident heat radiation. For example, wood, iron.

15. Diathermanous substances

Substances which are transparent to heat radiation. For example, glass, quartz.

16. Wien's displacement law

The wavelength for which emissive power of a blackbody is maximum is inversely proportional
to its absolute temperature.

17. Emissivity
It is the ratio of the emissive power of a body to that of a blackbody at the same temperature.

18. Kirchhoff's law of radiation

The coefficient of absorption of a body is equal to its emissivity.

19. Stefan's law

The amount of radiant energy emitted per unit area per unit time by a black body is directly
proportional to the fourth power of its absolute temperature.

20. Newton's law of cooling

The rate of cooling of a body is directly proportional to the excess of temperature of the body
over the surroundings, provided that the excess is small.
 10. Wave Theory of Light

1. Wavefront
A locus of all the points of medium to which waves reach simultaneously so that all points are in
same phase is called a wavefront.

2. Wave normal
A perpendicular drawn to the surface of a wavefront at any point in the direction of propagation
of light is called a wave normal.

3. Polarization
The phenomenon of restriction of vibrations of light waves to a particular plane perpendicular to
the direction of propagation of light is called polarization.

4. Brewster's law
The tangent of the polarizing angle is equal to the refractive index of the medium at which partial
reflection takes place.

5. Dichroism
The property by which some doubly refracting crystals absorb ordinary rays completely and
extraordinary rays whose direction is parallel to the optic axis pass through the crystal is
dichroism.
 11. Interference and Diffraction

1. Interference
The modification in the intensity of light produced by the superposition of two or more light
waves is called interference of light.

2. Fringe width
The distance between two bright bands or two dark bands is called fringe width.

3. Diffraction
The bending of light near an obstacle or slit and subsequent spreading into the geometrical
shadow is called diffraction of light.

4. Limit of resolution and resolving power

The smallest angular or linear separation between the two point objects at which they appear to
be just resolved is called the limit of resolution and its reciprocal is called resolving power.
 12. Electrostatics

1. Gauss theorem
The total normal electric induction through any closed surface is equal to the algebraic sum of
the charges enclosed by that surface.

2. Capacitor
It is a system of 2 conductors having equal and opposite charges separated by an insulator or
dielectric.

3. Capacitance
The ratio of the magnitude of charge on any one conductor to the potential difference between
the two conductors is called capacitance.

4. Farad
If the magnitude of the charge on any one conductor is 1 coulomb and the potential difference
between them is 1 volt then the capacitance of the capacitor is 1 farad.
 13. Current Electricity

1. Kirchhoff's current law

The algebraic sum of electric currents at a junction is always equal to zero.

2. Kirchhoff's voltage law

The algebraic sum of the potential differences for all components plus the algebraic sum of all
emfs in a closed loop is always zero.

3. Principle of potentiometer
The fall of potential per unit length of potentiometer wire (potential gradient) is constant.
 14. Magnetic Effect of Electric Current

1. Ampere's law
The line integral of magnetic field of induction around any closed path is equal to the product of
the absolute permeability of free space and the algebraic sum of currents flowing through the
area bounded by the path.

2. Principle of moving coil galvanometer

When a coil carrying an electric current is suspended in a magnetic field, it experiences a torque
which tends to rotate the coil about the axis of suspension so that the magnetic flux passing
through the coil is maximum.

3. Ammeter
A shunted permanent magnet moving coil galvanometer is called an ammeter.

4. Voltmeter
A permanent magnet moving coil galvanometer connected in series with a large resistance is
called a voltmeter.
 15. Magnetism

1. Gyromagnetic ratio
The ratio of the magnetic dipole moment to the angular momentum of an electron revolving
around a nucleus is called gyromagnetic ratio.

2. Magnetization
The net magnetic dipole moment per unit volume is called magnetization.

3. Magnetic intensity
The strength of the magnetic field at a particular point can be given in terms of a vector quantity
called magnetic intensity.

4. Diamagnetic substances
Substances which are weakly repelled by a magnet are called diamagnetic substances.

5. Paramagnetic substances
Substances which are weakly attracted by a magnet are called paramagnetic substances.

6. Ferromagnetic substances
Substances which are strongly attracted by a magnet are called ferromagnetic substances.

7. Curie temperature
The temperature at which the domain structure is destroyed and a ferromagnetic substance
loses its magnetism is called the Curie temperature.
 16. Electromagnetic Induction

1. Electromagnetic induction
The phenomenon of producing an emf in a conducting coil due to changing magnetic flux is
called electromagnetic induction.

2. Faraday's laws
[1]: Whenever there is a change in the magnetic flux associated with a coil, an emf is induced in
the coil.
[2]: The magnitude of induced emf is directly proportional to the rate of change of the magnetic
flux through the coil.

3. Lenz law
The direction of induced emf in a coil is such to oppose the change in magnetic flux which
produces it.

4. Fleming's right hand rule

Stretch the thumb, forefinger and middle finger of your right hand so that they are mutually
perpendicular to each other. If the forefinger represents the direction of magnetic field and the
thumb represents the direction of motion of the conductor then the middle finger represents the
direction of induced emf in the conductor.

5. Self induction
The phenomenon due to which a change in current through a coil induces an emf in the same
coil is called self induction.

6. Mutual induction
The phenomenon due to which a change in current through a coil induces an emf in another coil
is called mutual induction.

7. Inductive reactance
The effective opposition of an inductor to the flow of alternating current is called inductive
reactance.

8. Capacitive reactance
The effective opposition of a capacitor to the flow of alternating current is called capacitive
reactance.

9. Impedance
It is the ratio of rms value of voltage to rms value of current.
 17. Electrons and Photons

1. Photoelectric effect
The phenomenon of emission of electrons by certain substances when they are exposed to
radiation of suitable frequencies is called photoelectric effect and the emitted electrons are
called photoelectrons.

2. Threshold frequency
The minimum frequency of incident radiation for which photoelectrons are just emitted is called
threshold frequency.

3. Stopping potential
The minimum negative voltage given to the collector plate for which photoelectric current stops
is called stopping potential.

4. Work function
The minimum energy required to free electrons from a given surface is called work function.
 18. Atoms, Molecules and Nuclei

1. Principal quantum number

The integer which designates the orbit number is called the principal quantum number.

2. Wave number
Wave number gives the number of waves in unit distance.

3. Mass defect
The difference between the actual mass of the nucleus and the sum of masses of constituent
nucleons is called mass defect.

4. Radioactive decay law

The number of nuclei undergoing the decay per unit time is proportional to the number of
unchanged nuclei present at that instant.

5. Decay constant
Decay constant is the ratio of the amount of substance disintegrated per unit time to amount of
substance present at that time.

6. Half life
Half life period of a radioactive substance is defined as the time in which the half substance is
disintegrated.
 19. Semiconductors

1. Energy band
For a given solid, closely spaced energy levels of all electrons in a particular orbit is called
energy band.

2. Valence band
The band containing valence electrons is called valence band.

3. Conduction band
The next permitted energy band beyond valence band is called conduction band.

4. Band gap
The separation between valence band and conduction band in energy band diagram is called
forbidden energy gap or band gap.

5. Intrinsic semiconductor
Extremely pure semiconductor is called intrinsic semiconductor. e.g. Pure silicon, germanium

6. Doping
The process of adding impurity to pure semiconductor is called doping and the impurity atoms
are called dopants.
Doped semiconductors are called extrinsic semiconductors.

7. Hole
The departure of electron from valence band creates vacancy in bond. This is called hole and it
behaves as if it is a positive charge.

8. N type semiconductor
If a semiconductor has a large number of electrons in conduction band and the conductivity is
due to negatively charged electrons, then it is called N type semiconductor.

9. P type semiconductor
If a semiconductor has a large number of holes in conduction band and the conductivity is due
to positively charged holes, then it is called P type semiconductor.

10. Depletion layer

The region near the junction of a p-n junction diode is depleted of free charges, hence it is
called depletion layer.

11. Breakdown voltage

The reverse voltage at which the p-n junction diode breakdown occurs is called the breakdown
voltage.
12. Rectifier
The device which converts a.c. voltage into d.c. voltage is called rectifier.

13. Zener diode

Zener diode is a p-n junction diode intentionally manufactured to operate in breakdown region.

14. Zener voltage

When a Zener diode is connected in reverse bias, the voltage at which the current increases
suddenly is called the Zener voltage.

15. Berkhausen criterion

If for some frequency, Aβ gets equal to 1, the system gain becomes infinite and circuit begins to
oscillate at that frequency.
 20. Communication Systems

1. Channel
The transmitter and the receiver are connected by the physical medium called channel.

2. Signal
Information converted in electrical form and suitable for transmission is called signal.

3. Transmitter
It converts a signal produced by source of information into a form suitable for transmission
through a channel and for subsequent reception.

4. Transducer
It is a device that converts energy from one form to another.

5. Attenuation
The loss of strength of signal while propagating through a medium is called signal.

6. Receiver
It extracts the desired message signals from the received signals at the channel output.

7. Bandwidth
The frequency range over which an equipment operates or the portion of the spectrum occupied
by the signal is called bandwidth.

8. Modulation
The process of superimposing a low frequency signal over a high frequency wave which acts as
a carrier wave for long distance transmission is called modulation.

9. Ground wave propagation

When radio waves from the transmitting antenna propagate along the surface of the earth to
reach the receiving antenna, the wave propagation is called ground wave propagation.

10. Space wave propagation

When radio waves from the transmitting antenna propagate along the space surrounding the
earth to reach the receiving antenna, either directly or by reflection from ground or troposphere,
the wave propagation is called space wave propagation.

11. Sky wave propagation

When radio waves from the transmitting antenna propagate through the sky to reach the
receiving antenna after reflection in the ionosphere, the wave propagation is called sky wave
propagation.
12. Critical frequency
The maximum frequency of radio waves above which they are no longer reflected back by the
ionosphere is called critical frequency.

13. Fading
The disappearance of signals for short time due to variations in the height and density of
ionization of the ionosphere is called fading.