Read A-Z Physics Vocabulary for students. It goes from A to Z. Each word has a simple meaning. There are 130 words in total. It’s great for students learning physics.
Physics Vocabulary Words A-Z
Here are Physics vocabulary words with meaning:
A
Acceleration: How quickly speed changes
Amplitude: The height of a wave
Atom: The smallest unit of an element
Angular momentum: Rotational motion of an object
Absorption: Taking in energy, like light or sound
B
Buoyancy: Upward force of a fluid on an object
Boiling point: Temperature at which a liquid becomes a gas
Barometer: Tool for measuring air pressure
Beam: A ray of light or energy
Bernoulli’s principle: Relationship between fluid speed and pressure
C
Convection: Heat transfer through fluid movement
Coulomb: Unit of electric charge
Centripetal force: Force that makes objects move in circles
Collision: When two objects hit each other
Conductor: Material that allows energy or electricity to flow through it
D
Density: Mass per unit volume
Diffraction: Bending of waves around obstacles
Doppler effect: Change in wave frequency due to motion
Dynamics: Study of forces and motion
Displacement: Change in position of an object
E
Energy: Ability to do work
Elasticity: Ability to return to original shape after deformation
Electromagnetic spectrum: Range of all types of electromagnetic radiation
Efficiency: Ratio of useful work to total energy input
Equilibrium: State of balance between forces
F
Force: Push or pull on an object
Friction: Resistance to motion between surfaces
Fluid: Substance that can flow (liquid or gas)
Frequency: Number of wave cycles per second
Fusion: Combining of atomic nuclei
G
Gravity: Force of attraction between masses
Gas: State of matter with no fixed shape or volume
Gamma rays: High-energy electromagnetic waves
Generator: Device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy
Gyroscope: Device that maintains orientation
H
Heat: Energy transferred due to temperature difference
Harmonic motion: Repetitive back-and-forth movement
Half-life: Time for half of a radioactive substance to decay
Hydroelectric: Generating electricity using water
Hypothesis: Testable explanation for an observation
I
Inertia: Resistance to change in motion
Impulse: Change in momentum
Insulator: Material that poorly conducts heat or electricity
Isotope: Atom with the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons
Interference: Combination of waves
J
Joule: Unit of energy
Jet propulsion: Motion caused by ejecting matter
Jerk: Rate of change of acceleration
Joule heating: Heat produced by electric current
Junction: Point where two or more things meet
K
Kinetic energy: Energy of motion
Kelvin: Unit of temperature
Kinematics: Study of motion without considering forces
Kinetic friction: Friction between moving surfaces
Kirchhoff’s laws: Rules for electric circuits
L
Lever: Simple machine for lifting
Laser: Device that emits coherent light
Latent heat: Heat absorbed or released during phase change
Lens: Device that focuses or disperses light
Lift: Upward force on an object in a fluid
M
Mass: Amount of matter in an object
Momentum: Product of mass and velocity
Magnet: Object that produces a magnetic field
Melting point: Temperature at which a solid becomes a liquid
Modulus: Measure of elasticity
N
Newton: Unit of force
Nuclear fission: Splitting of atomic nuclei
Neutrino: Nearly massless subatomic particle
Node: Point of minimum amplitude in a standing wave
Normal force: Force perpendicular to a surface
O
Optics: Study of light and vision
Orbit: Path of one object around another
Oscillation: Repeated back-and-forth motion
Ohm: Unit of electrical resistance
Overtone: Higher frequency vibration
P
Potential energy: Stored energy
Pressure: Force per unit area
Pendulum: Weight suspended to swing freely
Photon: Particle of light
Projectile: Object launched into motion
Q
Quantum: The smallest possible amount of energy
Quark: Fundamental particle of matter
Quantum mechanics: Theory of matter and energy at atomic scale
Quality factor: Measure of energy loss in an oscillating system
Quasi-static process: Process that happens slowly enough to be in equilibrium
R
Refraction: Bending of light when entering a new medium
Radiation: Energy emitted as waves or particles
Resonance: Increased amplitude at certain frequencies
Resistor: Component that resists electric current flow
Relativity: Theory of space, time, and gravity
S
Speed: Rate of motion
Specific heat: Heat capacity per unit mass
Spring constant: Measure of spring stiffness
Spectroscopy: Study of spectra
Superposition: Combination of wave states
T
Temperature: Measure of average kinetic energy of particles
Torque: Rotational force
Thermodynamics: Study of heat and energy
Tension: Force that pulls or stretches
Transistor: Device to control electric current
U
Ultraviolet: High-energy light beyond the visible spectrum
Uniform motion: Motion at constant velocity
Uncertainty principle: Limit to precision of measurements
Ultrasound: Sound waves above human hearing range
Unstable equilibrium: Easily disrupted balance
V
Velocity: Speed in a specific direction
Voltage: Electrical potential difference
Viscosity: Fluid’s resistance to flow
Vector: Quantity with magnitude and direction
Vacuum: Space with no matter
W
Watt: Unit of power
Wave: Disturbance that transfers energy
Work: Force applied over a distance
Weight: Force due to gravity
Wavelength: Distance between wave peaks
X
X-ray: High-energy electromagnetic radiation
X-axis: Horizontal axis in a coordinate system
X-component: Horizontal component of a vector
Xenon: Noble gas used in lamps and lasers
X-ray diffraction: Technique to study crystal structure
Y
Young’s modulus: Measure of material stiffness
Yield strength: Stress at which a material begins to deform plastically
Y-axis: Vertical axis in a coordinate system
Y-component: Vertical component of a vector
Yocto: Prefix meaning one septillionth
Z
Zero: Reference point for measurements
Zeroth law of thermodynamics: Principle of thermal equilibrium
Z-axis: Third axis in a 3D coordinate system
Zenith: Point directly overhead
Zero-point energy: Lowest possible energy of a system
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