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List of Definitions for O-Level Physics

Students are expected to provide definitions for the following terms.

Term Definition
Scalar Quantity Scalar quantities are physical quantities that have
magnitude only.

Vector Quantity Vector quantities are physical quantities that possess both
magnitude and direction.

Speed Speed is the rate of change of distance; or the change of

distance with time taken for the change.

Velocity Velocity is the rate of change of displacement; or the

change of displacement with time taken for the chagne.

Acceleration Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity; or, the change

of velocity with time taken for the change.

Uniform Acceleration Uniform acceleration is a constant rate of change of velocity.

Mass Mass is a measure of the amount of matter in a body and is

the same for an object everywhere in the universe.

Weight Weight is the amount of gravitational force acting on an

object.

Inertia The inertia of an object is the reluctance of the object to

change its state of motion.

Gravitational Field Gravitational field is a region which a mass experiences a

force due to gravitational attraction.

Gravitational Field Gravitational field strength (at a point) is the gravitational

Strength force acting per unit mass on an object when it is placed at
that point.

Moment Moment is the turning effect of a force about a pivot,

calculated using the product of the force and the
perpendicular distance between the pivot and the line of
action of the force.

Principle of Moments Principle of moments states that when an object is in

equilibrium there is no resultant turning moment about any
pivot.
OR
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Term Definition
Principle of moments states that when an object is in
equilibrium, the total clockwise moment about any pivot is
equal to the total anti-clockwise moment about that pivot.

Pressure Pressure is force exerted per unit area.

Principle of Principle of conservation of energy states that energy

Conservation of cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be transfer from
Energy one energy store to another. The total energy of an isolated
system is a constant.

Work Done Work done is the product of a force and the distance moved
in the direction of the force; energy is transferred during the
process.

Power Power is the rate of work done.

Efficiency Efficiency is the ratio of useful energy output of a system to

the total energy input into it.

Principle of For a closed system, energy cannot be destroyed or

Conservation of created; it can only be converted from one form to the other,
Energy or transfer from one object to the other.

Internal Energy Internal energy is an energy store that make up of the total
kinetic energy associated with the random motion of the
particles and the total potential energy between the particles
in the system.

Heat Capacity Heat capacity is the change of an object’s internal energy

per unit change in its temperature.

Specific Heat Specific heat capacity is the change of an object’s internal

Capacity energy per unit mass of every unit change in its
temperature.

Latent Heat Latent heat is energy absorbed or released by a substance

to change its state without changing its temperature.

Specific Latent Heat Specific latent heat is the energy absorbed or released per
unit mass by a substance to change its state without
changing its temperature.

Waves Waves are disturbances or oscillations that travel through

space and matter, transferring energy from one place to
another without transferring matter.
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Term Definition
Transverse Waves Transverse waves are waves with the oscillations or
vibrations occur perpendicular to the direction of wave
travel.

Longitudinal Waves Longitudinal waves are waves with the oscillations or

vibrations occur parallel to the direction of wave travel.

Wave Speed Wave speed is the distance a wave travels per unit time. It
is a measure of how fast energy propagates through a
medium.

Frequency Frequency is the number of complete oscillations made in

unit time.

Wavelength Wavelength of a transverse wave is the distance between 2

successive crests, 2 successive troughs or 2 successive
wavefronts on the wave.

Period Period is the time taken to complete one oscillation.

Amplitude Amplitude is the maximum displacement of a particle from

its equilibrium position.

Wavefront Wavefront is an imaginary line that joins all the points of a

wave that are in phase or are vibrating in unison.

Ultrasound Ultrasounds are sound waves with frequency higher than

the upper limit of human hearing range.

Normal Normal is an imaginary line perpendicular to the surface at

the point where the light ray strikes. It serves as a reference
line for measuring angles of incidence and reflection.

Angle Of Incidence Angle of incidence is the angle between the incident light
ray (the incoming ray) and the normal to the surface at the
point of incidence.

Angle Of Reflection Angle of reflection is the angle between the reflected light
ray (the ray that bounces off the surface) and the normal to
the surface at the point of reflection.

Angle Of Refraction Angle of refraction is the angle between the refracted ray
(the light ray that passes into and bends within a new
medium) and the normal to the surface at the point of
refraction.
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Term Definition
Refractive Index Refractive index of a medium is the ratio of speed of light in
vacuum to the speed of light in that medium.

Critical Angle Critical angle is the angle of incidence in an optically denser

medium for which the angle of refraction in the optically less
dense medium is 90°.

Total Internal Total internal reflection is the complete reflection of a light

Reflection ray in an optically denser medium at the boundary with an
optically less dense medium.

Focal Point Focal point is the point on the principal axis of a lens for
which all the rays parallel to the principal axis meet after
passing through the lens.

Focal Length Focal length is the distance between the principal focal point
and the optical centre of a lens.

Electric Field Electric field is a region for which an object experiences a

force because of the charge it carries.

Magnetic Field Magnetic field is a region for which an object experiences a

force because of its magnetic property.

Current Current is the rate of flow of charges.

Electromotive Force Electromotive force of a source is the work done per unit
charge by the source in driving charges around a complete
circuit and it is measured in volts.

Potential Difference Potential difference across a component in a circuit is the

work done per unit charge in driving charges through the
component and it is measured in volts.

Resistance Resistance of an electrical component is the ratio of the

potential difference across it to the current flowing through it.

Ohm’s Law Ohm’s Law states that the potential difference across a
conductor at constant temperature is directly proportional to
the current flowing through it.

Live Live are connections that currents take to flow from the main
to an electrical appliance, and it is usually maintains at high
voltage.
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Term Definition
Neutral Neutral are connections allows the current to flow from the
electrical appliance to the main, and it is usually maintains
at zero potential.

Earth Earth carries no current under normal working condition;

current flows through it when there is a short-circuit.

Nuclear Decay Nuclear decay is a random process for which unstable

nucleus loses its energy by emitting particles and
Radioactive Decay
electromagnetic radiations to process stable nucleus.

Half-life Half-life of a radioactive nuclide is the time taken for half the
nuclei of that nuclide in any sample to decay.

Nuclear Fission Nuclear fission is a process in which the nucleus of an atom

splits (usually into two parts) and releases a huge amount of
energy.

Nuclear Fusion Nuclear fusion is a process in which two light atomic nuclei
combine to form one heavier atomic nucleus and releases a
huge amount of energy.

N 1 N is the amount of force required to cause an object of 1

kg mass to have an acceleration of 1 m/s2.

J 1 J of work is done on an object when 1 N of force is applied

on it for a distance of 1.

Pa, N/m2 1 Pa is pressure acting on a 1 m2 area is 1 Pa when the

force exerted on the area is 1 N.

C 1 C is the amount of charges flow in a conductor when the

current in 1 s is 1 A.

V 1 V is the potential difference across a device when 1 C of

charges move through it, 1 J of work is done.

List of Formulae for O-Level Physics

Students are expected to know and use the following formulas.
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Formulae Remarks
M
=
V

d
v=
t

v −u
a=
t

W = mg g = 10 m/s2 , W is measure in N and m is in kg

F = ma F is measured in N, m in kg and a in m/s2

d is the perpendicular distance between the

moment = F  d
pivot and the line of action of the force

This equation can be used only in cases

whereby a force F acts on the object causes it
WD = F  d
to move a distance d; otherwise the concept
of transfer of energy should be used.

E WD
P= =
t t

P = Fv If the object is moving at constant speed v

E P = mgh

1
EK = mv 2
2

F
P= F is measured in N, A in m2, P in Pa
A

P = gh ρ in kg/m3, g = 10 m/s2 , h in m, P in Pa

Q = C  , Q = mc 

Q = mL

v =f

1
f =
T
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Formulae Remarks
c
n= c: speed of light in vacuum
v

sin i
n= i: angle in air/vacuum; r: angle in medium
sin r

Q: charges and is measured in coulomb

Q = It
(symbol: C)

When V is the emf of the battery, W is the

energy converted from non-electrical to
W
V = electrical; when V is the p.d. across a device,
Q
W is the energy converted from electrical to
non-electrical.

This formula works

1. for all resistances (ohmic or non-ohmic), for
V = IR ohmic conductor, R remains constant for all V
and I; but not so for non-ohmic one.
2. for negative of V and I as well.

L
R =
A

Use for the power supplied by the battery and

P = VI
power dissipated at the device

V2 Use only for the power dissipated at the

P = I 2R =
R device

R = R1 + R2

1 1 1
= +
R R1 R 2

Electrical cost
= (cost per kWh) × (power in
kW) × (time in h)

Vp Np
=
Vs Ns
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Formulae Remarks
Assuming ideal transformer with no energy
VpI p = VsI s
transfer out of the system