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C2 Level Wordlist - Physics

Here you will learn all the essential words for talking about Physics, collected specifically for level C2 learners.

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CEFR C2 Vocabulary
string theory

a scientific idea that all particles are tiny vibrating strings, not point-like dots, and these vibrations create different particles and forces

Ex: Despite its theoretical appeal , string theory remains a topic of active research and debate within the physics community .
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diffraction

the bending, spreading, and interference of waves as they encounter obstacles or pass through narrow openings, often observed in the behavior of light, sound, or other waves

Ex: Diffraction effects are commonly observed in photography , influencing the sharpness of images captured through lenses .
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quark
quark
[noun]

a fundamental particle combining to form protons and neutrons, with fractional electric charge and six flavors

Ex: The discovery of quarks revolutionized our understanding of the subatomic structure of matter .
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lepton
lepton
[noun]

a fundamental particle with half-integer spin, including electrons and their heavier counterparts, as well as neutrinos

Ex: Experimental studies , such as those in high-energy physics , aim to probe the properties and interactions of leptons.
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hadron
hadron
[noun]

a tiny particle made up of even smaller parts called quarks, like protons and neutrons

Ex: Protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom are examples of hadrons.
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velocity
velocity
[noun]

the speed at which something moves in a specific direction

Ex: High-velocity winds caused damage to buildings and trees during the storm.
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amplitude
amplitude
[noun]

(physics) the maximum distance a vibrating material, sound wave, etc. such as a pendulum travels from its first position

Ex: In quantum mechanics , the amplitude of a wave function describes the probability of finding a particle in a certain position or state .
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fermion
fermion
[noun]

tiny particles that make up matter and have a property called spin, like the building blocks of atoms

Ex: The Standard Model of particle physics classifies elementary particles into fermions and bosons , with fermions being the basic building blocks of matter .
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boson
boson
[noun]

a tiny particle with whole-number spin, such as photons or the Higgs boson, often associated with carrying fundamental forces or giving mass to other particles

Ex: Unlike fermions , bosons have integer values of spin and do not follow the Pauli Exclusion Principle .
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centripetal force

the force that acts on an object moving in a circular path, directed toward the center of the circle or the axis of rotation, preventing the object from moving in a straight line

Ex: The Earth 's gravitational pull on the Moon provides the centripetal force necessary for the Moon 's orbital motion .
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doppler effect

the change in frequency or wavelength of a wave in relation to an observer who is moving relative to the source of the wave, producing a shift in pitch or color

Ex: The Doppler effect is employed in police radar guns to measure the speed of moving vehicles .
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kinetic energy

the energy possessed by an object due to its motion, defined as one-half the mass of the object multiplied by the square of its velocity, expressed by the equation KE = 0.5 * m * v^2

Ex: Heat , which is a form of energy , is related to the kinetic energy of particles in motion .
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dark matter

(physics) an invisible substance that makes up most of the universe's mass, detectable only through its gravitational effects

Ex: Various theories have been proposed to explain the identity of dark matter particles , but conclusive evidence has yet to be found .
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antimatter

(physics) matter consisting of elementary particles that are the antiparticles of those of regular matter

Ex: Antimatter propulsion is a theoretical concept that could potentially enable spacecraft to travel at near-light speeds in the future.
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mass
mass
[noun]

(physics) the property of matter that gives it weight in a gravitational field and is a measure of its inertia

Ex: In special relativity , mass is considered to be equivalent to energy , as described by Einstein 's famous equation , E = mc^2 , where E is energy , m is mass , and c is the speed of light in a vacuum .
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quantum
quantum
[noun]

the smallest possible amount of a particular quantity that cannot be divided any further

Ex: Quantum electrodynamics is a quantum field theory that describes the interactions between electromagnetic fields and charged particles, such as electrons and photons.
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acceleration

(physics) the increase in velocity over time

Ex: Faster acceleration means quicker velocity change .
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momentum
momentum
[noun]

the strength of a moving object determined by multiplying how heavy it is by how fast it is going

Ex: A heavier object has more momentum if it 's moving at the same speed as a lighter one .
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photon
photon
[noun]

a fundamental particle of light that carries electromagnetic energy and exhibits both particle-like and wave-like properties

Ex: Fiber optic communication relies on the transmission of data through pulses of light , with each pulse representing a stream of photons.
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inertia
inertia
[noun]

the tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion, whether at rest or in uniform motion, and to remain in its current state unless acted upon by an external force

Ex: When a bus comes to a sudden stop , passengers may lean forward due to their inertia, continuing their forward motion momentarily .
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oscillation

(physics) the back-and-forth motion of an object between two end points

Ex: Gravitationally bound binary star systems undergo regular orbital oscillations as the pair revolve around their mutual center of mass .
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reflection

the action or process where a wave, such as light or sound, bounces back from a surface instead of passing through

Ex: The calm lake 's surface served as a perfect mirror , providing a clear reflection of the surrounding mountains .
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Young's modulus

a measure of a material's stiffness or elasticity in physics

Ex: Young's modulus quantifies a material's resistance to deformation under stress.
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uncertainty principle

a theory stating that the exact position and momentum of a particle cannot be measured precisely at the same time

Ex: Knowing both properties precisely is impossible according to the uncertainty principle.
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joule
joule
[noun]

the unit of energy in the International System of Units

Ex: A typical human can produce about 100 joules of energy in a single step .
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neutrino
neutrino
[noun]

a very small, electrically neutral particle that rarely interacts with matter

Ex: Scientists study neutrinos to learn more about the universe 's fundamental properties .
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space-time

the theory that adds the notion of time to that of a three-dimensional space

Ex: The study of space-time helps cosmologists understand the large-scale structure and evolution of the universe .
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nuclear fission

the process or action of splitting a nucleus into two or more parts resulting in the release of a significant amount of energy

Ex: Nuclear fission is also used in nuclear medicine for diagnostic imaging and cancer treatment through techniques such as radiotherapy .
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electromagnetic
electromagnetic
[Adjective]

referring to the combined interaction of electric and magnetic fields, often associated with waves or radiation

Ex: Electromagnetic induction occurs when a changing magnetic field induces an electric current in a conductor .
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nuclear fusion

(physics) the reaction in which two nuclei join together and produce energy

Ex: The most promising approach to achieving nuclear fusion on Earth involves heating hydrogen isotopes to extremely high temperatures and confining them in a magnetic field in devices called tokamaks .
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thermic
thermic
[Adjective]

relating to or involving the transformation of heat energy

Ex: The thermic exchange between the ocean and the atmosphere plays a crucial role in climate patterns .
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plasticity

the capability of being easily changed or molded into many different things

Ex: Researchers investigate the plasticity of biological tissues to develop better models for understanding the biomechanics of the human body .
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