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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: String theory proposes that the basic building blocks of the universe are tiny, vibrating strings rather than point-like particles. 
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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 of light produces patterns of alternating dark and bright regions when it encounters a narrow slit or passes through an obstacle. 
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quark
quark
[noun]

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

Ex: Quarks are the smallest known particles, forming the building blocks of protons and neutrons in atomic nuclei. 
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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: Leptons are elementary particles that include electrons, muons, tau particles, and their associated neutrinos. 
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hadron
hadron
[noun]

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

Ex: Hadrons are subject to the strong nuclear force, the fundamental interaction that binds quarks together. 
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velocity
velocity
[noun]

the speed at which something moves in a specific direction

Ex: The velocity of an object is the rate of change of its position with respect to time. 
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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 physics, amplitude refers to the maximum displacement of a wave from its equilibrium position. 
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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: Electrons, which orbit the nucleus of an atom, are examples of fermions. 
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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: Photons, particles of light, are examples of bosons that carry the electromagnetic force. 
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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: When you swing a ball attached to a string in a circular motion, the tension in the string acts as the centripetal force. 
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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 explains why the pitch of an ambulance siren changes as it approaches and then passes by. 
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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: When a car is in motion, its kinetic energy depends on both its mass and speed. 
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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: Dark matter is a form of matter that does not emit, absorb, or reflect light, making it invisible and detectable only through its gravitational effects. 
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antimatter

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

Ex: Antimatter is composed of antiparticles, which have the same mass as their corresponding particles but opposite electric charge. 
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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 physics, mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object. 
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quantum
quantum
[noun]

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

Ex: The behavior of subatomic particles is governed by the principles of quantum mechanics. 
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acceleration

(physics) the increase in velocity over time

Ex: Acceleration measures how quickly an object's speed changes. 
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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: The car's momentum increased as it accelerated down the highway. 
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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: Photons are the quanta of electromagnetic radiation, including visible light, radio waves, and X-rays. 
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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: The concept of inertia is encapsulated in Newton's first law of motion, stating that an object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an external force. 
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oscillation

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

Ex: Pendulums have proven useful for studying simple harmonic oscillation and modeling more complex periodic motions in dynamic systems. 
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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 reflection of light off the mirror allowed him to see around the corner. 
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Young's modulus

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

Ex: Steel has a high Young's modulus, making it stiff and strong. 
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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: The uncertainty principle is a fundamental rule in quantum physics. 
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joule
joule
[noun]

the unit of energy in the International System of Units

Ex: One joule of energy is needed to lift a small apple by one meter. 
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neutrino
neutrino
[noun]

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

Ex: Neutrinos are subatomic particles with very little mass. 
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space-time

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

Ex: According to Einstein's theory of general relativity, gravity is not just a force between masses but the curvature of space-time caused by those masses. 
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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 a process in which the nucleus of an atom splits into two or more smaller nuclei, releasing a large amount of energy. 
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electromagnetic
electromagnetic
[Adjective]

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

Ex: Light is an electromagnetic wave that can travel through a vacuum. 
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nuclear fusion

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

Ex: Nuclear fusion is the process in which two atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, releasing a large amount of energy in the process. 
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thermic
thermic
[Adjective]

relating to or involving the transformation of heat energy

Ex: Engineers designed a thermic power plant to efficiently convert heat into electricity. 
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plasticity

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

Ex: Plasticity refers to the ability of a material to undergo permanent deformation without rupturing when subjected to stress. 
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