Physics

SIMPLE HARMONIC MOTION

This is the periodic motion  of  a body or particle  along a straight  line  such that the acceleration of  the body  is directed  towards  a fixed  point . A particle undergoing simple harmonic motion will move to and fro in a straight line under the influence of a force. This influential force is called a […]

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ELECTRIC CELLS

ELECTRIC CIRCUIT Electric current is simply electric charge in motion. Electric cells are chemical devices, which are capable of causing an electric current to flow. This produces electric force, which pushes the current along. Electrons flow from the negative terminal or cathode of the cell to the positive terminal or anode TYPES OF ELECTRIC CELLS

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QUANTITY OF HEAT

What is heat?. Heat is a form of energy that flows from one body to another due to temperature differences between them. Heat capacity Heat capacity is defined as the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of a given mass of a substance by one degree Celsius or one Kelvin. It is denoted

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UNIFORM CIRCULAR MOTION

Introduction Circular motion is the motion of bodies travelling in circular paths. Uniform circular motion occurs when the speed of a body moving in a circular path is constant. This can be defined as motion of an object at a constant speed along a curved path of constant radius.   When acceleration (variation of velocities)

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ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD

PATTERNS OF MAGNETIC FIELDS Magnetic field pattern can easily be observed using iron fillings.  The magnetic is put on paper and the iron fillings are sprinkled lightly on the paper around the magnet.  The paper is tapped gently and the iron fillings are found to turn and set to in definite direction. MAGNETIC FIELD AROUND

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CAREERS IN PHYSICS

Physics has several applications on health, technology & engineering, agriculture and applied sciences. As a results, below are some of the aspects/careers related to physics. IN HEALTH We have: Human medicine and surgery Nursing & midwives Radiotherapy Pharmacology Physiology Anaesthesia Veterinary etc.   IN ENGINEERING We have: Electrical engineering Electronic engineering Mechanical engineering Aeronautic engineering

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MAGNETIC FIELD

MAGNET AND ITS PROPERTIES A magnet is any material that is capable of attracting other pieces of the same material as well as pieces of iron. A substance is said to be ferromagnetic if it is attracted by a magnet. Examples are iron, cobalt, Nickel, and certain alloys. Substances which cannot be attracted by a

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ELECTRONICS

Conductors, insulators and semi-conductors i) An insulatoris a material or object which resists flow of heat (thermal insulator) or electrical charges (electrical insulators). Examples are paraffin, wood, rubber, plastics etc. ii) Conductorsare materials that contain free electrons which carry an electrical charge from one point to another. Examples are metals and non-metals like carbon, graphite

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ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM

What is Electromagnetic?. Electromagnetic spectrum is a continuum of all electromagnetic waves arranged according to frequency and wavelength. It includes visible light, ultra-violet rays, microwaves, X-rays, radio waves and gamma rays. Electromagnetic waves are produced when electrically charged particles oscillate or change energy in some way. The waves travel perpendicularly to both electric and magnetic

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MAGNETIC EFFECT OF AN ELECTRIC CURRENT

Introduction: Oersted’s discovery. Hans Christian Oersted discovered the magnetic effect of a current in 1819. The direction of the field is dependent on the direction of the current. This discovery brought about the development of electric bells, electric motors, telephone receivers and radios.   Determining the direction of the lines of force. The direction of

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CURRENT ELECTRICITY

Electric potential difference and electric current Electric current: Electric potential difference (p. d) is defined as the work done per unit charge in moving charge from one point to another. It is measured in volts. Electric current is the rate of flow of charge. P. d is measured using a voltmeter while current is measured

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PHOTOELECTRIC EFFECT

Photoelectric effect was discovered by Heinrich Hertz in 1887. Photoelectric effect is a phenomenon in which electrons are emitted from the surface of a substance when certain electromagnetic radiation falls on it. Metal surfaces require ultra-violet radiation while caesium oxide needs a visible light i.e. optical spectrum (sunlight).   Work function A minimum amount of

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ELECTROMAGNETIC INDUCTION

Electromagnetism is the effect resulting from the interaction between an electric current and a magnetic field. This effect brings about induced electromagnetic force (e.m.f) and the resulting current is called induced current.   Experiments on electromagnetic induction When the wire is moved up the galvanometer deflects in one direction then the opposite direction when moved

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THE GAS LAWS

Pressure law  This law states that “the pressure of a fixed mass of a gas is directly proportional to the absolute temperature if the volume is kept constant”. The comparison between Kelvin scale and degrees Celsius is given by; θ0 = (273 + θ) K, and T (K) = (T – 273) 0C. Examples A

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FLOATING AND SINKING

Any object in a liquid whether floating or submerged experiences an upward force from the liquid; the force is known as upthrust force. Upthrust force is also known as buoyant force and is denoted by letter ‘u’.   Archimedes’ principle Floating and Sinking Archimedes, a Greek scientist carried out first experiments to measure upthrust on

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ELECTROSTATICS

Electric fields An electric field is the space around a charged body where another charged body would be acted on by a force. These fields are represented by lines of force. This line of force also called an electric flux line points in the direction of the force.   Electric field patterns Just like in

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REFRACTION OF LIGHT

Introduction Refraction is the change of direction of light rays as they pass at an angle from one medium to another of different optical densities. Exp. To investigate the path of light through rectangular glass block. Apparatus: – soft-board, white sheet of paper, drawing pins (optical), rectangular glass block. Procedure Fix the white plain paper on

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NEWTON LAWS OF MOTION

Newton’s first law (law of inertia) This law states that “A body continues in its state of rest or uniform motion unless an unbalanced force acts on it”. The mass of a body is a measure of its inertia. Inertia is the property that keeps an object in its state of motion and resists any

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