PHYSICS DICTIONARY

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Physics

Physics is the science of matter and its motion—the science that deals with concepts such as force, energy, mass, and charge. As an experimental science, its goal is to understand the natural world. In one form or another, physics is one of the oldest academic disciplines; through its modern subfield of astronomy, it may be the oldest of all.

Sometimes synonymous with philosophy, chemistry and even certain branches of mathematics and biology during the last two millennia, physics emerged as a modern science in the 17th century and these disciplines are now generally distinct, although the boundaries remain difficult to define. Advances in physics often translate to the technological sector, and sometimes influence the other sciences, as well as mathematics and philosophy.

Physiorption

It is an exothermic, reversible surface phenomenon, which occurs at low temperatures as per which adsorbate molecules are attracted by weak Vanderwaal’s forces towards adsorbent molecules.   

Pickling

Process of chemical removal of oxides and other surface layers, leaving the cleaned part with a metallic appearance is called as pickling.

Piezoelectric Crystal

Crystal subjected to mechanical stress, results in polarization and there occurs emission of electrons. It acts as a mechanical tranducer.

Piezoelectric Effect

Phenomenon exhibited by certain symmetric crystals. In this effect, if one pair of opposite faces of a crystal is subjected to pressure, the other pair of opposite faces develops opposite electric charges. The sign of the charges changes when the faces are subjected to tension instead of pressure.

Piezoelectric Oscillator

 When two opposite faces of a crystal like quartz, tourmaline etc, are being cut perpendicular to optic axis, are subjected to alternating voltage, the other pair of opposite faces experiences stresses and strains. The quartz crystal will continuously contract and expand. Elastic vibrations are setup in crystal. When frequency of alternating voltage is equal to natural frequency of vibration of crystal or its simple higher multiples, the crystal is thrown into resonant vibrations and the amplitude will be large. These vibrations are longitudinal in nature.

PIN Diode

Diode which consists of PN junction with a wide intrinsic region sandwiched between N and P region. The intrinsic region is very lightly doped either ‘P’ type or ‘N’ type. They are used in switches etc.

 

PIN photo diode

 It is a junction photo diode operated in reverse bias in which an undoped intrinsic region is inserted between P+ & N+ regions. Upon photons incidence on a PIN diode, photons are absorbed mainly in depletion region. The absorbed photons create electron-hole pairs. The photo generated carriers in the depletion region are accelerated in opposite directions by reverse bias and give rise to a photo current.   

Pirani Gauge

It is named after its constructor Pirani. It consists of glass or metal envelope containing a heated filament of a metal with a high temperature coefficient of resistance, such as Platinum or Tungsten. As the pressure in gauge tube increases, the temperature of the filament and therefore its electrical resistance tend to decrease. The usual control circuit for a Pirani gauge is Wheatstone bridge, in which one leg of the bridge is the filament of the gauge tube and the other three legs have resistances nearly equal to that of the gauge tube.

Pitch

It is defined as sensation of ear that depends upon frequency. A shrill sound is produced by a source of high frequency. The pitch of sound changes due to Doppler principle.

Pitch of Sound

 Sensation which depends upon the frequency.

Planck’s Constant

 Constant introduced by Max Planck for explaining quantum nature of light. Energy of light radiation is defined to have value of product of Planck’s constant and its frequency. The value of Planck’s constant is 6.674 x 10-34 joule seconds.

Planck’s Law

To explain black body radiation successfully, Planck in 1900, propounded quantum theory, according to which emission and absorption of radiation is not continuous but is in form of bundles or packets of definite energy. Each photon has definite energy and momentum whose value is proportional to frequency of radiation.

Plane of Polarization

Plane which is perpendicular to plane of vibration and pass through the direction of propagation of light is called plane of polarization.

Plane of Vibration

The plane which contains the direction of vibrations of electric vector in the polarized light and the direction of travel of light is called plane of vibration.

Plane Polarized Light

In plane polarized light, there are vibrations only along a line in particular plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation of light. 

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