PHYSICS DICTIONARY

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Seebeck Effect

If two junctions of dissimilar conductors in a circuit are held at different temperatures, an emf develops causing a current to flow in the circuit. The thermoelectric emf VAB for two materials A and B is VA-VB , where VA and VB are characteristic of materials A and B respectively. This implies VAB - VCB.

Seismic Waves

 From the focus, shock waves spread out through the earth known as seismic waves.

Seismogram

A record by a seismograph on a display screen or paper print out.

Seismograph

An instrument that makes a record of seismic waves caused by earthquakes. Seismographs are equipped with electromagnetic sensors that translate ground motions into electrical charges, which are processed and recorded by instruments; analog or digital circuits.

Seismology

Seismology is the branch of science that deals with earthquakes, their effects, the movement of the Earth's tectonic plates, and prediction of earthquakes.

Selection Rules

The rules connecting the characteristics of the transition in terms of change in angular momentum and parity, with the transition order, are called as “selection rules”.

Self Diffusion

 Atomic migration in pure metals.

Self Induction

The property of the circuit by virtue of which any change in current in it hence change in magnetic flux in it, induces an emf in it is called as self induction.

Self Powered Neutron Detector (SPND)

In very large reactor plants, the need exists to monitor neutron flux in various portions of the core on a continuous basis. This allows for quick detection of instability in any section of the core. This need brought about the development of the self-powered neutron detector that is small, inexpensive, and rugged enough to withstand the in-core environment. The self-powered neutron detector requires no voltage supply for operation.

                The central wire of a self-powered neutron detector is made from a material that absorbs a neutron and undergoes radioactive decay by emitting an electron (beta decay). Typical materials used for the central wire are cobalt, cadmium, rhodium, and vanadium. A good insulating material is placed between the central wire and the detector casing. Each time a neutron interacts with the central wire it transforms one of the wire’s atoms into a radioactive nucleus. The nucleus eventually decays by the emission of an electron. Because of the emission of these electrons, the wire becomes more and more positively charged. The positive potential of the wire causes a current to flow in resistor, R. A milli voltmeter measures the voltage drop across the resistor. The electron current from beta decay can also be measured directly with an electrometer.

Semiconductor

 Solids which have conductivity less than metals but more than that of insulators are classified as semiconductors. In terms of energy band structure, at 0K, completely filled valence band separated from empty conduction band by a relatively narrow forbidden gap generally less than 2eV. 

Sextant

A navigational instrument containing a graduated 60-degree arc, used for measuring the altitudes of celestial bodies to determine latitude and longitude is called as sextant.

Shadow

shadow is a dark shape on a surface that is made when something stands between a light and the surface.

or

An area that is not or is only partially irradiated or illuminated because of the interception of radiation by an opaque object between the area and the source of radiation is called as shadow.

Shake

 It is smallest unit of time; 1shake = 10-8 sec.

Shear

A force applied so as to cause or tend to cause two adjacent parts of same body to slide relative to each other in a direction parallel to their plane of contact.

Shearing Strain

It is the ratio of relative displacement between two layers of the body to the normal distance between those two layers. It can be expressed as the angle through which line originally normal to the fixed surface is turned.

Shell Model

A shell model is one in which the system is thought to consist of individual particles moving in bound orbitals in response to the remainder of the system.  Each orbital has a well designated energy, angular momentum, and parity associated with it.  In an atom, the electrons are bound to the highly charged nucleus, which contains most of the mass of the atom, by the electric force.  Since most of the mass is contained in the nucleus, the electrons can move in orbits relatively free of any obstacles and hence would suffer very few collisions in their eternal orbiting about the nucleus.  In such a model, treated quantum-mechanically, no two electrons, two protons, or two neutrons can occupy the same quantum state, i.e. have identical sets of quantum numbers.  This principle attributed to Pauli results in a finite number of such particles occupying a given energy level, and thus, leads to the concept of closed (or filled) levels (or shells).  When a shell is filled, any additional particles of that type must be put in a different level (shell).

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