PHYSICS DICTIONARY

 A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z


<Prev>                   <Next>

Big Bang Theory

The Big Bang theory is an effort to explain what happened at the very beginning of our universe. According to the theory, our universe sprang into existence as "singularity" around 13.7 billion years ago. Our universe is thought to have begun as an infinitesimally small, infinitely hot, infinitely dense, something called as singularity. The Big Bang theory is the scientific theory that is most consistent with observations of the past and present states of the universe, and it is widely accepted within the scientific community. Georges Lemaître first proposed the Big Bang theory which he called as "hypothesis of the primeval atom". The framework for the Big Bang model relies on Albert Einstein's general relativity and on simplifying assumptions such as homogeneity and isotropy of space. 


Bimetallic Strip

Two different metal strips of equal lengths placed on each other is called bimetallic strip. On heating, bimetal bends with material of greater linear expansion to convex side. On cooling, it bends with material of greater linear expansion on concave side.   


Binary System

The pair of stars which orbit around each other is referred to as binary system. The center of mass of the binary system lies in between the two stars. The two stars rotate about this point. 


Binding Energy per Nucleon

See average binding energy.


Binding Energy

The energy equivalent of mass defect is called binding energy. It is this energy which binds nucleons together. Hence it is the energy required for breaking a nucleus into free neutrons and protons.


Binoculars

Binoculars are a parallel combination of two telescopes for viewing an erect 3 dimensional image with both eyes. The image of same size can be viewed with both eyes which is uncomfortable for users to see with single eye. The distance between telescopes is adjustable.


Bioluminescence

It is the phenomenon of emission of light by living creatures because of chemical reaction.


Biophysics

Biophysics is an interdisciplinary science that deals with the application of physics to biological processes and phenomena.


Biot & Savart law

This law gives relation between magnetic field due to current carrying conductor and current flowing in the element. dB at a distance ‘r’ from a current element ‘dL’ carrying a current I is found to be proportional to I , to the length dL and inversely to the square of the distance r. The direction of magnetic field is perpendicular to line element dL as well as radius r.


Biprism

A triangular prism with vertex angle of nearly 180o used to obtain images of a single source in observing the interference light.


Birefringence

Some crystals have property of splitting incident light ray into two refracted rays. It is due to optical anisotropy in the binding forces between the atoms forming a crystal. They have two indices of refraction. This property is called birefringence.


Black Body

A body which completely absorbs radiation of all wavelengths incident on its surface and doesn’t reflect any part of it is called as black body.

                                                        (or)

It is a body which emits thermal radiations of all wavelengths when heated to high temperature. 

Black Hole

A black hole is a region of space-time of extreme density with such strong gravitational attraction due to which nothing can escape, even light. When a star burns through the last of its fuel, it may find itself collapsing. For smaller stars, up to about three times the sun's mass, the new core will be a neutron star or a white dwarf. But when a larger star collapses, it continues to fall in on itself to create a stellar black hole.


Bloch Theorem 

It is a mathematical theorem which gives us the form of electron wave function in a periodic potential. As per this theorem, electron in a one dimensional lattice behaves as plane wave.


Blue Moon

When two full moons occur in a single month, the second full moon is called a "Blue Moon".

PHYSICS DICTIONARY

 A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z


<Prev>                   <Next>
 

Beats

When two sounding bodies of nearly the same frequency and amplitude are sounded together, the resultant sound consists of alternate maxima and minima. This phenomenon in which waxing and vaning of sound at regular intervals is heard, is called beats. The number of beats heard per second is equal to difference in frequency between two sounding bodies.


Beer’s law

Beer Lambert’s law describes how the intensity of light gets changed with medium and concentration. It states that the amount of intensity, when passing through any sample decreases exponentially with increase in thickness of sample and concentration of medium.    

The law states that, amount of light emerging from a sample is diminished by 3 physical phenomenon i) Amount of absorbing material in its path length (concentration) ii) The distance, the light must travel through sample (optical path length) iii) Probability that photon of particular wavelength will be absorbed by material.     


Bel

It is unit for measuring intensity of sound. Whenever intensity of sound increases by a factor of 10, the increase in intensity is said to be 1 Bel.


Becquerel

It is SI unit for activity of radioactive nuclide. Radioactive nuclide is said to have an activity of 1 Becquerel if it decays at rate of one disintegration per second.


Bernoulli’s Principle

The principle which states that the total energy per unit volume of an incompressible, non-viscous fluid in laminar flow is constant at every point. 


Beta Decay

There are two types of beta decay denoted by β- (electron emission) or β+ (positron emission).  In case of β- decay, an unstable atomic nucleus with excess of neutrons  may tend to emit a high energetic electron.  In this decay, a neutron is converted into a proton, an electron and an electron-type antineutrino  (the antiparticle of the neutrino). The process is given by n  p + e + νe. In case of β+ decay, unstable atomic nuclei with an excess of protons may tend to emit high energetic positron. In this decay, a proton is converted into a neutron, a positron and an electron-type neutrino; p → n + e+ + νe. β+ decay can only happen inside nuclei when the absolute value of the binding energy of the daughter nucleus is greater than that of the mother nucleus, i.e., the daughter nucleus is a lower-energy state.


Beta Particle

The high energetic negatively or positively charged particles emitted during beta decay are called as beta particle.


Betatron

It is a type of particle accelerator that uses alternating electric field produced by varying magnetic field to accelerate beta particle or electrons in circular orbits. It consists of circular evacuated tube surrounded by electromagnet. Alternating current in these windings produces varying magnetic field that periodically reverses in direction. Electron acceleration is controlled by two forces, one acting in the direction of motion of electrons and other at right angles to that direction. The force in direction of electron motion is exerted by electric field produced via induction by strengthening magnetic field with in circle; this force accelerates electrons. The second perpendicular force arises as electrons move through magnetic field, and it maintains electrons in circular orbit with in closed loop.


Biaxial Crystal

It is a double refracting crystal, which have two optic axes along which both the refracted rays have same speed.


Biconcave Lens

A lens with two concave surfaces is called as biconcave lens. A collimated beam of light passing through the lens is diverged.


Biconvex Lens

It is a lens with convex sides on both sides. A beam of light passing through lens will get converged. 


Bifocals

Eye glasses with two distinct optical powers. They are designed with most convex lens for close viewing in lower half of eye glass and least convex lens for distant viewing in upper half.