PHYSICS DICTIONARY

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Diamagnetism

It is a very weak form of magnetism that is non permanent and persists only while an external field is being applied. It is induced by a change in orbital motion of electrons due to an applied magnetic field. The magnitude of induced magnetic moment is extremely small, and in a direction opposite to that of applied field. Thus relative permeability is less than unity and magnetic susceptibility is negative. When placed between poles of strong electromagnet, diamagnetic materials are attracted towards regions where field is weak.        


Diamond

A pure extremely hard, high refractive crystalline form of carbon naturally crystallized in isometric system, which is usually colorless and is used as a gemstone and in abrasives, cutting tools etc.


Diatomic Molecule

Molecule containing two atoms.


Diatonic Scale

It is a musical scale in which 8 tones of some definite frequencies are arranged such that the frequency of the 8th tone is twice the frequency of 1st tone.


Dielectric Constant

It is macroscopic quantity that measures how effectively an electric field polarizes the material. It is property of a dielectric material which determines the amount of electrostatic energy that can be stored by material when a given voltage is applied to it.  


Dielectric Materials

They are materials which are electrical insulators or in which an electric field can be sustained with a minimal dissipation of power. There are two types of dielectrics: i) Polar ii) Non-polar. The dielectrics are used for separation of conductors in capacitors to store energy.


Dielectric Strength

The maximum electric field, a dielectric can withstand before reaching breakdown condition is called as dielectric strength of dielectric.


Differential Equation

A differential equation is the mathematical equation for an unknown function of one or several variables that relates the values of the function itself and its derivatives of various orders. 


Differentiation

Derivative of continuous function at a given value will give rate of change of function near that value.


Diffraction

The bending of waves at the corners of an object is called diffraction.

                                            (or)

Deviation of light from rectilinear path is called as diffraction. The phenomenon was discovered by Grimald in 1665.


Diffusion Coefficient

It is the constant of proportionality between the diffusion flux and the concentration gradient in the Fick’s first law. Its magnitude is indicative of rate of atomic diffusion.


Diffusion Flux

The quantity of mass diffusing through and perpendicular to a unit crossectional area of material per unit time is called as diffusion flux. 


Diffusion Pump

Pump used to attain high vacuum of order 10-6 mbar.  The pump consists of leak tight enclosure in which there is bath of fluid having low boiling point, surrounded by heating coil. Water is circulated on the side walls of container to prevent thermal run away. The fluid which gets heated turns to vapor and rises above. Upon cooling, the fluid falls again to bath with high speed. While falling, the fluid takes the air molecules and thus creates low pressure region at the top. Due to this low pressure region, there is transport of molecules from the system to be evacuated. The molecules diffuse into vapor jet in a diffusion manner.  


Diffusion

Physical phenomenon of transport of mass by atomic motion due to difference in concentration levels is called as diffusion.


Diffusivity (Mass ) or Diffusion Coefficient

The rate, at which quantity of a substance diffuses from one region to another region through each unit of crossection per unit time when the volume concentration gradient is unity, is called as diffusivity.


Diffusivity (Thermal)

It is measure of ability of a substance to transmit heat for a difference in temperature. It is expressed as thermal conductivity divided by the product of specific heat capacity and density. It is measure of thermal inertia.


Digit

Symbol used to make numerical.


Digital

Technology of representing data using discrete values.


Dilatometer

Scientific instrument that measures volume changes caused by a physical or chemical process.


Dilute Magnetic Semiconductor

Alloy formed by replacing few original atoms in semiconductor by magnetic elements. The most common dilute magnetic semiconductors are II-VI compounds (like CdTe, ZnSe, CdSe, CdS, etc.), with transition metal ions (e.g. Mn, Fe or Co) substituting their original cations. The information is not only carried by charge but also spin of electrons, an additional degree of freedom. The compounds are useful for novel electronic devices. 

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Decay

It is process of disintegration of nucleus.


Decay Constant

Decay constant of radioactive nuclide describes the rate of decay i.e., its decay probability in unit time.

or

The probability that fraction of number of atoms of a radioactive nuclide decay in unit time.


Decay Energy or Q value

Decay energy is a term used to quantify the energy released during the decay process. It can be used to determine whether a certain decay mode for a nucleus is possible or not.


Deceleration

 Decrease in acceleration.


Deci

It is a prefix in the metric system denoting a factor of one tenth.


Decibel

A unit used to express relative difference in power or intensity, usually between two acoustic or electric signals, equal to ten times the common logarithm of ratio of two levels.


Deewar Flask

Flask invented by Scottish physicist, Sir James Deewar in 1892. It is an arrangement of double walled vessel separated by vacuum. Vacuum greatly reduces the transfer of heat preventing temperature change. Glass is used, as it is bad conductor of heat; its surface is usually lined with a reflective material like silver to reduce transfer of heat by radiation. This is encapsulated in plastic so that it will further reduce loss of heat.


Degeneracy

It is a concept in quantum mechanics as per which physical state having same energy can have different arrangements.


Degenerate States

The states of a system with different Eigen functions but all corresponding to same Eigen values are known as degenerate states.


Degree of Degeneracy

Number of linearly independent Eigen functions corresponding to same Eigen value.


Degrees of Freedom

The number of independent coordinates required to express the position and motion of a system comprising one or more particles is called degrees of freedom of that system. 


Demagnetization

Process by which magnetization is made zero for a material.


Demodulation

The process of recovering the audio signal from modulated wave is known as demodulation. Demodulation involves rectification of modulated wave and removing carrier frequency to allow audio signal reach load i.e. speaker.


Densitometer

It is a device that measures degree of darkness (optical density) of a photographic or semi-transparent material or a reflecting surface.


Density Operator

The quantum analogue of classical density function is known as density operator.


Density

Mass per unit volume of the substance.


Depleted Uranium

Uranium having a percentage of U235 smaller than 0.7% found in natural uranium is called as depleted Uranium. It is generally obtained as by product from nuclear reactor or as by product from uranium.


Depletion Layer

When a P-N junction forms and combines with holes to form negative ions on P-side and electrons leave from N-type region there is formation of positive ions on N-type side. This combined region on either side is also called space-charge region. This region is an insulating region.


Derivative

The essence of calculus is the derivative. The derivative is the instantaneous rate of change of a function with respect to one of its variables. This is equivalent to finding the slope of tangent line to the function at a point.


Derived Air Concentration (DAC)

The Derived Air Concentration (DAC) for any radionuclide, is that radioactive concentration in air, such that if a worker works in such environment, for a year (50 weeks of 40 hour each for a total of 2000 hours per year), would result in the Annual Limit Intake (ALIfor inhalation. The normal breathing rate, based on Reference Man, is 2,400 m3 per year at work. The Derived Air Concentration is the ALI divided by the volume breathed in a year at work.


Destructive Interference

Interference at the points, where intensity of light is least is called as destructive interference.


Deuteron

It is nucleus of Hydrogen-2 atom, consisting of one Proton & one neutron bound together with a total binding energy of 2.25MeV. The Hydrogen-2 atom, a stable isotope of Hydrogen with a natural abundance of 0.015% is called Deuterium, which consists of Deuteron (nucleus) and electron.


Deviation

The difference between the measured value and the arithmetic mean is called as deviation.


Devitrification

It is the process in which a glass (non-crystalline or vitreous solid) transforms into a crystalline solid.


Dew Point

It is the temperature at which the present amount of humidity in air starts to condensate.


Dextrorotatory

Those substances which rotate the plane of polarization of the incident plane polarized light in a clock wise direction when seen in the direction of light are called dextrorotatory substances.


Diaphragm

It is a thin disk which vibrates when receiving or producing sound waves as in microphone or loudspeaker.


Diagnostic Physics

It is the branch of physics associated with diagnostic procedures that use X-rays, gamma rays, ultrasound, radio frequency radiation and magnetic sources. In this field, physicists advise on protocols & technology used for creation of images that are generated by these diagnostic methods.

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Critical Temperature

The highest temperature, below which a gas can be liquefied only by increasing the pressure and above which a gas cannot be liquefied how so ever high pressure may be applied.


Critical Volume

Volume of unit mass of gas at the critical temperature and critical pressure is called critical volume of gas.


Crookes Tube

A Crookes tube is an electric discharge invented by British chemist and physicist William Crookes in the early 1870’s. It consists of a sealed glass tube which is evacuated to an air pressure between 0.005Pa and 0.1Pa and incorporates two electrodes (cathode and anode) connected to external DC power supply. When high voltage is applied to the tube, electric discharge in the rarefied air inside the tube ionizes some air molecules. Positive ions move in the electric field toward the cathode and create more ions through collisions with air molecules. As positive ions strike the cathode, electrons are released from the cathode, move toward the anode in the electric field that is present between the cathode and anode.     


Cross Product

Cross product of two vectors is a vector whose magnitude is equal to the product of magnitudes of those two vectors and the sine of angle between them. Direction of this vector is perpendicular to plane containing those two vectors. 


Crossection

It is defined as the probability that an event may occur when a single nucleus is exposed to a beam of particles of total flux containing one particle per unit area.


Cryocan

Container used to store super cooled liquids like liquid nitrogen. They are designed in such a fashion to minimize heat transfer due to radiation, conduction or convection.


Cryogenics

Study of low temperatures less than -150 oc including production of low temperatures and behavior of materials at low temperatures is called as Cryogenics.


Cryoscope

Instrument used to determine freezing point of a substance.


Cryotron

It is magnetically controlled electronic switching device that operates at extremely low temperatures. It uses principle of varying magnetic field that can cause resistance of a superconducting element to change rapidly between its high normal and low superconductive values. It is used as a switch and as a computer memory element.


Crystal Momentum

It is momentum associated with dynamical behavior of electron in periodic potential. It is defined as product of effective mass of electron and group velocity associated with electron in periodic potential.


Crystal Oscillator

Oscillations made from crystals exhibiting Piezo-electric effect. These oscillators oscillate at constant frequency which changes by less than 0.1% due to temperature and other changes.


Crystal Structure

For crystalline materials, the manner in which atoms or ions are arrayed in space is conveyed by crystal structure. It is defined in terms of unit cell geometry and the atom positions within the unit cell.


Crystal System

It is a scheme by which crystal structures are classified according to unit cell geometry. This geometry is specified in terms of relationships between edge lengths and inter-axial angles. There are seven different possible combinations of 3 edge lengths and 3 inter-axial angles referred to as crystal systems.


Crystal

Material in which atoms are situated in a repeating or periodic array over large atomic distances; that is long range order exists such that upon solidification, the atoms will position themselves in a repetitive three dimensional pattern, in which each atom is bonded to its nearest neighbor atom.


Crystalline Defect

A lattice irregularity having one or more of its dimensions on order of atomic diameter is called as crystalline defect.


Crystalline

The state of a solid material characterized by a periodic and repeating atomic arrangement is achieved by molecular chain alignment.


Crystallite

A region within a crystalline polymer in which all the molecular chains are ordered and aligned is called as crystallite.


Crystallographic Direction

It is defined as vector between two points in a crystal lattice.


Curie Law

The intensity of magnetization is I=AH/T  ; ‘H’ is magnetic field strength, ‘T’ is absolute temp, ‘A’ is curies constant. It is applicable for paramagnetic substance.


Curie Temperature

The temperature above which a Ferromagnetic Material becomes paramagnetic is called as Curie temperature.


Curie

It is the unit used to describe the strength of a radioactive source in terms of number of disintegrations it undergoes in a unit time. It is designated by Ci. One curie equals 3.7 x 1010 disintegrations per second. It has originated based on rate of decay of a gram of Radium. Experiments have yielded the result that there are about 3.7 x 1010 disintegrates per second per gram of Radium. This number is taken as standard and called as Curie.


Curie–Weiss Law

The Curie law was modified by Weiss to state that susceptibility of a paramagnetic substance above the Curie point varies inversely as excess of temp above that point. This law is not valid at or below Curie point.


Current (Electric)

The net charge flowing through a crossection of a conductor in unit time is called current.


Cyclic Process

It is a process in which a system undergoes a series of changes and ultimately comes back to initial state.


Cyclotron

Type of accelerator invented by Ernest Lawrence of university of California, Berkely, in 1932. The 1939 noble prize in physics was awarded to Lawrence for the invitation and development of the cyclotron.  Cyclotron is a particle accelerator used to accelerate charged particles using high frequency alternating voltage applied between two “D” shaped electrodes. A static magnetic field is applied perpendicularly to the plane of electrons for accelerating particles at same phase. Particles escape electrodes by traversing spiral path.