Ch. 29 Glossary - College Physics | OpenStax

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Glossary

atomic spectra: the electromagnetic emission from atoms and molecules

binding energy: also called the work function; the amount of energy necessary to eject an electron from a material

blackbody: an ideal radiator, which can radiate equally well at all wavelengths

blackbody radiation: the electromagnetic radiation from a blackbody

bremsstrahlung: German for braking radiation; produced when electrons are decelerated

characteristic x rays: x rays whose energy depends on the material they were produced in

Compton effect: the phenomenon whereby x rays scattered from materials have decreased energy

correspondence principle: in the classical limit (large, slow-moving objects), quantum mechanics becomes the same as classical physics

de Broglie wavelength: the wavelength possessed by a particle of matter, calculated by $λ = h / p$

gamma ray: also $γ$ -ray; highest-energy photon in the EM spectrum

Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle: a fundamental limit to the precision with which pairs of quantities (momentum and position, and energy and time) can be measured

infrared radiation: photons with energies slightly less than red light

ionizing radiation: radiation that ionizes materials that absorb it

microwaves: photons with wavelengths on the order of a micron ( $μm$ )

particle-wave duality: the property of behaving like either a particle or a wave; the term for the phenomenon that all particles have wave characteristics

photoelectric effect: the phenomenon whereby some materials eject electrons when light is shined on them

photon: a quantum, or particle, of electromagnetic radiation

photon energy: the amount of energy a photon has; $E = hf$

photon momentum: the amount of momentum a photon has, calculated by $p = \frac{h}{λ} = \frac{E}{c}$

Planck’s constant: $h = 6 . 626 \times 10^{–34} J \cdot s$

probability distribution: the overall spatial distribution of probabilities to find a particle at a given location

quantized: the fact that certain physical entities exist only with particular discrete values and not every conceivable value

quantum mechanics: the branch of physics that deals with small objects and with the quantization of various entities, especially energy

ultraviolet radiation: UV; ionizing photons slightly more energetic than violet light

uncertainty in energy: lack of precision or lack of knowledge of precise results in measurements of energy

uncertainty in momentum: lack of precision or lack of knowledge of precise results in measurements of momentum

uncertainty in position: lack of precision or lack of knowledge of precise results in measurements of position

uncertainty in time: lack of precision or lack of knowledge of precise results in measurements of time

visible light: the range of photon energies the human eye can detect

x ray: EM photon between $γ$ -ray and UV in energy

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Authors: Paul Peter Urone, Roger Hinrichs
Publisher/website: OpenStax
Book title: College Physics
Publication date: Jun 21, 2012
Location: Houston, Texas
Book URL: https://openstax.org/books/college-physics/pages/1-introduction-to-science-and-the-realm-of-physics-physical-quantities-and-units
Section URL: https://openstax.org/books/college-physics/pages/29-glossary

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