CAPE Physics Module I Terms and Definitions

Coulomb (C) 1 coulomb is the quantity of charge that

passes through any section of a conductor in
1 second when a current of 1 ampere is
flowing.
Potential Difference, V/V the p.d between 2 points in a circuit/electric
field is the work done per unit charge in
delivering a charge from one point to the
other against the circuit/electric field.
(associated with passive devices)
Volt (V) 1 volt is the p.d between two points in a
circuit when the work done in moving one
coulomb of charge is 1 joule.
Resistivity, ρ/Ωm The resistance of a uniform wire is directly
proportional to its length, l, and inversely
proportional to its cross-sectional area, A.
Electromotive Force (EMF) The total work done per unit charge, the
voltage of the battery when it is not
delivering a current (active devices)
Drift Velocity The net velocity of electrons along a
conductor when a potential
difference/electric field is applied across its
ends.
Electrical Conductor A material that allows electrons to flow
through it easily such as a metal.
Electrical Insulator A material that does not allow an electric
current to flow through it easily such as
rubber.
Electric Field An electric field is a region around a charged
body where a force is experienced.
Electric Field Strength/Intensity, E/NC-1 The force per unit charge acting a positive
test charge placed at that point.
Electric Potential, V/V The electric potential at a point in an electric
field is the work done in moving a unit
positive test charge from infinity to that
point.
Coulomb’s Law The force acting between 2 point charges is
directly proportional to the product of the
charges and inversely proportional to the
square of the distance between them.
Capacitance, C/F The ratio of the charge on either plate to the
potential difference between the plates/ the
charge stored per unit potential difference in
a capacitor.
Farad, F A capacitor is said to have a capacitance of
one farad if the charge on either
plate is one coulomb when the potential
difference across its plates is one volt.
 CAPE Physics Module I Terms and Definitions
Magnetic Flux Magnetic flux is magnetic field lines passing
(threading) through a region measured in
Webers (W b ).
Magnetic Flux Density Magnetic flux density is flux per unit cross-
sectional area, measured in
Teslas.
Tesla A magnetic field has a strength of 1 T if the
force on a wire 1 m long carrying a current of
1 A placed at 90° to the field is 1 N.
Fleming's Left-Hand Rule Place the thumb, the first finger and the
second finger of the left hand mutually
at right angles. If the first finger points in the
direction of the field, the second
finger in the direction of the current, then the
thumb will point in the direction of force.
Hall Effect An emf is set up transversely across a
current-carrying conductor
when a perpendicular magnetic field is
applied.

In the diagram, a force Be V acts on each

electron in the direction shown. Thus
electrons collect along the underside as
shown, which makes this side negatively
charged and the top positively charged.
Hence a potential gradient is set up across
the conductor and hence a voltage across the
conductor, called the Hall voltage.
Faraday’s Law Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction
states that whenever a conductor
experiences a changing magnetic field, an emf
will be induced across its ends, the
magnitude of which is proportional to the
rate of change of magnetic flux.
Lenz’s Law Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction
states that whenever a conductor
experiences a changing magnetic field, an emf
will be induced across its ends, the
magnitude of which is proportional to the
rate of change of magnetic flux.