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842 terms · page 20 of 36
Mass
A fundamental intrinsic property of matter that quantifies both the amount of substance in an object and its inertia (resistance to…
Nuclear & Particle PhysicsMass Defect
The difference between the total mass of an atom's individual free nucleons and the actual smaller mass of the bound atomic nucleus.
Astrophysics, Cosmology & RelativityMass-Energy Equivalence
The fundamental relativistic principle stating that mass and energy are directly proportional and interchangeable physical quantities.
Mathematical & Computational PhysicsMatrix Mechanics
An algebraic formulation of quantum mechanics created by Werner Heisenberg in 1925 expressing physical observables as infinite-dimensional…
Foundations of PhysicsMatter
Anything that possesses mass, occupies volume, and is composed of fundamental particles such as quarks and leptons.
Classical MechanicsMaximum Height
The maximum vertical elevation reached by a projectile above its launch level, where vertical velocity momentarily becomes zero.
Thermodynamics & Statistical PhysicsMaxwell Relations
A set of thermodynamic equations derived from equality of second partial derivatives of thermodynamic potentials (U, H, F, G).
Electromagnetism & ElectronicsMaxwell's Equations
The set of four fundamental partial differential equations that unify electricity, magnetism, and optics into classical electrodynamics.
Thermodynamics & Statistical PhysicsMaxwell-Boltzmann Distribution
The probability distribution describing particle speeds in an ideal gas in thermal equilibrium.
Thermodynamics & Statistical PhysicsMean Free Path
The average distance traveled by a moving gas particle between successive collisions with other particles.
Nuclear & Particle PhysicsMean Life
The average expected lifetime of a radioactive nucleus before undergoing radioactive decay.
Classical MechanicsMechanical Advantage
The factor by which a simple machine multiplies input effort force to overcome load resistance.
Classical MechanicsMechanical Energy
The sum of kinetic energy and potential energy in a physical system.
Biophysics & Medical PhysicsMedical Lasers
Laser devices engineered for surgical cutting, tissue coagulation, and photomedical treatments exploiting specific light-tissue absorption…
Biophysics & Medical PhysicsMedical Linear Accelerator (LINAC)
A high-energy medical accelerator generating megavoltage X-ray photon or electron beams for external beam radiation cancer therapy.
Biophysics & Medical PhysicsMedical Ultrasound
A non-invasive diagnostic imaging modality using high-frequency acoustic waves (2–15 MHz) to image soft tissue reflection interfaces.
Condensed Matter & Materials PhysicsMeissner Effect
The active expulsion of magnetic flux from the interior of a superconductor as it cools below its critical temperature T_c.
Biophysics & Medical PhysicsMembrane Potential
The electrical potential difference across a biological cell membrane produced by asymmetric ion concentration gradients.
Nuclear & Particle PhysicsMesons
Hadronic subatomic particles composed of one valence quark and one valence antiquark bound by gluons.
Condensed Matter & Materials PhysicsMetamaterials
Artificially engineered composite structures designed with subwavelength resonant features that display electromagnetic properties not…
OpticsMichelson Interferometer
An optical instrument that splits a beam of light into two perpendicular paths and recombines them to create high-precision interference…
Foundations of PhysicsMicrometer Screw Gauge
An ultra-precise measuring tool that uses a calibrated screw thread mechanism to measure microscopic thicknesses or diameters.
Thermodynamics & Statistical PhysicsMicrostate
A specific detailed microscopic configuration of a thermodynamic system, specifying exact positions and momenta of all constituent…
Geophysics & Environmental PhysicsMilankovitch Cycles
Cyclical variations in Earth's orbital eccentricity, axial tilt (obliquity), and precession that alter the seasonal and latitudinal…