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Glossary Terms
| Term (EN) | Definition | Exam Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Inertia | Tendency of body to resist change in state of rest or motion | Newton's First Law |
| Momentum | p = mv; conserved in absence of external force | Collision, impulse |
| Escape Velocity | Minimum velocity to escape gravitational field; Earth = 11.2 km/s | Gravitation, satellites |
| Refraction | Bending of light at medium boundary; n = c/v | Optics; lenses |
| Total Internal Reflection (TIR) | Reflection when angle > critical angle in denser medium | Optical fibre, diamond |
| Absolute Zero | 0 K = −273.15°C; lowest possible temperature | Thermodynamics |
| Entropy | Measure of disorder; increases in irreversible processes (2nd law) | Thermodynamics |
| Ultrasound | Sound waves > 20,000 Hz; used in medical imaging and sonar | Medical diagnostics |
| Doppler Effect | Apparent frequency change due to relative motion of source/observer | Radar, medical ultrasound |
| EM Induction | EMF induced by changing magnetic flux (Faraday, 1831) | Generator, transformer |
| Band Gap | Energy difference between valence and conduction bands | Semiconductors |
| p-n Junction | Junction of p-type and n-type semiconductors; allows one-way current | Diode, LED, solar cell |
| X-rays | EM radiation 0.01–10 nm; penetrates soft tissue; discovered Röntgen 1895 | Medical imaging |
| CT Scan | Multiple X-ray images reconstructed into 3D cross-sections | Medical diagnostics |
| MRI | Magnetic resonance imaging; magnetic field + RF pulses; no radiation | Medical diagnostics |
| PET Scan | Positron emission tomography; F-18 FDG tracer; cancer detection | Medical diagnostics |
| ALARA | As Low As Reasonably Achievable; radiation protection principle | Radiation safety |
| Critical Mass | Minimum fissile material to sustain a chain reaction | Nuclear fission |
| ITER | International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor; France; 35 nations | Nuclear fusion |
| NavIC | Navigation with Indian Constellation; India's GPS with 7 satellites (2018) | EM waves / navigation |
| Kepler's Third Law | T² ∝ r³; period squared ∝ semi-major axis cubed | Planetary motion |
| Refractive Index | n = c/v; ratio of speed of light in vacuum to speed in medium | Optics |
| Calorific Value | Energy released per kg of fuel; hydrogen = 142 MJ/kg | Fuels (cross-topic) |
| Sievert (Sv) | Effective radiation dose unit accounting for biological effectiveness | Radiation safety |
| Solar Cell | p-n junction converting photon energy to electrical energy | EM / semiconductors |
Sources: NCERT Physics (Class 11–12); IAEA Nuclear Safety Standards; ITER Organization (iter.org); WHO radiation guidelines; RPSC Mains PYQ 2013–2024; RPSC 2026 Official Syllabus; NavIC ISRO documentation; RAPS operational data (NPCIL 2025).