General Science: Physical and Chemical Flashcards
6 cards from real AFCT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 General Science: Physical and Chemical flashcards as text
What is the difference between speed and velocity?
Answer: Speed is a scalar quantity (magnitude only); velocity is a vector quantity (magnitude and direction)
Speed is a scalar quantity that describes how fast an object is moving (magnitude only). Velocity is a vector quantity that describes both how fast and in what direction an object is moving. An object moving in a circle at constant speed has changing velocity.
What happens during an exothermic chemical reaction?
Answer: Energy is released to the surroundings, usually as heat
In an exothermic reaction, the products have less chemical energy than the reactants, and the difference is released to the surroundings as heat (and sometimes light or sound). Combustion is a common example.
What is the relationship between wavelength and frequency of electromagnetic waves?
Answer: They are inversely proportional; as wavelength increases, frequency decreases
Wavelength and frequency are inversely proportional for electromagnetic waves. Since all electromagnetic waves travel at the speed of light (c), the equation c = λf shows that as wavelength (λ) increases, frequency (f) must decrease, and vice versa.
What are the three states of matter and what distinguishes them?
Answer: Solid, liquid, gas — distinguished by particle arrangement, motion, and energy
The three common states of matter are solid (fixed shape and volume, closely packed particles), liquid (fixed volume but variable shape, particles slide past each other), and gas (variable shape and volume, widely spaced particles moving freely).
What is an isotope?
Answer: An atom with the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons
Isotopes are atoms of the same element that have the same number of protons (same atomic number) but different numbers of neutrons (different mass numbers). For example, Carbon-12 and Carbon-14 are both carbon but have 6 and 8 neutrons respectively.
What is Ohm's Law and how does it apply to electrical circuits?
Answer: Voltage equals current multiplied by resistance (V = IR)
Ohm's Law states that voltage (V) equals current (I) multiplied by resistance (R), expressed as V = IR. This fundamental relationship allows calculation of any one value when the other two are known.