Physics: Electricity & Optics

🏥 Physics Electricity

Part 1 of 7 — Electrostatics & Coulombs Law

Coulombs law: F = kq1q2/r2 — force between charges; like charges repel, opposite attract.

Electric field E = F/q = kQ/r2 — field points away from positive, toward negative charges.

Concept Check 🎯

Key Insight: Electric potential V = kQ/r; Voltage = energy per unit charge (J/C = Volt).

MCAT Tip: Capacitance C = Q/V; parallel plate: C = epsilon0*A/d; energy stored = (1/2)CV2.

Concept Check 🎯

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Electric Circuits

Part 2 of 7 — Electric Circuits

Ohms law: V = IR; Power P = IV = I2R = V2/R.

Series: resistances add (Rtotal = R1+R2+...); current is same through all.

Concept Check 🎯

Key Insight: Parallel: 1/Rtotal = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + ...; voltage is same across all branches.

MCAT Tip: Kirchhoffs laws: junction rule (currents in = currents out); loop rule (voltage drops sum to zero).

Concept Check 🎯

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Magnetism & EM Induction

Part 3 of 7 — Magnetism & EM Induction

Moving charges create magnetic fields; F = qvB sin(theta) — force on a moving charge.

Right-hand rule: point fingers in direction of v, curl toward B, thumb points to F (for positive charge).

Concept Check 🎯

Key Insight: Faradays law: changing magnetic flux induces EMF; Lenzs law: induced current opposes the change.

MCAT Tip: Electromagnetic spectrum: radio, microwave, IR, visible, UV, X-ray, gamma — increasing frequency/energy.

Concept Check 🎯

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Optics & Light

Part 4 of 7 — Optics & Light

Refraction: Snells law n1sin(theta1) = n2sin(theta2) — light bends toward normal in denser medium.

Lenses: converging (convex) focuses light; diverging (concave) spreads light.

Concept Check 🎯

Key Insight: Thin lens equation: 1/f = 1/do + 1/di; magnification m = -di/do.

MCAT Tip: Total internal reflection occurs when angle of incidence > critical angle (only going from dense to less dense).

Concept Check 🎯

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Nuclear Physics & Radioactivity

Part 5 of 7 — Nuclear Physics & Radioactivity

Radioactive decay: alpha (He-4 nucleus), beta (electron or positron), gamma (photon).

Half-life: t1/2 = ln(2)/lambda; N(t) = N0*(1/2)^(t/t1/2).

Concept Check 🎯

Key Insight: Mass-energy equivalence: E = mc2 — mass defect converts to binding energy.

MCAT Tip: Nuclear fission splits heavy nuclei; fusion combines light nuclei — both release energy.

Concept Check 🎯

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Electrochemistry

Part 6 of 7 — Electrochemistry

Galvanic (voltaic) cells: spontaneous redox, positive Ecell, negative delta-G.

Electrolytic cells: non-spontaneous, require external voltage, used for plating/purification.

Concept Check 🎯

Key Insight: Nernst equation: E = E0 - (RT/nF)*ln(Q) — adjusts cell potential for non-standard conditions.

MCAT Tip: Standard reduction potentials: more positive = stronger oxidizing agent (wants to be reduced).

Concept Check 🎯

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Review & MCAT Practice

Part 7 of 7 — Review & MCAT Practice

Galvanic (voltaic) cells: spontaneous redox, positive Ecell, negative delta-G.

Electrolytic cells: non-spontaneous, require external voltage, used for plating/purification.

Concept Check 🎯

Key Insight: Nernst equation: E = E0 - (RT/nF)*ln(Q) — adjusts cell potential for non-standard conditions.

MCAT Tip: Standard reduction potentials: more positive = stronger oxidizing agent (wants to be reduced).

Concept Check 🎯

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