If you have reached this page by clicking a link in a post – go down the alphabetical list to find the exact word or phrase that you clicked
Words, names and phrases starting with the letter A
AC see Alternating current
Acceleration (simple explanation) 16.12, (rigorous definition) 17.4, 17.39
angular see Angular acceleration
due to gravity 16.16
Accelerometer 18.9
Accuracy 16.24
Acetic acid 17.49
Achiral 20.27
Acid (simple explanation),16.40, (detailed explanation) 17.49
acetic see Acetic acid
carboxylic see Carboxylic acid
dissociation constant 17.49, 18.5
fatty see Fatty acid
nucleic see Nucleic acid
phosphoric see Phosphoric acid
see also Acidity, Base, pH
Acidity 18.1
Activation energy 16.33, 22.19
Active damping 18.9
Active process 18.9
Activity (in distribution laws) 20.26
Activity (of solution) 19.3
Activity coefficient 19.3
Actuator 18.9
Adaptive damping see Active damping
Addition (of vectors) 17.2
Adenine see Base (in a nucleic acid)
see also ADP, ATP
Adenosine diphosphate see ADP
Adenosine triphosphate see ATP
Adiabatic compression 20.24
see also Isothermal compression
Adverse effects (of drugs/food) 16.1
Aether see Ether
Agar 20.40
Agarose see Agar
Agaropectic see Agarose
Aggrecan 20.40
Aileron 17.34
Air-conditioner see Heat pump
Aldohexose 20.38
Aliasing 16.14
Alkali 17.50
see also Acid, Alkalinity, Base, pH
Alkalinity 18.1
Allele 21.8
Allotrope 22.19
Allotropy 22.19
Alpha (Greek letter α) helix 21.7
Alternating current (brief mention) 17.45, (explanation) 23.8
Altimeter 20.25
Amine 20.7
Amino acid 21.4
Ammonia
molecule 16.40
production 16.33
Ammonium ion 16.40
Amorphous solid 16.37
Amp (unit of electrical current) 16.25, 17.44
Amphiphile 16.48
Amphiphilc 16.48
Amplitude (of oscillation/wave) 18.10, 18.11
Amu (atomic mass unit) 16.27
Amylopectic see Starch
Amylose see Starch
Analogy (between electrical and mechanical systems) 18.24
Analogy (between motion in a circle, simple harmonic oscillators and waves) 18.11
Analogy (between translational and rotational motion) 17.39
Analyser (of polaroid light) 20.28
Angle 17.11
of incidence 19.21
of refraction 19.21
see also Glide angle
Angular
acceleration 17.12, 17.39
aperture (of lens) 22.1
displacement 17.11
frequency 17.12
kinetic energy see Rotational kinetic energy
momentum 17.39
motion see Circular motion
resonant frequency 18.23
speed 17.12
velocity 17.12, 17.39
Animal experiments 18.18
Anion 16.39
see also Polyanion
Anisotropic compression 20.20
Annulus fibrosus 20.39
Anode 19.6
Annihilation of mass to create energy 16.21, 17.41
Anomer see Tautomer
Antibonding molecular orbital 16.31
Anticoagulant 20.40
Anticodon 21.23
Anti-parallel double helix 21.6
Anti-particle 17.41
Anti-science 17.9
Arc (of circle) 17.11
Arccos 17.3
Archimedian spiral 21.3
Archimedes’ principle 17.5, (used to measure density) 17.7
Arcsin 23.1
Arctan 17.2
Argand plane 18.16
Arnott, Struther 21.7
Articular cartilage 18.9, 20.39
aggrecan in 20.40
Arup Group (consulting engineers) 18.8
Ashkin, Arthur 20.18
Aspartic acid see Amino acid
Aspden, Richard M 16.22, 21.18
Association (statistical), not the same as cause 16.10
Astbury, William T 21.7, 21.12
Atom 16.27
energy levels for electrons in 16.29
x-ray scattering by see X-ray scattering
see also Bohr radius
Atomic mass
relative 16.27
unit 16.27
Atomic number 16.27
Atomic orbital 16.29
Atomic scattering factor 22.15
Atomic weight 16.27
Auxetic material 20.5
Average
acceleration see Acceleration
speed see Speed
Avery, Oswald T 21.11
Avogadro’s hypothesis
as example of scientific theory 16.2
Avogadro’s number 16.27, 17.48
relating Boltzmann’s constant and ideal gas constant 18.25
Axial direction (in a cyclic molecule) 20.38
Axle 21.22
Words, names and phrases starting with the letter B
Babel, tower of see Tower of Babel
Bacteria, growth of 16.5
Bad (subjective word to avoid) 16.36
Base (of a logarithm) 18.3
Base (in DNA/nucleic acid) 21.2, 21.12
Base (something that reacts with a hydrogen ion) 16.40, 17.50
dissociation constant 17.50, 18.5
Battery see Cell
Balancing 17.22
Beam 21.17, 21.18, 21.19
see also Statically indeterminate
Belief (scientific) 17.9
Benefits (of science) 18.18
Bernouilli, Daniel 17.15, 17.33, 22.8
Bernouilli’s equation 17.15
assumptions in 20.35
used to explain why planes fly 17.16
see also Navier-Stokes equation
Beryllium
atom 16.29
Biceps see Muscle
Bi-concave (lens) see Lens
Bi-convex (lens) see Lens
Binary digit see Bit
Biology 16.41
Bird
flying 17.32
sitting on electrical cable (without being electrocuted) 17.47
song (recognition) 23.9
Bit 21.11
Black body see Ideal radiator
Black swan (proving not all swans are white) 16.2
Blinded control trial 16.46
Blurring (image) 22.20
Bohm, David 19.29
Bohr radius 22.15
Boiling point 16.37
Boltzmann, Ludwig 16.22, 16.35, 16.38, 17.33, 20.26
Boltzmann distribution 20.25, 20.26
Boltzmann statistics see Boltzmann distribution
Boltzmann’s constant 16.35, 16.38
relationship to ideal gas constant 18.25
Bond (chemical) 16.31
angle 21.7
see also X-ray crystallography
coordination, 16.30
covalent 16.30
double 16.47
length 21.7
see also X-ray crystallography
see also Molecular orbital
Bonding molecular orbital 16.31
Bone 18.9, (composition and structure)
cell 20.15
fracture 20.14, 20.15
mineral 20.14
see also Ear, Elbow
Boot, Harry 18.8
Boron
atom 16.29
Bose-Einstein condensation 20.26
Bose-Einstein distribution 20.26
Boson 20.26
Boundary layer 20.37
Bowditch, Nathanial 22.18
Bowditch curves see Lissajou’s figures
Boyle’s law 18.25
Bragg, W Lawrence 23.2
Bragg reflection 23.4
Bragg’s law 23.2
Brake fluid (as example of incompressible liquid) 17.5
Brake horsepower 16.23
Branson, Herman R 21.7
Bravias, Auguste 22.21
Bravais lattice see Lattice
Brønsted, Joannes 17.49
Brønsted-Lowry acid 17.49
Buckling 16.49
Bulk modulus 20.20
and incompressible fluid flow
relationship to Young’s modulus 20.21
Bunn, Charles W 21.7
Burning 16.33
see also Oxidation
Butterfly effect 19.29
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter C
Calcium
chloride 16.39
hydroxide 16.40
ion 16.39
oxide 16.39, 16.40
see also Bone mineral, Hard water
Calculator 18.4
Calibration 16.24
Camber 17.34
Cancellous bone 20.14
fracture 20.15
Cantilever see Beam
Capacitor (brief mention) 16.25, (detailed explanation) 18.19, 18.20
energy of charged 18.24
Carassus auratus 21.8
Carbohydrate 20.38
see also Polysaccharide
Carbon
allotropes 22.19
atom 16.29
Carbon dioxide
formation 16.33
molecule 16.30
Carboxylic acid 16.40
Carnot, Sadi 20.24
Caro, Anthony 18.8
Catenary 22.8
Cartesian coordinate system 16.50
see also Polar coordinate system, Vectors
Cartesian sign convention (optics) 22.1
Cartilage 20.39
see also Articular cartilage
Catalyst 16.33
Cathode 19.6
Cation 16.39
Cause, not the same as association 16.10
Caustic curve 22.7
Cavity magnetron 18.8
Cell (biological – smallest part of a living thing) 16.18
in bone 20.15
division see Meiosis, Mitosis
endosteal 20.15
hair see Ear
mast see Mast cell
see also Germ cell, Somatic cell
Cell (unit cell incrystal) see Unit cell
Cellulose 20.40
Celsius (scale of temperature) 16.34
Central limit theorem 16.26
Centre
of curvature 21.19
of gravity 17.23
of mass 17.21, 17.23
of symmetry 22.12
Centrifugal force (brief mention) 17.13, (explanation) 17.29
see also Centrifugation
Centrifuge see Centrifugation
Centripetal force 17.13
and shape of earth 17.9
see also Satellite, Turning
Ceramic 20.14
CFD see Computational fluid dynamics
CGS units 17.14
Changing mapping (of integral) 22.15 (brief mention), 22.16 (detailed explanation)
Chaos theory 19.29
Chaplin, Charlie 20.18
Chargaff, Erwin 21.2
Charge (electrical) 16.25, 17.44
of electron 16.27
of neutron 16.27
of proton 16.27
Charles’ law 18.25
Chemical bond 16.31
Chemical equation 16.31
Chemical reaction 16.33
of optical isomers 20.29
Chemistry 16.41
Chiral 20.27
Chirality 20.27
of amino acids 21.4
of three-dimensional spiral 21.3
see also Mirror
Chlorine
atom 16.27, 16.39
ion 16.39
Chlorophyll 20.40
Chordate 23.5
Christ, Jesus 20.18
Chromatic aberration 22.5
Chromatid 21.9
Churchill, Winston S 20.18
Circle (geometry of) 21.3
see also Circular motion
Circuit (electrical) 19.6
Circular motion 18.11
see also Aliasing, Rotational motion
Circularly polarised light 20.32
Cis (form of molecule) 20.32
Cis-unsaturated fat 16.47
Cis-platin 20.32
Class (biological) see Classification
Classification (biological) 23.5
Clockwork 16.49
Closed-cell foam 20.39
Closed system 16.34
Cochlea see Ear
Code see Genetic code
Codon 21.23
Coefficient of kinetic friction 16.20, 17.35
Coefficient of sliding friction see coefficient of kinetic friction
Coherent (light) 19.20
Collagen 20.14, 20.39
triple helix 21.6
x-ray diffraction by 21.7
Collision see Elastic collision, Inelastic collision
Colour 19.9
Combustion chamber 17.26
Commutative (multiplication) 22.20
Complex conjugate 18.16
Complex number 18.16
Compliance (material property) 20.6
Component (of a vector) 16.50, (two-dimensional) 17.2, (three-dimensional) 17.3
Compound 16.30
Compression 16.49
anisotropic see Anisotropic compression
of gas 20.23, 20.24
isotropic see Isotropic compression
related to van der Waals’ force and electrons 22.9
see also Compressible fluid
Compressible fluid 20.35
Compressive force/strain/stress 16.49, 20.2
Compton scattering 22.14
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) 16.43, 17.17, 20.36
see also Computer model, Validation
Computer model 19.17
of infection 20.12
see also Computational fluid dynamics, Finite element analysis, Validation
Condensation polymer 20.7
Condenser lens see microscope
Conduction band 16.31
Conductor (of electricity) 17.44
Conduction (of heat) 19.14, 19.15
Conductivity, thermal see Thermal conductivity
Cone 17.23
Confidence interval 16.28
Confidence limits 16.26, 16.28
Confusion, in science 17.14
Conjugate acid 17.50
Conjugate base 17.50
Conservation of energy 16.21
in fluid flow 17.15
Conservation of mass
in fluid flow 17.15
Conservation of momentum 17.30
Constant of integration 17.19
Constructive interference 18.10
Continuity equation (in fluid flow) 17.15
Control (in experiment), 16.46
Control
of chemical composition of body 20.16
of movement of body 18.9
of temperature of body 20.17
Convection 19.18
Convergent series 17.11, 18.15
Converging (lens) see Lens
Convolution 22.20
Convolution theorem 22.20
Coordinate system see Cartesian coordinate system, Polar coordinate system
see also Vectors
Coordination bond 16.30, 16.31, 16.40
Corey, Robert B, 21.7
Cornering see Turning
Cortical bone 20.14
fracture 20.15
Cosh 22.8
Cosine 16.50, 17.2
as sum of exponential functions 22.8
differentiation 17.13
series 18.17
small angle approximation 18.6
of sum of angles 19.13
wave 16.50
Coulomb (unit of electrical charge) 16.25, 17.44
Coupled differezntial equation 22.17
Coupled oscillators 22.18
Crick, Francis HC 16.15, 21.2, 21.12, 21.14
Critical angle (refraction) 22.5
Cross-link 20.8
in gel 20.39
in protein 21.4
in rubber 20.8
Cross product (of vectors) (brief mention) 17.29, (explanation) 17.37
Crossing-over (chromosomes) 21.10
Cryogenic preservation 16.32
Crystal 16.37
defect in see Defect
ionic 16.39
system 23.1
see also Bragg’s law, Ideal crystal, Lattice, Polycrystalline, X-ray crystallography, X-ray diffraction (by a crystal)
Crystallography see X-ray crystallography
Cubic (crystal system) 23.1
Cumulative sum 17.11
curl 20.34
Current (electrical) 16.25, 17.44
effect on human body 17.47
see also Alternating current
Curvature 21.19
Curve-fitting 19.2
Cusp 22.7
Cyclic compound 20.38
Cycloid 17.40
Cysteine see Amino acid
Cytosine see Base (in a nucleic acid)
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter D
D (form of optical isomer) 20.27
Dali Lama 20.18
Dalton (unit) 16.27
Dalton, John 16.27
Damping 18.9
in human body 18.9
Darwin, Charles R 20.18, 23.7
see also Wallace, Alfred R
Darwin’s bulldog see Huxley, Thomas
Darwin’s theory of evolution see Evolution
Dashpot 18.9
Da Vinci, Leonardo 17.33
Davisson, Clinton 19.24
DC see Direct current
DC term (in Fourier transform) 23.8
Deblurring 22.20
De Broglie, Louis 19.24, 19.29
Debye, Peter 19.3
Debye-Hückel theory 19.3
Decay
exponential (simple definition) 16.6
radioactive 16.6
Deception see Diminishing deception
Deconvolution 22.20
Deduction (mathematical proof by) 22.10
Defect (in crystal) 18.26, 20.21
Definite integral 17.19
Deflection (of a beam) 21.17
Deformation
(change in dimension of material) 20.2
(change in shape of material) 20.19
(isotropic compression of material) 20.20
of spring (in tension/compression) 16.49, (in torsion)
see also Elasticity, Hooke’s law, Poisson’s ratio, Plastic deformation
Degree (measurement of angle) 17.11
Deionised water 19.1
Del (∇ ) 20.34
see also Laplacian
Delocalised molecular orbital 16.31, (and peptide bond) 21.7
Delta function see Dirac delta function, Kronecker delta function
Democratus 16.27
Density 16.44
changes in fluid 20.25, 20.35
measurement (solid) 17.7
of water 16.45
see also Archimedes’ principle, Density gradient ultracentrifugation, Floating
Density gradient ultracentrifugation 21.13
see also Semi-conservative replication
Deoxyribonucleic acid see DNA
Deoxyribose 21.2
Derivative (mathematics) 22.10
Descartes, Rene 16.50
Deflection (of a beam) 21.17
Design
of experiments 16.3
Destructive interference 18.10
Determinant (of a matrix) 17.37
representing curl 20.34
Deterministic (view of physics) 19.29
Deuterium 16.27
Development (of living things) 16.18
DEXA 20.14
Dextrorotatory 20.29
Dhanjal, Avtarjeet 16.22
Diagonal matrix 20.21
Dialysis 18.27
in kidney 20.16
Diamond 22.19
Diastereoisomers 20.30
Dielectric 18.19
breakdown 18.19
Dielectric constant 16.25
and solubility in water 16.39
Diet
salt in 19.4
Difference, significant 16.28
Differential equation (brief mention) 18.6, (detailed explanation) 19.10
see also Coupled differential equation, Ordinary differential equation, Partial differential equation
Differentiating 22.10
Differentiation 17.4
chain rule 22.10
changing a variable 17.4
of cosine and sine 17.13
of exponential functions 18.15
of logarithms 18.15
partial see Partial differentiation
of product of two functions (product rule) 17.4, 22.10
of quotient of two functions (quotient rule) 22.10
repeated 22.10
of sum of two functions 22.10
Diffraction 19.20
of electrons 19.23
see also X-ray diffraction
Diffusion 18.26
constant 19.14
equation see Diffusion equation
gradient 19.14
through membrane 18.27
see also Fick’s law
Diffusion equation 19.15
solution 19.16
Digestion 18.27
of fat 16.47
of protein 21.4
Dimensions (relationship to mass, length and time) 17.41
Dimensional analysis 17.42
Diminishing deception 17.25
Dirac, Paul AM 19.27, 20.36, 22.20
Direct current 23.8
Direction
of force 16.50
of polarisation 20.28
of propagation (of wave) 18.10
Discharge (of capacitor) 18.19
Discontinuous helix 21.6
Disorder
related to entropy 16.38
Dispersion (optics) 22.5
Displacement 17.4, 17.39
angular 17.11, 17.39
Disaccharide 20.38
Discrete Fourier transform 23.9
Dissipation of energy 17.17
Dissociation constant see Acid dissociation constant, Base dissociation constant
Dissolve 16.39
Distance 16.12
see also Light year
Distilled water 19.1
Distribution
Boltzmann see Boltzmann distribution
Gaussian see Gaussian distribution
laws (for particles with different energies) 20.26
normal see Gaussian distribution
div 20.34
Diverging (lens) see Lens
DNA (chemical composition), 21.2, (genetic material) 21.11, (double helix) 21.12
see also Semi-conservative replication, Genetic information
Domain (biological) see Classification
Dominant (genetics) 21.8
Dot product (of vector) 17.13
Double-blinded controlled trial 16.46
Double bond 16.47
Double helix (brief mention) 21.2, (detailed explanation) 21.6
see also DNA
Drag 17.17
see also Damping
Driveshaft 21.22
Drivetrain 21.22
Drosophila melanogaster 21.10
Drug (testing) 16.1, 16.46, 18.18
Dry cell (electrical) 19.6
Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry see DEXA
Ductile 20.10, 20.13
fracture 20.13
Dynamics 21.15
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter E
e (2.718…) (brief mention) 18.3, (detailed explanation) 18.15
see also Exponential function, Exponential decay, Exponential growth
Ear 18.13
Earth (electrical) 17.44
Earth (planet)
escaping 17.27
gravitational field of
movement in solar system 16.9
shape of 17.9
Eccentricity (of ellipse), 22.18
Ecology 22.17
Ecosystem 22.17
Education (in science) 16.15, 17.44
see also Studying mechanics
Einstein, Albert 16.11, 16.15, 16.16, 19.3, 19.23, 19.26, 19.29, 20.18
Elastic collision 17.30
Elastica 21.19
Elasticity 20.6
of rubber 20.11
see also Viscoelasticity
Elbow (bending of) 18.9
Electric field (simple explanation) 16.25, (further explanation) 17.24
see also Electric vector, Electromagnetic wave
Electric vector (electromagnetic radiation) 20.28
Electrical charge 16.25
Electrical current 16.25
see also Alternating current
Electrical energy 17.45
Electrical resistance see Resistance
Electrode 19.7
see also Anode, Cathode
Electromagnetic radiation 19.9
see also Polarised light
Electromagnetic wave 19.9
speed 19.12
Electron 16.27
density (x-ray crystallography/diffraction) 22.14
energy levels in atoms 16.29
energy levels in molecules 16.31
interaction with x-rays 22.14
microscope see microscope
spin 16.29, 16.31
wave see Wave-particle duality
x-ray scattering by see X-ray scattering
see also Photoelectron
Electronic music see Music
Element 16.27
Elementary particle 22.9
Eliot, Thomas S 23.5
Embryo 21.10
Emulsifying agent 16.48
Emulsion 16.48
Enantiomer see Optical isomer
Endosteal cell see Bone cell
Energy 16.21
activation see Activation energy
use by living things 16.18
zero-point see Zero-point energy
see also Electrical energy, Free energy, Kinetic energy, Potential energy, Wave energy, Work
Energy levels
for electrons in atoms 16.29
Engineering
strain see Strain
stress see Stress
Enrichment of uranium-238 16.27
Entropy 16.34
Boltzmann’s (statistical) definition 16.35, 16.38
and life 16.41
negative see Information
see also Elasticity of rubber, Maxwell’s demon, Second law of thermodynamics
Environment (influencing phenotype) 21.8
Enzyme
lock and key analogy for substrate binding 20.29
Epidemic 20.12
Equation
of curve 22.10
of straight line 22.10
Equatorial direction (in molecule) 20.38
Equilibrium 20.33, 21.15, 21.16
see also Metastable equilibrium, Stable equilibrium, Unstable equilibrium
Escape velocity 17.2
Essential amino acid 21.4
Essential fatty acid 16.47
Ether (medium for propagating electromagnetic waves) 19.9
Eukaryote 23.5
Euler, Leonard 18.17
Euler’s relation 18.17
Even function 23.8
Everett, Hugh 19.29
Evolution 23.7
Ewald, Paul P 22.23
Ewald sphere 22.23
Exercise
and osteoporosis prevention 20.15
exp see e
Experiment
decisions based on 16.28
design of 16.3
on living animals 18.18
purpose of 16.3, 20.1
testing a model 16.42
see also Thought experiment
Excited state 16.29
Exponential decay (simple explanation) 16.6, (explanation using e) 18.15
Exponential growth (simple explanation) 16.5, (explanation using e) 18.15
Exponential function 18.15
representing simple harmonic oscillator/wave 18.17
Extensive property 16.34
Extracellular matrix 20.39
Extrapolation 16.8
Extrinsic property 16.34
Eyepiece lens see micrroscope
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter F
F1 hybrid 21.8
Factorial (n!) 18.15
Faith (in science) 16.32
Falling 16.42, 17.20
in fluid 17.17
see also Parachute
Family (biological) see Classification
Famous scientists 20.18
Farad (unit of capacitance) 18.19
Faraday, Michael 18.21
Fat 16.47
Fatality rate 20.12
Fatigue fracture 20.13
FEA see Finite element analysis
Fermi-Dirac distribution 20.26
Fermion 20.26
chirality of 20.27
Fertilisation (of ovum by sperm) 21.10
Fetus see Foetus
Feynman, Richard 17.15, 19.29
Fibrous protein 21.7
Fick’s law 19.14
see also Diffusion equation
Field
electrical (simple explanation) 16.25, (further explanation) 17.24
gravitational (simple explanation) 16.25, (further explanation) 17.24
magnetic (simple explanation) 16.25
Filler (in material) 20.8
in bone 20.14
Finite element analysis (FEA)
validation 16.43
First law (Newton’s) see Newton’s laws of motion
First law of thermodynamics 16.21, 16.34
Fischer projection 20.38
Fixed points (for defining temperature scale) 16.34
Flight see Flying
Floating 16.44, 17.6
ship 17.8
Flow 17.15
of electric charge 17.44
property of fluid 16.37
in a tube 20.37
see also Bernoulli’s equation, Navier-Stokes equation, Poisseuille’s equation
Fluorine
atom 16.29
molecule 16.30
Fluid 16.37
see also Density, Diffusion, Flow, Ideal gas, Incompressible fluid, Real gas
Flying
bird 17.32
impossibility (according to Lord Kelvin) 17.33
plane 17.16, 22.9
rocket 17.26
see also Gliding
Foam 20.5, 20.39
and bone structure 20.14
Focal length (lens) 22.1
Focal point (lens/curved mirror) 22.1, 22.7
Focus/focussed/focussing (lens) 22.1, (projector) 22.2, (magnfying glass) 22.3
Foetus 21.10
Food
salt in 19.4
Force (simple explanation) 16.4, (more mathematical explanation) 17.39
acting on a solid object in fluid 17.6, 17.7. (including viscosity) 17.17
centrifugal see Centrifugal force
centripetal see Centripetal force
compressive see Compressive force
direction of 16.50
drag see Drag force
exerted by charge 16.25
exerted by magnetic field on a moving charge 16.25
reaction see Reaction force
relationship to momentum (simple explanation) 16.13, (more rigorous explanation) 17.39
tensile see Tensile force
see also Deformation, Isotropic compression, Vector
Forced convection 19.18
Foster and Partners (architects) 18.8
Foucault’s pendulum 16.9
Fourier, Joseph 18.14
Fourier series 18.14, (calculating coefficients of) 23.8
Fourier transform 21.12
for calculating coefficients in Fourier series 23.8
of a lattice (one-dimensional) 22.22
see also Convolution, Discrete Fourier transform
Fractional unit cell coordinates 22.21
Fracture 20.9, (detailed explanation) 20.13
of bone 20.14
repair (in bone) 20.15
stress 20.10
Frame of reference (defining motion) 16.9, 16.12, 17.29
see also Inertial frame of reference, Non-inertial frame of reference, Rotating frame of reference
Franklin, Rosalind E 21.12
Free-body diagram 21.15
Free energy 18.27
Free convection 19.18
Free surface 16.37
Frequency 16.14
analysis (brief mention) 18.14, (detailed account) 23.8
see also Discrete Fourier transform
angular see Angular frequency
fundamental see Fundamental frequency
natural see Natural frequency
of pendulum 18.6, 18.7, 18.8
resonant see Resonant frequency
response 18.23
spatial see Spatial frequency
of wave 18.10
see also Harmonic, Pitch
Friction 16.19, 17.35
coefficient of 16.20, 17.35
Fructose 20.38
Fruit-fly see Drosophila melanogaster
Function (mathematics) 19.10, 22.10
see also Even function, Odd function
Fundamental (frequency/wave) 18.12, 18.14, 19.13
see also Harmonic, Resonance
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter G
Gaïa 22.17
Galilean principle of relativity 16.4, 16.12, 17.29
Galileo Galilei 22.8
Gamete 21.10
Gamma ray 19.9
Gandhi, Mahatma 20.18
Gas 16.37
compression of 20.23, 20.24
constant see Ideal gas, Ideal gas constant
see also Fluid, Ideal Gas, Real gas
Gaussian distribution 16.26, 16.8
Gedankenexperiment see Thought experiment
Gel 20.39
polysaccharide 20.40
Gene 21.8, (made of DNA) 21.11
see also Chromosome, Evolution, Genetic code, Genetic information, Mutation
Genetic code 21.24
Genetics 21.8
Genetic information (brief mention) 21.2, (more detail) 21.11, copying 21.14, Implementing 21.23
see also Genetic code
Genghis Khan 20.18
Genotype 21.8
see also Evolution, Mutation
Genus see Classification
Geometric centre see Centroid
Geometric isomerism 20.32
Geometric progression 22.22
Geostationary satellite 17.28
Gerlach, Walther 16.29
Germ cell 23.6
Germer, Lester 19.24
Germline mutation 23.6
Gibbs function 18.27
Girls (preparing them to study science) 17.46
Glass 16.37
Glide angle 17.31, 17.32
Glider 17.31
Gliding 17.31, (bird) 17.32
Globular protein 21.4
Glutamine see Amino acid
Glucose 20.37
Glycine see Amino acid
Glycogen 20.40
Golden spiral 21.5
Golden ratio (1.618…) 20.31
see also Golden spiral
Goldfish 21.8
Good (subjective word to avoid) 16.36
Goose bumps see Goose pimples
Goose pimples 20.17
grad 20.33
Graph (of function) 22.10
Graphite 22.19
Gravitational constant 16.16
Gravitational potential energy 16.21
Gravitational field (simple explanation) 16.16, (further explanation) 17.24
of earth 17.9
see also Escape velocity, Satellite
Gravitational waves 16.16
Gravity 16.16, 17.20
centre of see Centre of gravity
see also Gravitational field
Green, Michael B 20.36
Greenstick fracture 20.14
Ground state 16.29
Growth
of bacteria 16.5
exponential see Exponential growth
of living things 16.18
Guanine see Base (in a nucleic acid)
Guitar 18.12
Gurdon, John 20.18
Guy rope 21.16
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter H
Haemoglobin 21.4
Haber-Bosch process 16.33
Hair cell see Ear
Half-life 16.6
of discharging capacitor 18.19
of radium 16.36
Hammer, throwing the see Throwing the hammer
Hard water 19.1
Harmonic 18.12, 18.14, 19.13
Hawking, Stephen 16.22, 20.18, 20.36
Heat 16.21, 16.34, 16.35
molecular motion and 16.35, 16.38
see also Conduction (of heat), Convection, Radiation
Heat pump (simple explanation)16.34, (detailed explanation) 18.30
Heisenberg, Werner 19.3, 19.26
Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle (simple explanation) 16.29, (detailed explanation) 19.26, (alternative view) 19.29
and zero-point energy 16.38
Helix 21.6
Helix net 21.6
Helmholtz function 18.27
Hemoglobin see Haemoglobin
Henderson, Richard 20.18
Henry (unit of inductance) 18.21
Henry, Joseph 18.21
Heparin 20.40
Herd immunity 20.12
Hertz (unit of frequency) 16.14
Hexagonal (crystal system) 23.1
Hexose 20.38
Hidden variable theory 19.29
Hierachical level 22.9
Hinny 16.18
Histone 21.11
Hitler, Adolf 20.18
Homeopathy 16.46
Homeostasis 20.16, 20.17
Homogeneous
material 20.21
Hooke, Robert 20.3
Hooke’s law (brief mention) 20.2, (detailed explanation) 20.3
Hormone 21.23
Hormone replacement therapy see HRT
Horsepower 16.23
HRT 20.15
Hückel, Erich 19.3
Huggins, Maurice L 21.7
Humerus see Elbow
Hund, Friedrich 16.29
Huxley, Thomas 20.18
Huygens, Christiaan 22.8
Huygens’ principle 19.20
Hyaluronan 20.40
Hyaluronic acid see Hyaluronan
Hydrochloric acid 17.49
Hydrogel 20.39
Hydrogen
atom 16.27, 16.29 see also MRI
x-ray scattering by see X-ray scattering
bond see Hydrogen bond
ion 16.39, 16.40 see also Acid, pH
isotopes 16.27
molecule 16.30
reaction with nitrogen 16.33
Hydrogen bond 16.45, (in alpha helix) 21.7, (in DNA) 21.12
Hydronium ion 16.40, 18.5
Hydrophilic 16.48
Hydrophobic 16.48
Hydroxide ion 16.40
see also Alkali, pH
Hydroxyapatite 20.14
Hydroxyproline see Amino acid
Hyperbolic function 22.8
Hypertension 17.14
Hyperthermia 20.17
Hypothalamus 20.17
Hypothermia 20.17
Hypothesis
null 16.28
scientific 16.2
statistical 16.1 16.28
Hysteresis 20.11
Words, names and phrases beginning with the letter I
Ice see Water
i (square root of -1) 18.16
i, j, k (unit vectors) 17.2, 17.3
Ideal crystal 22.21
Ideal gas 18.25
compression of 20.23, 20.24
see also Ideal gas equation, Real gas
Ideal gas constant 18.25
Ideal gas equation 18.25
application to solutions 18.28, 19.3
see also Partial differentiation
Ideal heat engine (brief explanation) 20.24
Ideal radiator 19.19
Ideal solution 18.28
see also Real solution
Image (projector) 22.2
Imaginary number 18.15
Imaginary part (of complex number) 18.15
Immunity see Herd immunity
Impedance (capacitative) 18.20, (inductive)18.22, (total) 18.23
Impersonality (of science) 16.22
Incoherent (light) 19.20
Incompressible fluid (simple explanation) 17.5, (detailed explanation) 20.35
Incus see Ear
Indefinite integral 17.19
Indexing (X-ray diffraction pattern of a crystal) 23.1
Indicator (for measuring pH) 18.1
Induction (electromagnetic) 18.21
Induction (mathematical proof by) 22.10
Inductor 18.21
energy of current flowing in 18.24
Inelastic collision 17.30
Inertia see Mass, Rotational inertia
Inertial frame of reference 16.12, 17.29
Infection 20.12
Infinite series 17.11
Information 19.30
genetic see Genetic information
Infrared radiation 19.9
heat transmission by 19.19
Insulin 21.4
Integer 18.16
Integral see Definite integral, Indefinite integral, Line integral
changing mapping see Changing mapping
see also Integration
Integral helix 21.6
Integrate see Integration
Integration 17.19
numerical 19.8
of sin2θ 19.8
see also Differential equation
Intensity (of wave) 19.19
Intensive property 16.34
Interpretations of quantum mechanics 19.29
Interference 18.10
see also Diffraction
Intervertebral disc 18.9, 20.39
Intrinsic property 16.34
Intuition 19.12, 20.13
Inverse (or a mathematical operation) 22.12
Inverted image 22.2
Ionic compound 16.39
Iron
atom 16.27
catalyst in Haber-Bosch process 16.33
ion 16.39
oxides 16.39
dielectric constant 16.25
Irrational number 17.11, 18.15
Isotope 16.27
see also Semi-conservative replication
Isomerism 20.32
see also Optical isomer
Isoprene see Rubber
Isothermal compression 20.23
Isotropic
compression 20.20, 20.21
material 20.21
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter J
Jackman, L J 21.18
Jacobi, Carl 22.16
Jacobian (brief mention) 22.15, 22.16 (detailed explanation)
Jardine, Lisa 20.3
Joist see Beam
Joule (unit of work) 16.20, (unit of energy) 16.21
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter K
K-space 22.23
Kelvin (Lord) see Thomson, William
Kelvin (scale of temperature) 16.34
Keratin 21.7
Khorana, H Gobind 21.24
Kidney 20.16
Kilogramme (unit of mass) 16.13
Kinetic energy 16.21, 17.38, 17.39
of rolling object 17.40
Kinetically stable (products of chemical reaction) 22.19
Kingdom (biological) see Classification
Kirchhoff’s current rule 17.47
Kronecker, Leopold 22.20
Kronecker delta function 22.20
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter L
L (form of optical isomer) 20.27
Lactose 20.38
Laevorotatory 20.29
Laguerre polynomial 19.28
Lamb, Horace 17.15
Laminar (flow) 17.15
Laplace, P-S 19.12
Laplacian (operator) 19.12
see also Del
Larynx 18.13
Laser 19.20
Latent heat (brief description) 16.18, (explanation) 16.37
of vaporisation (related to convection) 19.18
of vaporisation (related to heat pump) 18.30
Latex see Rubber
Lattice 22.21
see also Fourier transform of a lattice, Reciprocal lattice
Laue, Max FF von 22.24
Laue equations 22.24
Law, scientific see Scientific law
LCAO see Linear combination of atomic orbitals
Le Chatelier’s principle 20.16
Left-handed helix 21.6
Legendre polynomial 19.28
Leibnitz, Gottfried 22.8
Lennard-Jones potential function 20.3
Lennon, John 20.18
Lens 22.1, (in projector) 22.2
Lens maker’s equation 22.1
Lewis, Gilbert N 17.49
Lewis acid 17.49
Levitt, Michael 20.18
Levorotatory see Laevorotatory
Life 16.18
on other planets 19.22
see also Classification
Lift (aerodynamics) 17.16, 17.31, 17.32
Light 19.9
heat transmission by 19.19
year see Light year
see also Coherent, Diffraction, Photoelectric effect, Polarised light, Refraction, Reflection
Light microscope see microscope
Light year 19.22
Limit (integration) 17.4, 22.10
Limitations (of science) 16.22, 16.32, 20.12
Limiting value (mathematics) 17.4
Line integral 17.36
Linear combination
of atomic orbitals (LCAO) 16.31, 19.28
of solutions of differential equation 19.10
Linear differential equation 19.10
Lintel see Beam
Lipid vesicles 16.18
Liquid 16.37
pressure in 17.5
stationary 17.5
see also Fluid, Ideal solution, Real solution, Water
Lissajou, Jules A 22.18
Lissajou’s curves see Lissajou’s figures
Lissajou’s figures 22.18
Lithium
atom 16.29
Litmus 18.1
Logarithm 18.3
in calculation 18.4
see also Logarithmic spiral
Logarithmic spiral 21.5
Lone pair (of electrons) 16.40
Longitudinal strain 20.5
Longitudinal wave 18.13
Lorentz factor 23.4
Lorenz, Edward 19.29
Lotka, Alfred 22.17
Lotka-Volterra equations 22.17
Loudspeaker 18.13
Lovelock, James E 22.17
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter M
Mach, Ernst 19.26, 20.35
Mach number 20.35
Maclaurin’s theorem 20.3
Macleod, Colin M 21.11
Macron, Emmanuel 20.18
Magnet 16.25
Magnetic bracelet 16.46
Magnetic field 16.25
see also Electromagnetic wave
Magnetic vector (electromagnetic radiation) 20.28
Magnesium (in water) see Hard water
Magnetism
of oxygen 16.31
paramagnetism 16.31
Magnification (by magnifying glass) 22.3, (by projector) 22.2, (by microscope) 22.11
Magnifying glass 22.3
Magnitude (of complex number/vector) see Modulus
Major axis (of ellipse), 22.18
Malleus see Ear
Malthus, Thomas R 23.7
Mann-Whitney test 16.28
Mao Zhedong 20.18
Mapping (of integral) see Changing mapping
Marrow see Bone
Marshall, Barry 20.18
Marx, Karl 20.18
Mass 16.13, 17.39
centre of see Centre of mass
of electron 16.27
measuring 16.17
of neutron 16.27
of proton 16.27
of ship 17.8
Mass number 16.27
Mast cell 20.40
Mathematics, its nature and role in science 16.50, 17.25, 20.1
Matrix (mathematics) 20.21
multiplication 20.21
representation of a vector (brief comment) 17.3
transpose of see Transpose
Maximum (value of function) 20.37
Maxwell, James Clerk 16.11, 16.15, 16.22, 16.35, 16.38, 17.33, 19.26, 19.29, 19.30
Maxwell’s demon 19.30
McCarty, Maclyn 21.11
Mead, Carver 19.29
Mean (average) 16.24
in normal distribution 16.26
Measuring
angle 17.11
distance/length 16.12
electron energy levels in atoms 16.29
mass 16.13, 16.17, (of ship) 17.8
movement 16.12
pH 18.1
power (of a person) 16.23
temperature 16.24, 16.34
time 16.12
weight 16.17
Mechanical energy 16.21
Mechanics 20.33
Meiosis (brief mention) 21.9, (detailed explanation) 21.10
Melting point 16.37
Membrane (cell) 21.9
Mendel, Gregor 21.7
Meselson, Mathew s 21.14
Messenger RNA see mRNA
Metabolism 22.9
Metastable equilibrium 21.16
Methane
molecule 16.30
Metre (unit of length) 16.12
Micelle 16.48
Microphone 18.13
Microscope 22.11, 22.12, 22.13
Microwave 19.9
heat transmission by 19.19
oven 18.8
Miescher, Friedrick 21.2
Millenium bridge 18.8
Miller, William H 22.24
Miller indices 22.24
Millikan, Robert A 16.27
Mineral see Bone mineral
Minimum (value of a function) 20.37
Minor axis (of ellipse) 22.18
Mirror 22.4
see also Chirality
Mitosis 21.9
Model 16.42, 18.6, 18.26
computer 17.9, 19.17, of molecule 21.7
of falling object 16.42
of molecule see Molecular model
validation 16.43
Moduli (plural of Modulus) see Modulus
Modulus (measuring deformation)
relationship between moduli 20.21, 20.22
see Bulk modulus, Tangent modulus, Shear modulus, Young’s modulus
Modulus (of a vector) 16.50, 17.2, 17.3, (of a complex number) 18.16
Molar solution 17.48
Molarity 17.48
Mole (in chemistry) 17.48
Molecular orbital 16.31
Molecular weight 20.7
Molecule 16.30
see also X-ray crystallography
Moment (of a force) 21.15
see also Torque
Moment of inertia see Rotational inertia
Momentum (simple explanation) 16.13, (vector definition) 17.39
of photon 22.4
see also Angular momentum, Conservation of momentum
Monoclinic (crystal system) 23.1
Monomer 20.7
residue 20.7
Monosaccharide 20.38
Monroe, Marilyn 20.18
Moore, Kate 16.36
Morgan, Thomas H 21.10
Mortality rate 20.12
Movement 16.4
of body 18.9
change in 16.13
measuring 16.12
of planets in solar system 16.9
of sun (relative to earth) 16.9
MRI 18.8
Mule 16.18
Multiverse 19.29
Muscle
controlling and initiating movement 18.9
conversion of chemical to mechanical energy in 16.33
Music, electronic 18.14
see also Sound
Mussolini, Benito 22.17
Mutagen 23.7
Mutant 23.6
Mutation 23.6
see also Evolution
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter N
Nabla see Del
Natural frequency 18.8, 18.24
and standing wave 18.12
Natural selection 23.7
Nautilus (marine animal) 21.5
Navier, Claude-Louis 20.36
Navier-Stokes equation (brief mention) 17.15, 17.42, (detailed explanation) 20.36
derivation of Poiseuille’s equation from 20.37
Near point (of eye) 22.3
Negative entropy see Information
Negative numbers 18.16
Negative slope 20.37
Negentropy see Information
Neon
atom 16.29
Neutral (solution) 18.1, 18.5
Neutral axis (beam) 21.17
Neutron 16.27
Newton, Isaac 16.2, 16.11, 17.33, 20.36
Newton (unit of force) 16.13
Newton’s law of gravitation 17.24
Newton’s laws of motion 16.2
first law 16.4
see also Centrifugal force, Frame of reference, Galilean principle of relativity
second law 16.4, 16.13
opposed by friction 16.19
and zero-point energy 16.38
third law
launching bird flight 17.32
and electrons 22.9
and Rocket propulsion 17.26
see also Reaction force
Nirenberg, Marshall W 21.24
Nitrogen
atom 16.29
molecule 16.30
oxides 16.30
reaction with hydrogen 16.33
Node (wave) 18.12, 19.13
Non-ideal gas see Real gas
Non-inertial frame of reference 17.29
Non-integral helix 21.6
Non-parametric test (statistical) 16.28
Normal (to surface) 22.4
Normal distribution see Gaussian distribution
Normalisation 19.16, 19.28
Novoselov, Konstantin 20.18
Nucleic acid 21.2
Nucleotide 21.2
Nucleus (atomic) 16.6, 16.27
Nucleus (of biological cell) 21.9
Nucleus pulposus 20.39
Null hypothesis 16.28
Number,
irrational see Irrational number
rational 17.11
writing 16.7
Numerical
integration 19.8
methods 19.17
see also Computational fluid dynamics, Finite element analysis
Nyquist , Harry 16.14
Nyquist
criterion 16.14
frequency 16.14
see also Discrete Fourier transform
Nylon 20.7
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter O
Objective lens see microscope
Oblique prism see Prism
Obvious (facts, ideas etc.) 17.1
Occam’s razor 16.9
Odd function 23.8
ODE see Ordinary differential equation
Oestrogen 20.15
Ohm (unit of electrical resistance) 17.44
Ohm’s law 17.44
Oil 16.47, 16.48
Oligosaccharide 20.38
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fats 16.47
Open-cell foam 20.39
Optical activity 20.29
Optical axis 22.11
Optical isomer 20.27
properties of 20.29
see also Diastereoisomer, Optical isomerism
Optical isomerism 20.32
of sugars 20.38
see also Optical isomer
Optical rotation 20.29
Orbit (of satellite) 17.28
Orbital
atomic 16.29
molecular 16.31
Order (biological) see Classification
Ordinary differential equation 22.10
Origin
of Cartesian coordinate system 16.50
of Polar coordinate system 21.3
Orthogonal Cartesian coordinate system 16.50, 22.21
see also Vectors
Orthopter 17.32
Orthorhombic (crystal system) 23.1
Oscillating spring 18.11
Oscillation
in observations 16.8
see also Simple harmonic oscillator
Oscilloscope 22.18
Osmosis 18.27
see also Reverse osmosis
Osmotic pressure 18.27, 18.28, 19.3
see also Pressure
Osteoblast see Bone cell
Osteoclast see Bone cell
Osteocyte see Bone cell
Osteoporosis 20.14, 20.15
Ova plural of Ovum
Oxidation 19.5
state see Oxidation state
see also Redox potential
Oxidation state 16.39
Oxides
of carbon 16.33
of nitrogen 16.30
Oxidising agent 19.5
Oxygen
atom 16.27, 16.29
ion 16.39
molecule 16.30, 16.31
paramagnetism 16.31
reactions of 16.33
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter P
p (energy level/orbital)
in atom 16.29
in ion 16.39, 16.40
in molecule 16.30
p (value from statistical test) 16.28
Pandemic 20.12
Panting (for temperature control in dogs) 20.17
Parabola 22.6
Paraboloid 22.6
Parachute 17.18
Parallel double helix 21.6
Parallel universe 19.29
Paramagnetism 16.31
Partial derivative see Partial differentiation
Partial differential equation 19.12, 22.10
changing a variable 19.16
of product of two functions 19.16
see also Del, Laplacian operator
Partial differentiation 19.11
Particle 17.21
Pascal (unit of pressure) 17.5
Passive damping 18.9
Passive process 18.9
Path difference (between waves) 18.10
PDE see Partial differential equation
Pea 21.8
Pendulum (as example of simple harmonic oscillator) 18.6, (simple analysis of motion) 18.7
Foucault’s 16.9
Pentose 20.38
Peptide bond 21.7
Percentage strain 20.2
Periodic time see Time period
Permanent hardness (of water) 19.1
Permanent magnets 16.25
Permeability (magnetic)16.25
Permeability of free space 16.25
Permittivity (electrical) 16.25
Permittivity of free space 16.25
PET (positron emission tomography) 17.41
pH 18.1
calculating 18.5
control in body 20.16
meter 18.1
Phase (of oscillation/wave) 18.10
Phase (of matter) 16.37
Phenotype 21.8
see also Evolution
Phi (Greek letter ϕ) and psi (Greek letter ψ) angles determining three-dimensional shape of a protein chain 21.7
Phosphoric acid 21.2
Photoelectric effect (brief description) 16.18, (detailed explanation) 19.23
Photoelectron 19.23
Photon 19.23, (momentum of) see Momentum of a photon
Photosynthesis 20.40
Phylum (biological) see Classification
Physics 16.41
Pi (Greek letter π, 3.141…) 17.11
Pi (Greek letter π) molecular orbital 16.31
Piano 18.12
Pilot wave model 19.29
Pisum sativum 21.8
Pitch (helix) 21.6
Pitch (music) 18.12
pKa 18.5
pKb 18.5
Placebo 16.46
Planck, Max 19.19
Planck’s constant 19.19
Plane see Flying, Glider, Turning
Plane of polarisation 20.28
Plane polarised light see Polarised light
Planet
movement in solar system 16.9
Plastic (material) see Polymer
Plastic deformation 20.10
Play (importance for developing intuition) 20.13
Point of inflexion see Saddle point
Poiseuille, Jean 20.37
Poiseuille’s equation 17.42
derivation by dimensional analysis 17.42
derivation from Navier-Stokes equation 20.37
Poisson’s ratio 20.5
in relationships between moduli 20.1, 20.22
of rubber 20.11
Polar coordinate system 20.37, (complete simple explanation) 21.3
see also Cartesian coordinate system, Spherical polar coordinates
Polar second moment of area 21.21
see also Second moment of area
Polarimeter 20.28
Polarisation
direction of see Direction of polarisation
plane of see Plane of polarisation
see also Polaroid
Polarisation factor 23.4
Polariser 20.28
see also Polaroid
Polaroid 20.28
Polyanion 21.2
Polybutene 20.7
Polycrystalline 16.37, 22.21
Polyethene 20.7
Polyethylene see Polyethene
Polymer 20.7
see also Nucleic acid, Polysaccharide, Protein, Rubber
Polymerisation 20.7
Polynomial (curve) 19.2
Polynucleotide 21.2
Polypeptide 21.4
Polysaccharide (brief mention)20.38, (detailed account) 20.40
Polystyrene 20.9
Polythene see Polyethene
Polyunsaturated fat 16.47
Poly(vinyl chloride) 20.7
Positive slope 20.37
Positron 17.41
emission tomography see PET
Post-transcriptional modification (of amino acids) 21.24
Potential (electrical) 17.44
in nerve 18.13
redox see Redox potential
Potential difference (electrical) 17.44
see also Potential
Potential energy 16.21
of stretched spring 16.49, 17.39
see also Lennard-Jones potential function
Power (of number) 18.2
Power (physics) 16.23
of wave 19.8
Precision 16.24
in calculated results 16.7
limiting our ability to make scientific statements 16.6
Predator 22.17
Prediction 16.8, 16.42, 17.33
testing 16.43
see also Curve-fitting
Presley, Elvis 20.18
Pressure 17.5
distribution in a fluid 20.25
osmotic see Osmotic pressure
wave see Sound
Prey 22.17
Principal axis
of lens 22.1
of strain 20.19
of stress 20.19
Prism 22.5
Probability
of drug safety 16.1
of finding electron in given region of space 16.29
in quantum mechanics 16.2
in radioactive decay 16.6
in rejecting null hypothesis 16.28
Product (of chemical reaction)
Product (of vectors) see Cross product, Dot product
Projection (mathematics) 16.50
Projector (optics) 22.2
Proline see Amino acid
Proof
of drug safety (as an example of scientific proof) 16.1
mathematical 16.50, 20.1
scientific 16.3, 20.1
see also Deduction, Induction
Propellant (for rocket) 17.26
Propeller shaft 21.22
Protein 21.4
see also Alpha-helix, Fibrous protein, Genetic code, Implementing genetic information
Proton 16.27
x-ray scattering by see X-ray scattering
Pullman, Phillip 19.29
Pump, ion see Ion pump
Pure shear 20.19
Purine see Base (in a nucleic acid)
Purslow, Peter 16.41
PVC see Poly(vinyl chloride)
Pyrimidine see Base (in a nucleic acid)
Pythagoras’ theorem 16.50, 17.2
in three dimensions 17.3
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter Q
Q-factor (resonance) 18.23
Quality-factor (resonance) see Q-factor
Quadratic equation
solution by factorisation 20.37
solution by formula 18.5
Quantum 19.19
Quantum mechanics 19.27
interpretation of 19.29
see also Quantum theory
Quantum theory 19.19
and distribution laws 20.26
and electron energy levels in atom 16.29
when Newton’s laws of motion don’t work 16.2
and the photoelectric effect 19.23
see also Quantum mechanics
Questionnaire 20.4
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter R
R0 see Reproduction number
Racemic mixture 20.29
Radar 18.8
Radial strain 20.5
Radian (measurement of angle) 17.11
Radiation
electromagnetic see Electromagnetic radiation
of heat 19.19
see also Radioactive decay
Radioactive decay 16.6
Radioactivity 16.6
Radio telescope 22.6
Radium 16.36
Radius (bone in arm) see Elbow
Radius of curvature 21.19
Randall, John T 18.8
Raoult, Didier 20.18
Ray see Ray tracing
Ray tracing 22.1, (related to direction of photons) 22.4
Rational number 17.11, 18.16
Reactant 16.33
Reaction (chemical) 16.33
Reaction force (mechanics) 17.34, 17.35
Real gas 19.2
Real image 22.2
Real number 18.16
Real part (of complex number) 18.16
Real solution 19.3
Real space 22.23
see also Reciprocal space
Recessive (genetics) 21.8
Reciprocal lattice 22.24
vectors 22.24
see also Reciprocal space
Reciprocal space 22.23, 22.24
see also Reciprocal lattice
Recoil (of spring) 16.21, 16.49, 17.39, (of material) 20.6, (of rubber) 20.11
Recycling
batteries 19.6
polymers 20.7
Redox couple 19.7
Redox potential 19.7
Reducing agent 19.5
Reduction (chemistry) 19.5
see also Redox potential
Refinement (of crystal structure) 23.4
Reflection 22.4
at Concave surfaces 22.6
see also Total Internal Reflection
Refraction 19.21, 22.5, at curved surfaces 22.1
Refractive index 19.21
see also Dispersion
Refrigerant 18.30
Refrigerator see Heat pump
Relative atomic mass 16.27
Relative molecular mass 16.33
Relative motion 16.9
Relative permeability (magnetic) 16.25
Relative permittivity (electrical) see Dielectric constant
Relativity
Einstein’s general theory 16.16
Galilean principle 16.4
Religion 16.22
Repair (of bone fracture) 20.15
Representative sample 20.4
Reproduction (of living things) 16.18
number (epidemic) 20.12
Residue (in condensation polymer) 20.7
Resistance (electrical) 17.44
of human hand 17.47
Resistivity 17.44
Resistor 17.44
Resonance 18.8
in electrical system 18.23
see also Fundamental frequency Resonant angular frequency, Resonant frequency
Resonance hybrid (in valence bond theory) 16.31
Resonant angular frequency 18.23
Resonant frequency 18.8, (in electrical system) 18.23
Response rate (to questionnaire) 20.4
Response to stimulus 16.18
Restoring force 21.17
Resultant (vector) 17.2
Retinol see vitamin D
Reverse osmosis 18.29
see also Osmosis
Rhombohedral (crystal system) 23.1
Ribonucleic acid see RNA
Ribose 20.38, 21.2
Ribosomal RNA see rRNA
Ribosome 21.23
Right prism see Prism
Right-handed coordinate system 17.3
Right-handed helix 21.6
Rigidity modulus see Shear modulus
Rise-per-residue (in a helical molecule) 21.6
RNA 21.2
see also mRNA, rRNA, tRNA
Rocket 17.26
escaping earth 17.27
launching satellite 17.28
Rolling 17.40
Rotating frame of reference 16.9, 17.29
Rotation
about bonds in a protein chain see Phi and psi
about double bond 16.47, 20.32
about peptide bond 21.7
of earth 16.9
see also Rotational, shaft
Rotational
inertia 17.38, 17.39
see also Second moment of area
kinetic energy 17.38, 17.39
motion 17.10, 17.12 (comparison with translational motion) 17.39
see also Rotation, shaft
Rubber 20.7
elasticity of 20.11
Rummer, Reiner 17.9
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter S
s (energy level/orbital)
in atom 16.29
in ion 16.39, 16.40
in molecule 16.30
Saddle point 20.27
Safety (in drug testing) 16.1
Sailplane see Glider
Salt (in food) 19.4
see also Sodium chloride
Sample see Representative sample
Saturated fat 16.47
Scalar 16.50
product of vectors see Dot product
Scale (in boilers/kettles) see Hard water
Scattering (waves) 19.20
Scattering vector 19.20
Schrödinger, Irwin 19.3, 19.27
Schrödinger’s cat 16.15, 19.27
Schrödinger’s equation 19.27
solution 19.28
solution for electrons in molecules (simple explanation) 16.31, (more details) 19.28
Scientific law 16.2, 20.1
and definitions 17.44
Scum see Hard water
Searchlight 22.6
Second (unit of time) 16.12
Second law of thermodynamics 16.34
and diffusion 18.26
and osmosis 18.27
see also Elasticity of rubber, Entropy, Maxwell’s demon
Second moment of area 21.17
see also Polar second moment of area
Selective breeding 21.8
Self-inductance see Inductance
SEM see microscope
Semi-conservative replication (of DNA) 21.14
Semi-permeable membrane 18.27
Sensor 18.9
Series
cosine 18.17
convergent 17.11
Fourier 18.14
infinite 17.11
sine 18.17
see also e, Geometric progression, Pi
Shaft (rotating) 21.22
Shape
of earth 17.9
of molecules 16.30
Sharpness (of resonance peak) 18.23
Shear 20.19
geometry of 20.22
modulus see Shear modulus
strain 20.19
stress 20.19
see also Torsion
Shear modulus 20.19
relationship to Young’s modulus 20.22
Ship 17.8
Shivering 20.17
Shock-absorber 18.9
Short circuit 19.6
SI units 16.12
Sigma (Greek letter σ) molecular orbital 16.31
Sign convention (optics) 22.1
Signal generator 22.18
Significance (statistical) see Statistical significance
Significant difference 16.28
Significant figures (in number) 16.7
Silicone 20.9
Simple harmonic oscillator 18.6, 18.11
computer model of 19.17
electrical 21.1
represented by exponential function 18.17
see also Coupled oscillator, Vibrating string
Simple pendulum see Pendulum
Simple shear 20.19
Sine 16.50, 17.2
as difference between exponential functions 22.8
differentiation 17.13
series 18.17
small angle approximation 18.6
of sum of angles 19.13
wave 16.50
Sinh 22.8
Sliding 17.35
Small angle approximation (simple explanation) 18.7, (mathematical explanation) 18.6
cosine 18.6
sine 18.6
tangent 21.21
Soap 16.40, 16.48
see also Hard water
Soaring 17.31, (bird) 17.32
Sodium
atom 16.39
chloride 16.39
in food see Salt
ion 16.39
stearate 16.40
Soft solid 16.37
Solid 16.37
diffusion in 18.26
see also Deformation, Ideal crystal
Solution 16.39, 18.27
see also Ideal solution, Molar solution, Real solution
Somatic cell 23.6
Somatic mutation 23.6
Sound 18.13
speed related to compressibility of liquid 20.35
Source (of wave) 18.10
Spanner 17.10
Spatial frequency 18.10, 18.14, 19.20
Species 23.5
see also Evolution
Specific optical rotation 20.29
Speed (simple explanation) 16.12, (rigorous definition) 17.4
angular see angular speed
not the same as velocity (simple explanation) 16.2, (mathematical explanation) 17.4
of wave 18.10, (on vibrating string) 18.12, (electromagnetic) 19.12
Spherical aberration 22.6
Spherical polar coordinates 22.15
Spherically averaged 22.15
Spherically symmetrical 22.15
Spin
electron 16.29, 16.31
Spiral 21.3
see also Golden spiral, Logarithmic spiral
Spiral spring 17.39
Spring 16.49
oscillating see Oscillating spring
spiral see Spiral spring
Stability see Dynamic stability, Equilibrium
Stable equilibrium 21.16
Stahl, Franklin W 21.14
Stain (in microscopy) 21.9
Standard deviation 16.24
in normal distribution 16.26
Standard electrode potential see Redox potential
Standard error 16.26
Standing wave 18.12, 19.13
Stapes see Ear
Starch 20.40
Static stability see Equilibrium
Statics 21.15
Statistics 21.15
States of matter 16.37
Statically indeterminate 19.29, 21.18
Statistical mechanics 16.38
Statistical significance 16.28
Statistical weight 16.35, 16.38
Steampunk 17.33
Stearate ion 16.40, 16.48
Steitz, Thomas 20.18
STEM see microscope
Stern, Otto 16.29
Stereoisomerism 20.32
Stiffness 16.49, 20.2
of bone 20.14
of material 20.2, 20.9
and strength 20.9
see also Stress-strain curve
Stimulus, response to 16.18
Stokes, George G 20.36
Strain 20.2
longitudinal see Longitudinal strain
radial see Radial strain
shear see Shear strain
volumetric see Volumetric strain
Streamline 17.15
Streamline flow 17.15
Streamlining 17.18, 17.31
Strength 20.9
of bone 20.14
and stiffness see Stiffness and strength
see also Toughness
Streptococcus pneumoniae 21.11
Stress 20.2
in a beam 21.17
shear see Shear stress
stress fracture (orthopaedics) 20.13
volumetric see Volumetric stress
see also Fracture stress, Ultimate tensile stress, Yield stress
Stress-strain curve 20.10
of rubber 20.11
Stretched rubber 20.11
Strickland, Donna 20.18
String see String theory, Vibrating string
Strong acid 17.49
Structural isomerism 20.32
Studying mechanics 20.33
Sucrose 20.37
Sugar 20.38
see also Polysaccharide
Sulfuric acid 17.49
Sun
movement of planets around 16.9
movement relative to earth 16.9
Sundial 16.9
Supercooled liquid 16.37
Surface energy 20.13
Surface tension 17.43
Surfactant 16.48
Superposition 18.10
Sweat 20.17
Synthesizer (musical) 23.9
System 17.30
Système internationale, see SI
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter T
t-test (statistics) 16.28
Tacoma narrows bridge 18.8
Tangent (of an angle) 16.50, 17.35
Tangent (to a curve) 21.18
perpendicular to radius (circle) 21.21
Tangent modulus 20.3
Tanh 22.8
Tautomer 20.38
Tautomerism 20.38
Taxonomic character see Classification
Taxonomy see Classification
Taylor’s theorem 20.3, 22.10
see also Maclaurin’s theorem
TEM see microscope
Temperature 16.34
control in body 20.17
effect on density 16.44
effect on density of water 16.45
factor (x-ray crystallography) 23.4
gradient 19.14
Temporary harness (of water) 19.1
Tendon 18.9
Tensile force/strain/stress 16.49, 20.2
Terminal velocity 17.18
Tesla (unit of magnetic field strength) 16.25
Testing
drug safety 16.1
ideas 20.31
predictions 16.43
Tetragonal (crystal system) 23.1
Tetrahedral molecule 16.30, 16.40, 16.45
Theorem 16.50, 20.1
Central limit
Gödel’s 20.1
Maclaurin’s 20.3
Pythagoras’ 16.50
Taylor’s 20.3
Theory (scientific) 16.2
of “Everything” 16.21, 22.9
quantum see Quantum theory
Thermal (aerodynamics) 17.31, 19.18
Thermal conductivity 19.14, 19.15
Thermodynamically stable (products of chemical reaction) 22.19
Thermodynamics
first law 16.21
second law 16.34
statistical 16.38
third law 16.38
see also Entropy, Free energy
Thermometer 16.24, 16.34
Thermoregulation 20.17
Thomson, George P 16.15, 19.24
Thomson, J J 21.14
Thomson scattering 22.14
Thomson, William (Lord Kelvin) 17.33
Thought experiment 19.26, 19.30
Three-dimensional vectors 17.3
Three-dimensional spiral 21.3
Throwing the hammer 17.13
Third law of thermodynamics 16.38
Thymine see Base (in a nucleic acid)
Time 16.12
period (of oscillation/wave) 17.12, 18.8, 18.10
Tonnage (of ship) 17.8
Torque (simple explanation) 17.10, (vector explanation) 17.37, 17.39
Torsion angle 21.21
Total internal reflection 22.5
Toughness 20.10
Tower of babel 17.14
Trabecula 20.14
Trabecular bone see Cancellous bone
Trans (form of molecule) 20.32
Transcription (of genetic information) 21.23
Transfer RNA see tRNA
Transition state (chemistry) 16.33, 22.19
Translation (of genetic information) 21.23
Translational motion 17.10, (comparison with rotational motion) 17.39
Transmission microscope see microscope
Transpose (of matrix) 20.21
Trans-unsaturated fat 16.47
Transverse wave 18.10, 18.13
Travelling wave 18.10
Trendline see Curve-fitting
Triangle (angles in) 22.1
Triceps 18.9
Triclinic (crystal system) 23.1
Triple helix 21.6
Tritium 16.27
tRNA 21.23
True
angular acceleration see Angular acceleration
angular speed see Angular speed
acceleration see Acceleration
speed see Speed
strain see Strain
stress see Stress
volumetric strain see Volumetric strain
Trump, Donald 20.18
Turbulence see Turbulent flow
Turbulent flow 17.15
in flying 17.16
Turing, Alan M 16.15, 20.18, 21.11
Turning 17.34
Two-dimensional vectors 17.2
Tympanic membrane see Ear
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter U
Ultimate tensile stress 20.9, 20.10
Ulnar see Elbow
Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene 20.7
Ultracentrifugation 21.13
Ultracentrifuge see Ultracentrifugation
Ultrasound 18.13
Ultraviolet 19.9
Uncertainty principle see Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle
Unit (of measurement) 16.12
in equations 17.41
Unit cell 22.21
see also Fractional unit cell coordinates
Unit cell vector 22.21
Unit vector (two dimensions) 17.2, (three dimensions) 17.3
Universal indicator paper 18.1
Unsaturated fat 16.47
Unstable eqilibrium 21.16
Uracil see Base (in a nucleic acid)
Uranium
atom16.27
isotopes 16.27
Urine 20.16
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter V
Vacancy (in crystal lattice) 18.26
Valence bond theory 16.30, 16.31
Validation (of models) 16.43
Van der Waals, Johannes 19.2
van der Waals’ equation 19.2
van der Waals’ force 16.37, (and electrons) 22.9
see also Lennard-Jones potential function
Vasoconstriction 20.17
Vector 16.50, (two-dimensional) 17.2, (three-dimensional) 17.3, (in biology) 17.14
matrix representation 20.21
see also Cross product, Del, Dot product, Field, Scattering vector, Unit vector
Vector product see Cross product
Velocity 17.4, 17.39
not the same as speed (simple explanation) 16.2, (as a vector) 17.4
terminal see Terminal velocity
see also Angular velocity
Vesicles, lipid 16.18
Vibrating string 18.12
analogy with electron wave 19.28
Violin 18.12
Virial coefficient 19.2
Virtual image 22.3
Virus 16.18
Viscosity 17.17
influence on flow in tube see Poiseuille’s equation
see also Damping, Terminal velocity, Viscoelasticity
Viscoelasticity 17.43
Vitamin A
delocalised molecular orbital in 16.31
Vitamin C 20.29
Vitamin D 16.36
Vitreous humour 20.39
Vocal cord see Larynx
Voice (recognition) 23.9
Volt (unit of potential difference) 17.44
Volume, of cone 17.23
Volumetric strain 20.20
Volumetric stress 20.20
Volterra, Vitto 22.17
Vulcanisation 20.8
see also Cross-link
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter W
Wallace, Alfred R 23.7
Water
in emulsions 16.48
memory in homeopathy 16.46
molecule 16.30, 16.45
interactions between molecules 16.45
solubility of ions in 16.39
see also Hard water, Solution
Watson, James D 16.15, 21.2, 21.12, 21.14
Watt (unit of power) 16.23
Wave 18.10, 18.11
cosine and sine 16.50
electromagnetic see Electromagnetic wave
energy 19.8
equation see Wave equation
intensity see Intensity
longitudinal see Longitudinal wave
power 19.8
pressure see Sound
represented by exponential function 18.17
shape 18.14
standing see Standing wave
transverse see Transverse wave
travelling see Travelling wave
see also Diffraction, Refraction, Wave-particle duality
Wave equation 19.12
see also Schrödinger’s equation
Wave function 18.10
interpretation for electron wave 19.28, 19.29
Wavelength 18.10
Wave mechanics see Schrödinger’s equation
Wavenumber 18.10
Wave-particle duality 19.24, 19.25, 19.29
Wax 16.37
Weak acid 16.40, 17.49
Weight 16.17
statistical 16.35, 16.38
Weinberg, Steven 19.29
Wilkins, Maurice HF 16.15, 20.7, 21.12
Wobbly bridge see Millenium bridge
Wollf’s law 20.15
Work (simple explanation) 16.20, (rigorous explanation) 17.36
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter X
Xeno’s paradox 16.6
X-ray 19.9
absorptiometry see DEXA
crystallography (brief mention) 18.14, (detailed explanation) 23.4
see also Bragg’s law
diffraction 22.14, (by a crystal) 23.1, (by DNA) 21.12 (by rubber) 20.11, (by fibrous proteins) 21.7
see also Bragg’s law, Diffraction, K-space, X-ray fibre diffraction, X-ray crystallography
fibre diffraction 21.7, 21.12
scattering 22.14, 22.15
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter Y
Yettram, Alan L 21.18
Yield stress 20.10
Young, Thomas 20.2
Young’s modulus 20.2
relationship to bulk modulus 20.21
relationship to shear modulus 20.22
Yu Youyou 20.18
Words, names and phrases begining with the letter Z
Zeno see Xeno
Zero-point energy 16.38
Ziegler-Natta process 20.7
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Thinking about Science with David Hukins 