IB Physics Glossary
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Bacquerel , Bq, is the SI unit of activity for radioactive sources. It is equivalent to a count or disintegration per second. The activity is measured, typically, with a Geiger-Muller (GM) tube. | |
Beta decay $$^A_ZX \rightarrow~{}^{A}_{Z+1}Y + ^{0}_{-1}\beta + ^{0}_{0}\bar{\nu}$$ or $$^A_ZX \rightarrow~{}^{A}_{Z+1}Y + ^{0}_{-1}e + ^{0}_{0}\bar{\nu}$$. Where X is the parent nucleus, Y is the daughter nucleus, A is the number of nucleons and Z is the number of protons. An example decay is $$^{90}_{38}Sr \rightarrow~{}^{90}_{39}Y + ^{0}_{-1}\beta + ^{0}_{0}\bar{\nu}$$. Properties of beta particles include
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Binary to decimal conversionfor a five bit-number $$b_4 b_3 b_2 b_1 b_0$$ the decimal equivalent is $$b_4 \times 2^4 + b_3 \times 2^3 + b_2 \times 2^2 + b_1 \times 2^1 + b_0 \times 2^0$$. An example is the binary number $$10101$$ which in decimal is $$1 \times 2^4 + 0 \times 2^3 + 1 \times 2^2 + 0 \times 2^1 + 1 \times 2^0 = 21$$. | |
Binding energy is the energy required to assemble a nucleus or to separate the nucleus into its individual components/nucleons. (d) The binding energy per nucleon is the total binding energy for a particular nucleus divided by the number of nucleons contained in the nucleus. For energy to be released in a nuclear reaction, fusion or fission, the binding energy must increase.  Image taken from http://www.smsec.com/en/nucl/07_1.htm | |
Blind spot is a region where the optical nerve leaves the retina which does not contain rods or cones. | |
Brewster's law When the angle of incidence equals Brewster's angle, the reflected and the refracted rays are perpendicular to each other. The reflected ray becomes completely horizontally plane-polarized.
$$n=\tan \phi$$ | |