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B2  ·  50 words

Physics and forces in Italian

Force, pressure, friction, inertia — the words with which an explanation begins instead of ending.

Practise this list

From these 50 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.

More about this list

The eleventh entry is l’attrito, and it looks like « attrition ». It is not. Both go back to atterere, to rub against, to wear away — ad plus terere, to rub — but the two descendants ended up in different trades. In English, « attrition » is a wearing down over time and nothing else: a war of attrition, a workforce reduced by attrition as people leave and are not replaced. It is never the quantity in a physics problem. That quantity is « friction », from the other Latin verb for rubbing, fricare. And here the two languages cross, because Italian has that word as well: la frizione is the clutch of a car, the pedal on the left, and also a brisk rub with alcohol. It is not friction. So the set has to be learnt whole and backwards — l’attrito is friction, la frizione is the clutch, and « attrition » belongs in no physics text at all. One consolation: the figurative sense matches exactly. Ci sono attriti nel gruppo is friction in the team, in both languages, rubbing that makes heat between people.

The words

Verb (4)

annullarsito cancel outVerbB2
Le due forze si annullano esattamente.The two forces cancel out exactly.
deviareto deflectVerbB2
Il campo devia la particella.The field deflects the particle.
propagarsito travel, to spreadVerbB2
Il suono si propaga più veloce nell’acqua.Sound travels faster in water.
decelerareto slow downVerbB2
L’attrito decelera il movimento.Friction slows the movement down.

Phrase (7)

esercitare una forzato exert a forcePhraseB2
La molla esercita una forza verso l’alto.The spring exerts a force upwards.
costante nel motosteady throughoutPhraseB2
La portata è costante nel moto.The flow rate is steady throughout.
proporzionale aproportional toPhraseB2
La forza è proporzionale all’accelerazione.Force is proportional to acceleration.
inversamente proporzionaleinversely proportionalPhraseB2
L’intensità è inversamente proporzionale al quadrato della distanza.The intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance.
a vuotoat idlePhraseB2
Il motore consuma poco a vuoto.At idle the engine uses little fuel.
in teoriain theoryPhraseB2
In teoria nulla si oppone al movimento.In theory nothing opposes the movement.
nella praticain practicePhraseB2
Nella pratica ci sono sempre perdite.In practice there are always losses.

Noun (f) (28)

Grammar for these: Definite article: il, lo, la · Indefinite article: un, uno

la risultantethe resultant forceNoun (f)B2
La risultante cresce con la massa.The resultant force grows with the mass.
la potenzapowerNoun (f)B2
La potenza si misura in watt.Power is measured in watts.
l’energia cineticakinetic energyNoun (f)B2
L’energia cinetica quadruplica se la velocità raddoppia.Kinetic energy quadruples if the speed doubles.
l’energia potenzialepotential energyNoun (f)B2
L’energia potenziale dipende dall’altezza.Potential energy depends on the height.
la massathe massNoun (f)B2
La massa non cambia sulla Luna.The mass does not change on the Moon.
la gravitàgravityNoun (f)B2
La gravità agisce anche sulla luce.Gravity acts on light as well.
l’accelerazionethe accelerationNoun (f)B2
L’accelerazione si sente, la velocità no.Acceleration can be felt; speed cannot.
la velocità angolarethe angular velocityNoun (f)B2
La velocità angolare resta costante senza attrito.Without friction the angular velocity stays constant.
l’inerziainertiaNoun (f)B2
L’inerzia spiega perché si va in avanti.Inertia explains why you are thrown forwards.
la resistenza dell’ariaair resistanceNoun (f)B2
La resistenza dell’aria domina ad alta velocità.At high speed air resistance takes over.
la pressione idrostaticahydrostatic pressureNoun (f)B2
La pressione idrostatica cresce di un bar ogni dieci metri.Hydrostatic pressure rises by one bar every ten metres.
la levathe leverNoun (f)B2
La leva scambia forza con distanza.The lever trades force for distance.
la coppiathe torqueNoun (f)B2
Qui conta la coppia più della potenza.Here torque counts for more than power.
la traiettoriathe trajectoryNoun (f)B2
La traiettoria è una parabola.The trajectory is a parabola.
la caduta liberafree fallNoun (f)B2
In caduta libera tutti i corpi cadono allo stesso modo.In free fall every body falls in the same way.
l’ondathe waveNoun (f)B2
L’onda attraversa la materia senza trasportarla.The wave crosses matter without carrying it along.
la frequenza dell’ondathe frequency of the waveNoun (f)B2
La frequenza dell’onda decide il colore.The frequency of the wave decides the colour.
la lunghezza d’ondathe wavelengthNoun (f)B2
La lunghezza d’onda diminuisce quando la frequenza sale.The wavelength shortens when the frequency rises.
la riflessionethe reflectionNoun (f)B2
La riflessione sull’acqua raddoppia l’immagine.The reflection on the water doubles the image.
la rifrazionethe refractionNoun (f)B2
La rifrazione fa sembrare spezzato il bastone.Refraction makes the stick look broken.
l’intensità di correntethe current strengthNoun (f)B2
L’intensità di corrente si misura in ampere.Current strength is measured in amperes.
la differenza di potenzialethe potential differenceNoun (f)B2
La differenza di potenziale è di duecentotrenta volt.The potential difference is two hundred and thirty volts.
la resistenza elettricathe electrical resistanceNoun (f)B2
La resistenza elettrica scalda il filo.Electrical resistance heats the wire.
la conduzioneconductionNoun (f)B2
La conduzione è rapida nel metallo.Conduction is fast in metal.
la dilatazionethe expansionNoun (f)B2
La dilatazione spiega il giunto sul ponte.Expansion explains the joint on the bridge.
la densità della materiathe density of the materialNoun (f)B2
La densità della materia decide se galleggia.The density of the material decides whether it floats.
l’unità di misurathe unit of measurementNoun (f)B2
Nella tabella manca l’unità di misura.The unit of measurement is missing from the table.
la grandezza fisicathe physical quantityNoun (f)B2
Ogni grandezza fisica ha la sua unità.Every physical quantity has its own unit.

Noun (m) (11)

Grammar for these: Definite article: il, lo, la · Indefinite article: un, uno

il baricentrothe centre of gravityNoun (m)B2
Il baricentro deve restare sopra la base.The centre of gravity must stay above the base.
l’attritofrictionNoun (m)B2
L’attrito trasforma il movimento in calore.Friction turns movement into heat.
il fulcrothe fulcrumNoun (m)B2
Il fulcro decide tutto.The fulcrum decides everything.
l’equilibriothe balanceNoun (m)B2
L’equilibrio regge finché le forze si annullano.The balance holds as long as the forces cancel out.
il campo magneticothe magnetic fieldNoun (m)B2
Il campo magnetico devia l’ago.The magnetic field deflects the needle.
il materiale conduttorethe conducting materialNoun (m)B2
Il rame è un buon materiale conduttore.Copper is a good conducting material.
l’isolantethe insulatorNoun (m)B2
L’isolante impedisce il contatto diretto.The insulator prevents direct contact.
il flusso di calorethe heat flowNoun (m)B2
Il flusso di calore va sempre dal caldo al freddo.The heat flow always runs from the warm to the cold.
il punto di fusionethe melting pointNoun (m)B2
Il punto di fusione scende con il sale.The melting point falls with salt.
il volumethe volumeNoun (m)B2
Il volume aumenta congelando.The volume increases on freezing.
il protocollo sperimentalethe experimental set-upNoun (m)B2
Il protocollo sperimentale è stato ripetuto cinque volte.The experimental set-up was repeated five times.

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