Physics Roots

Table 1.10   Roots, Prefixes and Suffixes in Physics - From the Sourcebook for Teaching Science

acceler         faster - accelerate, accelerometer, angular acceleration, centripetal acceleration

                        To accelerate is to go progressively faster.

aero             air - aerodynamics, aeronautics, aerosol, aeroballistics

                        Aerodynamics studies the properties of moving air and the forces it exerts.

alter            other - alternating current, alternator, alternate interior angle, alterable

                        An alternating current switches from one polarity to the other.

anti             against, opposite  - antiquark, antimatter, antiparticle, antilogarithm

                        The antiquark is an opposite, or antiparticle, to the quark.

astr, aster     star - astronomy, asteroid, astrophysics, astronaut, astronomical

                        Astronomy is the study of the stars.

avi              bird, flight - avionics, aviation, circumnavigation

                        Avionics are the electronics that control  flight in airplanes.

calor            heat  - calorie, caloric, calorimeter, kilocalorie

                        A calorie is the amount of heat to raise one gram of water, one degree Celsisus.

capac           amount - capacitor, capacity, capacitance

                        A capacitor stores an amount of charge.

centr            center - centripetal, concentric, centrifugal, eccentric

                        Centripetal acceleration is always towards the center.

circ             ring, around - circuit, circumference, integrated circuit, short circuit

                        An electrical circuit is a closed ring or path.

co, com       together - condensation, compression, conduction, convection, collinear

                        Molecules come together during condensation.

counter        against, opposite - counter force, counterflow, counterbalance, countercurrent

                        A counter force opposes another force.

cosm           universe - cosmology, cosmos, cosmonaut, cosmic rays

                        Cosmology is the study of the universe.

cur, curs       run, flow - current, recur, occur, cursor, precursor

                        Current is the flow of electricity or fluid.

de               down, without - depolarize, decelerate, detach, declination, deduce

                        A depolarized surface is without charge.

di, dia          across - diameter, dielectric, diagnoal, diagram, diamagnetic

                        The diameter is the distance across an object.

dec              tenth - decibel, decimal, decimeter, decade

                        A decibel has the sound intensity of one tenth of a bel.

duc, -t          to lead, carry - transducer, conduct, deduct, induce, induce, deduce

                        A transducer carries energy from one system to another.

dyn             power, force - dyne, dynamometer, dynamic, dynamite, dynamo, aerodynamics, hydrodynamics

                        A dyne is a unit of force.

electr           electricity - electrode, electricity, electromotive force, electronics, dielectric, electron, electroscope

                        An electrode is a conductor through which electricity enters or leaves an object.

empir          experience - empirical, empiricist, unempirical

                        An empirical study is based on experience and observation.

erg              work - energy, erg, kinetic energy, potential energy, energetics

                        Energy is the capacity to do work.

fin              end, finish, boundary - finite, final, finish, confine, infinite, define, definite

                        A finite object has boundaries.

flect, flex     to bend - reflection, flexible, deflect, reflect

                        Reflected rays bend away from the reflecting surface.

flu              flow - flux, fluids,  fluctuate, influx,  reflux, magnetic flux

                        Flux is the flow of radiant or magnetic energy.

fract            break, broken - refraction, diffraction, fraction, fracture, refractive

                        Refracted rays appear broken.

fus              melt, join - fusion, fuse, fusion bomb, nuclear fusion, fusible, heat of fusion

                        During nuclear fusion, nuclei join together.

grav            heavy, weighty - gravity, gravitational, microgravity, graviton

                        The greater the gravity, the heavier an object is.

gyr              circle, rotation - gyroscope, gyration, gyrostabilizer, gyrocompass

                        Gyroscopes are stablized by rotational inertia.

infra            beneath, lower - infrared, infrastructure, near-infrared, infrasonic

                        Infrared light has lower energy than red light.

inter            between - interference, interferometry, Internet,  intersect, interpolate

                        Interference patterns form due to the interaction between waves

-ion             process - fusion, revolution, extension, compression, fission

                        Nuclear fusion is the process in which two hydrogen atoms fuse into one helium atom.

-ist              one who studies - physicist, astrophysicist, empiricist, cosmologist

                        A physicist is one who studies physics.

ject             to throw - trajectory, reject, eject, project, projectile

                        The path of a thrown object is its trajectory.

kilo             thousand - kilopascal, kilogram, kilometer, kilojoule, kilohertz, kilovolt, kiloton, kilowatt

                        A kilopascal has one thousand times the pressure of a pascal.

kine            motion - kinetic energy, kinetics, hydrokinetics, kinetic friction

                        Kinetic energy is the energy of motion.

lu, lum        light - luminescence, translucent, luster, luminosity, luminous, lux, lumen

                        Luminescence is the emission of light from an unheated object.

mega           great, million - megahertz, megabyte,  megawatt,  megavolt, megaton, megajoule

                        A megahertz wave oscillates at one million times the frequency of a one hertz wave.

meter           measure - ammeter, meter, barometer, thermometer, metric system, interferometer

                        An ammeter measures electric current in amps.

micro          small, one millionth - microwave, micrometer, microgram, micron, microfarad, microprocessor

                        Microwaves are smaller (shorter wavelength) than normal radio waves.

milli           thousandth - millisecond, millivolt, millirem, milliamp, milliwatt

                        A millisecond is one thousandth of a second.

min             small - minor, minuscule, minute, minimum, minority

                        Minor forces are smaller than major forces.

mit, miss     to send - transmit, emit, emission, transmission, missile

                        Transmitting antennas send radio signals.

mot, mov     move - locomotion, electromotive force (emf), motion, motility, movement

                        Electromotive force is the difference in potential that moves electrons and creates a current.

multi           many - multiply, multiplex, multistage, multitude, multiple star

                        Multiplexing allows for simultaneous transmission of many messages through one medium.

nano            billionth - nanosecond, nanotechnology, nanogram, nanoscale

                        A nanogram is one-billionth of a gram.

numer          number - numeral, numeration, enumerate, innumerable, numerator, numerous

                        To enumerate is to determine the number of something.

-on              unit - photon, elecrtron, proton, lepton, baryon, fermion, boson

                        Photons are the smallest units of light.

pel, puls      drive, push - propulsion, expel, repel, pulse, impulse, pulsate, repulsion, propel

                        Rockets must have propulsion to push forward.

pend, pens    hang, weigh - pendulum, suspend, pending, suspension, pendant

                        A pendulum is a swinging, hanging weight.

photo          light - photon, photoelectric effect, photoemission, photoluminescence

                        A photon is a particle of light with zero rest mass.

phys            body/nature - physics, physical science, Newtonian physics, particle physics,  geophysics, astrophysics

                        Physics is the study of the nature of matter and energy.

polar           end of axis - polar, dipole,  polarization, polarized, polarity, polar coordinates, monopole

                        Polar molecules have positive and negative ends.

pot              power - electrical potential, potential energy, potentiometer, potential difference,  action potential

                        Potential energy is the power to perform work.

prim            first - primary coil, primary colors, primary pigments, prime

                        A magnetic field forms first in the primary coil before a current is induced in the secondary coil.

pro              before, positive - proton, progress, projectile, propel

                        Protons carry a positive charge.

radi, ray       ray, radius - radioactive, radius, ray, radiant, radiate, irradiate, X-ray, radiator, radiation

                        Rays of radiation emanate from radioactive sources.

re                back, again - reflect, reactance, rebound,  react, reflection, refraction, resonance

                        Reflected light bounces back towards the source.

rect             straight - rectifier, rectify, direct current, erect, directrix

                        A rectifier changes or "straightens" an AC current in to a DC current.

scop            see, watch - spectroscope, telescope, oscilloscope, microscopic, galvanoscope

                        Spectroscopes allow physicists to see and analyze the spectrum of light.

sign            sign, mark - signal, signature, design, significant, designate

                        Radio signals are used to mark a satellite's position.

sim             same, like - simulation, similar, assimilate, simulate, simultaneous

                        Good physics simulations behave like the pheonomena they model.

son             sound - ultrasonic, sonic, sonar, resonate, unison, ultrasound, resonance

                        Ultrasonic waves have a frequency higher than sound waves.

stat             stay, position - stationary, static electricity, statics, station, thermostat, rheostat

                        Thermostats insure that temperatures remain in the same range. 

sub             under, below - subscript, subsonic, submerge, subscript, subtend, subtract, subzero

                        Subscripts are placed below the line (e.g. v1 or v2).

super           above, over - superposition, superpose, superimpose, superheat, superior,  supersonic

                        Superposition is the adding of one wave over another to determine the final pattern.

therm          heat - thermodynamics, therm, thermoelectric, thermocouple, thermonuclear, thermistor

                        Thermodynamics is the science of heat energy.

tort, tors      twist - torque, torsion, distort, contort, torque converter, torsion balance

                        Torque can be described as a twisting force.

tract            to draw or drag - abstract, attract,  traction, extract, retract, subtract, contract, extract, protractor

                        Abstract ideas may be drawn from careful observations.

trans            across - transmitter, transducer, transformer, transceiver, transistor, translucent, transmission

                        Radio transmitters send messages across long distances.

ultra            beyond - ultraviolet, ultrasound,  ultrahigh frequency (UHF), ultrahigh vacuum

                        Ultraviolet radiation has a frequency beyond violet radiation.

uni              one, same - uniform, unit, unify, universal, universe

                        Uniform techniques are employed to keep controls the same.

vect             to carry - vector, convection, convect, advection, vector product

                                    Heat and smoke are carried away from a fire by convection.