 | Term | Definition |
| |
Force |
A push or pull (Mass • Acceleration) |
| |
Newton |
Unit of Force (kg • m/s) |
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Net Force |
The total force |
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Unbalanced Forces |
Forces that aren't equal |
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Balanced Forces |
Forces that are equal, cancel each other out |
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Friction |
Resistance to motion |
| |
Static Friction |
Friction acting on non-moving objects |
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Sliding Friction |
Friction when 2 solid surfaces slide over each other |
| |
Rolling Friction |
Friction caused by one object rolling on the other |
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Fluid Friction |
Friction caused by a sold object moving through a fluid |
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Gravity |
Force that pulls objects toward each other |
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Mass |
The measure of matter in an object |
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Weight |
The force of gravity on an object |
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Free Fall |
An object which only gravity acts upon |
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Air Resistance |
Fluid friction caused by air |
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Terminal Velocity |
The greatest velocity a falling object reaches |
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Projectile |
An object travelling horizontally |
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Inertia |
An object's tendency to resist a change in motion |
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Momentum |
Mass • Velocity |
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Law of Momentum |
Momentum is conserved, unless acted on by outside forces. |
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Satellite |
Any object that orbits another |
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Centripetal Force |
Any force that moves in a circular path |
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Motion |
The act of an object moving |
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Reference Point |
An area used to observe if an object is in motion |
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Int'nat'l System of Units |
The system of units used often by scientists |
| |
Meter |
The SI unit of length |
| |
Speed |
The distance an object travels per unit of time |
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Average Speed |
The overall speed of an object |
| |
Instantaneous Speed |
An object's speed given at any instant in time |
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Velocity |
Speed in a given direction |
| |
Slope |
The steepness of a line on a graph (Rise/Run) |
| |
Power |
Energy transferred/Time |
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Energy |
The ability to do work/cause change |
| |
Kinetic Energy |
An object's energy due to its motion |
| |
Potential Energy |
Stored energy resulting from the position of an object |
| |
Gravitational Potential Energy |
Potential energy related to an object’s height |
| |
Elastic Potential Energy |
Potential energy by objects that stretch/compress |
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Mechanical Energy |
Kinetic Energy + Potential Energy |
| |
Thermal Energy |
The total energy of all an object's particles |
| |
Electrical Energy |
The energy of electric charges |
| |
Chemical Energy |
Potential energy stored in chemical bonds |
| |
Nuclear Energy |
A potential energy stored in an atom's nucleus |
| |
Electromagnetic Energy |
Energy that is electric and magnetic, flowing in waves |
| |
Energy Transformation |
A change from one form of energy to another |
| |
Law of Energy Conservation |
No energy is destroyed during energy transformation |
| |
Matter |
Anything that has mass and takes up space |
| |
Fossil Fuels |
Fuel created by very old natural resources |
| |
Combustion |
The process of burning fuels |
| |
Pressure |
Force/Area |
| |
Pascal |
Unit of Pressure (Newton/Meters Squared) |
| |
Fluid |
A material that can easily flow |
| |
Barometer |
An instrument that measures atmospheric pressure |
| |
Density |
Mass/Volume |
| |
Buoyant Force |
Upward force exerted by fluids |
| |
Bernoulli's Principle |
The faster a fluid moves, the < pressure the fluid exerts. |
| |
Lift |
An upward force, which wings produce |
| |
Temperature |
Measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles |
| |
Scales |
Fahrenheit, Celsius/Centigrade, Kelvin |
| |
Absolute Zero |
No more energy can be removed, -273ºC/0 K |
| |
Heat |
Thermal energy that is tranferred |
| |
Specific Heat |
The energy needed to raise the temp. of 1 kg by 1 K |
| |
Conduction |
Heat transfer without movement of matter |
| |
Convection |
Heat transfer by movement of a fluid's currents |
| |
Radiation |
Transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves |
| |
Conductor |
A material that conducts heat well |
| |
Insulator |
A material that doesn't conduct heat well |
| |
State |
Form of matter (Solid, Liquid, or Gas) |
| |
Change of State |
The physical change from one state to another |
| |
Melting |
Change from solid to liquid |
| |
Freezing |
Change from liquid to solid |
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Evaporation |
Vaporization at the liquid's surface |
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Boiling |
Vaporization occurring below the liquid's surface |
| |
Condensation |
Change from gas to liquid |
| |
Thermal Expansion |
The expanding of matter when heated |
| |
Magnet |
Any material that attracts iron |
| |
Magnetic Poles |
The ends of a magnet |
| |
Magnetic Force |
The attraction or repulsion between magnetic poles |
| |
Magnetic Field |
The area of magnetic force around a magnet |
| |
Magnetic Field Lines |
Invisible lines that go around a magnet |
| |
Atoms |
Smallest particles that have elemental properties |
| |
Element |
A material that makes up matter |
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