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Vocabulary
Vocab Ch. 1-10 * Vocab Ch. 11-20 * Vocab Ch. 21-31
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physics
physics (1): The study of matter and energy and their relationships.
scientific method
scientific method (1): Systematic problem-solving method of observing experimenting and analyzing.
accuracy
accuracy (2.2): How well the results of an experiment agree with the measured and accepted value.
base unit
base units (2.1): The seven fundamental SI units of measure
derived unit
derived units (2.1): Unit of a quantity, that is a combination of base units
factor-label method
factor label method (2.1): The method of converting a quantity expressed in one unit to that quantity in another unit.
inverse relationship
inverse relationship (2.3): Mathematical relationship between two variables, x and y, summarized by the equation xy = k where h is a constant.
kilogram
kilogram (kg) (2.1): The SI base unit of mass.
linear relationship
linear relationship (2.3): Relationship between two variables, x and y, summarized by the equation y = ax + b where a and b are constant.
meter
meter (m) (2.1): The SI base unit of length.
metric system
metric System (2.1): A set of standards of measurement where units of different sizes are related by powers of 10.
parallax
parallax (2.2): The apparent shift in position of an object when it is seen from different angles.
precision
precision (2.2): The degree of exactness with which a quantity is measured using a given instrument.
quadratic relationship
quadratic relationship (2.3): Parabolic relationship between two variables that exists where one variable depends on the square of another.
scientific notation
scientific notation (2.1): The expression of numbers as
powers of 10.
second
second (s) (2.1): The SI base unit of time.
SI
SI (2.1): (Systeme Internationale dUnites) International standards of measurement adapted from the metric system.
significant digit.
significant digits (2.2): All valid digits in a measurement.
slope
slope (2.3): The ratio of vertical change to horizontal change of a graph.
y-intercept
y-intercept (2.3) The point in a linear relationship where the line crosses the y-axis.
average acceleration
average acceleration (3.3): The change in average velocity divided by time.
average speed
average speed (3.3): The ratio of the total distance traveled to the time interval.
average velocity
average velocity (3.3): The ratio of the change of position to the time interval during which that change occurred.
coordinate system
coordinate system (3.2): A system used to describe motion that indicates where the zero point of the variable being studied is located and the direction in which the values of the variable increase.
Displacement
displacement (3.2): The vector quantity that defines the distance and direction between two positions.
Distance
distance (3.2): A scalar quantity that is the length, or size, of the displacement vector.
instantaneous velocity
instantaneous velocity (3.3): The speed and direction of an object at a particular instant in time.
motion diagram
motion diagram (3.1): A tool for the study of motion that uses a series of images to show the position of a moving object after equal time intervals.
operational definition
operational definition (3.1): Defines a concept in terms of the procedure or operation used.
Origin
origin (3.2): The point in a coordinate system at which the variables have a zero value.
particle model
particle model (3.1): A simplified version of a motion diagram in which the object in motion is replaced by a series of single points.
position vector
position vector (3.2): The arrow on a motion diagram that is drawn from the origin to the moving object.
scalar quantity
scalar quantity (3.2): A quantity that has only magnitude.
time interval
time Interval (At) (3.2): Difference in time between two clock readings.
vector quantity
vector quantity (3.2): A quantity that has both magnitude and a direction.
algebraic representation
algebraic representation (4.1): Representation of a vector with an italicized letter in boldface type, which is often used in printed materials.
Component
components (4.2): Scalar projections of the component vectors, with positive or negative signs, indicating their directions.
graphical representation
graphical representation (4.1): An arrow or arrow-tipped line segment that symbolizes a vector quantity with a specified length and direction.
resultant vector
resultant vector (4.1): The sum of two or more vectors.
vector resolution
vector resolution (4.2): The process of breaking a vector into its components.
acceleration due to gravity
acceleration due to gravity (5.4): The acceleration of an object in free fall resulting from Earth's gravity.
constant acceleration
constant acceleration (5.3): Acceleration that does not change over time.
instantaneous acceleration
instantaneous acceleration (5.3): The acceleration of an object at a particular instant of time.
uniform motion
uniform motion (5.1) Motion where equal displacements occur during successive equal time intervals.
Agent
agent (6.1): A specific, immediate, identifiable cause of a force.
Amplitude
amplitude (6.2): The maximum distance an object moves from equilibrium in any periodic motion.
apparent weight
apparent weight (6.2): The weight of an object that is sensed as a result of contact forces on it.
contact force
contact force (6.1): A force exerted on an object only when touching it.
Environment
environment (6.1): The world around an object that exerts contact forces or long-range forces on it.
Equilibrium
equilibrium (6.1): The condition where the net force on an object is zero
force
force (6.1): A push or pull exerted on an object having magnitude and direction; it may be either a contact or long-range force.
force of gravity
force of gravity (6.1): An attractive, long-range force that exists between all masses.
free-body diagram
free-body diagram (6.1): A diagram that shows the direction of the force operating on each object.
Inertia
inertia (6.1): The tendency of an object either at rest or moving at a constant speed to resist changing velocity.
interaction pair
Interaction pair (6.3): A force pair composed of two forces that are opposite in direction and equal in magnitude.
kinetic friction force
kinetic friction force (6.2): The force that opposes relative motion between surfaces in contact.
long-range force
long-range force (6.1): A force that acts on an object without touching it.
mechanical resonance
mechanical resonance (6.2): Condition at which the natural oscillation frequency equals the frequency of the driving force.
net force
net force (6.1): The vector sum of all of the forces on an object.
Newton’s first law
Newton's first law (6.1): If a system has no net force on it, then its velocity will not change.
Newton’s second law
Newton's second law (6.1): Acceleration of an object equals the net force on that object divided by its mass.
Newton’s third law
Newton's third law (6.3): All forces come in pairs that are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.
Period
period (6.2): In any periodic motion, the time needed to repeat one complete cycle of motion.
simple harmonic motion
simple harmonic motion (6.2): Motion that returns an object to its equilibrium position as a result of a restoring force that is directly proportional to the object's displacement.
static friction force
static friction force (6.2): The force that opposes the start of relative motion between the two surfaces in contact.
System
system (6.1): A defined collection of objects.
terminal velocity
terminal velocity (6 2) The constant velocity of a moving object that is achieved when the drag force equals the force of gravity.
Weightlessness
weightlessness (6.2): An apparent weight of zero that results when there are no contact forces pushing against an object.
centripetal acceleration
centripetal acceleration (7.3): The center-directed acceleration of an object in uniform circular motion.
centripetal force
centripetal force (7.3): The necessary net force exerted in the centripetal direction to cause centripetal acceleration.
Equilibrant
equilibrant (7.1): A single, additional force that is exerted on an object to produce equilibrium, which is the same magnitude as the resultant force but opposite in direction.
flight time
flight time (7.2): The amount of time that a projectile is in the air.
lever arm
lever arm (7.3): The perpendicular distance from the axis of rotation to a line along which the force acts.
maximum height
maximum height (7.2): The height of a projectile when the vertical velocity is zero.
Projectile
projectile (7.2): An object with independent vertical and horizontal motions that moves through the air only under the force of gravity after an initial thrust.
Range
range (7.2) The horizontal distance traveled by a projectile.
rigid rotating object
rigid rotating object (7.3): A mass that rotates around its own axis.
Torque
torque (7.3): The product of the force and the lever aim.
Trajectory
trajectory (7.2): The path of a projectile through space.
uniform circular motion
uniform circular motion (7.3): Motion at constant speed around a circle with a fixed radius.
gravitational force
gravitational force (8.1): The attractive force between all masses.
gravitational mass
gravitational mass (8.2): Ratio of gravitational mass to an objects acceleration.
inertial mass
inertial mass (8.2): The ratio of the net force exerted on an object to its acceleration.
Kepler’s laws of planetary motion
Kepler's laws of planetary motion (8.1): Three mathematical laws describing the behavior of all planets and satellites that state that the planets move in elliptical orbits, that they sweep out equal areas in equal time intervals, and that the square of the ratio of the periods of any two planets equals the cube of the ratio of their average distances from the sun.
law of universal gravitation
law of universal gravitation (8.1): Gravitational force between any two objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers.
angular momentum
angular momentum (9.1): Quantity of motion used with objects rotating about a fixed axis.
closed system
closed system (9.2): A collection of objects that does not gain or lose mass.
external force
external forces (9.2): All the forces outside a closed system.
Impulse
impulse (9.1): The product of the average net force exerted on an object and the time interval over which the force acts.
impulse-momentum theorem
Impulse-momentum theorem (9.1): The impulse given an object equals its change in momentum
internal force
internal forces (9.2): All the forces within a closed system.
isolated system
isolated system (9.2): A closed system on which the net external force is zero.
law of conservation of momentum
law of conservation of momentum (9.2): The momentum remains the same for any closed system upon which there is no net external force.
linear momentum
linear momentum (9.1): The product of mass and velocity of an object.
compound machine
compound machine (10.2): A machine consisting of two or more simple machines.
efficiency
efficiency (10.2): The ratio of output work to input work.
effort force
effort force (Fe) (10.2): The force exerted on a machine.
Energy
energy (10.1): The property of an object that allows it to produce change in the environment or in itself.
ideal mechanical advantage (IMA)
Ideal mechanical advantage (IMA) (10.2): The ratio of the effort distance to the resistance distance.
Joule
joule (10.1): SI unit of energy equal to one newton-meter
kinetic energy
kinetic energy (10.1): Energy of an object due to motion.
Machine
machine (10.2): A device that changes the magnitude or the direction of a force needed to do work, making the task easier to accomplish.
mechanical advantage (MA)
mechanical advantage (MA) (10.2): The ratio of resistance force to effort force.
Power
power (10.1): The rate of doing work; the rate at which energy is transferred.
resistance force
resistance force (Fr) (10.2): The force exerted by a machine. resistors (22.1): Devices with a specific resistance.
Watt
watt (w) (10.1): Unit of power; one joule per second.
Work
work (10.1): The process of changing the energy of a system by means of forces.
work-energy theorem
work-energy theorem (10.1): Work done on an object results in a change in kinetic energy.