G484 Definitions

Question 1

net force on a body

Answer 1

Proportional to the rate of change of momentum

Question 2

impulse of a force

Answer 2

Product of a force acting on a body and the time it’s acting

Area under a force/time graph

Question 3

perfectly elastic collisions

Answer 3

A collision with no loss of kinetic energy

Question 4

inelastic collision

Answer 4

Some loss of kinetic energy during the collision

Question 5

radian

Answer 5

The angle where the arc of the circle equals the radius

2 pi = 360 degrees

Question 6

gravitational field strength

Answer 6

Force per unit mass

Question 7

period

Answer 7

Time for one complete oscillation

1/f

Question 8

geostationary orbit

Answer 8

An orbit about the earth that has the same period of rotation as the Earth (24h) and is in the equatorial plane

Question 9

displacement

Answer 9

Distance from the equilibrium position

Vector quantity

Question 10

amplitude

Answer 10

The maximum displacement

Question 11

frequency

Answer 11

Number of oscillations per unit time

1/T

Question 12

angular frequency

Answer 12

Product of 2pi x frequency

Question 13

phase difference

Answer 13

The difference between two points of equal magnitude on two separate waves

Question 14

simple harmonic motion

Answer 14

Acceleration is directly proportional to displacement from the equilibrium position and always acting towards the centre

Question 15

linear momentum

Answer 15

The product of mass and velocity

Question 16

Newton’s 1st law

Answer 16

A body will remain at rest or continue to move with constant velocity unless acted upon by a force

Question 17

Newton’s 2nd law

Answer 17

Force is proportional to the rate of change of momentum

Question 18

Newton’s 3rd law

Answer 18

If object A exerts a force on object B, then object B exerts an equal but opposite force on object A