Linear Motion and Force Flashcards
Define Vector
A vector is a quantity that has both direction and magnitude.
Some examples may be:
- Displacement
- Velocity
- Acceleration
- Force
Define Scalar
A scalar is a quantity that has only magnitude.
Some examples may be:
- Distance
- Speed
- Mass
- Time
Define Displacement
The change of position of an object in a given direction away from an origin.
Define Velocity
Velocity is the rate of change of the displacement of an object.
Define Acceleration
Acceleration is the rate of change of the velocity of an object
What is the acceleration due to Gravity?
The acceleration of free-falling objects on earth is 9.8ms^-2
Compare and contrast average and instantaneous velocity
Average and Instantaneous velocity are similar in that they both measure the rate of change of the position of the object, but it is the time period over which they are different. Instantaneous velocity is measured over an instantaneous interval, whereas average velocity is measured over a period of time.
Define Newtons three laws of Motion and give examples of each.
- The law of inertia states that objects at rest and objects in motion will stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force. If a ball was thrown into the vacuum of space, it would continue on forever unless something stopped it.
- Force equals mass multiplied by acceleration. If a ball of 5kg was accelerated at 5ms^-2, the ball would have a force of 25kg/m/s^2 ( or Newtons)
- every action has an equal and opposite reaction that is equal in strength and opposite in direction.
Define Momentum
Momentum is the product of ones mass and its velocity.
Define impulse
Impulse is the change of momentum of an object, which is the product of a force over an interval of time in which that force acts.
Recall the conservation of momentum
The conservation of momentum states that for two objects in an isolated system, the total momentum before and after the colision is zero.
Define the normal force
The normal force is a contact force that is perpendicular to the contacting objects.
What is the gradient of a displacement-time graph and a velocity time graph equal to?
Gradient of a displacement-time graph = Velocity
Gradient of a velocity-time graph = Acceleration
What is the area under a velocity-time graph and an acceleration time graph equal to?
The area under a velocity-time graph = Displacement
Area under an acceleration time graph = Velocity
What is the area under a force-time graph equal to?
The area under a force-time graph = impulse.
Define Mechanical Work
the product of the force and the displacement in the direction of an applied force.
Define Kinetic Energy
Kinetic energy is the energy due to the motion of an object
Define gravitational potential energy
Gravitational Potential Energy is the energy stored in an object due to its position relative to another object in a gravitational field.
What is the area under a force-displacement graph equal to?
Area under a force-displacement graph = Work
Define an Elastic and an Inelastic collision
An elastic collision is a collision where the kinetic energy and the momentum are conserved.
An inelastic collision is a collision where the kinetic energy is not conserved, but the momentum is conserved.
Compare and contrast elsatic and inelatic collisions
Both elastic and inelastic collisions maintain the conservation fo momentum, however only the elastic collisions conserve kinetic energy before and after the collision.
