Motion Vocabulary

Question 1

Physics

Answer 1

The most fundamental physical science; concerned with the basic principles and concepts that describe the workings of the universe. It deals with matter, motion, force, and energy.

Question 2

Position

Answer 2

The location of an object with respect to a reference point

Question 3

Motion

Answer 3

The undergoing of a continuous change in position

Question 4

Vector

Answer 4

A quantity that has both magnitude and direction

Question 5

Average speed

Answer 5

The total distance traveled divided by the time spent in traveling the total distance

Question 6

Average velocity

Answer 6

The displacement divided by the total travel time

Question 7

Displacement

Answer 7

The straight-line distance between the initial and final positions, with direction toward the final position, a vector quantity.

Question 8

Acceleration

Answer 8

The time rate of change of velocity

Question 9

Centripetal acceleration

Answer 9

The “center-seeking” acceleration necessary for circular motion

Question 10

Projectile motion

Answer 10

The motion of a projected or thrown object under the influence of gravity

Question 11

Newton’s first law of motion

Answer 11

An object will remain at rest of in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted on by an external, unbalanced force

Question 12

Inertia

Answer 12

The natural tendency of an object to remain in a state of rest or in uniform motion in a straight line.

Question 13

Mass

Answer 13

A quantity of matter and a measure of the amount of inertia that an object possesses.

Question 14

Newton’s second law of motion

Answer 14

The acceleration of an object is equal to the net force on the object divided by the mass of the object

Question 15

Newton

Answer 15

The unit of force in the metric system

Question 16

Weight

Answer 16

A measure of the force due to gravitational attraction

Question 17

Friction

Answer 17

The ever-present resistance to relative motion that occurs whenever two materials are in contact with each other, whether they are solids, liquids, or gases.

Question 18

Newton’s third law of motion

Answer 18

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction; for every force there is an equal and opposite force, acting on different bodies.

Question 19

Newton’s law of universal gravitation

Answer 19

Every particle in the universe attracts every other particle with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them;
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