November Exam Definitions

Question 1

Vector

Answer 1

Physical quantity that has both direction and magnitude

Question 2

Scalar

Answer 2

Physical quantity that has magnitude only

Question 3

Resultant vector

Answer 3

A single vector that has the same effect as the original vectors acting together

Question 4

Position

Answer 4

The location of an object relative to a reference point

Question 5

Distance

Answer 5

The length of the path travelled

Question 6

Displacement

Answer 6

The change in position

Question 7

Speed

Answer 7

The rate of change of distance

Question 8

Velocity

Answer 8

The rate of change of displacement

Question 9

Acceleration

Answer 9

The rate of change of velocity

Question 10

Instantaneous velocity

Answer 10

The velocity of an object at a particular moment in time

Question 11

Terminal velocity

Answer 11

Motion experienced by a falling object where air resistance is balanced with the object’s weight

Question 12

Free fall

Answer 12

The only force acting on an object is the gravitational force

Question 13

Weight

Answer 13

The gravitational force the Earth exerts on any object on or near its surface

Question 14

Normal Force

Answer 14

The perpendicular force exerted by a surface on an object in contact with it

Question 15

Frictional Force

Answer 15

The force that opposes the motion of an object

Question 16

Newton’s First Law

Answer 16

An object continues in a state of rest or uniform velocity unless acted upon by a net force

Question 17

Inertia

Answer 17

The property of an object that causes it to resist a change it its state of rest or uniform motion

Question 18

Newton’s Second Law

Answer 18

When a net force is applied to an object of mass, it accelerates in the direction of the net force. The acceleration is directly proportional to the net force and inversely proportional to the mass.

Question 19

Newton’s Third Law

Answer 19

When object A exerts a force on object B, object B simultaneously exerts an oppositely directed force of equal magnitude on object A

Question 20

Work

Answer 20

The product of the displacement and the component of the force parallel to the displacement

Question 21

Gravitational Potential Energy

Answer 21

The energy an object possesses due to its position relative to a reference point

Question 22

Kinetic energy

Answer 22

The energy an object has as a result of its motion

Question 23

Power

Answer 23

The rate at which work is done

Question 24

Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation

Answer 24

Every particle with mass in the universe attracts every other particle with a force which is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the squared distance between their centres

Question 25

Gravitational field

Answer 25

The force acting per unit mass

Question 26

Coulomb’s Law

Answer 26

Two point charges exert force on each other. The force is directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square distance between the charges

Question 27

Electric field

Answer 27

The force per unit positive charge

Question 28

Potential difference

Answer 28

The work done per unit positive charge

Question 29

Current

Answer 29

The rate of flow of charge

Question 30

Ohm’s Law

Answer 30

The current through a conductor is directly proportional to the potential difference across the conductor at constant temperature

Question 31

Resistance

Answer 31

A material’s opposition to the flow of charge

Question 32

emf

Answer 32

The total energy supplied per coulomb of charge by the cell