P2: Forces Flashcards
What are scalars?
Quantities with only magnitude.
What are vectors?
Quantities with magnitude AND direction.
Give some examples of contact forces.
Friction, air resistance, tension.
Give examples of non-contact forces.
Electrostatic, magnetic, gravitational.
If an object has zero resultant force, what is it doing?
Either travelling at a constant speed or not moving.
What is a resultant force?
The overall effect of several forces added together.
What is it called when all of the forces acting on an object are balanced?
Equilibrium.
Where is the centre of mass on an object?
Where all of the lines of symmetry cross.
What is the difference between mass and weight?
Mass is the quantity of matter in an object, weight is a force acting on an object. Weight depends on the strength of the gravitational field, mass does not.
What is the moment of a force?
The turning effect of the force.
How do you calculate the moment of a force?
Moment = Force x Distance
What does a lever do?
Increases the turning effect without you needing to use more force.
What are gears used for?
Transmitting the rotational effects of forces. Apply the same force, but with different moments.
Describe the gear movement for a bike on a low gear.
The small gear turns the large gear. Same speed but lower moment.
Describe the gear movement for a bike on a high gear.
Large gear turning the small gear. Same speed but a higher moment.
What states of matter are fluids?
Liquids and gases.
Describe the movement of particles in fluids.
Can move around freely.
Describe the movement of particles in solids.
Can only vibrate around a fixed position.
What happens when an object is placed in a fluid?
The fluid’s particles constantly collide with it.
Describe how the density of the atmosphere changes at different altitudes.
The higher the altitude, the less dense the atmosphere, so the lower the atmospheric pressure (because the number of air molecules decreases).
Describe how pressure changes as depth changes in a fluid.
Pressure increases with depth because of the weight of the liquid above.
List the three things that pressure in a liquid is affected by.
Height, density, gravitational field strength.
What is the equation for pressure in a liquid?
Pressure = height x density x gravitational field strength