P5 - Forces Flashcards
Front (Question)
Back (Answer)
What is a force?
A force is a push or pull that can change an object’s motion or shape.
What is the unit of force?
The unit of force is the Newton (N).
What are the different types of forces?
Contact forces (friction, tension) and non-contact forces (gravity, magnetic, electrostatic).
What is gravitational force?
The force of attraction between two masses. On Earth, it gives objects weight.
What is weight?
Weight is the force exerted on an object due to gravity. It is calculated as Weight = Mass × Gravitational field strength (W = mg).
What is mass?
Mass is the amount of matter in an object, measured in kilograms (kg).
What does Hooke’s Law state?
Hooke’s Law states that the force needed to extend or compress a spring is directly proportional to the extension (F = kx), where k is the spring constant.
What is the spring constant?
The spring constant (k) measures the stiffness of a spring. Higher values of k mean stiffer springs.
What is the elastic limit?
The elastic limit is the maximum amount of force that can be applied to a spring before it becomes permanently deformed.
What is a resultant force?
The resultant force is the single force that has the same effect as all the forces acting on an object.
What are balanced forces?
Balanced forces are forces that are equal in size but opposite in direction, resulting in no change in motion.
What are unbalanced forces?
Unbalanced forces cause a change in an object’s motion (speed or direction).
What is friction?
Friction is a force that opposes the motion of an object.
What are the types of friction?
Types include static friction, sliding friction, rolling friction, and fluid friction.
What is air resistance?
Air resistance is a type of frictional force that opposes the motion of objects through air.
What does Newton’s first law state?
Newton’s first law (the law of inertia) states that an object will remain at rest or continue in uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force.
What does Newton’s second law state?
Newton’s second law states that the force on an object is equal to its mass times its acceleration (F = ma).
What does Newton’s third law state?
Newton’s third law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
What is inertia?
Inertia is the property of an object to resist changes to its motion. The greater the mass, the greater the inertia.
What is momentum?
Momentum is the product of an object’s mass and velocity (p = mv).
What does the conservation of momentum mean?
The total momentum before an event (e.g., collision) is equal to the total momentum after the event, provided no external forces act.
How does force affect acceleration?
A larger force results in a greater acceleration, as long as the mass remains constant (a = F/m).
What is the acceleration due to gravity on Earth?
The acceleration due to gravity on Earth is approximately 9.8 m/s².
What is terminal velocity?
Terminal velocity is the constant speed reached by an object when the force of gravity is balanced by air resistance.
What happens during free fall?
During free fall, an object accelerates due to gravity alone, without air resistance.
What does a distance-time graph show?
A distance-time graph shows how the distance traveled by an object changes over time.
What does a speed-time graph show?
A speed-time graph shows how the speed of an object changes over time.
How does energy transfer in a force?
When a force acts on an object, energy is transferred, often leading to motion or deformation.
What is pressure?
Pressure is the force applied per unit area (Pressure = Force / Area).
What is atmospheric pressure?
Atmospheric pressure is the force exerted by the weight of the atmosphere on a given area.
How does pressure change in a fluid?
Pressure in a fluid increases with depth and is exerted equally in all directions.
What is upthrust?
Upthrust is the upward force exerted by a fluid on an object submerged in it, which opposes the object’s weight.
