PHYSICS 1 Flashcards
Principles and procedures for the systematic pursuit of knowledge involving the recognition and formulation of a problem, the collection of data through observation and experiment, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses.
Scientific method
An educated guess; a reasonable explanation of
an observation or experimental result that is not fully
accepted as factual until tested over and over again by
experiment.
Hypothesis
The scientific method inclined toward
inquiry, integrity, and humility
Scientific Attitude
A statement about the world that competent observers
who have made a series of observations agree on.
Fact
A general hypothesis or statement about the relationship
of natural quantities that has been tested over and over
again and has not been contradicted. Also known as a
principle.
Law
A synthesis of a large body of information that encompasses well-tested and verified hypotheses about certain aspects of the natural world.
Theory
Fake science that pretends to be real science.
Pseudoscience
The property of things to resist changes in motion
Inertia
Every object continues in a state of rest or of uniform speed in a straight line unless acted on by a nonzero net force.
Newton’s first law of motion (the law of inertia)
In the simplest sense, a push or a pull
Force
The vector sum of forces that act on an object
Net Force
An arrow drawn to scale used to represent a vector
quantity
Vector
A quantity that has both magnitude and direction, such as force.
Vector Quantity
A quantity that has magnitude but not direction, such as mass and volume.
Scalar quantity
The net result of a combination of two or more vectors.
Resultant
The state of an object or system of objects for which there are no changes in motion. In accord with Newton’s first law, if an object is at rest, the state of rest persists. If an object is moving, its motion continues without change.
Mechanical Equilibrium
For any object or system of objects in equilibrium, the sum of the forces acting equals zero. In equation form, gF = 0.
Equilibrium Rule
How fast an object moves; the distance traveled per unit of time
Speed
The speed at any instant.
Instantaneous speed
The total distance traveled divided by the time of travel
Average Speed
An object’s speed and direction of motion.
Velocity
A quantity that has both magnitude and direction
Vector quantity
A quantity that has only a magnitude, not a direction
Scalar quantity
The rate at which velocity changes with time; the change in velocity may be in magnitude, or direction,
or both
Acceleration
Motion under the influence of gravity only.
Free fall
