physics definitions Flashcards

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1
Q

reference point

A

a starting point used to describe the location or the position of an object

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2
Q

distance

A

the total length between two points or the total length traveled

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3
Q

position

A

an objects distance and direction from a reference point

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4
Q

motion

A

the process of changing position

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5
Q

displacement

A

the straight line distance, or the difference between the initial position and the final position of an object

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6
Q

scalar

A

A quantity that has only magnitude (or size), such as distance, time, and temperature.

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7
Q

vector

A

A quantity that has both magnitude (size) and direction, such as displacement and position.

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8
Q

uniform motion

A

Motion in which the object’s displacement is equal to each time interval.

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9
Q

speed

A

A scalar quantity that describes the distance an object moves in a certain length of time.

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10
Q

constant speed

A

When an object travels at the same speed and the same direction for each time interval.

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11
Q

changing speed

A

When an object travels a different distance for each time interval.

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12
Q

average speed

A

The distance travelled by an object divided by the time it takes to travel that distance.

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13
Q

instantaneous speed

A

Is the speed of an object at a particular moment in time.

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14
Q

velocity

A

A vector quantity that describes an object’s displacement during a specific time interval or an object’s rate of change of position.

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15
Q

constant velocity

A

When an object travels at the same speed and the same direction for each time interval.

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16
Q

changing velocity

A

When an object’s speed or direction, or both speed and direction, change for each time interval.

17
Q

average velocity

A

The displacement of an object divided by the time interval it takes to travel the displacement

18
Q

instantaneous velocity

A

The velocity (both magnitude and direction) at a specific instant of time

19
Q

acceleration

A

A change in the velocity of an object during a time interval; rate of change of velocity per unit of time.

20
Q

density

A

Density is the measurement of how tightly a material is packed together. It is defined as the mass per unit volume.

21
Q

mass

A

is a dimensionless quantity representing the amount of matter in a particle or object. The standard unit of mass in the International System (SI) is the kilogram (kg).

22
Q

volume

A

the amount of space occupied by any three-dimensional solid. These solids can be a cube, a cuboid, a cone, a cylinder or a sphere.

23
Q

heat

A

Thermal energy that is transferred from one object to another.

24
Q

specific heat capacity

A

The property of a substance that involves how it absorbs and releases energy.