Physics Vocab Flashcards
Memorization
Acceleration
(the rate at which an object is) speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction
Average speed
the overall Distance compared to the overall Time
Collision
the moment when two or more objects hit each other
Common units for acceleration
m/s/s, ft/s/s, mi/hr/s (meters per second squared, feet per second squared, miles per hour per second)
(common units for) density
g/mL, g/cm3 , or kg/m3
(common units for) DISTANCE
mm, cm, m, km, in, ft, mi (millimeter, centimeter, meter, kilometer, inch, foot, mile)
(common units for) mass
mg, g, kg (milligram, gram, kilogram)
(common units for) pressure
PSI or Pascal (Pounds per Square Inch; 1 Newton per Square Meter)
(common units for) speed
m/s, ft/s, mi/hr (meters per second, feet per second, miles per hour)
(common units for) TIME
s,min,hr
(common units for) weight
oz, lb, ton (ounces, pounds, tons)
Conduction
heat transfer by direct contact of particles of matter
Constant
a factor that is kept the same for all tests in an experiment (also called “controlled variable”)
convection
heat transfer by the upward movement of a fluid
Density
how much matter is packed into a given amount of space
dependent variable
the result of an experiment; the effect
distance
the amount of space between two points
Fluid
a substance that flows (liquids & gases)
force
a push or pull; something that causes a change in something else
force diagram
a simple diagram that shows the forces acting on an object as arrows that indicate the magnitude and direction of the force
Friction
a force that exists between any 2 pieces of matter that are in contact with each other
Gravity
A force that pulls objects towards eachother
how to make an ACCELERATION unit
any VELOCITY unit over any TIME unit
how to make a SPEED unit
any DISTANCE unit over any TIME unit
how to make a VELOCITY unit
any DISTANCE unit over any TIME unit, along with the Direction it is moving
Independent Variable
the thing that is being tested in an experiment; the cause
inertia
the tendency of an object to resist a change in motion
Instantaneous speed
how fast an object is travelling at a certain point in time
The Law of ACCELERATION is… (which law of motion?)
Newton’s 2nd Law
The Law of ACTION and REACTION is… (which law of motion?)
Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion
Law of Conservation of Energy
energy CANNOT BE created or destroyed - only CHANGED from one form to another
Law of Conservation of Mass (matter)
mass (matter) cannot be created or destroyed in ordinary chemical and physical changes - only CHANGED from one form to another
Law of Gravity
the scientific law that states every object in the universe attracts other objects, and that the strength of the attraction depends on mass and distance
The Law of INERTIA is… (which law of motion?)
Newton’s 1st Law of Motion
Mass
Amount of matter in an object or a material
motion
a change in position
Newton
Unit of FORCE; equal to the amount of force it takes to accelerate a 1 kg mass at an acceleration of 1 m/s/s
Newton’s 1st Law of Motion
An object at rest remains at rest, and an object in motion remains in motion at constant speed and in a straight line unless acted on by an unbalanced force.
Newton’s 2nd Law of Motion
The acceleration of an object depends on the mass of the object and the amount of force applied. Force = Mass x Acceleration
Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction
Position
Location of an object
pressure
a pushing force that occurs in all directions; the amount of force exerted per unit area of a surface
Prototype
a working model used to test a design concept by making actual observations and necessary adjustments
Radiation
heat transfer by “rays” (electromagnetic waves)
Source of error
anything in an experiment’s design, procedure, or analysis that can affect the accuracy of the data and/or investigation
Speed
How fast something is moving
/ (the FRACTION BAR means…)
For every or divided by
velocity
how fast something is moving IN A PARTICULAR DIRECTION
Volume
the amount of space an object or material takes up
Weight
The measure of the gravitational pull on an object or material
