science force and motion Flashcards
state the law of universal gravitation
the force of gravity acts between all objects in the universe
what is weight
a measure of gravitational pull, measured in Newtons
Why do scientists prefer to describe matter by its mass instead of its weight?
weight changes with location
mass doesn’t change
What two factors affect the strength of gravity?
mass and distance
How do mass and distance affect gravitational pull?
more mass = more gravitational pull
the farther apart, the less the gravitational pull
Compare and contrast balanced and unbalanced forces. 4 contrasts and 2 similarities
contrasts: 1. balanced forces are equal (net force = zero) while unbalanced forces are not equal (net force doesn’t = zero). 2. balanced forces do not change notion of an object while unbalanced forces do change an object’s motion.
similarities: 1. push or pull 2. strength and direction
Explain static friction.
friction that acts on objects that are not moving - need an unbalanced force to start the motion of stationary objects- the heavier the object, the more static friction
Give an example of static friction.
trying to move a stalled car to the side of the road
Explain sliding friction.
occurs when two solid surfaces slide over one another - caused by microscopic roughness of all objects - lubricants can reduce sliding friction
Give an example of sliding friction.
throwing sand on ice to get friction for walking or driving
Explain fluid friction.
fluid friction is when a solid object moves through a fluid (gas or liquid) - easier to overcome than sliding friction
Give an example of fluid friction.
water on a water slide
oil on a squeaky hinge
Explain rolling friction.
occurs when an object rolls across a surface - easier to overcome than sliding friction because it reduces the amount of contact between surfaces due to its curved shape
Give an example of rolling friction.
wheels or ball bearings
How is force described?
by its strength and direction
What is a net force?
a combination of all forces acting on an object
How can you find the net force if the two forces are in opposite directions?
subtract
Define Newton’s 1st Law of Motion.
an object at rest will stay at rest,and an object moving at a constant velocity (motion) will continue to move at a constant velocity (motion) unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. Law of Inertia