Science Vocab Terms

Question 1

Newton’s 1st Law of Motion

Answer 1

If a body is at rest or moving at a constant speed in a straight line, it will remain at rest or keep moving in a straight line at constant speed unless it is acted upon by a force.

Question 2

Newton’s 2nd Law of Motion

Answer 2

The force acting on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by the acceleration of the object (F=ma).

Question 3

force

Answer 3

A push or pull on an object.

Question 4

applied force

Answer 4

A force exerted on an object by another object or a person through direct physical contact.

Question 5

friction

Answer 5

Result of a force that opposes motion between two surfaces that are touching.

Question 6

contact force

Answer 6

A force that is applied by objects in contact with each other.

Question 7

noncontact force

Answer 7

A force applied to an object by another body that is not in direct contact with it.

Question 8

balanced forces

Answer 8

Forces that are equal in size and opposite in direction.

Question 9

unbalanced forces

Answer 9

Forces acting on an obect that causes a change in motion.

Question 10

net force

Answer 10

The combined forces acting on an object.

Question 11

gravitational force

Answer 11

Force of attraction of objects that have mass.

Question 12

normal force

Answer 12

The force that a surface employs on any other body.

Question 13

free body diagram

Answer 13

A simplified sketch of an object and the forces acting on it.

Question 14

motion

Answer 14

Change in position with respect to a “frame of reference” or a “reference point”.

Question 15

frame of reference

Answer 15

Also called a reference point, is a background or object used for comparing different positions of an object.

Question 16

speed

Answer 16

Distance an object travels in a specific amount of time.

Question 17

velocity

Answer 17

Distance an object travels in a specific amount of time, along with the direction of the object.

Question 18

acceleration

Answer 18

Rate at which velocity changes.

Question 19

inertia

Answer 19

The tendency of an object to resist any change in motion.

Question 20

momentum

Answer 20

The product of mass and the velocity of the object.

Question 21

position

Answer 21

Location of an objective relative to another object.

Question 22

direction

Answer 22

ik what this is stupid ahh

Question 23

distance

Answer 23

How much ground an object covers during its motion; total length of the object’s path.

Question 24

displacement

Answer 24

How far out of place an object is; overall change in position of the object.

Question 25

vector

Answer 25

Measurement that has both size and direction.

Question 26

Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion

Answer 26

For every action there is a reaction that is equal in size and opposite in direction.