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General Physics I > Unit 1 > Flashcards

Unit 1 Flashcards

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1
Q

Physics

A

The science concerned with describing the interactions of energy, matter, space, and time; it is especially interested in what fundamental mechanisms underlie every phenomenon

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2
Q

Model

A

Simplified description that contains only those elements necessary to describe the physics of a physical situation

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3
Q

Theory

A

An explanation for patterns in nature that is supported by scientific evidence and verified multiple times by various groups of researchers

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4
Q

Law

A

A description, using concise language or a mathematical formula, a generalized pattern in nature that is supported by scientific evidence and repeated experiments

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5
Q

F = ma

A

Newton’s second law of motion

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6
Q

Scientific Method

A

How scientists inquire and gather information about the world

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7
Q

Classical Physics

A

Physics that was developed from the Renaissance to the end of the 19th century

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8
Q

Modern Physics

A

The study of relativity, quantum mechanics, or both

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9
Q

Relativity

A

The study of how different observers moving relative to each other measure the same phenomenon

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10
Q

Quantum Mechanics

A

The study of objects smaller than can be seen with a microscope

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11
Q

Relativistic Quantum Mechanics

A

Describes the behavior of small objects traveling at high speeds or experiencing a strong gravitational field

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12
Q

Physical Quantity

A

A characteristic or property of an object that can be measured or calculated from other measurements

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13
Q

Units

A

A standard used for expressing and comparing measurements

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14
Q

SI Units

A

The international system of units that scientists in most countries have agreed to use; includes units such as meters, liters, and grams

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15
Q

English Units

A

System of measurement used in the United States; includes units of measurement such as feet, gallons, and pounds

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16
Q

Length

A

Meter (m)

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17
Q

Mass

A

Kilogram (kg)

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18
Q

Time

A

Second (s)

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19
Q

Electric Current

A

Ampere (A)

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20
Q

Fundamental Units

A

Units that can only be expressed relative to the procedure used to measure them

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21
Q

Derived Units

A

Units that can be calculated using algebraic combinations of the fundamental units

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22
Q

Metric System

A

A system in which values can be calculated in factors of 10

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23
Q

Order of Magnitude

A

Refers to the size of a quantity as it relates to a power of 10

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24
Q

Exa

A

10^18

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25
Q

Petra

A

10^15

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26
Q

Tera

A

10^12

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27
Q

Giga

A

10^9

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28
Q

Mega

A

10^6

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29
Q

Kilo

A

10^3

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30
Q

Hecto

A

10^2

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31
Q

Deka

A

10^1

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32
Q

Base

A

10^0 = 1

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33
Q

Deci

A

10^-1

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34
Q

Centi

A

10^-2

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35
Q

Milli

A

10^-3

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36
Q

Micro

A

10^-6

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37
Q

Nano

A

10^-9

38
Q

Pico

A

10^-12

39
Q

Femto

A

10^-15

40
Q

Atto

A

10^-18

41
Q

Conversion Factor

A

A ratio expressing how many of one unit are equal to another unit

42
Q

Accuracy

A

The degree to which a measured value agrees with correct value for that measurement

43
Q

Precision

A

The degree to which repeated measurements agree with each other

44
Q

Uncertainty

A

A quantitative measure of how much your measured values deviate from a standard or expected value

45
Q

Percent Uncertainty

A

The ratio of the uncertainty of a measurement to the measured value, expressed as a percentage
% unc = (dA / A) * 100%

46
Q

Method of Adding Percents

A

The percent uncertainty in a quantity calculated by multiplication or division is the sum of the percent uncertainties in the items used to make the calculation

47
Q

Significant Figures

A

Express the precision of a measuring tool used to measure a value

48
Q

Approximations

A

An estimated value based on prior experience and reasoning

49
Q

Acceleration

A

The rate of change in velocity; the change in velocity over time

50
Q

Acceleration due to Gravity

A

Acceleration of an object as a result of gravity

51
Q

Average Acceleration

A

The change in velocity divided by the time over which it changes

52
Q

Average Speed

A

Distance traveled divided by time during which motion occurs

53
Q

Average Velocity

A

Displacement divided by time over which displacement occurs

54
Q

Deceleration

A

Acceleration in the direction opposite to velocity; acceleration that results in a decrease in velocity

55
Q

Dependent Variable

A

The variable that is being measured; usually plotted along the 𝑦-axis

56
Q

Displacement

A

The change in position of an object

57
Q

Distance

A

The magnitude of displacement between two positions

58
Q

Distance Traveled

A

The total length of the path traveled between two positions

59
Q

Elapsed Time

A

The difference between the ending time and beginning time

60
Q

Free-Fall

A

The state of movement that results from gravitational force only

61
Q

Independent Variable

A

The variable that the dependent variable is measured with respect to; usually plotted along the 𝑥-axis

62
Q

Instantaneous Speed

A

Acceleration at a specific point in time

63
Q

Instantaneous Speed

A

Magnitude of the instantaneous velocity

64
Q

Instantaneous Velocity

A

Velocity at a specific instant, or the average velocity over an infinitesimal time interval

65
Q

Kinematics

A

The study of motion without regard to mass or force

66
Q

Position

A

The location of an object at a particular time

67
Q

Scalar

A

A quantity that is described by magnitude, but not direction

68
Q

Slope

A

The difference in 𝑦-value (the rise) divided by the difference in 𝑥-value (the run) of two points on a straight line

69
Q

Time

A

Change, or the interval over which change occurs

70
Q

Vector

A

A quantity that has both magnitude and direction; an arrow used to represent quantities with both magnitude and direction

71
Q

Y-Intercept

A

the 𝑦-value when 𝑥 = 0, or when the graph crosses the 𝑦-axis

72
Q

Air Resistance

A

A frictional force that slows the motion of objects as they travel through the air; when solving basic physics problems, air resistance is assumed to be zero

73
Q

Analytical Method

A

The method of determining the magnitude and direction of a resultant vector using the Pythagorean theorem and trigonometric identities

74
Q

Classical Relativity

A

The study of relative velocities in situations where speeds are less than about 1% of the speed of light—that is, less than 3000 km/s

75
Q

Commutative

A

Refers to the interchangeability of order in a function; vector addition is commutative because the order in which vectors are added together does not affect the final sum

76
Q

Component (of a 2D vector)

A

A piece of a vector that points in either the vertical or the horizontal direction; every 2-d vector can be expressed as a sum of two vertical and horizontal vector components

77
Q

Direction (of a vector)

A

The orientation of a vector in space

78
Q

Head (of a vector)

A

The end point of a vector; the location of the tip of the vector’s arrowhead; also referred to as the “tip”

79
Q

Head-to-Tail Method

A

A method of adding vectors in which the tail of each vector is placed at the head of the previous vector

80
Q

Magnitude (of a vector)

A

The length or size of a vector; magnitude is a scalar quantity

81
Q

Motion

A

Displacement of an object as a function of time

82
Q

Projectile

A

An object that travels through the air and experiences only acceleration due to gravity

83
Q

Projectile Motion

A

The motion of an object that is subject only to the acceleration of gravity

84
Q

Range

A

The maximum horizontal distance that a projectile travels

85
Q

Relative Velocity

A

The velocity of an object as observed from a particular reference frame

86
Q

Resultant

A

The sum of two or more vectors

87
Q

Resultant Vector

A

The vector sum of two or more vectors

88
Q

Tail

A

The start point of a vector; opposite to the head or tip of the arrow

89
Q

Trajectory

A

The path of a projectile through the air

90
Q

Vector Addition

A

The rules that apply to adding vectors together

91
Q

Velocity

A

Speed in a given direction

General Physics I (2 decks)

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