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Physics > Y1: Mechanics > Flashcards

Y1: Mechanics Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a scalar quantity

A

A value with magnitude, but no direction

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2
Q

What are some examples of scalar quantities

A
  • Length/distance
  • Speed
  • Mass
  • Temperature
  • Energy
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3
Q

What is a vector quantity

A

A value with both magnitude and direction

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4
Q

What are some examples of vector quantaties

A
  • Displacement
  • Velocity
  • Force (eg. Weight)
  • Acceleration
  • Momentum
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5
Q

How do you resolve the horizontal component of a vector

A

Vx = VCosθ

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6
Q

How do you resolve the vertical component of a vector

A

Vy = VSinθ

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7
Q

What is a free body diagram

A

Shows the forces acting on an object, but not the forces it exerts on others

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8
Q

How do you know if a system is in equilibrium

A
  • Forces on the free body diagram will form a closed vector triangle
  • Both the vertical and horizontal components will have a sum of 0
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9
Q

What is a moment

A

The turning effect of a force about a pivot

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10
Q

What is the equation for a moment

A

M=FCosθs

FCosθ: force acting perpendicular to the pivoting rod
s: distance between the force and the pivot

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11
Q

What is the principle of moments

A

When balanced, the total clockwise moments must be equal to the total anticlockwise moments

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12
Q

What is a couple

A

A pair of forces acting in opposite directions about a pivot

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13
Q

What is torque

A

the moment of a couple

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14
Q

What is the equation for torque

A

𝛕=FdCosθ

FCosθ: force acting perpendicular to the pivoting rod
d: distance between the two forces

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15
Q

What is the centre of mass of an object

A

The single point where all the weight can be considered to act through, when the object is in any orientation

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16
Q

What is speed

A

How fast something is moving, in no given direction

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17
Q

What is displacement (s)

A

How far an object travels from it’s starting point in a given direction (meters)

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18
Q

What is velocity (u/v)

A

The rate of change of an objects displacement (speed with a direction (ms^-1)

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19
Q

What is acceleration (a)

A

The rate of change of an objects velocity (ms-2)

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20
Q

What are the 5 SUVAT equations

A

v = u + at
s = 1/2(v+u)t
s = vt - 1/2(at^2)
s = ut + 1/2(at^2)
v^2 = u^2 + 2as

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21
Q

How is velocity shown on a displacement-time graph

A

Gradient

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22
Q

How is acceleration shown on a displacement-time graph

A

Rate of change of gradient (i.e. if straight line, a=0)

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23
Q

How is displacement shown on a velocity-time graph

A

Area under the line

24
Q

How is acceleration shown on a velocity-time graph

A

Gradient (if line is curved, shows none-linear acceleration)

25
Q

How is velocity shown on an acceleration-time graph

A

Area under the line

26
Q

What is Newton’s first law of motion

A

1) An object will remain in a constant state of motion unless acted upon by a resultant force

27
Q

What is Newton’s second law of motion

A

2) The acceleration of an object is proportional to the force applied to it, and inversely proportional to it’s mass
(F=ma)

28
Q

What is Newton’s third law of motion

A

3) Every force acting on an object has a resultant force of equal magnitude, acting in the opposite direction (same type of force, eg. electrostatic)

29
Q

What is the value for acceleration due to gravity (g) on earth

A

9.81ms^-2

30
Q

What is the Law of inertia

A

Larger masses require a larger force to be moved, so all objects fall at the same rate.

F = weight of an object in free fall
F = W
ma = mg
a = g
∴ acceleration of all objects, regardless of mass, is 9.81ms^-2

31
Q

What are the SUVAT equations for objects in free fall (u=0)

A

v = gt
s = vt/2
s = 1/2(gt^2)
v^2 = 2gs

32
Q

What is a projectile

A

An object with an initial velocity left to move freely under gravity

33
Q

What is always true about the horizontal velocity of a porjectile

A

It remains constant, as there is no horizontal force
(only force is W, acting down)

34
Q

What is the relationship between drag and velocity

A

Drag ∝ v^2

35
Q

What is the terminal velocity of an object

A

The maximum velocity of an object, when the resistive force (friction) is equal to the driving force

36
Q

What is momentum

A

The product of mass and velocity (kg ms^-1)

37
Q

What is the equation for momentum

A

ⲣ = mv

38
Q

What is the principle of linear momentum

A

When there are no external forces acting on a system, momentum is always conserved

m1u1 + m2u2 = m1v1 + m2v2

39
Q

What is an elastic collision

A

When kinetic energy is conserved

1/2(mu^2) = 1/2(mv^2)

40
Q

What is an inelastic collision

A

When kinetic energy isn’t conserved and some is converted into other forms (eg. dissipates as sound)

However, momentum is also still conserved

41
Q

How is force related to momentum

A

F=ma, and a=Δv/t
∴ F = Δ(mv)/t

Force is the change in momentum per second

42
Q

What is impulse

A

The product of force and time, which is equal to the change in momentum

F = Δ(mv)/t
∴ Ft = mv -mu

43
Q

How is impulse shown on a force-time graph

A

Area under the line

44
Q

How do safety features in transport design reduce the impact force

A

F = Δ(mv)/t
∴ F ∝ 1/t

Safety features increase the time of impact during a crash, with measures such as crumple zones, seat belts and air bags.

45
Q

What is work done

A

The amount of energy transferred to cause movement (J)

46
Q

What is the equation for work done

A

W = FsCosθ

FCosθ: The component of the force acting in the direction of movement
s: Distance move

47
Q

What is power

A

The rate of doing work/rate of energy transfer (W)

48
Q

What is the equation for power

A

P = ΔW/Δt

49
Q

How is power related to velocity

A

W = FsCosθ, and P = ΔW/Δt
∴ P = (FsCosθ)/Δt

Also: v = s/Δt
∴ P = FvCosθ

50
Q

What is the principle of the conservation of energy

A

Energy cannot be created or destroyed. Energy can be transferred between stores, but the total energy in the system will remain constant

51
Q

What is efficiency

A

A measure of how well energy is transferred between stores

52
Q

What is the equation for efficiency

A

Efficiency = Useful output / total input (x100 for %)

53
Q

What is the equation for kinetic energy

A

1/2(mv^2)

54
Q

What is the equation for gravitational potential energy

A

mgh

55
Q

What is the equation for elastic potential energy

A

1/2(kΔL^2)

56
Q

How does work done relate to the conservation of energy

A

Work done is the change in energy to cause movement

eg. mgh = FsCosθ + 1/2(mv^2)

Physics (14 decks)

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