Forces & Motion: Glossary Review

Vocabulary flashcards summarizing the key physics terms from the lecture glossary.

acceleration

The change in speed of a moving body.

balance

A state when forces are equal.

centripetal force

The force that pulls an object turning in a circle inward toward the center.

friction

A force created when two objects rub together; friction slows down objects.

gravity

A force that pulls objects with mass together; gravity increases as the mass of objects increases or objects get closer; it pulls objects toward Earth’s center.

inertia

An object's tendency to stay at rest or keep moving in the same direction until a greater force acts on it.

mass

The amount of material in an object.

orbit

The path an object follows while circling another object in space.

resistance

A force that opposes or slows the motion of an object; friction is a form of resistance.

speed

How fast something moves; the time it takes to cover a certain distance.

weight

A measurement of how heavy something is.