Physical Science: Linear Motion Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering core concepts, definitions, and motion graphs from the Linear Motion study guide.

Speed

How fast an object is moving, calculated by dividing the distance covered by time.

Force

Any push or pull.

Friction

The force that acts between materials that touch as they move past each other.

Inertia

The property of a body to resist changes to its state of motion.

Instantaneous Speed

The speed of an object at any instant.

Average Speed

The total distance covered divided by the time.

Resultant

The sum of two or more vectors.

Velocity

Speed in a given direction, specifying how fast and in what direction an object moves.

Vector Quantity

A quantity, such as velocity or acceleration, that specifies direction as well as magnitude.

Scalar Quantity

A quantity that requires only magnitude for a description.

Constant Velocity

Motion characterized by both constant speed and constant direction in a straight line.

Acceleration

The rate at which velocity is changing, calculated by dividing the change in velocity by time.

Free Fall

Motion of an object moving under the influence of the gravitational force only.

Elapsed Time

The time that has elapsed, or passed, since the beginning of any motion.

Acceleration due to Gravity ($g$)

The downward acceleration of an object in free fall, which has an average value of nearly $9.8\,m/s^2$ on Earth.

Speed vs. Time Graph for a Freely Falling Object

A motion graph where time and speed are directly proportional, forming a straight line whose slope represents acceleration.

Distance vs. Time Graph for a Freely Falling Object

A motion graph where the relationship between distance and time is quadratic and the resulting curve is parabolic.