Forces and Movement

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary related to forces and motion, highlighting definitions and concepts important for understanding physics.

Force

A push or pull exerted on an object.

Balanced Forces

Forces that are equal in size and opposite in direction, so they do not cause a change in motion.

Unbalanced Forces

Forces that are not equal and opposite, causing a change in an object's motion.

Friction

A force that opposes the motion of an object, acting parallel to the surfaces in contact.

Terminal Velocity

The constant speed reached by an object when the force of gravity is balanced by the resistive force of the air.

Gravity

A force that attracts two bodies towards each other, the force that causes objects to fall toward the Earth.

Contact Forces

Forces that require physical contact between two objects, such as friction and tension.

Non-contact Forces

Forces that act at a distance, such as gravitational, magnetic, and electrostatic forces.

Acceleration

The rate of change of an object's velocity, often caused by unbalanced forces.

Drag

The resistance experienced by an object moving through a fluid, such as air or water.