PHY 101: General Physics 1 Key Concepts

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary and concepts from the PHY 101 General Physics 1 course to aid in studying for exams.

Physics

The branch of science that deals with the study of nature and properties of matter and energy.

Physical Quantities

All quantities that can be expressed and measured in physics, such as distance, speed, mass, and force.

Fundamental Units

Basic units that are independent of other physical quantities; examples include mass (kg), length (m), and time (s).

Derived Units

Units that are derived from fundamental units, such as speed (m/s) and force (Newton).

Newton's Laws of Motion

Three laws formulated by Isaac Newton that describe the relationship between the motion of an object and the forces acting on it.

Conservation of Momentum

A principle stating that the total momentum of a closed system remains constant if no external forces act on it.

Gravitational Force

The attractive force between two masses, as described by Newton's Law of Gravitation.

Kinetic Energy (KE)

The energy possessed by an object due to its motion, calculated as KE = 1/2 mv².

Potential Energy (PE)

Energy stored in an object due to its position or configuration, commonly calculated as PE = mgh.

Torque

A measure of the force that produces or changes rotational motion, calculated as the product of force and distance from the pivot point.

Angular Momentum

The quantity of rotation of a body, defined as the product of its moment of inertia and angular velocity.

Escape Velocity

The minimum velocity required for an object to escape from a planet's gravitational influence without further propulsion.

Scalar Quantity

A quantity that is described by only its magnitude, such as mass or temperature.

Vector Quantity

A quantity that has both magnitude and direction, such as velocity or force.

Dimensional Analysis

A method used to convert one set of units to another and to check the consistency of equations involving physical quantities.

Homogeneity of Dimensions

The principle stating that all terms in a physical equation must have the same dimensions.

C.G.S System

A system of units where the fundamental units are centimeter, gram, and second.

M.K.S System

A system of units based on meter, kilogram, and second.

SI Units

The International System of Units, a standardized system used worldwide for measurement.

Momentum (p)

The quantity of motion an object has, calculated as the product of its mass and velocity (p = mv).