Chapter 1 Vocab

physics

a branch of science that involves the study of the physical world -- energy, matter, and how they are related

scientific methods

pattern of investigation procedures that include stating a problem, gathering information, forming a hypothesis, testing a hypothesis, analyzing data, and drawing conclusions

hypothesis

a possible explanation for a problem using what you know and what you observe

model

A representation of an idea, event, structure, or object to help people better understand it

scientific theory

explanation of things or events based on knowledge gained from many observations and investigations

scientific law

a statement about what happens in nature and seems to be true all the time

control

the standard by which the test results can be compared

SI

Systeme International d'Unites (or the International System of Units) -- the improved, universally accepted version of the metric system that is based on multiples of ten

dimensional analysis

treating units as algebraic quantities, which can be cancelled

significant figures (sig figs)

valid digits of a measurement

parallax

the apparent change in position of an object when seen from different places

measurement

a comparison between an unknown quantity and a standard

precision

the degree of exactness of a measurement

accuracy

how well the results of a measurement agree with its "real" value

slope

on a graph, the ratio of vertical change to horizontal change

independent variable

the factor that is manipulated during an investigation

dependent variable

factor that depends on the independent variable

line of best fit

a better model for predictions than any one point along the line

linear relationship

the dependent variable varies linearly with the independent variable

quadratic relationship

exists when one variable depends on the square of another

inverse relationship

a hyperbolic relationship that exists when one variable depends on the inverse of the other variable