Physics Unit: Forces, Energy, & Motion

The ability to work or cause change

Energy

Stored energy an object has due to its height or position

Potential energy

The energy of an object's motion.

Kinetic energy

Anything that has mass and volume.

Matter

Measure of the amount of matter in an object.

Mass

A push or a pull that influences an object's motion.

Force

The tendency of an object to resist a change in its motion. A property of matter related to mass.

Inertia

Pulling force that any object with mass possesses.

Gravity

A pushing force. Examples would be air and water.

Pressure

Determined by adding up all the forces acting on an object

Net force

When the net force acting on an object is zero. There will be no change in the object's motion

Balanced force

When the net force acting on an object is something other than zero. There will be a change in the object's motion.

Unbalanced force

F = ma. The greater the force used on an object, the greater it's acceleration will be

Newton's Second Law of Motion

An object at rest or in motion will remain that way unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. Aka the Law of inertia

Newton's First Law of Motion

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Newton's 3rd Law of Motion

How fast an object is moving. Determined by dividing distance traveled by time.

Speed

the speed and direction of an object

Velocity

A force that one surface exerts on another when two surfaces in contact slide over one another.

Friction

A change in speed and/or direction of an object.

Acceleration

a push or pull on one object by another that is touching it

contact force

Any force on an object by another object that is not touching it.

non-contact force

A measure of the force of gravity on an object

weight

standard (SI) unit of force

Newton

The part of an experiment the scientist changes on purpose. "I" change it on purpose.

Independent variable

The part of an experiment that we are measuring.

dependent variable