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What is a scalar quantity?
A quantity that has only magnitude and no direction, e.g., mass, temperature.
What is a vector quantity?
A quantity that has both magnitude and direction, e.g., force, velocity.
Define Newton's First Law of Motion.
An object remains at rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon by a net external force.
What is the principle of conservation of momentum?
In a closed system, the total momentum before and after an event remains constant.
What is work done?
Work done is the transfer of energy when a force causes displacement, calculated as W = F × d × cos(θ).
Define kinetic energy (KE).
The energy possessed by an object due to its motion
What is the law of conservation of energy?
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another.
What is the formula for gravitational potential energy?
Gravitational potential energy (PE) is calculated as PE = mgh, where m is mass, g is gravity, and h is height.
Define tension in a string.
Tension is the force transmitted through a string or rope when it is pulled tight by forces acting from opposite ends.
What is a free body diagram?
A graphical representation showing all the forces acting on an object.
Define uniform acceleration.
Acceleration that is constant in magnitude and direction throughout the motion.
What is the equation of motion for an object under uniform acceleration?
s = ut + 1/2 at², where s is displacement, u is initial velocity, a is acceleration, and t is time.
What does 's' stand for in kinematic equations?
's' stands for displacement.
What is the definition of friction?
The force that opposes the relative motion of two surfaces in contact.
What is the coefficient of friction?
A dimensionless value that describes the ratio of the force of friction between two bodies to the force pressing them together.
Define momentum.
The product of an object's mass and its velocity, calculated as p = mv.
What is an elastic collision?
A collision in which kinetic energy is conserved before and after the event.
What is an inelastic collision?
A collision in which kinetic energy is not conserved; some energy is transformed into other forms.
Define impulse.
Impulse is the change in momentum resulting from a force applied over time; calculated as Impulse = F × t.
What is uniform circular motion?
Motion of an object traveling at a constant speed on a circular path.
What is centripetal force?
The net force that acts on an object moving in a circular path, directed towards the center.
What is the equation for centripetal acceleration?
Ac = v²/r, where v is the linear speed and r is the radius of the circular path.
Define torque.
Torque is a measure of the force that can cause an object to rotate about an axis, calculated as τ = rF sin(θ).
What is the center of mass?
The point where the mass of a body or system is concentrated and the whole mass can be considered to act.
Define gravitational field strength (g).
The force per unit mass experienced by a small test mass placed in the field, g = F/m.
What is the principle of moments?
For an object in equilibrium, the sum of clockwise moments about any point equals the sum of anti-clockwise moments.
What is the definition of a wave?
A disturbance that transfers energy through matter or space without transferring matter itself.
What are the two main types of waves?
Transverse and longitudinal waves.
Define frequency (f) of a wave.
The number of waves that pass a point in a given period of time, measured in hertz (Hz).
What is wavelength (λ)?
The distance between consecutive crests or troughs of a wave.
Define amplitude.
The maximum displacement of points on a wave from its rest position.
What is the Doppler effect?
The change in frequency or wavelength of a wave in relation to an observer moving relative to the wave source.
What does Hooke's Law state?
The force exerted by a spring is directly proportional to the displacement of the spring from its equilibrium position, F = kx.
What is a projectile?
An object that is thrown into the air with an initial velocity and is subject only to the forces of gravity and air resistance (if significant).
What is the formula for the range of a projectile?
Range (R) = (v^2 sin(2θ)) / g, where v is the initial velocity, θ is the launch angle, and g is gravitational acceleration.
What is the definition of a moment of inertia?
A measure of an object's resistance to angular acceleration, depending on the mass distribution relative to the axis of rotation.
Define energy conservation in mechanics.
The total mechanical energy (kinetic + potential) of a closed system remains constant.
What is the work-energy principle?
The work done on an object is equal to the change in its kinetic energy.
Define mechanical advantage.
The factor by which a machine multiplies the force applied to it; is calculated as output force/input force.
What is angular velocity?
The rate of change of angular displacement with time, usually measured in radians per second.
What is the law of universal gravitation?
Every point mass attracts every other point mass with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers.
What does 'g' represent in mechanics?
The acceleration due to gravity, approximately 9.81 m/s² near the Earth's surface.
