Forces, Motion, and Scientific Inquiry Vocabulary

Practice vocabulary flashcards covering fundamental concepts of forces, motion, energy transfer, and the claim-evidence-reasoning framework.

Force

A push or a pull that acts on an object.

Push

A force applied by pressing on an object, such as pushing a door to open it.

Pull

A force applied by pulling an object, such as pulling a cart with a rope.

Direction

The path along which a force acts or an object moves: left, right, up, or down.

Magnitude

The size or intensity of a force; indicates how strong it is.

Balanced forces

Forces that cancel each other out because the forces in opposite directions are equal; the net force is zero and the motion does not change.

Unbalanced forces

Forces that do not cancel each other out; the net force is not zero and the object changes its speed or direction.

Motion

The change of position of an object over time.

Speed

How fast an object moves; it is the distance it travels in a given amount of time.

Mechanical energy

Energy related to the motion of an object and its position.

Energy transfer

The transfer of energy from one object to another during an interaction, such as when a bat hits a ball.

Net force

The result of combining all the forces acting on an object, taking into account their magnitudes and directions.

Claim

A clear answer that explains what you believe occurred in an investigation.

Evidence

The data and observations that you use to support your claim.

Reasoning

The scientific explanation that connects the evidence with your claim.