Chapter 3 Motion in a Plane - Vocabulary Flashcards

Flashcards for Physics Chapter 3 - Motion in a Plane

Scalar Quantity

A quantity with magnitude only, specified completely by a single number along with the proper unit (e.g., distance, mass, temperature, time).

Vector Quantity

A quantity that has both magnitude and direction and obeys the triangle law of addition or the parallelogram law of addition (e.g., displacement, velocity, acceleration, force).

Scalar Quantity

A quantity with magnitude only, specified completely by a single number along with the proper unit (e.g., distance, mass, temperature, time).

Vector Quantity

A quantity that has both magnitude and direction and obeys the triangle law of addition or the parallelogram law of addition (e.g., displacement, velocity, acceleration, force).

Position Vector

A vector that describes the position of an object moving in a plane, relative to a chosen origin.

Displacement Vector

A vector representing the change in position of an object, from its initial to final position.

Equality of Vectors

Two vectors are equal if they have the same magnitude and the same direction.

Null Vector (Zero Vector)

A vector with zero magnitude, and its direction cannot be specified; results from adding two equal and opposite vectors.

Unit Vector

A vector with a magnitude of one, used to specify a direction; unit vectors along x, y, and z axes are denoted by i, j, and k.

Components of a Vector

Projections of a vector along the coordinate axes; for a vector A in the x-y plane, the x-component is Ax and the y-component is Ay.

Projectile

An object in flight after being thrown or projected.

Time of Flight

The total time during which a projectile is in flight.

Horizontal Range

The horizontal distance traveled by a projectile from its initial position to the position where it passes y = 0 during its fall.

Uniform Circular Motion

The motion of an object following a circular path at a constant speed.

Centripetal Acceleration

The acceleration of an object moving in a circle, always directed towards the center of the circle; its magnitude is v^2/R.

Angular Speed

The rate of change of angular displacement, denoted by ω (omega).