Physics Vocab Section 1

physics

the science concerned with describing the interactions of energy matter space and time; what fundamental mechanisms underline every phenomenon

Classical physics

physics that was developed from the Renaissance to the end of the 19th century

modern physics

the study of relativity, quantum mechanics or both

significant figures

express the precision of a measuring tool used to measure a value

precision

the degree to which repeated measurements agree with eachother

accuracy

the degree to which a measured value agrees with correct values for that measurement

order of magnitude

refers to the size of a quantity as it relates to a power of 10

Model

representation of something that is often too difficult (or impossible) to display directly

Law

a description, using concise language or a mathematical formula, a generalized pattern in nature that is supported by scientific evidence and repeated experiments

Theory

an explanation for patterns in nature that is supported by scientific evidence and verified multiple times by various groups of researchers

Dimensional analysis

a problem solving method used to convert one unit of measurement to another and to check if mathematical and physical equations are correct by tracking their physical dimensions

Principle

a foundational rule or broad conceptual guideline that explains how specific natural phenomena operate and guides the creation of physical theories

Physical Quantity

a characteristic or property of an object that can be measured or calculated from other measurements

SI Units

the international system of units that scientists in most countries have agreed to use; includes units such as meters liters and grams