Force and Motion Vocabulary

Net Force

The combination of all forces acting on an object

Magnitude

Greatness of size, strength, or importance

Balanced Force

Equal forces acting on an object in opposite directions (the motion doesn't change

Unbalanced Force

Forces that produce a nonzero net force, which changes an object's motion

Normal Force

the force perpendicular to a surface that prevents an object from falling through the surface

Gravity

A force of attraction between objects that is due to their masses.

Applied Force

a force which is applied to an object by a person or another object in the form of a "push" or a "pull"

Vector

A quantity that has magnitude and direction

Mass

A measure of the amount of matter in an object

Weight

A measure of the force of gravity on an object

Friction

A force that opposes motion between two surfaces that are in contact

Free Body Diagram

a diagram showing all the forces acting on an object

Force

A push or a pull.

Inertia

The tendency of an object to resist a change in motion.

Motion

The state in which one object's distance from another is changing.

Reference Point

A place or object used for comparison to determine if something is in motion.