General Physics 1 – Chapters 1-5 Vocabulary Review

50 vocabulary flashcards summarizing essential terms and definitions from General Physics 1, Chapters 1-5.

Physics

Science dealing with the interactions of matter, energy, and force.

Physical Quantity

A measurable property of a physical system expressed with a number and a unit.

SI Base Unit

One of seven fundamental units (m, kg, s, A, K, mol, cd) from which all other units are derived.

Derived Unit

Unit obtained by mathematical combination of SI base units (e.g., N = kg·m/s²).

Metric System

International system of measurement (SI) based on powers of ten.

Imperial System

English system of measurement using units such as feet, pounds, and seconds.

Conversion Factor

A ratio equivalent to 1 that converts a quantity from one unit to another.

Scientific Notation

Method of writing numbers as a product of a coefficient and a power of ten (a × 10^b).

Accuracy

Closeness of a measurement to the true or accepted value.

Precision

Closeness of repeated measurements to each other.

Measurement

Process of comparing a physical quantity with a standard unit.

Metric Prefix

Modifier that indicates a power-of-ten multiple of a unit (kilo-, milli-, etc.).

Random Error

Unpredictable experimental variation causing scattered measurements around a mean.

Systematic Error

Consistent deviation due to faulty equipment, environment, or observation.

Instrumental Error

Systematic error arising from imperfections or misuse of apparatus.

Environmental Error

Systematic error caused by external conditions such as temperature or humidity.

Observational Error

Systematic error resulting from human reading or recording mistakes.

Significant Figure

Digit in a number that contributes to its measured precision.

Scalar Quantity

Physical quantity described solely by magnitude (e.g., mass, speed).

Vector Quantity

Physical quantity described by magnitude and direction (e.g., velocity, force).

Resultant Vector

Single vector representing the sum of two or more vectors.

Head-to-Tail Method

Graphic technique for vector addition by connecting arrows sequentially.

Parallelogram Method

Vector addition technique using a parallelogram formed by two vectors from a common point.

Mechanics

Branch of physics studying motion and forces on bodies.

Kinematics

Subfield of mechanics that describes motion without considering forces.

Displacement

Vector change in position from initial to final point.

Distance

Scalar length of the actual path traveled.

Speed

Scalar rate of distance traveled per unit time (d/t).

Velocity

Vector rate of displacement per unit time (Δx/Δt).

Instantaneous Velocity

Velocity at a specific moment; slope of position-time graph at a point.

Acceleration

Rate of change of velocity with time (Δv/Δt).

Average Acceleration

Change in velocity divided by the time interval over which it occurs.

Free Fall

Motion under the influence of gravity alone (g ≈ 9.80 m/s² downward).

Projectile Motion

Two-dimensional motion of an object launched into the air, following a parabolic path.

Complementary Angles (Projectiles)

Launch angles adding to 90° that yield the same range (neglecting air resistance).

Relative Velocity

Velocity of one object as measured from a moving frame of reference.

Classical Mechanics

Theory describing macroscopic motion at speeds much less than light.

Newton’s First Law

An object remains at rest or moves at constant velocity unless acted on by a net force.

Inertia

Resistance of an object to changes in its state of motion, proportional to mass.

Newton’s Second Law

Net force equals mass times acceleration (ΣF = m a).

Newton (Unit)

SI unit of force; 1 N = 1 kg·m/s².

Weight

Gravitational force acting on a mass near Earth’s surface (w = m g).

Newton’s Third Law

For every action force, there is an equal and opposite reaction force.

Work

Product of force and displacement component along the force (W = F d cosθ).

Joule

SI unit of work and energy; 1 J = 1 N·m.

Kinetic Energy

Energy of motion, KE = ½ m v².

Work-Kinetic Energy Theorem

Net work done on an object equals its change in kinetic energy.

Potential Energy

Stored energy associated with position or configuration within a system.

Conservative Force

Force for which work done is path-independent and fully recoverable (e.g., gravity).

Nonconservative Force

Force, such as friction, where work depends on path and is dissipative.

Friction

Nonconservative force opposing relative motion between surfaces, converting mechanical energy to heat.