Key Terms from Physics Lecture on Forces and Motion

This set of flashcards contains key terms and definitions related to physics concepts discussed in the lecture on forces and motion, including laws of motion and friction.

Newton's First Law of Motion

An object at rest will remain at rest, and an object in motion will remain in motion unless acted upon by a net external force.

Friction

A force that opposes the relative motion of two surfaces in contact.

Impulse

The change in momentum of an object when a force is applied over a period of time.

Free Body Diagram (FBD)

A graphical illustration used to visualize the forces acting on an object.

Momentum

The product of an object's mass and its velocity.

Newton's Second Law of Motion

The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass.

Newton's Third Law of Motion

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

Circular Motion

The motion of an object that revolves around a fixed point or axis.

Centripetal Acceleration

The acceleration directed towards the center of a circular path.

Pseudo Force

An apparent force that acts on a mass in a non-inertial frame of reference.

Equilibrium

A state in which the sum of forces acting on an object is zero.

Tangential Acceleration

Acceleration that is tangent to the circular path of an object; it describes the change in speed.

Normal Force

The perpendicular contact force exerted by a surface on an object in contact with it.

Angle of Repose

The steepest angle of descent relative to the horizontal plane at which a material will remain stationary.

Coefficient of Friction

A dimensionless scalar value that represents the frictional force between two bodies.