Physics B – Semester Final Review 2026

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary terms and concepts from the Physics B – Semester Final Review, useful for understanding motion, forces, and energy in physics.

Position-time graph

A graph that shows the position of an object as a function of time, indicating its motion.

Slope of a graph

The steepness of a line on a graph; indicates the rate of change, such as speed in position-time graphs.

Velocity-time graph

A graph that shows the velocity of an object as a function of time, illustrating acceleration and motion direction.

Acceleration

The rate of change of velocity of an object, often represented as a slope in a velocity-time graph.

Motion map

A diagram that represents an object's position at equal time intervals to visualize its motion.

Negative velocity

Indicates movement to the left or in the opposite direction as defined by the chosen coordinate system.

Newton’s Second Law

A principle stating that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass, represented by the equation F=ma.

Gravitational force

The force attracting two bodies toward each other, proportional to their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

Kinetic energy (KE)

The energy possessed by an object due to its motion, calculated as KE = 1/2 mv².

Potential energy (PE)

The stored energy in an object due to its position or configuration, commonly gravitational potential energy calculated as PE = mgh.

Elastic potential energy

The energy stored in elastic materials as the result of their stretching or compressing.

Terminal velocity

The constant speed that a freely falling object eventually reaches when the resistance of the medium prevents further acceleration.