Physics Chapter 3

Acceleration

the rate of change of motion or velocity usually effected due to an applied unbalanced force.

Angle of Repose

the angle to which a lever maybe so inclined so that any object on top will have no tendency to slide down due to friction; also known as angle of friction.

Angle of Uniform Slip

the angle to which a lever maybe so inclined so that given a slight push to overcome static friction, any object on top shall have a tendency to slide down at constant rate.

Center of Gravity

a point of concentration of an object’s mass or weight. Maybe internal or external of a body.

Compression

is a force that causes a material to deform to occupy a smaller volume.

Equilibrant

a force equal in magnitude opposite the direction of the resultant of forces acting on a body maintaining a state of balance.

Equilibrium

an object’s state of balance.

Force

maybe push or pull whose effect is to change an object’s state of motion; or lack thereof.

Friction

a contact force seemingly to prevent motion between them.

Fulcrum

maybe considered as the axis of rotation of a lever.

Inertia

an object’s property to resist a change of state.

Interaction

a pair of balanced forces equal in magnitude opposite in direction between two bodies in contact.

Kinetic Friction

a weaker resistive force between two objects in relative motion.

Mass

a constant measure of the amount of matter in an object; expressed in kilograms.

Moment Arm

the perpendicular distance from the line of a force’s action into the axis of rotation; also known as lever arm.

Normal

a force perpendicular to a surface.

Rotational Equilibrium

an object’s balance state of either rotating at constant speed or not at all.

Static Friction

a strong resistive force preventing motion between two bodies in contact.

Statics

the physics of bodies in equilibrium; its concept and application especially to structural engineering.

Tension

is any force carried by flexible strings, rope or cables chain along its length tending to pull outwards and elongate.

Torque

or moment of a force; is a measure of the rotational effect of an applied force on a body upon an axis.

Translational Equilibrium

a state wherein despite the presence of balanced forces, an object is either moving with uniform motion or remains at rest.

Weight

a measure of the force of gravity upon any object.