Physics: About Science and Mechanical Equilibrium

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering fundamental scientific terminology, the scientific method, and concepts of mechanical equilibrium from Chapters 1 and 2.

Physics

The study of the nature of basic things, such as motion, forces, energy, matter, heat, sound, light, and the composition of atoms, providing the foundation for the other sciences.

Scientific Methods

Procedures used to gain, organize, and apply new knowledge about the world, which include recognizing a problem, creating a hypothesis, predicting outcomes, testing, revising hypotheses, and formulating rules.

Fact

A close agreement by competent observers who make a series of observations of the same phenomenon.

Hypothesis

An educated guess, which is considered scientific only if there is a way to prove it wrong.

Theory

A combination of a large amount of information, including well-tested hypotheses, about some aspect of the natural world.

Law

A well-tested theory of significant value.

Science

A method of answering questions.

Technology

A method of solving practical problems.

Force

A push or pull that is needed to change an object's motion.

Net Force

The sum of all the forces acting on an object.

Vector

A quantity that has an amount, unit, and direction, and can be drawn as an arrow whose length is proportional to the amount.

Scalar

A quantity that has only an amount and unit, but not direction.

Mechanical Equilibrium

A state of unchanging motion where an object can be at rest or in motion in a straight line at constant speed.

Equilibrium Rule

The rule stating that the sum of the forces on an object is zero if the object is in equilibrium, expressed mathematically as $F_{\text{net}} = \sum F = 0$.

Support Force

The upward force that must equal an object's weight for an object at rest on a horizontal surface.

Static Equilibrium

The state of mechanical equilibrium for objects that are at rest.

Dynamic Equilibrium

The state of mechanical equilibrium for objects moving in a straight line at constant speed.

Resultant

The sum of two or more vectors.