Physics 1005 Week 2

Velocity

The distance an object moves per unit of time, often treated as the same as speed.

Acceleration

The rate at which the velocity of an object changes, either speeding up or slowing down.

Inertia

The property of an object to resist changes in its motion, which is directly related to its mass.

Newton's Second Law of Motion

The acceleration of an object is equal to the net force acting on it divided by its mass (a = F/m).

Work

The product of the force exerted on an object and the distance the object moves in the direction of the force (W = F • d).

Joule

The unit of energy and work, defined as 1 Newton meter (1 N • m).

Kinetic Energy (KE)

The energy an object possesses due to its motion, which depends on its velocity.

Potential Energy (PE)

The energy stored in an object due to its position or configuration, such as gravitational or spring potential energy.

Conservation of Energy

A fundamental principle stating that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted from one form to another.

What is the formula for calculating acceleration?

a = (Uf - Vi) / t, where Uf is final velocity, Vi is initial velocity, and t is time.

What is the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration according to Newton's second law?

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

Under what conditions can an object have zero acceleration?

An object can have zero acceleration if the net force acting on it is zero, which means it could be moving at a constant speed or at rest.

What does Newton's first law state about the motion of objects?

A moving object will continue to move in a straight line at constant speed, and an object at rest will remain at rest unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

Speed

The distance traveled by an object in a given time, a scalar quantity, differing from velocity which is directional.

Momentum

The product of an object's mass and its velocity, representing the amount of motion it has.

Force

A push or pull on an object resulting from its interaction with another object.

Friction

The resistance that one surface or object encounters when moving over another, affecting motion.

Gravity

The attractive force between two masses, which causes objects to fall towards the earth.

Mass

A measure of the amount of matter in an object, usually expressed in kilograms or grams.

Work-Energy Principle

The principle stating that the work done on an object is equal to the change in its kinetic energy.

System of Units

A standard set of measurements used to quantify physical quantities, like the metric system.

Net Force

The total force acting on an object after all the forces are combined, determining acceleration.

Types of Energy

Includes kinetic, potential, thermal, chemical, electrical, and many more forms of energy.

Equilibrium

A condition where all forces acting on a system are balanced, resulting in no acceleration.

Power

The rate at which work is done or energy is transferred, measured in watts.

Thermal Energy

The energy an object possesses due to the motion of its particles; related to temperature.

Simple Machine

A device that changes the direction or amount of force needed to do work; includes levers, pulleys, etc.

Circular Motion

The motion of an object in a circular path, characterized by constant speed but changing velocity.