General Physics I

These flashcards cover key physics concepts from the lecture notes, including definitions and fundamental laws.

What is a scalar quantity?

A quantity described completely by a number and unit without a direction.

What is a vector quantity?

A quantity that requires both magnitude and direction for its complete description.

What does the term 'vector addition' refer to?

The operation of combining two or more vectors to find a resultant vector.

What is 'relative velocity'?

The velocity of one object as observed from another object.

What is Newton's First Law of Motion?

A body remains at rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon by a net external force.

What is the equation for momentum?

Momentum (p) is defined as the product of mass (m) and velocity (v): p = mv.

What is work in physics?

Work is done when a force causes a displacement of an object in the direction of the force.

What is the formula to calculate kinetic energy?

Kinetic energy (KE) is given by KE = 1/2 mv², where m is mass and v is velocity.

Define conservation of energy.

In an isolated system, the total amount of energy remains constant although it may change forms.

What is the unit of power?

The unit of power is the watt (W), which is equivalent to one joule per second.