NCEA level 1 Mechanics

metres (m)

Distance (d) is measured in:

seconds (s)

Time (t) is measured in:

metres per second (ms-1)

Speed (v) is measured in:

metres per second squared (ms-2)

Acceleration (a) is measured in:

kilograms (kg)

Mass (m) is measured in:

joules (J)

Energy (E) is measured in:

joules (J)

Work (W) is measured in:

watt (W)

Power (P) is measured in:

newton (N)

Force (F) is measured in:

pascal (Pa)

Pressure is measured in:

Distance (d)

A measure of how far an object has traveled or the amount of space between two objects

Time (t)

A measure of how long an object has been traveling

Speed (v)

A measure of how far an object can travel in a certain amount of time

Acceleration (a)

The rate of change of speed

Distance-time graph

A graph used to show the distance an object has traveled over a period of time

Speed-time graph

A graph used to show the speed an object has traveled over a period of time

Force (F)

A push, pull or twist

Balanced force

Occurs when the net force acting on an object equals zero

Unbalanced force

Cause a change in motion of an object because a net force acts on the object

Thrust

A push force

Mass (m)

The amount of matter in an object

Weight (W)

The force of gravity acting on an object

Friction

A force that always opposes the movement of an object

Pressure (P)

Force per unit area

pascal (Pa)

The unit for pressure, equal to one newton per square metre

Energy

The capacity to do work

Gravitational potential energy

The energy stored in an object due to its height above the Earth's surface

Kinetic energy

The energy of an object due to its motion

Work (W)

A transfer of energy to or from an object

Power (P)

The rate of doing work, or the transfer of energy