forces and motion vocab

Motion

The state in which one object distance from another is changing

Reference point

A place or object used for comparison to determine if an object is in motion

Force

Push or pull

Newton

Unit of measure that equals the force required to accelerate 1 kilogram of mass at 1 meter per second

Friction

The force that two surfaces exert on each other when they rub

Gravity

The attractive force between objects

Net force

The overall force on an object when all the individual forces acting on it are added together

Speed

The distance an object travels per unit of time

Slope

The steepness of a graph line

velocity

Speed in a given direction

Acceleration

A rate at which velocity changes

Inertia

The tendency of an object to resist a change in motion

Weight

A measure of the force of gravity acting on an object