OpenSciEd 8.1 Contact Forces Vocab

collision

When two things hit each other

damage

A permanent shape change, breaking or denting

motion

A change in an object's position over time

force

A push or pull exerted on an object

contact force

Forces that involve objects touching

newton

The unit used to measure force (N)

mass

The amount of matter in an object (grams)

speed

The distance an object moves in a given amount of time (s = d/t)

net force

The overall sum of all forces acting on an object or system

deform

To change shape (permanently or temporarily)

elastic

To deform and return to the original shape

elastic force

The force that allows some materials to return to its original shape after being stretched or compressed

elastic limit

The furthest point you can stretch an object before it permanently deforms

Newton's third law of motion

For every force exerted on an object a force that is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction is also exerted on the object.

breaking point

the degree of tension or stress at which something breaks.

kinetic energy

The energy an object has because of its motion.

line of best fit

The straight line that best illustrates the overall picture of what the collected data is showing. It helps us to see if there is a relationship or correlation between the two factors being studied

peak force

Maximum force an object or system can tolerate before permanent deformation

free-body diagram

A diagram representing a single body or a subsystem of bodies isolated from its surroundings showing all the forces acting on it

stored (potential) energy

Energy that is stored to be transformed at a later time.

air resistance

Force in opposition to the relative motion of an object as it passes through the air.

friction

A force that opposes motion.

concussion

A temporary unconsciousness or confusion caused by a blow on the head

axon

The long threadlike part of a nerve cell along which impulses are conducted from the cell body to other cells.

independent variable

In an experiment, a variable whose value is manipulated, or changed, by the experimenter, to observe its effects on another variable.

dependent variable

In an experiment, a variable whose value changes when the value of an independent variable is changed; also called the responding variable.

criteria

Goals that must be satisfied to be able to successfully achieve a challenge.

constraints

Factor that limits how you can solve a problem.

stakeholders

A person with an interest or concern in something, especially a business

trade-off

A balance achieved between two desirable but incompatible features; a compromise