Force and Motion Review

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering forces, motion laws, friction types, and frames of reference from the Force and Motion lecture notes.

Vector

An arrow used in diagrams to represent a force, which must show both its magnitude and its direction.

Magnitude

The strength of a force, represented by the length of a vector and measured in Newtons ($\text{N}$).

Newton ($\text{N}$)

The unit of measurement used to quantify the magnitude, or strength, of a force.

Normal Force ($F_n$)

A supportive force exerted by a solid surface underneath an object.

Gravity ($F_g$)

The downward pull on an object that always acts straight down.

Tension ($F_t$)

The force transmitted through a rope, string, or chain when an object is hanging from it.

Friction ($F_f$)

A direct contact force that resists or opposes motion, causing a moving object to slow down.

Drag ($F_d$)

A type of friction that opposes motion when an object moves through a fluid, such as a liquid or a gas (air).

Buoyant Force ($F_b$)

An upward force exerted on an object by a less dense liquid, such as water.

Applied Force ($F_a$)

A push or pull exerted on an object by a person or another object.

Net Force

The overall result of all forces acting on an object, determined by combining opposing forces together.

Balanced Forces

Forces that produce an overall net force of $0\,\text{N}$, causing an object to either remain at rest or stay in constant motion.

Unbalanced Forces

Forces that produce an overall net force greater than $0\,\text{N}$, causing an object to change velocity by speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction.

Newton's First Law of Motion

The law stating that an object at rest tends to remain at rest and an object in constant motion tends to keep moving at that pace unless acted upon; also known as the Law of Inertia.

Inertia

The tendency of an object to resist changes to its state of motion (to remain at rest or maintain constant velocity).

Newton's Second Law of Motion

The law stating that the net force on an object is equal to its mass multiplied by its acceleration ($F = m \times a$).

Mass ($m$)

The amount of matter in an object, entered into force equations in kilograms ($\text{kg}$).

Acceleration ($a$)

A change in speed (or velocity) over time, entered into force equations in meters per second squared ($\text{m/s}^2$).

Newton's Third Law of Motion

The law stating that forces act in pairs, where for each action force there is an equal in magnitude but opposite in direction reaction force.

Kinetic

A term that means moving.

Kinetic Friction

The friction that occurs when an object is moving across a surface, which is directly proportional to the mass of the moving object.

Frame of Reference (FOR)

The perspective from which motion is observed, which alters perceived speed and direction but does not alter the actual time taken to travel a distance.