Kinematics and Motion

This set of flashcards covers key terms and definitions related to kinematics, motion, and the associated principles in physics.

Kinematics

The study of motion without considering the forces causing it.

Motion

The change in position of a body or object.

Linear Motion

Movement along a straight path.

Curvilinear Motion

Movement along a curved path.

Angular Motion

Motion around an axis.

Newton's First Law

An object will remain at rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force.

Newton's Second Law

The acceleration of an object depends on its mass and the net force acting upon it.

Newton's Third Law

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Scalar Quantity

A quantity that has only magnitude (size or amount), e.g., length, mass.

Vector Quantity

A quantity that has both magnitude and direction, e.g., displacement, velocity.

Velocity

Speed in a given direction; a vector quantity.

Acceleration

Rate of change of velocity; can be a change in speed, direction, or both.

Impulse

The change in momentum of an object caused by a force applied over time.

Momentum

A measure of the motion of an object, calculated as mass times velocity.

Angular Kinematics

The study of rotational motion without considering the cause.

Angular Velocity

The rate of change of angular displacement.

Angular Acceleration

The rate of change of angular velocity.

Eccentric Forces

Forces acting at a distance from an object's center of mass, creating torque.

Work

The energy transferred when a force is applied to an object that moves.

Energy

The capacity to do work; it can be transformed from one form to another.

Power

The rate at which work is done or energy is transformed.

Friction

The force that resists motion between two surfaces in contact.

Coefficient of Friction

A dimensionless value representing the degree of friction between two surfaces.

Collision

An event where two or more objects come into contact with each other, resulting in a force.

Elastic Collision

A collision in which both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved.

Inelastic Collision

A collision where momentum is conserved but kinetic energy is not.