PHYS 1110 Measurement, Motion, and Force Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering measurement units, kinematics, force definitions, Newton's laws, density, and momentum based on PHYS 1110 lecture notes.

Length

The measurement of space in any direction.

Meter

The standard metric unit of length, defined as the distance light travels in a vacuum in $\frac{1}{299,792,458}$ of a second.

Mass

The amount of matter an object contains.

Kilogram

The standard unit of mass in the metric system.

Second

The standard unit of time, currently defined in terms of the frequency of light emitted by a cesium atom.

Liter

A nonstandard metric unit of volume equal to the volume of a cube with sides of $10\,\text{cm}$ ($1000\,\text{cm}^3$).

Derived Quantities

Physical quantities that are derived by combining one or more fundamental quantities (e.g., area, volume, speed, density).

Density

The ratio of mass to volume (expressed as $\rho = \frac{m}{V}$), referring to how compact a substance is.

Hydrometer

A weighted glass bulb used to measure the densities of liquids.

Scalar Quantity

A physical quantity that has magnitude only, such as length, mass, time, or speed.

Vector Quantity

A physical quantity that has both magnitude and direction, such as displacement, velocity, acceleration, or force.

Distance

The total path length traveled, represented by the difference in final and initial odometer readings (a scalar quantity).

Displacement

The straight-line distance and direction between initial and final positions (a vector quantity).

Average Speed

The total distance traveled divided by the time taken to travel that distance ($v = \frac{d}{t}$).

Acceleration

The time rate of change of velocity, which is a vector quantity measured in $\text{m/s}^2$.

Centripetal Acceleration

The center-directed acceleration experienced by an object moving in uniform circular motion, given by $a_c = \frac{v^2}{r}$.

Force

A vector quantity capable of producing motion or a change in motion.

Newton's First Law of Motion

The law stating that an object will remain at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an external, unbalanced force.

Inertia

The natural tendency of an object to remain in a state of rest or in uniform motion in a straight line.

Newton's Second Law of Motion

The law stating that an unbalanced force $F$ gives an object of mass $m$ an acceleration $a$, usually written as $F = ma$.

Weight

The gravitational force exerted on an object, calculated as $W = mg$.

Newton's Third Law of Motion

The law stating that whenever one object exerts a force upon a second object, the second object exerts an equal and opposite force upon the first object.

Newton's Law of Gravitation

The law stating that every particle in the universe attracts every other particle with a gravitational force.

Buoyant Force

The upward force exerted on an object submerged in a fluid.

Linear Momentum

A physical quantity defined as the product of an object's mass and its velocity ($P = mv$).