Physics and Electricity Lecture Notes

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering Newton's Laws of Motion, types of energy, atomic particles, and electrical safety principles based on the lecture transcript.

1st law of motion

Also known as the Law of Inertia; states an object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by a net force.

Net force

The total force acting on an object; if the net force is not equal to $0$ ($\text{Net force} \neq 0$), it is an unbalanced force.

Mass and Inertia

The relationship where the greater the mass of an object, the greater its inertia, making it more difficult to push or move.

2nd law of motion

The law of acceleration, which occurs when there is an imbalance of force and the net force is not equal to $0$.

Acceleration

Measured as a change of speed or direction ($\text{speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction}$).

Velocity

A vector quantity that involves both magnitude (speed) and direction.

Deceleration

Also known as negative acceleration; it refers to the process of slowing down but not stopping.

3rd law of motion

Also referred to as the Action-Reaction Law; for every action force, there is an equal and opposite reaction force.

Four Pillars of force pairs

The rules of Newton's 3rd Law: Equal Magnitude ($F = ma$), Opposite Direction, Simultaneous Occurrence, and acting on Different Objects.

Cancellation Paradox

The principle that forces only cancel if they act on the same target.

Energy

The fundamental ability to do work or cause change.

The Energy Spectrum

Includes light energy (sunlight), heat energy (stove), sound energy (speaker), mechanical energy (moving bicycle), and electrical energy (electricity from outlet).

Electrical energy

A specific form of energy that acts as a "Universal translator" because it can change into any form.

Renewable Sources

Energy sources that can be naturally replaced by the earth, such as sunlight (solar), wind, water, and geothermal.

Non-renewable sources

Finite energy reserves that will eventually run out, such as coal, oil, and natural gas.

Electricity

Defined as a flow of electrons.

Proton

A particle with a positive charge ($+\text{charge}$) locked inside the nucleus.

Neutron

A particle with no charge (neutral) locked inside the nucleus.

Electron

A particle with a negative charge ($-\text{charge}$) that orbits freely around the nucleus.

Electric shock

Happens when electricity passes entirely through the body; its severity depends strictly on the amount of electricity involved.

The 3 R's

A unified framework for electrical responsibility: Recognize, React, and Report.