Forces, Mass, Weight, and Gravity Practice Flashcards

A comprehensive collection of vocabulary flashcards covering key definitions, formulas, and constants related to speed, forces, mass, weight, and gravitational field strengths.

Speed

A rate of motion calculated as distance divided by time ($\text{Distance} / \text{time}$).

Balanced Forces

A state where opposing forces acting on an object are equal, causing the object to remain stationary or move at a constant speed.

Resultant Force

The overall or strongest net force acting on an object that causes it to move or change shape.

Units for Distance

Standard metric measurements used to quantify distance, such as centimeters ($\text{cm}$), meters ($\text{m}$), or kilometers ($\text{km}$).

Newton's Theory of Gravitation

The principle stating that every particle in the universe attracts every other particle with a force proportional to their masses and dependent on the distance between them.

Weight ($W$)

The force of gravitational attraction acting on an object's mass, calculated using the formula $W = m \times g$ and measured in Newtons ($\text{N}$).

Mass ($m$)

The quantity of matter contained within an object, measured in kilograms ($\text{kg}$), which remains constant regardless of location.

Gravitational Field Strength ($g$)

The gravitational force exerted per unit mass on an object at a specific point in space, measured in Newtons per kilogram ($\text{N/kg}$).

Earth's Gravitational Field Strength

The gravitational field strength near the surface of the Earth, defined as $g = 9.81Constant N/kg$.

Lunar Gravitational Field Strength

The gravitational field strength on the surface of the Moon, which is one-sixth that of Earth (approximately $1.6N/kg$ ).

Gravitational Field Strength on Mars

The surface gravitational field strength of Mars, calculated as $3.7025 N/kg$ (derived from an $80 kg$ mass weighing $296 N$).

Gravitational Field Strength on Jupiter

The gravitational field strength at the top of Jupiter's atmosphere, approximately $25 N/kg$, causing objects to feel $2.5$ times heavier than on Earth.

Gravitational Field Strength on Ceres

The gravitational field strength on the dwarf planet Ceres, equal to $0.28 N/kg$.

Gravitational Field Strength on a White-Dwarf Star

An exceptionally strong gravitational field strength found on the surface of a white-dwarf star, equal to $3 \times 10^{6} N/kg$.