Forces and Motion Lecture Notes

Vocabulary flashcards covering core physics concepts including types of forces, gravitational fields, friction, electromagnetism, and motion dynamics.

Non-Contact Force

A force that acts at a distance without objects touching, including magnetic, electrical, and gravitational forces.

Gravity

A field or non-contact force directed toward the center of the Earth that is possessed by any object with mass.

Net Force of Zero

The result when two equal forces act on an object in opposite directions; an object with zero net force will remain at rest or continue moving at the same speed and direction.

Friction Force

A force that opposes the sliding motion of two surfaces, acts in the direction opposite to motion, and can cause moving objects to slow down.

Drag

A contact force that opposes motion and acts in the opposite direction of an object moving through a fluid.

Electrostatic Force

A force that acts between charged objects, attracting or repelling depending on the signs of the charges.

Gravitational Field

A field generated by any object with mass, which increases in strength as the object's mass increases and exerts a pull toward the center.

Weight

A quantity that depends on an object's mass and gravitational field strength; it decreases on the Moon compared to Earth, while mass stays the same.

Magnetic Field Lines

Lines that visually indicate the direction and strength of a magnetic field.

Magnetic Attraction

The pulling together that occurs when two magnets are positioned with opposite poles facing each other.

Magnetic Repulsion

The pushing apart that occurs when two magnets are aligned with like poles facing each other.

Electromagnet

A magnet created by an electric current, such as a coil of wire carrying an electric current.

Kinetic Friction

The type of friction that opposes motion between sliding surfaces.

Unbalanced Forces

Forces that cause a change in the speed or direction of an object.

Force Diagram

A visual representation showing the forces acting on an object, where the length of each arrow represents the magnitude or strength of the force.

Centripetal Force

The center-directed force that causes an object to move in a circle around a center point.

Electrostatic Field

A region surrounding a charged object where electric forces can be felt.

Balanced Forces

Forces acting on an object that cancel out, resulting in the object remaining at rest or moving at a constant speed.

Permanent Magnet

An object that inherently possesses a magnetic field.

Everyday Roles of Friction

Practical effects in daily life that include preventing slipping while walking, slowing down moving objects, and producing heat when hands are rubbed together.