abcde studying - physics pre test

Vocabulary flashcards covering key kinematics and forces concepts from Unit 1 Trashketball notes.

Average speed

Total distance traveled divided by the total time taken; the overall rate of motion for a trip.

Instantaneous speed

Speed at a specific moment in time; the rate of motion at an instant.

Speed

How fast an object is moving; the magnitude of velocity.

Velocity

Speed with a direction; the rate of change of an object's position.

Distance

Total length of the path traveled, regardless of direction.

Displacement

Straight-line change in position from the starting point to the ending point; includes direction.

Acceleration

Rate of change of velocity; can be speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction.

Net force

Sum of all forces acting on an object; determines acceleration (F_net = m a).

Newton's First Law

An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted on by a net external (unbalanced) force.

Newton's Second Law

F = m a; the net force acting on an object equals its mass times its acceleration.

Mass

Amount of matter in an object; mass is constant regardless of location.

Weight

Gravitational force on a mass (W = m g).

Gravity

The force of attraction toward Earth’s center acting on all masses.

Normal force

Support force exerted by a surface, perpendicular to that surface.

Friction

Resistive force that opposes motion between contacting surfaces.

Applied force

A push or pull exerted on an object.

Tension

Force transmitted through a string, rope, or cable, pulling along its length.

Terminal velocity

The constant maximum velocity reached during free fall when drag balances weight in a fluid.

Free-body diagram

A diagram showing all the forces acting on an object.

Free fall

Motion under gravity with negligible air resistance; acceleration approximately g.

Position-time graph slope

The slope represents velocity—the rate of change of position with time.

Speedometer reading

Indicates instantaneous speed of a vehicle, not the average speed.