Change in Forces and Motion

Acceleration

The rate at which an object’s velocity changes over time. It occurs when an object speeds up, slows down, or changes direction.

Direction

The path along which an object moves or points. It is usually described relative to a reference point.

Balanced Force

When two or more forces acting on an object cancel each other out, resulting in no change in motion.

Unbalanced Force

Forces that do not cancel out, causing an object to accelerate or change its motion.

Frame of Refrence

A perspective from which motion is observed or measured. A reference point is a fixed point used to determine if something is moving.

Inertia

The tendency of an object to resist changes in its motion. An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted on by a force.

Motion

The change in an object’s position relative to a reference point over time.

Magnitude

The size or amount of a quantity, such as the strength of a force or the speed of an object, without considering its direction.

Net force

The combination of all forces acting on an object.

Newton’s Second Law of Motion

Explains how the acceleration of an object depends on its mass and the net force applied: F = ma (Force = mass × acceleration).

Speed

How fast an object is moving, calculated as the distance traveled divided by the time taken. It does not include direction.

Velocity

The speed of an object in a specific direction. Includes both magnitude and direction.