Year 10 Physics Overview

Flashcards summarizing key concepts from the Year 10 Physics curriculum.

What is physics?

Physics means 'knowledge of nature' and is the study of matter and motion, space and time, forces and energy.

What are the laws of motion proposed by Newton?

Newton proposed three laws: 1) An object remains at rest or in motion unless acted upon by a net force. 2) F = ma (force equals mass times acceleration). 3) For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

What is the difference between distance and displacement?

Distance measures the actual distance travelled without regard to direction, making it a scalar quantity. Displacement measures how far out of position an object is from its starting point, including direction, making it a vector quantity.

What is acceleration?

Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity per unit time, measured in m/s².

What is kinetic energy?

Kinetic energy is the energy of an object in motion, calculated as KE = 1/2 mv², where m is mass and v is velocity.

What is gravitational potential energy?

Gravitational potential energy is the energy stored in an object as it is lifted against the force of gravity, calculated as U = mgh.

What are scalar and vector quantities?

Scalar quantities have magnitude only (e.g., mass, temperature), while vector quantities have both magnitude and direction (e.g., velocity, force).

What is centripetal force?

Centripetal force is the force that keeps an object moving in a circular path, directed towards the center of the circle.

How do you calculate average speed?

Average speed is calculated as total distance travelled divided by total time.

What is the formula for calculating the final velocity in uniformly accelerated motion?

The final velocity v can be calculated using the equation v = u + at, where u is the initial velocity, a is acceleration, and t is time.