Physics

Velocity

The rate at which your position changes.

Acceleration

The rate at which your velocity changes; occurs with changes in speed, direction, or both.

Free Fall

Object accelerating due to gravity with no other forces acting on it.

Forces

Pushes or pulls that can change an object's motion by increasing speed, decreasing speed, or changing direction.

Inertia

Measure of an object's resistance to a change in its state of motion.

Action-Reaction Forces

Equal magnitude impulses in opposite directions experienced simultaneously by two objects.

Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation

All objects with mass share gravity, a mutually felt force between every pair of objects in the universe.

Static Problem

No motion, objects at rest.

Dynamic Problem

Involves at least one moving object.

Equilibrium

No forces or balanced forces, resulting in zero net force and zero acceleration.

Friction

Results from relative motion between objects, with static friction preventing sliding and kinetic friction opposing slide direction.

Newton (N)

SI unit of force, where 1N = kg m/s^2.

Net Force

Sum of all forces acting on an object, calculated as Fnet = F1 + F2 + F3 or Fnet = F1.

Tension

Reaction force similar to normal force, equal and opposite in a rope or wire subject to an applied force or force of gravity.

Free Body Diagrams

Represent objects with shapes, label mass, define coordinate system, draw force vectors to scale, and calculate unknown values.

Coefficient of Friction

Ratio of sliding friction strength to the normal force holding surfaces together.

Normal Force

Force perpendicular to surfaces moving relative to each other, often in response to gravity.

Force of Static Friction

Maximum net force before an object starts sliding.

Coefficient of Static Friction (μs)

Relates maximum force of static friction to the normal force.

Balanced Normal Force

In flat ground scenarios with balanced gravity, normal force equals gravity:N = mg, μN = μmg = Ff.