Systems in Action Terms: Flashcard Set

System: A group of parts that work together to achieve a certain goal. 



Physical System: A group of physical parts that work together to perform a specific function. 



Social System: A group of humans or other organisms joining together to perform tasks or form relationships. 



Force: Any push or pull. 



Input: The force, energy or raw materials put into a system. 



Output: The task or purpose that a system performs. 



Side Effects: The unintended or undesired outputs of a system. 



Systems Thinking: Taking into account the inputs ,outputs or side effects of a system. 



Simple machine: a device that requires a single force to work. 



Fulcrum: the pivot of a lever. 



Load arm: the part that extends to the load. 



Effort arm: The part of a lever that extends to where the pressure is applied from. 



Input force: the effort force applied to a lever. 



Output force: The force the lever applies to the load. 



Load force: The force the input force has to overcome to cause any movement. 



Inclined plane: For the moving of heavy objects vertical with ease. 



Wedge: Used to stop the movement of a machine. 



The screw: Used to drill through materials or to move liquid materials. 



The lever Used to move a load( usually heavy) with ease. 



Wheel and axle: Used to transfer small force into big actions, change types of force. 



The pulley: Used to lift heavy objects with ease.  



Scientific terms

Common terms and expressions

Gravitational force

Pull of Earth 

Magnetic force

Magnetic pull/push

Electrical force

Static ,electrical current’s force ,force of lightning

Mechanical force 

Muscular force

Frictional force

Rubbing ,abrasion 

Tensile force

tightening

Compressive force

Crush ,squash

Rotational force

Spin ,twist 



Magnitude: the quantity of force 



Newton: the unit used to measure forces (N) 



Friction: the force that resists objects rubbing or sliding past one another. 



Static friction: The force that holds a motionless object where it is 



Sliding friction: The force that acts like a brake one one surface slides over another 



Lubricant: a substance that reduces friction 



Mechanical advantage (MA): the ratio of output force to input force of a given machine 



Ideal Mechanical advantage: the MA if all output force was converted to input force, not possible in real world applications. 



Actual Mechanical advantage: The MA in real applications ,equal to the ideal MA minus the force lost to friction ,slippage ,etc.