Science Vocab Quiz

Speed- the measure of how fast or slow an object is moving. It is the distance the object moves per unit of time.

Velocity- The speed and direction of an object.

Average speed- The total distance traveled divided by the total time it took to complete.

Instantaneous speed- The speed of a moving object at a specific moment in time.

Reference point- a place or object used for comparison to determine if something is in motion.

Potential energy- stored energy that an object possesses due to its position or condition.

Kinetic energy- energy an object possesses due to its motion.

Force- a push or a pull

Gravity- the force that pulls objects towards each other, especially towards large objects like planets and stars.

Acceleration- the rate at which velocity changes with time, in terms of both speed and direction.

Newton’s First Law- An object in motion remains in motion and an object at rest remains at rest unless acted on by an unbalanced force.

Newton’s Second Law- Force = mass x acceleration

Newton’s Third Law- For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Inertia- the tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion.

Momentum- the measure of how much mass is moving at a certain speed or velocity