Force & Motion Vocabulary

Reference Point: a point used to find or describe the location of something

Position Location relative to a reference point; it does have a direction

Distance quantity that refers to… "how much ground an object has covered" during its motion

Displacement Shortest distance from the initial to the final position of a point Thus, it is the length of an imaginary straight path, typically distinct from the path actually travelled

Motion A change in position of an object over time

SPEED Describes how fast an object is moving.

Average Speed distance Average Speed = time

Velocity The speed of an object in a certain direction.

d Velocity V = t speed of an object in a certain direction. V = velocity (meters/second) d = distance (meters) t = time (seconds)

Velocity speed of an object in a certain direction. seconds 3 1 2

Scalar a measurement that does NOT contain direction. Example: Speed Vector a measurement that contains direction. Example: Velocity

Acceleration is how quickly velocity changes over time.   Speed 3 1 2 Meters/second

Acceleration how quickly velocity changes over time (Vfinal - Vinitial) ___________ A = time

Acceleration

Acceleration: the change in velocity over time.   change in velocity Acceleration = time (v2 – v1 ) ________ Acceleration = Time V1 = beginning velocity V2 = ending velocity

f = m•a f = net force (newtons) m = mass (Kilograms) Force: a push or pull upon an object resulting from the object's interaction with another object; forces only exist as a result of an interaction   f = m•a force = mass • acceleration f = net force (newtons) m = mass (Kilograms) a = acceleration (meters/second2)

Pressure is the amount of force exerted over a certain area. Pressure = Force Area

Pressure = Force (newtons) Area (m2) 1 Pascal = 1 Newton/meter2

Friction   The resistive force that occurs when two surfaces travel past each other. Causes physical deformation Generates heat

Friction   The resistive force that occurs when two surfaces contact each other.  

{ Work Distance W = f • d Force { Distance