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Topic 2 vocab
Physics Vocabulary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Final Velocity | The velocity that the object ends with after a change in its initial velocity is made. |
| Elastic Collisions | Very brief actions of two or more particles where they come in close position to one another, resulting in a change in momentum or exchange of energy. These "collisions" obey the law of conservation. |
| Gravitational Acceleration | The acceleration of an object's velocity caused by gravitational force. Acceleration due to gravity is symbolized by "g". |
| Momentum | A vector quantity that has the same direction as an object’s velocity; its magnitude is equal to the product of the object’s mass and speed: p = mv. |
| Initial Speed | The beginning or starting speed (magnitude of velocity) of an object before there is any change in its speed. |
| Final Speed | The speed (magnitude of velocity) that an object ends with |
| Initial Velocity | The beginning or starting velocity of an object before there is any change in its velocity (acceleration or deceleration). |
| Conservation Of Momentum | When no net external force acts on a system, the total momentum of the system remains unchanged. When two internal bodies interact and no external forces are acting on the objects, their total momentum remains unchanged. |
| Change In Velocity | Any change in the speed or direction of an object's motion; acceleration. |
| Average Speed | The average of the initial and final speeds of an object: image |
| Inelastic Collision | The usual case for collisions, in which kinetic energy is not conserved, but momentum is conserved. |
| Acceleration Due To Gravity | Commonly denoted by the symbol g; it is the same for all objects on Earth, regardless of their mass. |
| Acceleration | A vector quantity that represents the time-rate of change in the velocity of an object. |
| Free Fall | An object in free fall is considered to have no appreciable air resistance acting on it. All objects in free fall experience the same acceleration due to gravity. |