Question | Answer |
The total distance an object travels divided by the travel time for the whole trip | Average Speed |
The rate of change of the velocity of an object | Acceleration |
Forces on an object that are equal in strength but opposite in direction | Balanced Forces |
Speed that remains the same over time | Constant Speed |
The distance and direction an object moves from its starting point | Displacement |
The measure of how far an object has moved | Distance |
Any push or pull exerted on an object | Force |
The resistance that one surface or object encounters when moving over another | Friction |
The tendency of an object to resist change in motion | Inertia |
Speed of an object at a point in time | Instantaneous speed |
The change in position relative to a reference point | Motion |
Speed decreases over time; deceleration | Negative acceleration |
The sum of all the forces on an object | Net force |
Speed increases over time | Positive acceleration |
A measurement that has magnitude only | Scalar quantity |
Distance divided by time | Speed |
Forces on an object that result in a net force. They may be in the same direction, or of differing strengths. | Unbalanced forces |
A measurement that has both direction and magnitude (eg: 50 m/s North) | Vector quantity |
The speed of an object in a direction | Velocity |
What type of graph would be used to plot distance versus time? | A line graph |
What type of speed does a speedometer measure? | Instantaneous speed |
Is distance a scalar or vector quantity? | Scalar |
What is the formula for speed? | s = d/t |
What is the formula for acceleration? | a = (Vf - Vi) / t |
What type of quantity is displacement? | A vector quantity |
What does a horizontal line on a graph of velocity versus time mean? | The object is traveling at a constant rate of speed; there is zero acceleration. |
How does the mass of an object affect its inertia? | A change in the mass would change the inertia |
What is the relationship of force and motion? | It takes force to cause or change motion |
When riding a roller-coaster, what changes do you experience? | Changes in speed and/or direction |
What is Newton’s First Law of Motion? | An object in motion will stay in motion until a net force acts on it; an object at rest will remain at rest until a net force acts on it. |
In Diagram I (see slides), what is the total distance the professor walks? | He walks 4 meters away, and 4 meters back, making his total distance 8 meters. |
In Diagram I (see slides), what is the professor's displacement after 10 seconds? | His displacement is zero, because he has returned to the same place. |
In Diagram I, what is the professor doing during seconds 5 - 7? | He is standing still. In a distance vs time graph, a horizontal line means, the object is not moving. |
If a car is driving around a track, can it have a constant speed AND a changing velocity? | Yes! The velocity would be changing because it includes both speed AND direction, and the vehicle's direction would change. |
Describe the person on the train in the Frame of Reference slide from two points of view. | The person on the train experiences herself as standing still. To the person on the ground, she is moving rapidly away. |