| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
|
reference point |
the starting point you choose to describe the location or position of an object |
| position | describes an object’s distance and direction from a reference point. |
|
displacwement |
the difference between the initial , or starting point and its final position. |
| motion | the process of changing position |
| speed | the distance an object moves in a unit of time. |
| velocity | the speed and direction of a moving object |
| acceleration | a measure of how quickly the velocity of an object changes. |
|
distance -time graph |
a graph that shows how distance and time are related |
| speed-time graph | shows the speed of an object on the y-axis and time on the x-axis. |
| contact force | a push or a pull one object applies to another object that is touching it. |
| noncontact force | a force that one object applies to another object without touching. |
| friction | a contact force that resists the sliding motion of two surfaces that are touching. |
| air resistance | the frictional force between air and the objects moving through it. |
| Newton's First Law of Motion | states that if the net force acting on an object is zero, the motion of the object does not change. |
| Newton's Second Law of Motion | states that acceleration of an object is equal to the net force exerted on the object divided by the object’s mass. |
| Newton's Third Law of Motion | states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. |
| energy | the ability to cause change |
| kinetic energy | the energy of motion |
| potential energy | stored energy due to the interactions between objects or particles. |
| work | the transfer of energy that occurs when a force is applied over a distance. |
|
mechanical energy |
the total energy of an object or group of objects due to large-scale motions and interactions. |
| sound energy | the energy due to sound. |
| thermal energy | energy due to the motion of particles that make up an object. |
| electrical energy | energy that an electric current carries. |
| radiant/light energy | energy that electromagnetic waves carry. |
| nuclear energy | -energy that is stored in the nucleus of the atom. |
