College Physics I Vocab
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a change in an object's position
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motion
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how far an object has moved from its original starting place
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displacement
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total distance divided by total time
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ave speed
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the speed and direction of an object's motion
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velocity
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any time two or more objects interact they may exchange momentum but the total amount of momentum stays the same-momentum is conserved~p=m x v
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The Law of Conservation of Momentum
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an object in motion stays in and an object at rest stays at rest until a net force acts upon the object
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Newton's 1st Law of Motion
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Force= mass x acceleration
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Newton's 2nd Law of Motion
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Forces always occur in pairs; the forces will always be equal and opposite
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Newton's 3rd Law of Motion
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a force that opposes motion between two surfaces that are touching each other; it slows down the motion of objects
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Friction
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friction between two surfaces that are not moving past each other
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static friction
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friction that opposes motion between two surfaces sliding past one anothe
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sliding friction
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the amount of matter in an object; stays the same no matter where you are
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mass
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the force of gravity pulling on a body; changes as gravitational force changes
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weight
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the ability to cause change
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energy
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energy in the form of motion; 1/2 mass x velocity(2)
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kinetic energy
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energy stored in a motionless object that gives it the potential to cause changes
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potential energy
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the amount of work done in a certain amount of time; the rate at which work is done; equals work divided by time and is measured in watts
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power
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the transfer of energy that occurs when a force makes an object move in the direction of the applied force; measured in joules (lifting weights, moving a desk)
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work
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(physics) a rate of change of velocity
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acceleration
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the speed and direction of an object at a particular instant
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instantaneous velocity
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(physics) the influence that produces a change in a physical quantity
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force
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(physics) a stress that produces an elongation of an elastic physical body
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tension
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the property of relative size or extent
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magnitude
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the velocity of a projectile as it leaves the muzzle of a gun
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muzzle velocity
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the combination of all forces acting on an object
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net force
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quantity described by magnitude but not direction (time, area, volume)
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scalar
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a quantity that has magnitude and direction
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vector
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the perpendicular distance from the base of a geometric figure to opposite vertex (or side if parallel)
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altitude
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(physics) the maintenance of a certain quantities unchanged during chemical reactions or physical transformations
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conservation
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(n) the force or speed with which something moves
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momentum
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(physics) the tendency of a body to maintain is state of rest or uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force
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inertia
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the act of applying force suddenly
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impulse
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Motion at constant speed around a circle with a fixed radius
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uniform circular motion
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the acceleration toward the center that holds a satellite in elliptical orbit
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centripetal acceleration
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change of velocity due to direction change
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angular acceleration
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the speed of something moving along a circular path
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tangential speed
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The angular displacement of an object divided by the time needed to make the displacement.
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angular velocity
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a force that causes rotation
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torque
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a periodic motion in which the displacement is either symmetrical about a point or is the sum of such motions
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harmonic motion
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a periodic motion in which the displacement is either symmetrical about a point or is the sum of such motions
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harmonic motion
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the restoring force is proportional to the displacement from equilibrium and the direction of the force is always opposite the direction of the mass' displacement
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Hook's law
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(physics) the maximum displacement of a periodic wave
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amplitude
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the number of occurrences within a given time period (usually 1 second)
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frequency
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a vibration of large amplitude produced by a relatively small vibration near the same frequency of vibration as the natural frequency of the resonating system
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resonance
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The ratio between stress and strain (P) Stress/strain
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young's modulus
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(physics) a deformation of an object in which parallel planes remain parallel but are shifted in a direction parallel to themselves
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shear
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an encounter between two bodies in which the total kinetic energy of the two bodies after the encounter is equal to their total kinetic energy before the encounter
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elastic collision
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the emulation in outer space or free-fall of the effects of gravity felt on a planetary surface
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artificial gravity
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(physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
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strain
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(physics) force that produces strain on a physical body
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stress
