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Flashcards in Introduction Deck (15)
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1
Q

Law

A

A mathematical relation between variables inferred from the data or though some reasoning process.

2
Q

Observational experiment

A

A scientist collects data that seem important.

3
Q

Testing experiment

A

A specific hypothesis is “put on trial.”

4
Q

Hypothesis

A

An idea that explains why or how something that you observe happens.

5
Q

Prediction

A

A statement of what should happen in a particular experiment if the hypothesis being tested were true.

6
Q

Assumption

A

A statement that is accepted without evidence.

7
Q

Point-like object

A

A simplified representation of a real object. You can model a real object as a point-like object when:

(a) all of its parts move in the same way, or
(b) when the object is much smaller than the other relevant lengths in the situation.

8
Q

Model

A

A simplified representation of an object, a system (a group of objects), an interaction, or a process.

9
Q

Physical quantity

A

A feature or characteristics of a physical phenomenon that can be measured in some unit. A measuring instrument is used to make a quantitative comparison of this characteristic with a unit of measure.

10
Q

Unit

A

A chosen standard.

11
Q

SI system

A

International basic units of measurement. (See “SI Units” Deck)

12
Q

Significant digits

A

Number of digits that carry meaning contributing to the precision of the result.

Rules of thumb:
• Non-zero digits & 0's in b/n --> sig.
• Leading 0's not sig.
• Trailing 0's
      decimal: count them as sig.
      no decimal: ambiguous–not sig.
13
Q

Scientific notation

A

Writing numbers in terms of their power of 10.

14
Q

Scalar quantities

A

Physical quantities that contain information about magnitude, and not direction.

15
Q

Vector quantities

A

Physical quantities that contain information about magnitude and direction.