Physics Flashcards
(12 cards)
Define ‘Scalar’
Scalar is a physical quantity that only has magnitude such as time, distance, and length.
e.g. a car travels 200km.
Define ‘Vector’
Vector is a physical quantity that has both direction and magnitude such as displacement, force, and acceleration.
e.g. a car travels 200km East
Define ‘Distance’
Distance is a scalar quantity that only has magnitude and tells you how MUCH you’ve travelled along some path.
e.g. 2.5km.
Define ‘Displacement’
Displacement is a vector quantity that has both direction and magnitude. It tells you how FAR you’ve travelled from a reference point.
e.g. 2.5km North
Define ‘Speed’ and it’s formula
Speed is a scalar quantity that tells you how FAST you are going along a path.
Speed = Distance/Time
e.g. 2.2km per hour.
Define ‘Velocity’ and it’s formula
Velocity is a vector quantity that tells you how FAST something is going away from a reference point.
Velocity = Displacement/Time
e.g. 2.2km per hour East.
Define ‘Acceleration’ and it’s formula
Acceleration tells you how quickly something is slowing down or speeding up. Units: meters per second, per second.
Acceleration = Change in Velocity/Time
Define ‘Mass’
Mass is how much matter is within an object. Unit: Kilograms (Kg)
Define ‘Weight’
Weight is the force of Earth’s gravity acting upon an object. Unit: Newtons (N)
What is Newtons First Law and what it is also known as?
An object will remain at rest or in constant motion until acted on by an unbalanced force. It is also known as ‘Inertia’, the tendency to resist change in motion.
What is Newtons Second Law and it’s formula?
The force needed to move an object is proportional to the mass of the object. Force = Mass x Acceleration.
What is Newtons Third Law?
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
