Vocabulary of Physics

Question 1

Displacement

Answer 1

Vector Quantity (Direction & Magnitude) Difference between starting and ending locations

Question 2

Velocity

Answer 2

Vector Quantity (Direction & Magnitude) Change in displacement per time. Rate of change of displacement.

Question 3

Acceleration

Answer 3

Vector Quantity (Direction & Magnitude) Rate of change of Velocity per time.

Question 4

Distance

Answer 4

Scalar Quantity (Magnitude only) Absolute value of Displacement

Question 5

V_x

Answer 5

Velocity in the x direction

Question 6

V_x0

Answer 6

Starting Velocity

Time = 0

Question 7

Vy0

Answer 7

Starting Velocity in the vertical directon

Time = 0

Question 8

Mass

Answer 8

Resistance to acceleration

Question 9

Force

Answer 9

A push or pull due to contact or field effects.

Question 10

Gravity

Answer 10

1. The rate of acceleration due to gravitational forces.
2. The force of gravity.

Question 11

Subscripting:

Quantity_Modifer

Answer 11

Main quantity or idea identified by letter.

The subscript adds a description of direction or time or state.

Example: v_xo is initial velocity in the x direction

KE_B is Kinetic Energy at state B in the problem.