The Physics of a Road Trip - Vocabulary

1. Scalar Quantity: A quantity that has only magnitude.

2. Particle Model: A simplified version of a motion diagram in which the object in motion is replaced by a series of single points.

3. Speed: Scalar quantity that represents the magnitude of velocity.

4. Time: A measurable period.

5. Time interval: Distance between initial position and time.

6. Acceleration: Rate of change of velocity with respect to time.

6.1. change in velocity/change in time

7. Constant acceleration: velocity is changing by a constant amount of time.

8. Force: A push or a pull exerted on an object having magnitude and direction.

9. Mass: The quantity of matter in a body.

9.1. m=wg

10. Weight: The force exerted from gravity to an object.

11. Distance: Length of a displcement vector.

11.1. d=t*s

12. Vector Quantity: A quantity that includes both direction and magnitude.

13. Velocity: Measurement of the rate and direction of motion.

14. Displacement: Defines the distance and direction of 2 positions.

15. Average velocity: Constant acceleration.

15.1. change in d/change in time

16. Instantaneous velocity: Velocity of an object in motion at a specific point in time.

17. Instantaneous acceleration: Acceleration of an object at a particular

18. Macroscopic object: An object that is measurable and can be seen by the eye.

19. Net force: The sum of all the forces applied on an object.

20. Free body diagram: Models that are used to show the relative magnitude and direction.