Force & Motion Vocab

Front

What is momentum?

Back

The product of an object's mass and velocity.

Front

What is friction?

Back

The force that one surface exerts on another when the two surfaces rub against each other.

Front

What are unbalanced forces?

Back

Forces that produce a nonzero net force, which changes an object's motion.

Front

What are balanced forces?

Back

Equal forces acting on an object in opposite directions.

Front

What is acceleration?

Back

The rate at which velocity changes.

Front

What is inertia?

Back

The tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion.

Front

What is gravity?

Back

The force that attracts two bodies toward each other, commonly experienced as the weight of an object.

Front

What is speed?

Back

The distance traveled per unit of time, regardless of direction.

Front

What is the difference between speed and velocity?

Back

Speed is a scalar quantity (magnitude only), while velocity is a vector quantity (magnitude and direction).

Front

What is a net force?

Back

The overall force acting on an object when all the individual forces are combined.