Forces and Motion Unit Vocab

Front

What is acceleration?

Back

Acceleration is the change in an object’s speed that takes place over a period of time.

Front

What is motion?

Back

Motion is a change in the position of an object caused by a force.

Front

What is velocity?

Back

Velocity is the speed of an object in a particular direction.

Front

What is inertia?

Back

Inertia is the tendency of an object to stay at the same velocity unless a force acts on it.

Front

What is gravity?

Back

Gravity is the force that pulls objects toward each other.

Front

What is force?

Back

Force is a push or pull on an object that can cause it to change its motion.

Front

What is friction?

Back

Friction is the force that opposes the motion of an object when it is in contact with another surface.

Front

What is speed?

Back

Speed is the distance an object travels per unit of time.

Front

What is the relationship between mass and acceleration?

Back

According to Newton's second law, the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass.

Front

What is a balanced force?

Back

Balanced forces are equal in size and opposite in direction, resulting in no change in motion.