earth forces INV 4 Vocab

Weight

• the force of gravity on an object

• the mass of an object

• the volume of an object

• the density of an object

Force

• a push or pull on an object

• a type of energy

• a measure of mass

• a change in velocity

Speed

• how quickly an object is moving

• the distance covered by an object

• the time taken to cover a distance

• the rate of acceleration of an object

Gravity

• the force that exists between all objects and tends to pull them together

• a type of energy that can be harnessed for power

• the speed at which an object falls to the ground

• a phenomenon that only occurs on Earth

Friction

• a force that accelerates motion between two surfaces

• a force between two surfaces in contact with one another that resist motion

• a type of energy that increases with speed

• a force that only acts in one direction

Acceleration

• speed up, slow down, or change direction

• maintain constant speed

• only speed up

• only slow down

Balanced

• equal, but opposite forces

• forces that are unequal

• forces that act in the same direction

• forces that cause motion

Unbalanced

• forces are equal and opposite

• forces are not equal and opposite

• forces are in equilibrium

• forces cancel each other out

Normal contact force

• perpendicular force between two surfaces

• force acting parallel to the surfaces

• force due to gravity

• force exerted by a spring

Coefficient of friction

• the degree of interaction between two surfaces.

• the measure of how easily one surface can slide over another.

• the ratio of the force of friction between two bodies to the normal force pressing them together.

• the amount of heat generated when two surfaces rub against each other.