| Term | Definition |
| standard | In measurement, an exact quantity that everyone agrees upon. |
| SI | Modern version of metric system. Based on powers of 10. |
| meter | The SI base unit of length |
| volume | The amount of space occupied by an object. |
| derived unit | Unit of measurement obtained by combining SI units (density= mass/volume) |
| liter | Base unit of volume for LIQUID |
| mass | The amount of matter in an object |
| kilogram | The SI unit for mass |
| density | Describes how tighly packed a substance's molecules are. |
| time | The interval between two events |
| second | The SI unit for time |
| kelvin | The SI unit for temperature |
| graph | a visual display of information or data |
| speed | How fast something is going |
| instantaneous speed | The rate of motion at a given instant in time (car speedometer) |
| constant speed | speed that does not change |
| average speed | A rate of motion determined by= d/t |
| velocity | the speed and direction of a moving object |
| acceleration | The rate of change in velocity |
| force | A push or pull one object exerts on another. |
| balanced forces | forces that are equal in size and opposite in direction |
| net force | The sum of the forces on an object when unbalanced forces are applied to it. |
| inertia | The tendency of an object to resist any change in its motion |
| friction | The force that opposes motion between two surfaces that are touching each other |
| Newton's Second Law of Motion | An object's acceleration depends on its mass and the Fnet upon it. |
| air resistance | frictional force air exerts on a moving object. depends on shape, density, speed, and size |
| terminal velocity | the greatest velocity reached by a falling object. Occurs when force of gravity is balanced by air resistance |
| projectile | Any object shot of thrown through the air |
| centripal acceleration | Acceleration toward the center of a circle by an object moving along a circular path |
| centripal force | The force that causes an object moving along a circular path to move toward the center of the path |
| Newton's Third Law of Motion | For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. |
| momentum | property of any moving object. product of mass and velocity |
| law of conservation of momentum | states that the total momentum of a group of objects is conserved unless a net force acts on the objects. |
| energy | The ability to cause change. |
| kinetic energy | Energy in motion. The greater the mass and velocity, the greater the KE |
| potential energy | Stored energy. |
| work | The transfer of energy through motion. Measured in JOULES |
| mechanical energy | The total amount of KE and PE in a system |
| law of conservation of energy | a law stating that energy can form but can't be created nor destroyed under ordinary conditions |
| temperature | a measure of the average KE of the particles that make up matter. More KE of particles=higher temp. Less KE= lower temp. |
| thermal energy | Total energy of a material's products, including PE and KE |
| heat | Thermal energy that flows from warmer material to a cooler material. |
| specific heat | The amount of enegy needed to raise 1 kg of material 1 degree. |
| machine | a device that makes work easier |
| simple machine | a device that accomplishes work with only one movement. |
| effort force | the force applied to a machine when a machine is used to do work. |
| resistance force | the force exerted by a machine to overcome resistance to gravity or friction. |
| ideal machine | A machine in which work input equals work output. |
| mechanical advantage | The number of times a machine multiplies the effort force applied to it. |
| lever | a simple machine consisting of a bar that is free to rotate around a fixed point. |
| fulcrum | The fixed point around which a lever pivots. |
| effort arm | The part of a lever on which an effort force is applied. |
| resistance arm | The part of a lever that exerts the resistance force. |
| pulley | a simple machine consisting of a grooved wheel with a rope or a chain running along the groove. |
| wheel and axle | A simple machine consisting of two different sized wheels that rotate together, such as a doorknob or wheel-handled faucet. |
| inclined plane | A simple machine consisting of a ramp used to raise objects. |
| screw | A simple machine consisting of a special type of inclined plane wrapped in a spiral around a cylindrical post |
| wedge | a simple machine consisting of a moving inclined plane with one or two sloping sides. examples are knives and chisels. |
| static friction | The force between two objects that are not moving relative to each other. |
| kinetic friction | Kinetic (or dynamic) friction occurs when two objects are moving relative to each other and rub together |
| elastic collision | objects collide and bounce off each other |
| inelastic collision | objects collide and stick together |
| Newton's First Law of Motion | An object moving at a constant velocity keeps moving at that velocity unless an Fnet acts upon it. |