Forces + Newton's Laws of Motion Vocabulary 2023-2024

air resistance DEF

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

• the fluid friction experienced by objects falling through the air

• A force that causes objects to move in a circle

• a push or a pull exerted on an object

balanced forces DEF

• equal forces acting in opposite directions

• In the absence of outside forces, the total momentum of objects that interact does not change

• the motion of a falling object when the only force acting on it is gravity

• the force that pulls objects toward each other

centripetal force DEF

• Friction that occurs when one solid surface slides over another

• Any object that orbits around another object in space

• Friction that acts on objects that are not moving

• A force that causes objects to move in a circle

fluid friction

• Friction that occurs when an object rolls over a surface

• friction that occurs as an object moves through a fluid

• If one object exerts a force on a second object, then the second object exerts a force of equal strength in the opposite direction on the first object

• Acceleration depends on an object’s mass and the net force acting on the object

force DEF

• The overall force on an object when all the individual forces acting on it are added together

• The amount of matter in an object

• a push or a pull exerted on an object

• Acceleration depends on an object’s mass and the net force acting on the object

freefall DEF

• the motion of a falling object when the only force acting on it is gravity

• A unit of measure that equals the force required to accelerate 1 kilogram of mass at 1 meter per second

• The overall force on an object when all the individual forces acting on it are added together

• Any object that orbits around another object in space

friction DEF

• the force that pulls objects toward each other

• A force that causes objects to move in a circle

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

• equal forces acting in opposite directions

gravity DEF

• Friction that occurs when an object rolls over a surface

• The product of an object’s mass and velocity

• The overall force on an object when all the individual forces acting on it are added together

• the force that pulls objects toward each other

Law of Conservation of Momentum DEF

• Acceleration depends on an object’s mass and the net force acting on the object

• An object at rest will remain at rest, and an object moving at constant velocity will remain moving at constant velocity, unless it is acted upon by an unbalanced force

• In the absence of outside forces, the total momentum of objects that interact does not change

• If one object exerts a force on a second object, then the second object exerts a force of equal strength in the opposite direction on the first object

mass DEF

• Any object that orbits around another object in space

• The amount of matter in an object

• The overall force on an object when all the individual forces acting on it are added together

• The product of an object’s mass and velocity