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Physics Vocab
ch. 1 and 2
33
Physics
12th Grade
08/22/2007

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Cards

Term
physics
Definition
study of matter, energy, and their relationships
Term
dimensional analysis
Definition
checks if answer will be in hte correct units
Term
sig digits
Definition
valid digits in a measurement
Term
scientific method
Definition
observations, experiments, and creating compelling explanations quantitavely describing phenomena
Term
hypothesis
Definition
educated guess about how variables are related
Term
scientific law
Definition
rule of nature summing up related observations to describe a pattern in nature
Term
scientific theory
Definition
explanation based on many observations supported by experimental results
Term
measurement
Definition
comparison btwn. unknown quantity and standard
Term
precision
Definition
degree of exactness of a measurement
Term
accuracy
Definition
how well results of measurement agree with accepted value
Term
indep. variable
Definition
factor manipulated during experiment
Term
dep. variable
Definition
factor depending on indep. variable
Term
line of best fit
Definition
line drawn as close to all data points as possible; models predictions
Term
linear relationship
Definition
dep. variable varies linearly with indep. variable
Term
quadratic relationship
Definition
one variable depends on the square of another
Term
inverse relationship
Definition
one variable depends on the inverse of the other
Term
motion diagram
Definition
series of images showing the positions of a moving object at equal time intervals
Term
particle model
Definition
simplified version of a motion diagram where object in motion is replaced by a series of single points.
Term
coordinate system
Definition
location of the zero point of the variable and the direction where the values of the variable increase
Term
origin
Definition
point where both variables are zero
Term
position
Definition
separation btwn. object and origin
Term
distance
Definition
how far object is from origin
Term
magnitude
Definition
size
Term
vector
Definition
quantity with magnitude and direction
Term
scalar
Definition
quantity that is just a number without a direction
Term
resultant
Definition
vector representing sum of other 2 vectors
Term
time interval
Definition
dif. btwn. 2 times
Term
displacement
Definition
change in position
Term
position-time graph
Definition
graph with time data plotted on x-axis and position data on y-axis
Term
instantaneous position
Definition
position at a particular instant
Term
average velocity
Definition
slope of a position-time graph for an object
Term
average speed
Definition
how fast object is moving; absolute value of slope
Term
instantaneous velocity
Definition
speed and direction of an object at a particular instant
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