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3.5: End of Chapter Key Terms

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    101210
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    Definition: Motion
    • Motion: The change in position of an object over time.
    • Displacement: The change in position of an object from its initial point to its final point, taking into account direction; measured in meters (m).
    • Distance: The total length of the path traveled by an object, regardless of direction; measured in meters (m).
    • Speed: The rate at which an object covers distance; calculated as distance divided by time (s = d/t); measured in meters per second (m/s).
    • Velocity: The rate at which an object changes its position, including direction; calculated as displacement divided by time (v = Δx/Δt); measured in meters per second (m/s).
    • Acceleration: The rate of change of velocity of an object; calculated as change in velocity divided by time (a = Δv/Δt); measured in meters per second squared (m/s²).
    • Uniform Motion: Motion at a constant speed in a straight line.
    • Non-uniform Motion: Motion that involves a change in speed or direction, or both.
    • Instantaneous Speed: The speed of an object at a specific instant in time.
    • Average Speed: The total distance traveled divided by the total time taken.
    • Instantaneous Velocity: The velocity of an object at a specific instant in time.
    • Average Velocity: The total displacement divided by the total time taken.
    • Uniform Acceleration: Constant acceleration, such as the acceleration due to gravity.
    • Free Fall: The motion of an object under the influence of gravitational force only.
    • Projectile Motion: The motion of an object thrown or projected into the air, subject to only the acceleration of gravity.
    • Trajectory: The path followed by a projectile or moving object.
    • Relative Motion: The calculation of the motion of an object with regard to some other moving object.
    • Frame of Reference: A coordinate system used to define and measure the position, orientation, and other properties of objects in it.
    • Linear Motion: Motion in a straight line.
    • Rotational Motion: Motion of an object about an internal axis.
    • Circular Motion: Motion along a circular path or a circular orbit.
    • Centripetal Acceleration: The acceleration directed toward the center of a circular path, necessary to maintain circular motion.
    • Centripetal Force: The force directed toward the center of a circular path, necessary to maintain circular motion.
    • Tangential Velocity: The linear speed of something moving along a circular path.
    • Kinematics: The branch of mechanics that describes the motion of objects without considering the causes of motion.
    • Dynamics: The branch of mechanics that deals with the forces and their effects on motion.
    • Newton’s Laws of Motion: Three fundamental laws describing the relationship between the motion of an object and the forces acting on it.
    • Inertia: The tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion.
    • Momentum: The product of an object's mass and velocity (p = mv); a measure of how difficult it is to stop a moving object.
    • Impulse: The change in momentum resulting from a force applied over a period of time (J = Ft).
    • Equilibrium: The state in which the net force on an object is zero, resulting in no acceleration.
    • Translational Motion: Movement that changes the position of an object without rotation.
    • Angular Motion: Rotation around a central point or axis.
    • Harmonic Motion: Motion that repeats in cycles, such as a pendulum or a mass on a spring.
    • Damped Harmonic Motion: Oscillatory motion that gradually decreases in amplitude over time due to friction or other resistance.
    • Simple Harmonic Motion: Oscillatory motion under a restoring force proportional to the displacement from an equilibrium position.
    • Uniform Circular Motion: Motion in a circle at constant speed.
    • Non-uniform Circular Motion: Motion in a circle with changing speed.
    • Velocity-Time Graph: A graph that shows how velocity changes over time, where the slope represents acceleration.
    • Position-Time Graph: A graph that shows how position changes over time, where the slope represents velocity.

    3.5: End of Chapter Key Terms is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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